A Quandary for a "collectors" SAK- use or keep pristine?

[kamakiri]

That's a double-edged sword (no pun intended): the time and effort put into a mod could make it even more valuable to you. And any handmade mod is in essence #1 of 1.

True, but:

At least if it's a mod you can make another. The ones I'd really be concerned about losing either have sentimental value or are discontinued models (especially if they can't be rebuilt as a mod). Even then, I think it's still worth using them -- who else is going to enjoy them for us? 

Hence my suggestion to mod.

...

Wise, wise words, Aloha. 

...

Valkie, using a knife is never wrong. My comment about using a 1/50 knife just shows where my disability and lack of reason as a collector kicks in!  I’m sure some have viewed my use of a MOTM which has 1969 copies made. Only reason I could or would do that is it’s not my only one.

Love that white Elinox scale, Btw. Nice user. 

[Altis]

Just as an aside comment.

I was given this knife by my work over 25 years ago.

It is my basic rough knife, I use it when doing any electrical work or working on my car.

It needs to be cleaned regularly as it gets covered in grease, crap, paint and all manner of unknown stuff.

But even with all this abuse, it dont look all that bad.

The tips of both blades have been bent and bent back, with signs of scratching on both visible.

the scales are nothing but scratches on the whole surface, both sides.

But it dont look all that bad.

Although, compared to my brand new Alox, it looks a little rough

I find it more satisfying to look back on all the times it's helped you out over the years, in my opinion. If you never used it and you picked it up today after 25 years, it wouldn't have that value.

Just my $0.02  Having said that, how do you deal with gunk getting under the cellidor scales? That's my biggest concern with them (cured by alox).

[Jim the Brave]

I have a little different perspective---

I only every buy used knives...
For one of three purposes.
1. To use myself.
2. To give to someone I love.
3. To resell.

The nicer ones I resell or give as gifts.
The ones with breaks or flaws I use 'em like I stole 'em. (Well, no. I actually take care of them. But I don't obsess over what's going to happen to them). Or I give them to my dad, and he loves to fix them up. Sometimes I resell the broken ones cheap too. But I practically never buy a knife new.

[Valkie]

I find it more satisfying to look back on all the times it's helped you out over the years, in my opinion. If you never used it and you picked it up today after 25 years, it wouldn't have that value.

Just my $0.02  Having said that, how do you deal with gunk getting under the cellidor scales? That's my biggest concern with them (cured by alox).

When I get a lot of crud in any of my knives,
I first give it a good soak in WD40
Then blow it out with compressed air.
Then I hit it with methelated spirits.
Then re-oil the knife, and rub it all over with a slightly oily rag
Then I polish it.

I have never taken the scales off
But you woukd be surprised what sort of crap I get out of some of the trash & treasure finds.

I have a lovely old find I picked up for a song.
I couldn't get most of the tools out it was so gummed up.
Following the above, I cleaned it and found this old treasure ( probably early 70s)
Was virtually brand new.
Never been sharpened, not one scratch on any tool.
Everything perfect, and now working perfectly.

[powernoodle]

Guess I'm looking for validation to use and perhaps abuse it!

When you croak, and your wife's next husband inherits your collection, you want to make darn sure that he never forgets that you were there first.  So use those SAKs, MTs, knives and lights to ensure that every dagnab one of them is covered with drywall dust, sausage gravy and squirrel blood.  Stake your claim while the sun shines.

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

  too true, especially dry wall dust! 

[Aloha]

 

[pfrsantos]

too true, especially dry wall dust squirrel blood! 

FTFY.

 

[Storm]

Preach it brother noodle 

[Simon_Templar]

When you croak, and your wife's next husband inherits your collection, you want to make darn sure that he never forgets that you were there first.  So use those SAKs, MTs, knives and lights to ensure that every dagnab one of them is covered with drywall dust, sausage gravy and squirrel blood.  Stake your claim while the sun shines.

(Image removed from quote.)

...or you can keep your collection clean and just don't die. That's how I do it 

[Jim the Brave]

...or you can keep your collection clean and just don't die. That's how I do it 

I'm hoping to not die, myself,

But somebody else will eventually get what I have. I go with cleaning off what I'm trying to sell, and blowing the sawdust out of what I use every once in a while.

[Sawl Goodman]

Of all my collection, only the Winter Magic PX has been bought not to be used, except as a handsome ornament.

