Victorinox

Neil · **on:** July 08, 2009, 02:25:59 PM

So what was happening in Ibach when the production of these beasts got the green light?

Am I right to call these their biggest blunders

What do you reckon? Yes I'm stirring it but that's good from time to time

Thanks again to Dennis for the great deal on the Auto Tool

Chako · **Reply #1 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:27:10 PM

Lucky you. The autotool is one of the items I have been searching on eBay for, but have't seen yet.

Benner · **Reply #2 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:30:36 PM

By the sounds of things (I am yet to play with either) you seem to be right. Nice oddities though.

Neil · **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:37:42 PM

Quote from: Benner on July 08, 2009, 02:30:36 PM

By the sounds of things (I am yet to play with either) you seem to be right. Nice oddities though.

I've just popped a battery (N sized

) in the torch.... well that was worth it

You can imagine the output a tiny little bulb manages from that one little 1.5V cell. If the rest of the tool was decent I'd mod it to an LED with a boost circuit but this is pure shelf queen.

I do like how they leave the side of the pouch open though so that you can use the torch without taking it out.

Dunc · **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:41:59 PM

I think they were aimed at the American market

Dunc

Mr. Whippy · **Reply #5 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:49:43 PM

Quote from: Dunc on July 08, 2009, 02:41:59 PM

I think they were aimed at the American market

Dunc

Is that a "Big, Ugly American" joke?

cb400bill · **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:53:55 PM

Quote from: Dunc on July 08, 2009, 02:41:59 PM

I think they were aimed at the American market

I'm in America and I like my Auto Tool.

nuphoria · **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2009, 03:18:07 PM

The beautiful freak of tools I guess

Dunc · **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2009, 03:24:03 PM

Quote from: Mr. Whippy on July 08, 2009, 02:49:43 PM

Quote from: Dunc on July 08, 2009, 02:41:59 PM
I think they were aimed at the American market

Dunc

Is that a "Big, Ugly American" joke?

No not at all , I think Vic were trying to introduce something for the American Market and got it wrong , Either that or Swiss Army brands ( U.S ) had some input and got it wrong . Am I right in saying the Sports Ratchet was assembled in the U.S ?

Dunc

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2009, 04:11:56 PM

At least it sired the Swisstool

MultiMat · **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2009, 04:53:25 PM

Quote from: Neil on July 08, 2009, 02:37:42 PM

Quote from: Benner on July 08, 2009, 02:30:36 PM
By the sounds of things (I am yet to play with either) you seem to be right. Nice oddities though.

I've just popped a battery (N sized ) in the torch.... well that was worth it You can imagine the output a tiny little bulb manages from that one little 1.5V cell. If the rest of the tool was decent I'd mod it to an LED with a boost circuit but this is pure shelf queen.

I do like how they leave the side of the pouch open though so that you can use the torch without taking it out.

Bloody funny how both the Lardy Ratchet & Autofool's sheaths have no ability to be put on a a belt.The sheath is just a cover

.
The ice scraper is quite a complicated tool to deploy & redeploy.
They be MAD, I SAY, MAD.
The Autotool's digital Tyre gauge came too my rescue when I was pumping up my old(departed

) Mopar's flat tyres the piece of poo gauge that came with my compressor was doing the cheap compass thing. It was nice that the Autotool's gauge was at least a little accurate

.

Neil congrats mate these 2 maddies are high on my keeper list(I might be a little odd though

)
I wonder if their spectacular failure has contributed to Vic's lack of adventure in regards too expanding there MT range beyond the Swisstool & Spirit

cliosguy · **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2009, 05:01:30 PM

hey! i like the autotool

but i guess not many enough did

im still looking for the sportratchet....im sure ill get it by the end of the year

bren10man · **Reply #12 on:** July 08, 2009, 06:23:02 PM

Here is another mistake: the SwissFlame-

Made only 2002-2005. Never imported to USA for safety reasons. Heck, the stupid lighter doesn't even work!!!! THAT is a mistake...!!!

american lockpicker · **Reply #13 on:** July 08, 2009, 06:42:37 PM

Which one uses N batteries?

jzmtl · **Reply #14 on:** July 08, 2009, 07:06:55 PM

Quote from: Chako on July 08, 2009, 02:27:10 PM

Lucky you. The autotool is one of the items I have been searching on eBay for, but have't seen yet.

Check your local stores. There's an outdoor store near me, when I went there a year ago it has both autotool and kershaw plier in stock, display model probably.

Neil · **Reply #15 on:** July 08, 2009, 09:07:32 PM

Quote from: bren10man on July 08, 2009, 06:23:02 PM

Here is another mistake: the SwissFlame-
...
Made only 2002-2005. Never imported to USA for safety reasons. Heck, the stupid lighter doesn't even work!!!! THAT is a mistake...!!!

