Is there a easy fix for these Vic Scissors?

[captain spaulding]

These scissors are basically useless as they only open a very small amount during use. The are just tight opening and closing. Is this from edge damage or being riveted to tight? Both maybe? I know its hard for anyone to know without handling them, but here are a few pictures that might help.


I actually just looked and there is a bit of damage to the cutting edge as well as being very tight. What is the best plan of action on this one?


This is if you use the scissors like you where cutting paper or other normal tasks. They will only open this much without manually opening them yourself.




If you "flick" the scissors while cutting as to let the spring push the scissors open they get stuck here.




Just not usable right now and I really wan't to keep carrying this knife which I will not do if the scissors are like this. Thank you in advance everyone.

[GigaHz]

Did you try to sharpen them?

[captain spaulding]

Did you try to sharpen them?

Well no, but I know I will have to. I just did not wan't to ruin them as I have not had experience sharpening scissors. I should have been more clear about that. Sorry. I was trying to explain that even when the scissors clear the damaged area they are very tight and would still be a issue. Sooo..... any advice on sharpening the scissors. Also is it even possible to loosen up the scissors rivet without ruining them?



Update: Now that I think about it sharpening them could theoretically loosen up the tension on the rivet.  Maybe........?

[GigaHz]

I assume you did the WD40 soak and the dawn washing. I have had some luck with Flitz and dental floss. Do they grab when closing? Like some one cut something too hard with them? A sharpening would help then. I use a ceramic rod at the current angle of the scissors grid. I then make one or two passes on the backside to get rid of the bur.

[captain spaulding]

I assume you did the WD40 soak and the dawn washing. I have had some luck with Flitz and dental floss. Do they grab when closing? Like some one cut something too hard with them? A sharpening would help then. I use a ceramic rod at the current angle of the scissors grid. I then make one or two passes on the backside to get rid of the bur.

Yes I have cleaned and soaked them with no improvement. Yes they grab while opening and closing. It does not matter which way. Honestly they are very tight. I don't think any cleaning will help. Sharpening maybe, but the more I think about it the more I think they where just riveted much to tight from the factory.   

[GigaHz]

If you open them the whole way, are they loose then? Usually they have tons of play.

[captain spaulding]

If you open them the whole way, are they loose then? Usually they have tons of play.

They will loosen up once you open them to a certain point which is shown in this picture. if you are CLOSING the scissors once you get to this point there is very tight resistance until they are closed as shown in the second picture. 

[colt 1911]

I assume you did the WD40 soak and the dawn washing. I have had some luck with Flitz and dental floss. Do they grab when closing? Like some one cut something too hard with them? A sharpening would help then. I use a ceramic rod at the current angle of the scissors grid. I then make one or two passes on the backside to get rid of the bur.

Yes I have cleaned and soaked them with no improvement. Yes they grab while opening and closing. It does not matter which way. Honestly they are very tight. I don't think any cleaning will help. Sharpening maybe, but the more I think about it the more I think they where just riveted much to tight from the factory.   

I think GigaHz is on to something there.

[Metropolicity]

Maybe cut a bunch of tin foil to get rid of any burrs?

[kkokkolis]

I sharpened a pair of scissors recently, for the first time. It had 2 visible dents from cutting wire, as well as other edge anomalies. I followed the grind with a stone, then a diamond coated steel and finally with ceramic. Inside, only the stone was capable of removing the dents. Now it is almost as good as new.
I've never encountered a hard riveted Victorinox. They do it with Swiss precision. Unless somebody hit the rivet with a hammer to make it more solid. I've done that with some knifes (not SAKs) and it hardens the joint and elevates the tension. But it is not undoable! You could relax the tension by moving the scissors relatively to each other back and forth, vertically to their supposed way of motion. Try to produce some minor play there. But first try sharpening.

[captain spaulding]

I sharpened a pair of scissors recently, for the first time. It had 2 visible dents from cutting wire, as well as other edge anomalies. I followed the grind with a stone, then a diamond coated steel and finally with ceramic. Inside, only the stone was capable of removing the dents. Now it is almost as good as new.
I've never encountered a hard riveted Victorinox. They do it with Swiss precision. Unless somebody hit the rivet with a hammer to make it more solid. I've done that with some knifes (not SAKs) and it hardens the joint and elevates the tension. But it is not undoable! You could relax the tension by moving the scissors relatively to each other back and forth, vertically to their supposed way of motion. Try to produce some minor play there. But first try sharpening.

I have to disagree with this. It is basically the one thing that drives me insane about Victorinox. I don't know if I just have bad luck with there scissors, but I tend to feel like the riveting is to tight more than not.

