New Style Magnifying Lens Issue

[Sawl Goodman]

The frame integrity seems to be acceptable for the application. But, the tolerances look to be the culprit in the popped out lenses. As many stated, a bit of epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue is a great solution. Seems Vic could start doing this at the factory. I ended up using 3 dots of cyanoacrylate(preference thing), though two is sufficient from what has been written so far.

I agree it would probably take considerable force to break the housing, which I suspect is made of polycarbonate.

CA (superglue) is definitely the easier way to keep the lens put than epoxy, and might be strong enough. Did it cloud the housing?

[Sawl Goodman]

How do I tell if my Explorer has the glass or plastic lens?

Mine was definitely sold new in 2017, as it has a company logo showing 50 years... 1967-2017.

No, mine hasn’t fallen out and I haven’t tried to remove it.   Just wondering how to tell what magnifying lens is in mine?

Thanks!

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To add to G-man's and MiniCamp's tips, there's also a ribbed effect on the inside of the housing, barely noticeable. I bought my Explorer knowing it had the glass lens because I was able to see this ribbing in the seller's pictures.

I'm looking at it right now... and wouldn't you fugging know it, the freaking lens fell out again!!! I must have contaminated the edges with my fingertips when I glued them, I don't know.

[ThundahBeagle]

With these opaque/ clear housings, the thing to remember is not how much force is needed to break them. Only how little force is needed to deform them enough to allow the lense to pop out.

This is just NOT a robust design. That's all there is to it.

We dont buy our Swiss Army Knives so that they work *most* of the time. We expect them to work. Whether or not they are up to a given task or not is a matter of reasoning it out, but if there were virtually no known instances of lenses spontaneously popping out of grey housings, and there are at least a few popping out of the newer housings, then that's just not acceptable.

Only things I can think of are

-of course, cost to produce
And
-maybe something in the grey housing is of a material that is no longer available or legal to produce

And of course, the cost of a new Explorer vs the cost of mailing and repair makes us decide we are better off applying our own home-grown fix. And that sucks if you have to do that to a brand new knife. Especially a Vic. Unheard of. Until now

[Intorikata]

...the shape of their MAC, no doubt.

[Buzzbait]

Well, as above, 5 minute epoxy did the job for me. The best glue for bonding two different rigid materials together, permanently. With a paperclip, I applied two tiny drops opposite each other on the inside edge of the housing, before reseating the lens.

A single drop might be enough. I wanted to take no chances.

The frame integrity seems to be acceptable for the application. But, the tolerances look to be the culprit in the popped out lenses. As many stated, a bit of epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue is a great solution. Seems Vic could start doing this at the factory. I ended up using 3 dots of cyanoacrylate(preference thing), though two is sufficient from what has been written so far.

Well this is excellent news. If my SwissChamp or Explorer do ever develop a problem, it sounds like the fix is quite simple.

[zrxoa1]

Look at the attached Victorinox documents. There are some differences in the shape of the holder, the spring and the associated Phillips screwdriver.

So if I am looking at the .pdf correctly, mine is glass? 





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[Sawl Goodman]

Well this is excellent news. If my SwissChamp or Explorer do ever develop a problem, it sounds like the fix is quite simple.

Well, my lens came out again as I cleaned it. Could be as a result of poor epoxy technique, or that it was it was 5 minute type, I don't know. The good news is that since I've reseated it, it's stayed in place much better than before - not simply falling out on opening. Being careful now!

[jph_777]

Here are some close-up photos of the magnifier.  This is from an Explorer that I purchased online this year (2019), so I assume it is the most recent incarnation of the magnifier.

If you look closely at the inside circumference of the frame of the magnifier, you can see alternating notches and tabs.  On the opposite side of the magnifier frame, the notches are across from the tabs, and vice-versa.

The magnifier lens rotates within the frame, between the tabs on each side, when I hold the lens between my fingers and turn it gently. 

I have two Explorers that are this type, and have had no issues with the lenses coming out.

Hope the photos are of some help in visualizing this vintage of magnifier.

[MiniChamp]

So if I am looking at the .pdf correctly, mine is glass? 

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It looks to me like the glass one (although, it's a little hard to be sure since the most important area for making this determination is a bit out of focus in your image).

I attach an image of an Explorer with a plastic mag-glass for comparison.

[zrxoa1]

It looks to me like the glass one (although, it's a little hard to be sure since the most important area for making this determination is a bit out of focus in your image).

I attach an image of an Explorer with a plastic mag-glass for comparison.

Everything I’ve seen, I’m sure I have the newest glass mag set up.

Thank you!




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[Buzzbait]

The easiest way for me to tell a plastic lens from a newer type glass lens is to look at the housing’s tang when the magnifier is in the open position. The new glass magnifier has a very flat tang, where it enters the blade well. The older plastic magnifier has a highly rounded tang.

Glass:




Plastic:




Here’s a close-up.

Glass:





Plastic:

[zrxoa1]

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[Buzzbait]

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Definitely glass.

[ThundahBeagle]

Am I correct that even the sturdy grey magnifying glass casings went through two or three iterations?

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some of the grey housings have bevels of varying types and thicknesses?

