Victorinox 91mm scissors spring hole size

[twrch]

Hello sak experts,

I just got what may be a mid-70s to early 80s Craftsman. The scissors spring came broken off in the hole. 
So the round bit that fits the hole was all that was left.  Interestingly, that part is black. Also, the hole is only about one mm diameter in size just like on my older Explorer.  All my other 91mms have scissor spring holes closer to 2mm.  Anyway that spring needs replacing.  And I suspect that the trouble people sometimes experience with spring replacement is due to the size of the hole not jiving with the size of the corresponding end of the spring. 

Is there any way to find springs that surely fit the smaller holes?

Twrch 

[Rich S]

If you have a drill and bits or even a round needle file, you can likely make
the scissors hole larger enough to accept the newer model's size spring.
Just a thought.
Rich

[GigaHz]

These come with the repair kit.

[twrch]

Wow!  Fast. 

No way it's getting drilled.  That sak is nearly an antique.

The repair kit is about $50.00.   Is a repair kit certain to have some of the right size springs? 

[GigaHz]

Almost 100%. Mine did anyway. Maybe it can be found elsewhere cheaper. You can also get a bigger holed spring and bend the crap out of it to fit the smaller hole.

[twrch]

Thanks Gigahz,

I have not had any luck finding vendors that discuss variations in 91mm scissor springs.  So maybe the kit is the only sanitary solution.

Twrch

[Rich S]

Maybe try sending it to Victorinox for repair? Or checking their site for
replacement springs of various sizes?
Rich S

[SAK Guy]

The kits come with a selection of springs all separated until it get stored sideways....then they are all mixed up but the the tools are EXCELLENT!!!!!




You can swap out a spring in about 60 sec.

[neillcurrie]

I used a Dremel and a flat sanding disc to remove a little from the inside curl of a standard 91mm spring, then I squished the spring curl tighter with pliars till it just fit the hole.
Works perfectly, but you get the "new" look, not the "antique" look.

[PTRSAK]

I've done a couple of springs where I have had to tighten the loop on the end.  It's not too hard to do and IMO a better option that drilling out the hole.

[twrch]

Thanks for the various solutions.  Yet here is my motivation. Since I am more interested in the sak tools and tool iterations than the saks themselves, I would like the tools on the older saks to be as stock as possible.  Hence my aggravation upon discovering that the springs sold everywhere are bigger in every dimension than the spring I need for my Craftsman.  Probably I shall (pardon) spring for the kit. But that means I shall have to go without alcoholic libations for three weeks.

Twrch

[PTRSAK]

and ^^THAT^^ ladies and gentlemen is dedication.

[SAK Guy]

and ^^THAT^^ ladies and gentlemen is dedication.

 

[twrch]

Mercy!  Last night was spring kit shopping night on EBAY.  Central Valley Wholesale, from past experience, is a solid purveyor of sak items.  However, their item has the 0.37 spring size marked out on the left most box tray.  Just like on the picture provided by Sakguy above.  So I asked them, "Does this mean one of the spring sizes that was formerly included in the box is no longer included?"  The response,  "That is correct." 

Hmm.  This probably means that all the kits from all the purveyors have no 0.37 springs.  Except those purveyors are not saying.  And,  given previous experience in similar situations, it also means that the very spring I am seeking is the one no longer included in the kit.  Looks like the older Craftsman and older Explorer will just have to share a spring.

[SAK Guy]

I might have missed it earlier in the thread but have you contacted Vic about this spring?

[twrch]

No. Not yet.  But I may.  I don't want to send them the knife though. Seems unethical since I have barely owned it for two weeks of its 40 odd year life span. Also,  Vic may have quit putting those springs in the kits because they don't have any more. 

Yes.  That settles it.  I am fixing to contact Victorinox. 

[twrch]

Well.  Victorinox would not just send me a spring.  They wanted me to send them the knife.  Unacceptable. Eventually, an ebay vendor offered to send me a spring if I purchased an item from his shop.  Fair enough since I had been wanting one of those supposedly NTSA friendly Wenger Clippers and the vendor had a good price on it.  So I got my old style spring.  Plus, I learned there are two versions of the kit.  The older version with the red label on the front of the box is the one that has the older type springs. Now I need to locate one of those.

[GigaHz]

I though I had a bunch. I have no more. I had to do the spring mod for this one.

[twrch]

I have an old sak on the way.  Right now it is apparently lost in the mail.  If it eventually gets here, it will need a spring and screw for the scissors. Now that I know how hard some of the springs are to come by,  I will rig something up too. Though it may need the single-leaf spring.  How hard are those to locate?

[GigaHz]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-Army-Victorinox-Replacement-Single-Scissors-Spring-/161376041805?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item2592c2fb4d

[twrch]

Sadly,  the scissors screws available are also bigger.  So the available springs are too big and the screws are too big for the early double leaf model scissors.  So my scissors are not going to be easy to fix.