Scale swap

[AzteCypher]

This is hopefully my first of many scale swaps.  Wanted to tweak a Tinker I had to gift to my brother-in-law.  So I started with this.



The old scales had no openings for toothpick or tweezers.  I'm going to try and polish these up and if they come out good, I'll give them to anyone who would like them.


I cleaned up the tinker, polished it up, gave it a good edge and popped on some translucent blue scales with red T&T for a little pop of color with a pin in the pin slot.



The scales popped on easier than I expected.  I think I'm going to try modding a 58mm next.

Gotta thank everyone that has posted their mods whether big or small and all the How-To's that everyone has posted as it encouraged me to give it a try.  I was excited about doing something so small yet a bit nervous as I didn't want to mess anything up as it's a gift for my brother-in-law.

 

[LoopCutter]

Very nice!  Luv you thought process to improve and enhance with color accents and I do like translucent colored scales.

Will be a great gift😉

[IMR4198]

   Best looking Tinker that I have seen in some time.  There is a Scale Changer Badge, you know.  You might want to apply for it.  Best wishes.  G
 

[MTSAK]

Those blue scales look great. I just put some translucent red plus scales on a Tinker a feel or so ago also

[AzteCypher]

   Best looking Tinker that I have seen in some time.  There is a Scale Changer Badge, you know.  You might want to apply for it.  Best wishes.  G
 

Applied for the Scale Changer Badge.

[PitCarver]

Nice job.  Those translucent scales look great.

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

  and good luck with the badge! 

[zoidberg]

Awarded.   

[AzteCypher]

 

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Congratulations on the badge! 

[AzteCypher]

Thank you!

[matzesu]

I dit also do a scale swap today: I find the Cybertool | much more useful for me than the Swisschamp (there is only the magnifier glass that is not on the Cybertool) but I was a bit sad that I would lost these blue + scales, so I though it might be worth the risk, so I swapped them .. i will post pictures later..

[AzteCypher]

 

[matzesu]

Unfortunately I have to do another scale swap: after I put the blue transparent plus scales on my Cybertool, I had the knife in the same pocket as my Böker and it dit put a huge scratch to the SAK scales ;(
This time I did buy 2 pairs of new scales: the Swisschamp will get fresh blue transparent plus scales, as it had these originally and the Cybertool as my Daylee „Driver“ (because of the Bit Driver) will get blue Celidor Plus Scales..

I wonder if they are a bit more stretch resistent than the transparent ones..

Is there a different between the Cellidor and the Transparent Scales?

The Cybertool will get an separat pocket in my pants so it can’t get scratched anymore..

These new scales are quite inexpensive , 2,50 € each pair..

Should arrive next week, I will post pictures..

[IMR4198]

   Seems to me that the cellidor scratches easier than the transparent abs ones.  Nothing to worry about anyway.  You bought new ones very reasonably.  Be sure to post a photo.  We all like to look.  Best wishes.  Gary
 

[AzteCypher]

I'm not sure how deep your scratches are but you can try sanding them out.  I had some scales with some deeper scratches and I had to start out with 400 grit sand paper to get rid of most of them.   It definitely helped but you can still see them a little bit depending on the light.  Nothing that most people would notice but people like us probably would. 

[matzesu]

I could try to sand them, yes, but we’ll, new scales are 6,50 whit shipping for booth,
Also: I’m still feeling bad because I did steal the blue scales for the Cybertool from the Swisschamp, which might be a big Sakrileg in the SAK World as the Swisschamp is the Holy Grail of SAK Collectors..

It’s nice that you can change them that easy, I was on search for an blue SAK back then but did not found one whit just a few layers which would fit my tool needs, so I ended up whit the champ..

When I had known back then I can take any Swiss army knives and put blue scales on, might be I had now something different, or had not needed a second knive as the Cybertool l is quite cool for tools but much to big for blade..

I have it now in an different pocket, there are only my phone, zippo in an case, some paper nose tissues and my ffp2 mask I have still in edc, so no danger for the new cellidor scales..

[matzesu]

It looks like this,
As in Germany I think the post doesn’t deliver, I will post the scales on Tuesday..

[IMR4198]

   I have polished out much worse than that.  I am too cheap to buy new ones, I suppose.  The ABS polishes out pretty well.  I have taken off printed logos and sanded off all sorts of scuffs.  I generally used 600 grit carbide paper and followed it with whatever polishing compound I had on hand.  AzteCypher is an expert at it. 
   This is a set of blue cellidors that friend Aztec sent me.  They are like a mirror.  They were scuffed up at one time and had a logo on one side. 
    I am 100% behind your decision to buy new ones.  For the others reading this thread who might not know.  You can polish the scratches out easily.  Best wishes.  G
 
 

blue.jpg (Filesize: 144.09 KB)

   

[AzteCypher]

You're too kind Gary.  I'm going to try and clean up some other scales soon so I'll show a before and after pic of them and what I used.

[matzesu]

Do I have to prepare the scales somehow? The Celidor gets only whit a lot force over the washers..
Would a bit heat work?

[IMR4198]

I put the cellidor scales in hot water for a minute or so before I press them into place with C-clamps.  If you use a vise or C-clamps you must pad the scales with thick cardboard or something to prevent marking.  Don't use boiling water.  That is too hot.  Just about as hot as coffee out of the pot maybe.  Try to put the pressure over the pin locations.  You can crack them if you press over the wrong spots.  Best wishes.  G
 

[PitCarver]

I agree. 👆

[matzesu]

Done, was actually quite hard work : maybe they where still too cold as they where laying in our post box outside..

I did made sure the pins where clean, put them on, took some paper towel and first did press them together by hand, i think the cellidor where much more stiff than the abs scales..

I did watch a video where someone did press them finally together by standing on the SAK (secure packaged in papertowell), this did the trick for me..

[AzteCypher]

Looks good!  I ended up using a vice with a rag protecting the scales so as not to damage them.  Then I slowly squeezed them together till I could either hear them press in, or I'd remove it from the vice to check.

[matzesu]

The blue cellidor of my day lie driver Cybertool looks a bit like there are lots of finger marks on it.. maybe I have to polish it a bit.. or it’s the light..

I will take a better picture of it when I got better light

[IMR4198]

   If you decided to stand on the SAK to press on the scales, there is a big chance that you might bend a liner.  That is definitely something you don't want.  A vise, or clamps are a lot safer.  Best wishes.  G
 

[matzesu]

Well I think it had survived it, I took a better picture of my daily (bit) driver

[IMR4198]

Looks good to me.  Our friend MacGyver uses auto headlight polish to take care of tiny surface scratches.  I used to have some Flitz, but used it all up.  Since you carry your SAKs, it is inevitable that they will pick up tiny scratches.  A few minutes now and then with some polish will keep them looking factory new.  It seems that cellidor just picks up scratches and fingerprints and dirt so easily.  Best wishes.  Gary