[kkokkolis]

I might be lucky so far. But people here have seem thousands of Victorinox SAKs. They should have a clue about the possibility of finding a stiff rivet.
If that's the problem the solution is to produce some play, isn't it?

[Marius]

I've never encountered a hard riveted Victorinox. They do it with Swiss precision.

I've seen plenty of SAKs with bad riveting from factory, both loose riveting (tools wobbling laterally when opened) and hard riveting (very hard to open and close the tools). 

[kkokkolis]

Now that I think of it, I bought all my Victorinox from some traditional shop or Marios (the Greek) and I had the opportunity to test them in person first. Only my Wenger came from an eshop. So you know better. I hope you have a good solution for this.

[Marius]

What is the best plan of action on this one?

I had a 91 mm with a similarily stuck scissors. I sent it to Victorinox Canada (should be the same for US) and they replaced the scissors for free (I paid only shipping to them), keeping the other tools that I asked in place (if I did not ask for some tools to be kept they would probably just replace the SAK with a new one of the same model). However this was a lenghty process (several weeks) and it was not a perfect repair overall (the scissors were good but there were other details lacking after the reassembly).

Other options would be either to replace the scissors yourself if you are inclined or send it to one of the master modders here to replace those and maybe add some custom bits.

Good luck!

[GigaHz]

Aren't all 91mm SAKs hand inspected at the factory for correctness before leaving the factory? I have never run across a new SAK with tight scissors, only used ones.

[Syph007]

After cleaning and making sure the blades have no burs, if they are still stuck, id probably start getting aggressive with them and try to lossen the rivet.  Take a thin wedge, or maybe an old SAK blade and start pounding it in.  Ive snapped a pair of scissors doing this too though so be careful.

[Singh]

dumb question: will they open smoothly if you oil them?

The only time I had SAK scissors stick was due to a lack of oil. A drop of mineral oil fixed things.

[undertaker99]

I have the same problem on my midnite manager that i just got brand new the scissors don't open all the way because the rivet is too tight poor quality control

[Roc]

Hold on...did the Captains scissors ever get fixed? I need closure.

[Ron Who]

The pics don't show here (anymore?), but I do have some experience with tight scissors. It happens on any SAK eventually. There is a lateral force on the rivet and screw each time you use it which will cause the screw to bend ever so slightly. This will happen sooner if the scissors are used for heavy work. Because of this, I haven't bought any SAKs with scissors for a long time, except the cheap ones of the classic range. I'm afraid that replacing the scissors is the only remedy though I'm not sure. It's bad news for everyone who recently got their shiny new Pioneer X. Victorinox will replace bad scissors but it'll take weeks to do and it'll cost you p&p, so I hope I'm wrong about it all.

[JamesJ]

I have this exact same issue on almost half of my 91mm rivet scissors, and it's the reason I prefer the more rare screw scissors with spring guiding groove, which I believe were only made between 1990 and 1992. I can adjust them but they have the notch for modern scissor springs.

Granted I've only bought ONE new-in-package Victorinox my entire life, and the rivet scissors are great on it. All the dozens of others have all been used, so it's hard to say what the previous owners did to the scissors.

Sometimes a very intense cleaning helps (I prefer alcohol as long I'm very careful not to get it on the scales).  Sometimes it seems the "binding" is just tension between the 2 edges, but sometimes it seems like the rivet itself is binding against the hole.

Indeed it's frustrating

And don't get me started on pliers cuz I have the same issue with them too.

[Syph007]

Usuallly its a fine burr on the cutting edge that can be removed with a fine stone.  Thats how I used to refurb old scissors.  The rivet ones new for sure work better than the screw type, but if you cut anything that rolls the edge, they will indeed bind up.  Most used scissors I ever came accross had this problem.

[JamesJ]

Usuallly its a fine burr on the cutting edge that can be removed with a fine stone.  Thats how I used to refurb old scissors.  The rivet ones new for sure work better than the screw type, but if you cut anything that rolls the edge, they will indeed bind up.  Most used scissors I ever came accross had this problem.

I do believe most of my sticky ones are edge-burrs, but theres no "click" feel when operating them, its not an obvious dent from cutting wire or anything like that it seems to be a softly rolled edge, very hard to see with the eye.

Now..how do we fix sticking pliers?! Most of mine are tight the whole stroke.

[undertaker99]

Now..how do we fix sticking pliers?! Most of mine are tight the whole stroke.

if you mean they don't open wide enough then try bending the spring up a little

[Syph007]

For pliers most free up after a nights soak in wd40.  Even ones that barely open will free up quite nicely.