[MiniChamp]

Am I correct that even the sturdy grey magnifying glass casings went through two or three iterations?

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some of the grey housings have bevels of varying types and thicknesses?

You are correct. For lots of information about the mag-glass, one should look at the following thread:
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,74378.0.html

For information about changes to the spring of the pre-2004 layer, one should look at the following post:
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,75371.msg1614674.html#msg1614674

[Sawl Goodman]

Great news! According to this post in another thread, the issue has been solved:

Couple of things I found out since my original post and wanted to pass along:  the service department at Victorinox told me they have fixed the problem with the lens popping out on the post 2012 magnifier, ( although they didn't  say how ), and Swiss Knife Shoppe told me they have all new stock that do not have any SAKS with the problem magnifier.  Oh yeah, and the Victorinox folks also told me if you have a knife with the defective magnifier that you can send it in and they'll send you a new knife.

Well done, Victorinox!

[Rapidray]

So glass on this one then?

[ulzhan]

I've got the notched frame with a glass lense here. It's very easy for the lens to pop out and also to be put back again.

[Top-Gear-24]

So glass on this one then?

I find it easier to see when the magnifying glass is closed.  When it's closed, take out the tooth pick and slide it from the lens to the edge of the knife (in the pics, from left to right), if you just slide of the edge, it's an old one.  If you feel a little hump right at the end, it's probably a new one.

You can see this hump as well, on the plastic one the plastic stays closer to the top of liners, on the glass one it drops down, away from the top of the liners, to go back up in the end (hopes this makes sense).

Another way to tell is the snap. Zero snap on the plastic, a light snap on the glass one (thanks to the hump).

Worked fine for me so far.

In the pics below, the red Swisschamp has a plastic lens, the SilverTech has a glass lens.











P.S.: Apologies for the pocket lint on these Champs, these are my most carried SAKs after all... 

[Rapidray]

There is a hump so it’s plastic. Thanks! 

[Top-Gear-24]

There is a hump so it’s plastic. Thanks! 

The one with the hump is normally one with a glass lens  .

 

[BePrepared]

I had a second hand Swisschamp (now modded into an Explorer/Yeoman without main blade) and the mag lens rattles but has not popped out.

I bought a second hand Explorer, and the lens in that will rotate but does not rattle.

These are both the clear plastic display, with, I believe, plastic lenses --- both have the same focal distance.



I went to the Victorinox store yesterday, and their display Swisschamp had a lens that did not rotate inside the housing --- it was very firm.  Maybe they did something to the display copy?

Has anyone tried to replace their lens with something better quality?

[Sawl Goodman]

I went to the Victorinox store yesterday, and their display Swisschamp had a lens that did not rotate inside the housing --- it was very firm.  Maybe they did something to the display copy?

Perhaps Victorinox has now fixed the problem? 
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,77903.msg2050636.html#msg2050636

[Don Pablo]

Here are some close-up photos of the magnifier.  This is from an Explorer that I purchased online this year (2019), so I assume it is the most recent incarnation of the magnifier.

If you look closely at the inside circumference of the frame of the magnifier, you can see alternating notches and tabs.  On the opposite side of the magnifier frame, the notches are across from the tabs, and vice-versa.

The magnifier lens rotates within the frame, between the tabs on each side, when I hold the lens between my fingers and turn it gently. 

I have two Explorers that are this type, and have had no issues with the lenses coming out.

Hope the photos are of some help in visualizing this vintage of magnifier.

Quite a simple design solution to prevent the glass popping out.
Victorinox!

[Sawl Goodman]

Here are some close-up photos of the magnifier.  This is from an Explorer that I purchased online this year (2019), so I assume it is the most recent incarnation of the magnifier.

If you look closely at the inside circumference of the frame of the magnifier, you can see alternating notches and tabs.  On the opposite side of the magnifier frame, the notches are across from the tabs, and vice-versa.

The magnifier lens rotates within the frame, between the tabs on each side, when I hold the lens between my fingers and turn it gently. 

I have two Explorers that are this type, and have had no issues with the lenses coming out.

Hope the photos are of some help in visualizing this vintage of magnifier.

I believe all magnifiers with the new glass lens are of this type. My own Explorer's magnifier frame is identical and the lens would pop out. I have since acquired a used Swisschamp with the same frame. The lens rotates but has never popped out. Curiously, the lens has more optical distortion at the edge than the Explorer's.

I wonder how Victorinox has now addressed the issue? I'd like to see a new factory fresh build to see what they've done.

[Syph007]

I hear they are making a version 4 of mag glass with the clear plastic molded around the glass so it doesnt come out.

[Tendou]

Hi! Both the second gen and the third gen magnifying glass can be removed?

[Syph007]

I hear they are making a version 4 of mag glass with the clear plastic molded around the glass so it doesnt come out.

This is now confirmed.   Just got in 4 explorers and the lenses can't be removed now without ruining the polycarb holder.  Instead of alternating tabs it has rings around both sides that hold it securely.   Will add pics later when I'm out in the shop today.

[SirVicaLot]

Good to know they fixed the issue 

[GrouchoM]

Is the lens any better the Rev. 1?  The gray one's lens was quite good.

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