Scale variations

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

  Seconded!

[enki_ck]

...If the mods agree, I would be open to moving all posts from the Vintage thread about the 1973 knives and moving them all to a new thread titled %u201C1973?%u201D

...

We don't generally do that, as that kind of mangels the natural flow of the thread, and the posts had replies that would also have to be moved, and then there would be a gap in conversations which is all unnecessary.

We don't mind duplication here on MTO. I think it's a better option to simply post the info in the new thread, copy and paste if you will, or add additional info if you want and have it all in one easy to find and sort through place/thread. Considering how many ignore and spam/nonsense threads we have, a new thread with educational information that was however already posted somewhere else really isn't a problem

[kamakiri]

We don't generally do that, as that kind of mangels the natural flow of the thread, and the posts had replies that would also have to be moved, and then there would be a gap in conversations which is all unnecessary.

We don't mind duplication here on MTO. I think it's a better option to simply post the info in the new thread, copy and paste if you will, or add additional info if you want and have it all in one easy to find and sort through place/thread. Considering how many ignore and spam/nonsense threads we have, a new thread with educational information that was however already posted somewhere else really isn't a problem

I get that. And thanks for addressing my suggestion. I used to be a moderator on another site, and made the suggestion as only 4 members would need to have posts transferred. And it would remain a pretty clean break from what I can tell. I meant more as to remove the discussion from that thread. But not a big deal to me where it is and none of it needs duplication. I’d just as well start another thread with other knife examples.

[MiniChamp]

The attached image shows a model 1234U SAK that was repaired by Victorinox, earlier this month, and then sold online along with the associated paperwork (it's not my knife). As can be seen, the repair involved the replacement of a broken main blade. What I find interesting for this thread is the fact they did this repair without being bothered (or so it seems) by the discoloration of the front scale. Since they have been known to replace better looking scales, I suspect that at least part of the reason for keeping this scale is that they no longer have readily available replacements for such big awl SAKs. Still, they must consider this scale as being somehow fully functional, namely, consider the discoloration as being something that is purely aesthetic. In light of the potential connection between discoloration and disintegration, I can't help wondering what they really know about it and if they do something to stabilize such scales.

P.S. Another interesting aspect of this repair is that it shows their current protocol for replacing knife blades with 2.7mm shanks. They seem to be out of 2.7mm blades, but still have 2.4mm blades (that they stopped using on new SAKs in 2004), so they use those. The problem is, as was explained by JazzBass many years ago, that one cannot simply install a 2.4mm blade on a 2.7mm spring and get a properly working knife. So, what do they do in order to install a 2.4mm blade without replacing the spring and the corkscrew? They replace the external liner adjacent to the main blade by a post-2004 liner that has the stamped "half-moon" bulge. That bulge was designed to compensate for reducing the main blade shank from 2.4mm to 2.0mm (on SAKs with 2.4mm springs) and it seems to also work nicely to compensate for installing 2.4mm blades on SAKs with 2.7mm springs. (The fit on such a repaired SAK that I happen to have is quite perfect, so I suspect that they give the liner a small squeeze to reduce the compensation from 0.4mm to 0.3mm.)

[jnoxyd]

Just curious what happened with this knife and what original color was? Not mine, pics from auction.

[Huntsman]

Ouch

Can't help though with the question -
Is it mother of pearl? Look like a chemical of some sort got it

[Sneider]

Just curious what happened with this knife and what original color was? Not mine, pics from auction.
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)

Looks like plastic-based imitation of mother-of-pearl. These early plastics often became brittle, fragile, etc.
 I don't know what, possibly due to uv radiation, chemical effects ... 

[Max Stone]

Here's a scale variation that I cannot seem to find a reference to.

It's an '86-92 Ranger with Cellidor scales with no TT, with a printed federal Swiss shield on the reverse side of the SAK. The top scale is blank.

Has anyone else see this scale configuration before?

[kamakiri]

.

[SteveP]

Here's a scale variation that I cannot seem to find a reference to.

It's an '86-92 Ranger with Cellidor scales with no TT, with a printed federal Swiss shield on the reverse side of the SAK. The top scale is blank.

Has anyone else see this scale configuration before?

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

Max, you know a lot more about SAKs than I do, but to my new-to-the-hobby eyes it looks like it was meant to have a corporate logo imprinted on it, but that didn't happen for some reason. QC failure on the production line? Seems that all the corporate logo'd SAKs I've seen have the shield on the corkscrew scale.

So it could be a one-off anomaly. You could be holding a truly unique, one-of-a-kind, but still Victorinox produced SAK.   

[Huntsman]

Very nice SAK Max - It is in great condition, l love the blue and a great model  - Is it yours? Obtained via an auction etc.

Seems like a pretty good theory SteveP.

Is it also an 'Economy' version ie the printed Swiss shield not the Vic logo - Not sure what else would make it 'economy' - No tp and tw too of course.
I guess there were ecomony branded models too - Although I had a quick flick through the custom scales catalogue we recently uploaded and that option was not there - although that particular catalogue is much more recent!

[Max Stone]

Hi guys, it is indeed my own, but came from a local auction so I don't know the history. I like the theory that it's a corporate branded model that may have not been done as I have seen a couple of branded examples online with the standard shield on the reverse scale, and this particular seller has a lot of branded SAKs.

.

First time kamakiri is lost for words 

[kamakiri]

First time kamakiri is lost for words 

 

[pitquim]

Here's a scale variation that I cannot seem to find a reference to.

It's an '86-92 Ranger with Cellidor scales...

I've just seen a similar Climber in a Spanish second-hand site. This one has UN Peacekeeping logo in front scale
I upload a couple of pics here. Not sure if I can post here a sale link: forum rules, I mean

[Max Stone]

Thanks pitquim  This supports the view that I have an advertising SAK that was either not printed or had the printing removed (no visible trace). Glad the mystery is solved. 

[SteveP]

You know, that blue is so attractive, I wonder if someone snagged this one off the production line before it could be logo'd? (Versus an actual quality control problem during production.)