Yep, that's another good example. Shame really as I'd like a SAK with a lighter.

A working lighter that is

american lockpicker · **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2009, 09:09:50 PM

Why didn't it work? was it not Swiss made or something?

Neil · **Reply #17 on:** July 08, 2009, 09:19:40 PM

Quote from: american lockpicker on July 08, 2009, 09:09:50 PM

Why didn't it work? was it not Swiss made or something?

No idea but many didn't work out the box and of those that did the majority failed soon after

Screwtape · **Reply #18 on:** July 09, 2009, 01:27:19 AM

awwwwww, they don't work

I only found out about this last week and was getting all excited, I suppose I'll cross it off the must have now list

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #19 on:** July 09, 2009, 01:38:35 AM

Jet flame lighters are notoriously unreliable to begin with, at least in my experience. They are terribly temperamental and while the Vic ones may have been of decent quality for a jet flame they simply weren't up to the overall Victorinox standard.

I am certain someone will come along and defend jet flames, stating that with proper care and maintenance they can last for days, if not weeks without catastrophic failure, but that is simply not the same kind of bullet proof, leave in the back of the truck to rattle around until you need it type reputation Victorinox has earned over the years.

Def

american lockpicker · **Reply #20 on:** July 09, 2009, 01:39:43 AM

Wasn't there a SAK that used a small bic?

Neil · **Reply #21 on:** July 09, 2009, 02:30:00 AM

Not that I'm aware of. Were you thinking about this perhaps...

american lockpicker · **Reply #22 on:** July 09, 2009, 02:36:20 AM

right lighter wrong tool it was definately a sak maybe with black scales

Neil · **Reply #23 on:** July 09, 2009, 02:39:21 AM

Got me.

american lockpicker · **Reply #24 on:** July 09, 2009, 02:41:26 AM

also the lighter was shorter.

J-sews · **Reply #25 on:** July 09, 2009, 03:02:07 AM

Quote from: Mike, Lord of the Spammers! on July 08, 2009, 04:11:56 PM

At least it sired the Swisstool

Are you sure Mike? Someone else here said that too, yet according to my notes the SwissTool was introduced in 1997, but the AutoTool didn't come out until 1999. $:-\$

J-sews · **Reply #26 on:** July 09, 2009, 03:03:39 AM

Quote from: Dunc on July 08, 2009, 03:24:03 PM

Quote from: Mr. Whippy on July 08, 2009, 02:49:43 PM
Quote from: Dunc on July 08, 2009, 02:41:59 PM
I think they were aimed at the American market

Dunc

Is that a "Big, Ugly American" joke?

No not at all , I think Vic were trying to introduce something for the American Market and got it wrong , Either that or Swiss Army brands ( U.S ) had some input and got it wrong . Am I right in saying the Sports Ratchet was assembled in the U.S ?

Dunc

Is that true? I had not heard that before.

Mr. Whippy · **Reply #27 on:** July 09, 2009, 04:19:21 AM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on July 09, 2009, 01:38:35 AM

Jet flame lighters are notoriously unreliable to begin with, at least in my experience. They are terribly temperamental and while the Vic ones may have been of decent quality for a jet flame they simply weren't up to the overall Victorinox standard.

I am certain someone will come along and defend jet flames, stating that with proper care and maintenance they can last for days, if not weeks without catastrophic failure, but that is simply not the same kind of bullet proof, leave in the back of the truck to rattle around until you need it type reputation Victorinox has earned over the years.

Def

Do you mean all butane lighters? They're not much good for mountaineering because they suck in real cold and high altitude, but they are good in windy conditions. It would be a shame if they're all unreliable by their very nature.

Dunc · **Reply #28 on:** July 09, 2009, 10:08:08 AM

Quote from: J-sews on July 09, 2009, 03:03:39 AM

Quote from: Dunc on July 08, 2009, 03:24:03 PM
Quote from: Mr. Whippy on July 08, 2009, 02:49:43 PM
Quote from: Dunc on July 08, 2009, 02:41:59 PM
I think they were aimed at the American market

Dunc

Is that a "Big, Ugly American" joke?

No not at all , I think Vic were trying to introduce something for the American Market and got it wrong , Either that or Swiss Army brands ( U.S ) had some input and got it wrong . Am I right in saying the Sports Ratchet was assembled in the U.S ?

Dunc

Is that true? I had not heard that before.

I thought it said on the user guide but I just checked and it doesn't

So I can't remember where I heard it from

I think the ratchet was made outside Switzerland too . Unless it was all a dream

Dunc

Benner · **Reply #29 on:** July 09, 2009, 12:00:48 PM

Quote from: american lockpicker on July 09, 2009, 02:36:20 AM

right lighter wrong tool it was definately a sak maybe with black scales

Can't think of anything like that either.

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