Easy Swiss Champ blade swap

[Max Stone]

SC I got as a trade yesterday had a small blade that had been resharpened a few times and was a little out of shape. Swiss Champs are quite a mission to disassemble, so I decided to just push through a new pin on the end with the blade. So rather than a 5 hour job, this only took an hour and a half.

First was to remove the scales. I soak the SAK in hot water for 5 minutes to soften the plastic. This reduces damage to the mounts so you can reuse them.

I don’t like the can opener trick as this can damage the edge. I push a thin flat driver into the toothpick/tweezer slot to lever up and pop off the scales.

These are the solid Plus scales, and they are so much nicer than the new cavity-type scales. Interesting to see a date stamp of 86, which is right at the start of the Swiss Champ’s release.

Next to drill out the pivot collar. This needs to be the one on the side closest to the small blade, as this is where the new pin will be driven through.

I use a Dremel and 2.5mm drill to remove enough of the brass to remove the collar. With care, it’s possible to save the collar for reuse.

Then I cut about 4cm of 2.5mm rod. I soften the edge and polish the ends as it helps make a better rivet head.

[Max Stone]

I sandwich the pin between hardboard, placed halfway down between them so that when pressed tight in the vice, the base is trapped and won’t move down as you hammer.

I use a 350g ball hammer. I start with the flat side to get some swell on the top, and then switch to the ball to spread and shape the head. I alternate the flat and ball ends until I get a good shape. A tip is to polish the hammer surfaces as this makes for a neater finish on the rivet.

It’s important to get enough of a head so that it seats proud of the collar. Otherwise it won’t remain tight in the collar when you close the opposite end.

[Max Stone]

As a finishing touch, I polish the rivet head. The pic shows the correct seating of the rivet head in the collar.

I then round and polish the opposite end of the pin to center and follow the pin to be pushed out. I’m now ready to extract the small blade.

I space my vice jaws just enough to give clearance for the rivet at the bottom. Only the scales rest on the jaws, which I cover with tape to protect the scales.

[Max Stone]

Next I drift out the original pin using the new pin, just enough to release the small blade.

As the small blade has a spacer, the backspring stays in place against it. So long as you only tap the pin down just enough to release the blade.

Here’s the old and new blade. Yes, the profile is not too bad, but was enough to give me an excuse to swap it.

[Max Stone]

The new blade fitted in easily. Needed a little pressure to center over the top of the exposed pin. I put some tape on the blade for some protection.

Now ready to drive through the new pin. Don’t forget to slide on the collar, as once you’ve driven the new pin down, that’s it’s final position.

Here you can see progress at the halfway point, new pin at the top, old coming out the bottom. I tap through with the SAK on the vice with the jaws slightly open. When the original pin drops out, keep it for a future build, but you’ll need to reuse the collar. Finish tapping the new pin all the way down.

[Max Stone]

Here’s the old pin and the new pin in place, ready for trimming. This is a good time to test the new blade and maybe have a cup of tea.

To peen closed, I cut off just less than the thickness of the collar. I use a diamond cut-off disk on my Dremel to cut and grind a nice flat end on the pin.

[Max Stone]

After cutting, I polish the end which also takes off the sharp edge.

I then put the collar back over the pin and use the anvil end of my vice to peen the pin into a rivet head shape. It’s important to peen enough to get a proper seat inside the collar, but also to close the layers tightly enough to not have wobble on the tools. To check, it helps to turn the SAK over and tap the opposite end of the pin when on the vice with the jaws open. Then turn back and continue to peen the top rivet on the anvil. It’s possible to have the fit too tight, and then the tools bind and won’t snap. But it’s generally a case of too much tool wiggle. So take time to check the peening is the correct tightness by testing the tools for wiggle.

[Max Stone]

I polished up the rivet when done, and then gave the SAK a good wash, opening and closing all the tools to get it clean.

After a good rinse and dry, I snapped the scales back on. Oiled and all done!

[magentus]

Beautifully done 'how to' there Max 
Lovely pics.

[Max Stone]

Thanks magentus 

[PitCarver]

Awesome job,  Max.
Very good job.
I picked up a handyman special of 58mm's, that included a MiniChamp and 2 additional classics.  Looked like someone had taken a grinder to the scissors and main blade on the MiniChamp, so I did basically the same as you.
Salvaged the scissors from 1 classic and the blade from the other.  Drove the old pin out with the new, replacing the tools as I went along.
Funny, how every source said that I had to totally disassemble the knife in order to replace the tools...
This was my first, and only, so far, attempt at repair of a Victorinox. 

I was pleased with the outcome.

[McStitchy]

Great job Max... well done 
I didn't try the push-through method yet.
Will keep it in mind for sure after seeing this 

[Max Stone]

Thanks PitCarverb and Matt. 

If you measure the pin lengths it should be possible to replace any tool down the stack. I used the same method last year to replace the CS of a Ranger with a Phillips to make a Master Craftsman. So this is a viable method for both the center and outer pivots. 

[NetsNJ]

Amazingly instructional.

[Max Stone]

Thanks NetsNJ 

[SirVicaLot]

Great work, Max! Great write-up as well! 

[Myron]

Another awesome how-to!  Thanks for taking the time to post this, Max. I really enjoyed reading it.

Myron

[Max Stone]

Thanks Sir Vic, Myron. 

[Wspeed]

Excellent work Max and great write up and pics 

[Max Stone]

Thank you Wim.