Multitool.org Forum
Tool Talk => Collector's Forum => Topic started by: Alleyana on July 23, 2016, 09:43:02 AM
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I am pretty lost when it comes to multi tools and I recently inherited my late father's SAK. I know almost nothing about knives and in spite of a couple hours of searching, I don't know what to even call it at this point. I also am trying to find an approximate year of manufacturing. You guys seem like the place to post these questions, so I will include a picture below and hope you can maybe help point me in the right direction! Thanks in advance!
(https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13775522_10154237341823213_1292706879335576744_n.jpg?oh=2bf663cc2c23ec0a4dc09df8f35c0233&oe=58219B3A)
P.S. Yes, the blade is chipped. It's been a fairly well-used knife.
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It looks like a victorinox alox pioneer to me, or the forerunner to it.
https://www.victorinox.com/uk/en/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/Medium-Pocket-Knives/Pioneer-Alox/p/0.8201.26?gclid=CjwKEAjwq8y8BRCstYTm8qeT9mwSJACZGjUkAlJuVIUVzBiVqt6e4m4N1FjJYEwQLAZcQkZjzMJS4RoC_nLw_wcB
How old is it?
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I almost forgot, Welcome to :MTO:
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Yes, a old Pioneer, probably from the '70s as it still has a the sharpened bottle opener for wire stripping.
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Pioneer#Variations
A picture of the tang stamp or any stamps on the bottle opener or can opener might help dating it better.
And welcome to the forum. :waving:
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"Old Cross" Pioneer.
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Pioneer
A couple of things that would help narrow down the date are a close-up pic of the tang stamp on the main blade and whether the liner between the layers in yellow brass or silver nickel silver.
It appears to have no keyring. can you see if that was ground off at some point or was it original without one?
Lots more info on the Pioneer in this thread
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=18265.0
Oh, and welcome to MTO
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Welcome. Nice looking knife you inherited. The tip is an relatively easy fix. You could use sand paper starting with an aggressive grit down to a very fine grit. Love the wear on it. Dad must have really enjoyed this SAK :tu:
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Welcome :cheers:
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Welcome to the forums, Alleyana!
What Ptrsak provided is real good information. A picture of the tang stamping(s) at the base of the main blade would give us more information! :cheers:
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Thanks so much! I had a hunch it was a Pioneer but I don't think it's ever had a keychain? My father was born in 1942 so I am guessing he bought this in the 60s or 70s if that helps with dating it at all.
(https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13729190_10154238749003213_4720060923417306517_n.jpg?oh=53997ba54455d864bfd06d85ec7a56a5&oe=57EAA437)
It appears to say Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei (sp?)... not sure about that last word
EDIT: There is nothing stamped on the other side of the blade.
(https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13692728_10154238749058213_8130347033099697612_n.jpg?oh=f3f09910ebcf4df41366b487c644fa68&oe=582B6B9C)
(https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13754353_10154238749123213_9111849651131810485_n.jpg?oh=042aa8cafdecad74d21843307e7dba8d&oe=5835053A)
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They came with and without the keychain ring. That is a well used and loved knife by the looks of it . :cheers:
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Nice knife, well worn in. Scraper on the cap lifter, no +PAT on the can opener: 1971-1980, I reckon. :think:
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Plenty of info there for you so I'll not add anything else :cheers:
but Welcome to :MTO: :tu:
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Looks like everyone has taken care of you allready.. Welcome to the MTO!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Late to the party as always!
Glad to see folks offering so much help. Were there any questions you still had?
You could have the blade reprofiled, as mentioned above, or you could also send it in to Victorinox (they have an office in Toronto) and they will replace the blade for you if you wanted to have it perfect. Just make sure to explain that it is a family heirloom with great sentimental value, or they might replace it with a modern Pioneer, which, while it may not be a bad thing, would also be horrible for losing such a treasure.
There are also people here that could either reprofile it for you or fit a new blade to it for you, rather than going to Victorinox, but I imagine that would cost you some money.
The big reason why it is a Pioneer instead of a Soldier knife (very similar knives) is that it doesn't have a date stamp on the blade, opposite of where it says Victorinox Rostfrei. The Pioneer is the civilian version of the Soldier knife and the date stamp is really the main difference. Pioneers usually have a keyring, and the modern ones also have an engraving plate on the back scale, but yours obviously predates that. Pioneers also occasionally have overstock blades with a year stamp. These were blades that were stamped, but not enough Soldiers were made that year to need them, so they were used in other knives. So, in short, a Pioneer can have a date stamp, but a Soldier always has the date stamp.
Your father obviously cared greatly for that knife for it to have survived in as good a shape as it did for so long. It also appears that this wasn't a shelf queen, and that your father was a man who knew how to do things right, judging by the lack of problems on the knife. Guys who hack away at things, or don't know what they are doing tend to beat things up. Other than the broken blade, it looks to be in quite decent shape.
Funny thing about the broken blade (sorry I'm being long winded, but it's kind of my thing) is that they are rarely broken by the owner of the knife when it comes to SAKs. They are usually broken by someone who borrowed the knife and doesn't realize there are screwdrivers on it, so they use the blade to tighten or loosen a screw or pry something and POP, away goes the end.
