Plus scales - when did they first make an appearance?

[stressmaster5000]

Am I correct in thinking that the first appearance of "Plus" scales with the ink pen slot added was initially offered on the Scientist model beginning in 1986? I know these first ones did not have the stick pin hole since that was added later.
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Scientist
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Pen
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Straight+Pin
I ask because the SAKWicki page for the "Compact" model mentions the 91mm Golfer getting these scales in 1987 which is pretty close to that time frame. If the Scientist was the first one it would help some to see why the Scientist became so popular and also thereby so scarce.
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Compact

Plus scales on a Scientist model.

[ICanFixThat]

Could be, but at this time I'm inclined to think it was itroduced with the SwissChamp in 1985 (in Switzerland).

I beleive the reason the Scientist is a little hard to come by is because it was not imported into NA in any large quantity, large batches of them seem to turn up in many other countries though.  Maybe it was always hard to come by here and that has always made it something collectors wanted.

[richs2891]

I think it was withthe swiss champ as well as I have one circa mid 1980's with the pen slot (and the pen amazingly still works), but no pin hole, and no hook.
Kind of makes sense introduce some thing to the top of the range (at the time) model and then filter down.
When did the pin hole become popular / standardised ?

Richard

[Neil]

Could be, but at this time I'm inclined to think it was itroduced with the SwissChamp in 1985 (in Switzerland).

I beleive the reason the Scientist is a little hard to come by is because it was not imported into NA in any large quantity, large batches of them seem to turn up in many other countries though.  Maybe it was always hard to come by here and that has always made it something collectors wanted.

Another reason for their scarcity is that they are very useful.  (guess what I carry day to day )  So you've got a lack of initial supply, collectors hunting them down and people who want one to use.  No wonder they are not plentiful

[stressmaster5000]

OK, I forgot about the SwissChamp. So the SwissChamp gets the Plus scales in 1985 and then the Scientist in 1986 and the 91mm Golfer in 1987.

[bren10man]

Swiss Champ, in the USA in early 1987.

I know that for a fact: on or about 28 DEC 1986, is when I got my first Champion (stolen in DEC 1995 while at the commissary in Alaska) from SMKW, I knew nothing about the Swiss Champ.  I wanted the biggest SAK, and the Champion was it.

Around FEB 1987, a classmate of mine showed me the newest SMKW catalog, announcing the Swiss Champ....I got sick at my stomach...I didn't have the biggest SAK.   He later got one...and I got one in DEC 1988.

If the Swiss Champ was out prior to 1 JAN 1987, it wasn't in the USA.  Maybe Switzerland, but not in the USA.  Or, I would have bought that in lieu of the Champion.

[jazzbass]

From Victorinox's PR material, in their "The Evolution of the VICTORINOX «Swiss Army Knife» 91 mm":

1986 Pliers with wire cutter, combination tool with: bottle opener, can opener, screwdriver and wire stripper (cans opened clockwise)).

which would jive with the 1986 date for the SwissChamp and the Scientist. However, there are several errors in that list so who knows? They also say 1985 is the year the ballpoint pen started; no point in having a pen if you have no place to put it.

1986 Europe, 1987 USA are the dates I've heard from other sources in the past. I have a 1986 SwissChamp and a 1986 Scientist, both with plus scales. FWIW, the only knives from this period I've ever seen with plus scales are the SwissChamp, Scientist, Golfer 91mm, and the Deluxe Climber. After 1990 you start to see them on lots of other knives.

[stressmaster5000]

Well, I was putting together a blog post on my Scientist model and wanted to add some dates and interesting details so I scoured the SAKWicki but completely forgot the SwissChamp in the time line. Anyway here is my Scientist blog post. Its a user.
http://sakfan.blogspot.com/2011/02/victorinox-scientist-valued-collectors.html

[Reinier]

Nice blog post! I really enjoy your blog

[Neil]

Nice blog post! I really enjoy your blog

I'll second that

[North Man]

Probarbly it was the SwissChamp , anyhow from the Victorinox timeline of 91mm:
1985 Ballpoint pen, small screwdriver (new
shape), chisel, reamer with sewing eye, cap lifter
with 90° lock.

I looked in the book The knife and its history 1984, i could not see any Plus scales,

[stressmaster5000]

I looked in the book The knife and its history 1984, i could not see any Plus scales,

Is that book worth its price?

[Sazabi]

I rather enjoy my copy; I don't believe I'd pay above $70 for it, though; but that's just me. :/

[North Man]

I looked in the book The knife and its history 1984, i could not see any Plus scales,

Is that book worth its price?

Hi sorry for late answer, yes it is worth having even if one has collected SAKs for some time, not much news for us really with the knife itself, it has many good pictures of the different factory buildings and production and some knives. It tells about the family.  Most of the book tell about the development of knives as tools from the stoneage until today, that part is very good. One of the best knife books out there.