Soldiers waged war on my fingernails!

Simon_Templar · **on:** May 25, 2023, 07:19:57 PM

Fellow knights,

by a curious coincidence I got hold of two BYSAKs within one week, after several years of looking for just one. I am afraid I rather overpaid, especially the first of the two, but that's a different story...

Anyway, one is a Wenger SI and one is a Vic Soldier, both in good condition (with the Vic being the better of the two). Those are my first Alox knives from the 70's, and boy do they have strong backsprings! I received the Wenger first and when toying with it, especially the bottle opener, I was immediately reminded of my S557 "fingernail factory". But when I got the Vic one day later, it was more or less the same! Again, it's particularly the bottle opener which consistently frays my fingernails.

Is this normal for old Soldiers and if so, why on earth might that be? I wouldn't want to be a soldier in the field trying to deploy the bottle opener in the rain or with sweaty/greasy hands. Is it just me who feels that way?

That aside, I am most happy of course that I finally have my BYSAKs, and I know the deep hole they dug in my wallet will soon be forgotten:-).

Cheers,

Simon

Rizio Il Ghiro · **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2023, 07:23:42 PM

Congratulations, Simon - always nice to get a BYSAK! I found a good warm bath and actuation of the blades under water helped enormously, and then lubricating the pivots once dry made a massive difference, but they are still stronger than the usual knives. They obviously had stronger nails back then!

nate j · **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2023, 08:58:17 PM

Quote from: Rizio Il Ghiro on May 25, 2023, 07:23:42 PM

I found a good warm bath and actuation of the blades under water helped enormously, and then lubricating the pivots once dry made a massive difference

I agree with this, but would start with a hot soak in water with some dish soap, then working the blades under the soapy water. Then go to plain warm water and continue as above.

Bunk Tuppins · **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2023, 11:29:09 PM

Short fingernails are strong, longer ones get broken. I keep one thumbnail quite short and use it to hook the nail nicks. I play guitar so the nails on my left hand are all quite short. (If you are right-handed) the left thumbnail is not really involved in guitar playing - can be whatever length you want. I keep it very short and use it to open SAKs. Saves the longer, right-hand nails.

Simon_Templar · **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2023, 12:54:55 AM

Thanks guys, I will try the hot water/soap thing tomorrow! BTW, just in case you wondered how they look like...

Simon_Templar · **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2023, 01:08:30 AM

Quote from: Bunk Tuppins on May 25, 2023, 11:29:09 PM

Short fingernails are strong, longer ones get broken. I keep one thumbnail quite short and use it to hook the nail nicks. I play guitar so the nails on my left hand are all quite short. (If you are right-handed) the left thumbnail is not really involved in guitar playing - can be whatever length you want. I keep it very short and use it to open SAKs. Saves the longer, right-hand nails.

Sounds plausible, but I am afraid my fingernails are just not up to the job. They were quite short to begin with, but now they are rather non-existant after my playing with the BYSAKs. They will recover, of course, but the only time I had a similar experience was after getting the S557. Looks as if I just don't have what it takes to be a Soldier $:-\$

Tasky · **Reply #6 on:** May 26, 2023, 04:15:58 AM

I find it's mostly about the angles. A lot of people instinctively try to lift the tool with their nail stuck into the nick at 90º.
Instead try a digging motion, so you end up with the nail pointing up into the nick toward the top edge as much as possible. That way you have the force more in-line with your nail instead of working parallel against it.

Then again, my own S667 springs feel soft as knicker elastic, so maybe it is a strength factor...

Bunk Tuppins · **Reply #7 on:** May 26, 2023, 04:22:02 AM

Quote from: Tasky on May 26, 2023, 04:15:58 AM

I find it's mostly about the angles. A lot of people instinctively try to lift the tool with their nail stuck into the nick at 90º.
Instead try a digging motion, so you end up with the nail pointing up into the nick toward the top edge as much as possible. That way you have the force more in-line with your nail instead of working parallel against it.

Then again, my own S667 springs feel soft as knicker elastic, so maybe it is a strength factor...

McStitchy · **Reply #8 on:** May 26, 2023, 07:41:39 AM

Congrats on your BYSAKs Simon

They look great

They do have stronger backsprings indeed.
I have two '64 and a 71 and a '81 and they are all like that.
I see the Vic. one got the knife blade replaced at the headquarters? One of my '64 has too.

Simon_Templar · **Reply #9 on:** May 26, 2023, 09:13:38 AM

Thanks, McStitchy

I don't know the first thing about tang stamps, so I couldn't really tell if the blade or anything else was replaced. The only thing I noticed is that the tip of the blade seems to have been worked on (actually, that's true for both knives), so I would assume it was slightly bent out of shape at some stage.

Anyway, since you obviously know more about this than I, I post two more pictures of the Vic, maybe you can make something out of that.