Climber w/o keyring

[Simon_Templar]

I have a quick question for the SAK gurus on this forum: I picked up a good-as-new Climber cheap on the bay and noticed it does not have a keyring. The Climber is an older model with "Officier Suisse" and the umbrella on the tang (yes, I know, it's not an umbrella - still...).

I was baffled and checked on SAKwiki, where there is no mention of keyring-less 91mm models. On the Climber page there are pictures of Climbers without keyring though (never noted this before).

Does anyone know anything about this? Was there a time when Vic produced keyring-less 91mm models instead of or as an alternative to versions with keyring? Or are there just some models which were (or still are) available without keyring, possibly in special runs (my Climber has an advertisement on the scale)?

Thanks for any input on this, I would really like to get to the bottom of this mystery.

[McStitchy]

I'm not a SAK guru either, but my first SAK back in 1981 was one of those (no advertisement).
Apart from the occasional Climbers with advertising which still seem to pop up these days (can have no key-ring), the early Climbers had no key-ring and were called Traveller. Or original Traveller now.

[Simon_Templar]

I'm not a SAK guru either, but my first SAK back in 1981 was one of those (no advertisement).
Apart from the occasional Climbers with advertising which still seem to pop up these days (can have no key-ring), the early Climbers had no key-ring and were called Traveller. Or original Traveller now.

Interesting. In the meantime, I searched SAKWiki some more and found in the "History" section of the Climber page  the following information:

"The no-keyring variations are sometimes available in other markets, and can appear from time-to-time, if a large order is requested by a re-seller or distributor."

I wonder if I should slap new Plus scales on the Climber and have a rather exclusive non-advertisment model. Or would it be a sacrilege to take the original scales off (they are in mint condition)?

[Farmer X]

I wonder if I should slap new Plus scales on the Climber and have a rather exclusive non-advertisment model. Or would it be a sacrilege to take the original scales off (they are in mint condition)?

I, personally, would leave it original. But then again, it ain't mine to do with as I see fit.

However, I have a Climber that could use some new scales. Maybe I'll put Plus scales on it. 

[kamakiri]

Interesting. In the meantime, I searched SAKWiki some more and found in the "History" section of the Climber page  the following information:

"The no-keyring variations are sometimes available in other markets, and can appear from time-to-time, if a large order is requested by a re-seller or distributor."

I wonder if I should slap new Plus scales on the Climber and have a rather exclusive non-advertisment model. Or would it be a sacrilege to take the original scales off (they are in mint condition)?

Ugh. I don’t think that’s really correct in the Wiki. McStitchy is right. It’s a Traveller and shows up in miscellaneous catalogs that way. Boxed and stamped label versions tell us that these weren’t ‘special order’ items. I have some from early and mid ‘80s.

[kamakiri]

Pic for the non-believers and would-be argumentative. 

[Simon_Templar]

Ugh. I don’t think that’s really correct in the Wiki. McStitchy is right. It’s a Traveller and shows up in miscellaneous catalogs that way. Boxed and stamped label versions tell us that these weren’t ‘special order’ items. I have some from early and mid ‘80s.

Thanks for the clarification, Kamakiri. So that means it's simply a discontinued variant of the Climber, like the Bijou is a discontinued variant of the Classic, and cannot be had anymore, with or without advertisments?

I am almost sad to hear it, as it means common sense dictates to retire it: it has no advantages over the Climber and is in mint condition, so it wouldn't make any sense to turn it into a user.

[Simon_Templar]

Pic for the non-believers and would-be argumentative. 

I hate to be nit-picking, but these pictures only prove that a SAK named Traveller exists Some say there even is a Traveller Lite

[SteveP]

I hate to be nit-picking, but these pictures only prove that a SAK named Traveller exists Some say there even is a Traveller Lite

Bigfoot carries a Traveller Lite. I have a grainy picture somewhere...
 

[kamakiri]

I hate to be nit-picking, but these pictures only prove that a SAK named Traveller exists Some say there even is a Traveller Lite

Except that these boxes are far too early for the electronic scales or Lite module.

Why did I type ‘would be’ argumentative?  ‘Will be’ is more like it. 

[kamakiri]

Bigfoot carries a Traveller Lite. I have a grainy picture somewhere...
 

Whad’ya call me? 

[Simon_Templar]

Why did I type ‘would be’ argumentative?  ‘Will be’ is more like it. 

That's MTO for you

[kamakiri]

Thanks for the clarification, Kamakiri. So that means it's simply a discontinued variant of the Climber, like the Bijou is a discontinued variant of the Classic, and cannot be had anymore, with or without advertisments?

I am almost sad to hear it, as it means common sense dictates to retire it: it has no advantages over the Climber and is in mint condition, so it wouldn't make any sense to turn it into a user.

Actually, if anything, I’d suggest the Climber is a newer Traveller variant. As the name appears to predate the use of ‘Climber’.

To me, lack of the keyring is somewhat an advantage and I have a tendency to remove them from most of my mods.

[kamakiri]

And there’s also the hint that we use ‘Voyageur’ incorrectly too. Originally ‘Touriste’. But you’d really confuse people is you started calling that a Tourist.

[McStitchy]

 

[kamakiri]

One more Traveller catalog cut…


…and before that, take away the T&T too…


…And you get The President! Boxes for those probably just/only labeled 235, which I also have.

[Simon_Templar]

Thanks for all that info, Kamakiri, very educational

I really don't get the "from rooftop to spaceport" line - any idea what they tried to convey here?

Also, if a t&t-less Traveller is a "President", I wonder how would have called a Swisschamp in that era? The "God Almighty" perhaps? 

[kamakiri]

 

Also on that page is a Space Shuttle (Master Craftsman)

Looking to Hoffritz for other names…Champion (C) were Super Knives, and IIRC, Champs were dubbed Deluxe Super Knives when they appeared c.’86.