That's about it for now, but if you have any additional questions, feel free to ask. You would be hard pressed to find anyone with more Swiss Army Knowledge than the folks here, and the proof is in the fact that many of them here wrote that SAKWiki they have all been linking you to!
Def
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Late to the party as always!
Glad to see folks offering so much help. Were there any questions you still had?
You could have the blade reprofiled, as mentioned above, or you could also send it in to Victorinox (they have an office in Toronto) and they will replace the blade for you if you wanted to have it perfect. Just make sure to explain that it is a family heirloom with great sentimental value, or they might replace it with a modern Pioneer, which, while it may not be a bad thing, would also be horrible for losing such a treasure.
There are also people here that could either reprofile it for you or fit a new blade to it for you, rather than going to Victorinox, but I imagine that would cost you some money.
The big reason why it is a Pioneer instead of a Soldier knife (very similar knives) is that it doesn't have a date stamp on the blade, opposite of where it says Victorinox Rostfrei. The Pioneer is the civilian version of the Soldier knife and the date stamp is really the main difference. Pioneers usually have a keyring, and the modern ones also have an engraving plate on the back scale, but yours obviously predates that. Pioneers also occasionally have overstock blades with a year stamp. These were blades that were stamped, but not enough Soldiers were made that year to need them, so they were used in other knives. So, in short, a Pioneer can have a date stamp, but a Soldier always has the date stamp.
Your father obviously cared greatly for that knife for it to have survived in as good a shape as it did for so long. It also appears that this wasn't a shelf queen, and that your father was a man who knew how to do things right, judging by the lack of problems on the knife. Guys who hack away at things, or don't know what they are doing tend to beat things up. Other than the broken blade, it looks to be in quite decent shape.
Funny thing about the broken blade (sorry I'm being long winded, but it's kind of my thing) is that they are rarely broken by the owner of the knife when it comes to SAKs. They are usually broken by someone who borrowed the knife and doesn't realize there are screwdrivers on it, so they use the blade to tighten or loosen a screw or pry something and POP, away goes the end.
That's about it for now, but if you have any additional questions, feel free to ask. You would be hard pressed to find anyone with more Swiss Army Knowledge than the folks here, and the proof is in the fact that many of them here wrote that SAKWiki they have all been linking you to!
Def
:hatsoff:
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Not much to add except you have a beautiful knife there. It's in very good condition and it looks like it was a faithful companion for many years.
Welcome to MTo!
:cheers: :tu:
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That is a beautifully worn old Pioneer :tu:
Welcome aboard! :cheers:
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Nice pioneer. Clearly well used and taken care of.
I'm in the same club as you, inherited my late father's SAK as well. Also a red old cross pioneer, mine's probably 1975-1982 ish. I believe he bought it after leaving the Marine Corps after Vietnam.
Here, I replicated your first pic.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161019/565563d778a879d964dfef6906568bb8.jpg)
I too have thr broken tip. I plan to just reprofile it to a new point.
Clean the knife with a small scrub brush and dawn soap, dry it and lube it with your favorite light oil (I use Hoppes #9) and work the tools back and forth to get it in there. Mine went from stiff as a board to having smooth operation and I got back that like new SNAP that it should have when opening tools.
Welcome aboard!
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Sorry for the cheap avi phone pic.
I dont see any other markings, Pioneer or Spartan?
Was old 65 years ago so......
Thanks all
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Ok try this...
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Ok try this...
That's not a genuine SAK from Vic or Wenger...
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Ok try this...
That's not a genuine SAK from Vic or Wenger...
Bummer... :rant: how do we know this? That blade rivit thing?
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Ok try this...
That's not a genuine SAK from Vic or Wenger...
Bummer... :rant: how do we know this? That blade rivit thing?
That, and the shield's shape isn't as it should be. The cross is also more of a Christian cross rather then a Swiss cross (4 arms of equal length)
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And the corkscrew is to narrow...
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And the corkscrew is to narrow...
[/quoteu]
Thanks Mech, I guess I have a very old "something knife" lol
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And the corkscrew is to narrow...
Thanks Mech, I guess I have a very old "something knife" lol
True that!
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Ok try this...
Any tang stamps on it?
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Ok try this...
Any tang stamps on it?
No Aleph, but there's a blade stamp, looks like a crown? But sideways?
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Ok try this...
Any tang stamps on it?
No Aleph, but there's a blade stamp, looks like a crown? But sideways?
I Think that's a Pradel then...
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Ok try this...
Any tang stamps on it?
No Aleph, but there's a blade stamp, looks like a crown? But sideways?
I Think that's a Pradel then...
I'd say yup :tu:
(https://curbfinds.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/dscn0638.jpg)
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Wow, off to Google
Thanks guys! :cheers:
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good luck
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Ok try this...
Any tang stamps on it?
No Aleph, but there's a blade stamp, looks like a crown? But sideways?
I Think that's a Pradel then...
I'd say yup :tu:
(https://curbfinds.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/dscn0638.jpg)
Yes, that's it except a weird green, Thanks if I forgot to say it before, youse guyz are da best :cheers:
Oh BTW, are they worth anything? Lololol
(Sentimental is OK too)