Swisstool concerns

[danilo]

Hi all,
as I've said in my presentation, I've recently bought a Victorinox Swisstool CS plus, no more than a couple of weeks ago.

This is my first multitool, and as such you can imagine how I've handled it every day for almost the whole day, opening and closing the pliers and all the tools I love it.

There are two things that I find strange, though:

after just a week, the "things" you slide to unlock the tools (so cool they all lock up, btw) became darker ( I hope it can be seen in the images). None of  the swisstool pictures I've seen here, even of abused ones, ever shown a similar thing, and mine became like that in just a week...

the other thing that bugs me a little is that when I open up the knife blade it isn't as smooth as the other tools (or as in other victorinox I have or have had), it doesn't click when it reaches the open position (yet it locks), and it drags over the tool next to it.
I've added a couple drops of oil just to be sure, but it didn't help (the swisstool came very much lubricated anyway).
 
So in the picture you can see how much the prying bar (this is the tool next to the blade) is dragged by the blade when the latter is opened.

To be honest, it's nothing that I can't live with, the swisstool is sweet and so cool otherwise. Just wondering if others are having these two "problems"


Thanks in advance,

Danilo

[gustophersmob]

The lock releases on one of my 4 Spirits turned dark.  I mentioned it in passing a couple years back.  My other two are fine.

It hasn't seemed to affect the tool in any way so far, and they haven't gotten any darker either.

I don't know what to think about the tool clumping. I've not heard of that on a swisstool or spirit. The individually cut springs should prevent that.  Can you tell if the spring for the blade or the driver is too wide or narrow for the tool?

[Aloha]

I have a very well used Swisstool and dont have that amount of discoloration on the lock.  Could it be the PH level of your hands and a reaction with the Stainless Steel  .  I'd take a toothbrush and give it a clean then see if it comes back.  I have not experienced ANY tool clumping on any of my Swisstools.  The same well used Swisstool has a broken blade and while it is not very smooth coming out it never drags another implement with it out.  If its not a big hassle I'd send it in even tho I'm not picky in the least of ways. 

[duckman1975]

Probably dirt and grime, have you tried washing it with soap and brush it with a used toothbrush?

[SAKchief]

I've had this happen with my spirit RT. Give it a good clean with warm soapy water.

Open and close the blade a couple of times with the hinge dipped in the soapy water solution to loosen up the dirt and grime.

repeat with surrounding tools, give the tool a good wipe down with a clean rag.

check that its fixed the issue. repeat if necessary then oil.

[danilo]

Thank you all for the replies.

SAKchief, are you talking about the  "problem" with the blade? I may try to clean it up, but as I said I've owned this tool for just a couple of weeks, and it was that way from the very beginning. I've noticed the blade to be a little stiff when opening it up the first time I've opened it. I own, or have owned, other victorinox knives (SAK) and I was expecting it to click into position when opening it, but it doesn't.

The springs for those tools (the blade and the pry bar) seems ok, also compared to the corresponding tools on the other handle.

As for the darkening of the lock releases (thank gustophersmob for teaching me their name ) it must have something to do with my skin/sweat/ph/something

Again, this isn't something spoofing my excitement for the my new tool, I'm very pleased of it, what a great piece of engineering it is! I like opening it up, and watch how perfect everything is fit in there. Close and repeat

[gustophersmob]

Thank you all for the replies.

SAKchief, are you talking about the  "problem" with the blade? I may try to clean it up, but as I said I've owned this tool for just a couple of weeks, and it was that way from the very beginning. I've noticed the blade to be a little stiff when opening it up the first time I've opened it. I own, or have owned, other victorinox knives (SAK) and I was expecting it to click into position when opening it, but it doesn't.

The springs for those tools (the blade and the pry bar) seems ok, also compared to the corresponding tools on the other handle.

As for the darkening of the lock releases (thank gustophersmob for teaching me their name ) it must have something to do with my skin/sweat/ph/something

Again, this isn't something spoofing my excitement for the my new tool, I'm very pleased of it, what a great piece of engineering it is! I like opening it up, and watch how perfect everything is fit in there. Close and repeat

Ha, no problem

I don't think it has to do with body chemistry.  I have 4 spirits and the one I actually use quite frequently is fine.  My newest, and least used/fiddled with one is the one that turned dark.

[DazMechanical]

I've had my Swiss Tool for maybe 1 month and used it a few times, still bright as new...

[neillcurrie]

Zero blade or tool clumping with my SwissTool.
Regarding the darkening of the lock releases: that's completely normal, and always happens during the first period of sweaty-palmed excitement of tool ownership. The Dermatological term for it is Victorinitis, however it has been observed with the ownership of other tool brands.

[greenbear]

I have a very well used Swisstool and dont have that amount of discoloration on the lock.  Could it be the PH level of your hands and a reaction with the Stainless Steel

This  seconded 

[danilo]

After some more use (that is: after opening/closing the blade several time while working at the pc ) the blade doesn't drag the next tool that much anymore (it barely appears, maybe 1mm), and it seems to me it clicks a bit more in position while opening it.
Maybe it was _too much_ oil (remember: I've added a couple drops, but it was all oily when I received it, a couple of weeks before).

Anyway, again, this is such a great tool. In this part of the world it's cheaper than most LM large tools and of same of the complex smaller ones (eg the juice).  Tell me something, which one would you rather buy:

http://www.amazon.it/Leatherman-Juice-Coltello-multiuso-colore/dp/B000HDZ9X8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404289916&sr=8-2&keywords=leatherman+juice

http://www.amazon.it/Victorinox-3-0338-L-Coltelli-svizzeri-cavatappi/dp/B000MLY14I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404289904&sr=8-2&keywords=swisstool

I know this is apple & orange, but still...

Danilo

[bmot]

After some more use (that is: after opening/closing the blade several time while working at the pc ) the blade doesn't drag the next tool that much anymore (it barely appears, maybe 1mm), and it seems to me it clicks a bit more in position while opening it.
Maybe it was _too much_ oil (remember: I've added a couple drops, but it was all oily when I received it, a couple of weeks before).

Anyway, again, this is such a great tool. In this part of the world it's cheaper than most LM large tools and of same of the complex smaller ones (eg the juice).  Tell me something, which one would you rather buy:

http://www.amazon.it/Leat...keywords=leatherman+juice

http://www.amazon.it/Vict...-2&keywords=swisstool

I know this is apple & orange, but still...

Danilo

That's actually not a bad European price for the Juice 

[danilo]

After some more use (that is: after opening/closing the blade several time while working at the pc ) the blade doesn't drag the next tool that much anymore (it barely appears, maybe 1mm), and it seems to me it clicks a bit more in position while opening it.
Maybe it was _too much_ oil (remember: I've added a couple drops, but it was all oily when I received it, a couple of weeks before).

Anyway, again, this is such a great tool. In this part of the world it's cheaper than most LM large tools and of same of the complex smaller ones (eg the juice).  Tell me something, which one would you rather buy:

http://www.amazon.it/Leat...keywords=leatherman+juice

http://www.amazon.it/Vict...-2&keywords=swisstool

I know this is apple & orange, but still...

Danilo

That's actually not a bad European price for the Juice 

well I think you can buy from amazon of another nation (I did, with amazon.de, amazon.es and amazon.co.uk in the past. Until some months ago if you spent more than a certain amount -  25 pound from co.uk - shipping was free. Sadly it's not the case anymore).