Descaling The Scales-----Update

[grover26]

Last week I entered my first ever post. I was asking for input on reconditioning the scales on a used SAK that I had recently purchased.  Let me first say 'thanks' to all those that responded. First response was within 10 minutes of posting! All responses were helpful.This is definitely a forum with members willing to share knowledge and experiences.

My thoughts were to wet sand and polish. Responses reinforced my belief and offered many suggestions....even a video. My hobby experiences include a bit of automotive painting, much back in the lacquer days (I'm 71). I spent many hours color sanding and buffing out lacquer jobs and thought that the same procedure could be applied to the SAK scales. I started out using 600 paper dry followed with 600 wet using a soapy solution. I finished up with 1500 wet and finally just the back of the paper (wet) to burnish. I had about 90% of the luster back, which was fine as this was to be an EDC, not a showpiece. I got all the nicks and gouges out except one close to the logo / shield. It is barely detectable with a fingernail. I didn't know if the shield was inlaid or applied or how much sanding could be done in that area. If I ever acquire a 'sacrificial' knife I will find out. Having no polishing compound handy, I went over the piece two or three times using my thumb and toothpaste. Not only did it restore the final 10% of luster to the scales, it left the knife with a nice minty fragrance....LOL. I wish I had photo posting ability to show the results. The only downside to the whole procedure is, 'Dang, it's now too nice for an EDC'!

Again, thanks for the help....Thanks for the Forum

[Don Pablo]

If the scales are celidor, the shiny kind, not nylon, the nylon-y kind, then the shield is inlaid, so no worries there. 

It sounds like you had a good success, congratulations. 

[grover26]

If the scales are celidor, the shiny kind, not nylon, the nylon-y kind, then the shield is inlaid, so no worries there. 

It sounds like you had a good success, congratulations.  :cheers

Thanks for the info. I'll sand away, as I have a few others that need attention. I'll never again shy away from a SAK with beat up scales.....nor buy scales, other than for a color change or to upgrade to 'Plus'.

[ThundahBeagle]

Hello everyone,

I'm a little more active on the Leatherman forums, however I do have a late 1980's Super Tinker and a five or six year old Tinker Deluxe. The old Super Tinker, I have destroyed the scales on that. They got "chewed up" after a long drop onto concrete and they popped off. The impact also dented the layer channels, so now it is very difficult to open some of the tools. It is now just a naked metal set of tools, one or two of which require the use of a plyers to open.

I saved the scales. The one with the shield had landed in a blacktop parking lot and been run over by he time I found it.

Although the shield is metal, and is inlaid, it is also thinner than paper. I know this because one edge if mine is raised out of the cellidor, so I am not sure I would polish with anything other than toothpaste on that part. Otherwise you may risk lifting it out of place and deforming it.

But enough about that one. I also already managed to have one scale removed and the other side damaged on the newer knife.

[MacGyver]

Well... like i said in the other topic, that's a bummer mate... 

The scales issue is the easiest one to solve, and i wouldn't bother with trying to restore or glue the older ones. Just get some new sets of scales, even in other color or plus ones it you want, and put them on the Sak's. It's a fairly easy job to do 

As for the damaged liners on the super tinker, that may take some doing depending on how bent or dammed the liners are. I you feel you can´t straighten them back to shape with some thin pliers or so, the best thing would be stooping by a Victorinox Rep and finding out how much it would cost to get them fixed. It will probably need to be disassembled to get the liners beaten back into shape, or even getting some new ones. And they will also put in some new scales for you too 

[strmliner]

Well... like i said in the other topic, that's a bummer mate... 

The scales issue is the easiest one to solve, and i wouldn't bother with trying to restore or glue the older ones. Just get some new sets of scales, even in other color or plus ones it you want, and put them on the Sak's. It's a fairly easy job to do 

As for the damaged liners on the super tinker, that may take some doing depending on how bent or dammed the liners are. I you feel you can´t straighten them back to shape with some thin pliers or so, the best thing would be stooping by a Victorinox Rep and finding out how much it would cost to get them fixed. It will probably need to be disassembled to get the liners beaten back into shape, or even getting some new ones. And they will also put in some new scales for you too 

Personally, I'd skip the fix and send the SuperTinker, as is, to Vx in Connecticut. Your SAK has a lifetime warranty. For the price of replacing the scales yourself, you can get all the problems fixed and a knife as good as new. Log on to their website and check it out.