I'm hoping to not die, myself,

Good luck!

[Fireman]

Am slightly ambivalent about using the Cadet Plus given the price I paid, it's relative rarity (1 of 50) and, a secondary consideration, it's potential future value.


Guess I'm looking for validation to use and perhaps abuse it!

If you want money for retirement, I wouldn't count on SAKs.  We're also talking about pocket knives, not using a Vermeer as a placemat.  So with that said, you can guess that I can't stand to own something I would be afraid to use.  Don't abuse it, but do use it.

[ElevenBlade]

If you want money for retirement, I wouldn't count on SAKs.  We're also talking about pocket knives, not using a Vermeer as a placemat.  So with that said, you can guess that I can't stand to own something I would be afraid to use.  Don't abuse it, but do use it.

 

[sergemaster]

Amici,
When I was a much younger man in the 1970's-1980's, before the advent of the internet, when book and magazines were our only sources of info regarding everything and anything, I did not know that the Victorinox scales were removable. So when I recieved my first model, I was captivated by it's construction, compactability, and versatility, but couldn't understand WHY they the hell they would use such a fragile material as cellidor is, on such works of mechanical art. So I would use them sparingly and lovingly as if they were Fabergé eggs, cursing the geniuses of Ibach for their horrible scales selection.

It wasn't until a few years later after my initial exposure to the worls of the SAK, that I found out that you could actually send your scratched up SAK to their facility in Connecticut here in the states, to replace them, but this info was never really made public to the front end user. It was either more word of mouth from a, "guy who knew a guy", or from reading that little booklet that came with a new knife, if you were lucky to have had access to one.  So as a result, I kept allot of my saks in an almost comatose state, stored in containers, or bomb proof bunkers, all in an effort of protecting those fragile scales from the inevitable scratch that would occur if they were ever to venture out out of their sancturaries, and into my pocket.

But then finding out that the scales were actually replacable, it became party time, and now they all get used..

Personally, if I'm going to carry a stock SAK, I prefer the 70's-80's models with the solid cellidor scales over the current versions,since them seem to be more robust. But to know that the user can actually replace them on ther own, how fantastic is that?

What's really amazing, is that today, (2021) there are so many CHOICES of third party scale material to choose from, as well as being affordable, plus to be able to install them yourself, or by using the services of the some cutlery masters that are more than willing to install these for you for a nominal fee.

Think about it, look how the SAK world has changed regarding scales, even from just 10 years ago. Now we have choices of machined, Brass, Titanium, Copper, G10, Nylon, all types of hardwood, amazing!!

Would it be awesome if Victorinox would offer a, "build it yourself" custom shop option, similiar to Buck knives, yes. But unforunately, that isn't the case at the moment. But as I stated, there are alternatives..

Cheers,
Serge

[Jim the Brave]

If you want money for retirement, I wouldn't count on SAKs.  We're also talking about pocket knives, not using a Vermeer as a placemat.  So with that said, you can guess that I can't stand to own something I would be afraid to use.  Don't abuse it, but do use it.

What's a Vermeer (in this context)?

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

A grand master painting..... (Johannesburg Vermeer 1632-1675).

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Johannes Vermeer ! Bloody auto spellcheck!

[Jim the Brave]

A grand master painting..... (Johannesburg Vermeer 1632-1675).

Gotcha.

I only knew of this context:

https://www.vermeer.com/na/balers

[Jim the Brave]

Johannes Vermeer ! Bloody auto spellcheck!

 

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Wouldn’t want to use one of those as a coaster either! If farmers round here are anything to go by, you eave those and the side of a field and see how many years it takes to watch them dissolve into rust! 

[Jim the Brave]

Wouldn’t want to use one of those as a coaster either! If farmers round here are anything to go by, you eave those and the side of a field and see how many years it takes to watch them dissolve into rust! 

That does happen.

We also use a Vermeer wood chipper at work.

What I can say about Vermeer equipment from having used some:

A. They work great when they're new.
B. They wear out something fierce (too quickly).
C. They're not terribly hard to work on.
D. They need worked on way too often.
E. They bang up and get out of whack a little too easily.

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Blimey - not exactly ideal! Side a field sounds a good place to keep them!

[Jim the Brave]

Blimey - not exactly ideal! Side a field sounds a good place to keep them!

They're one of the no-brands as far as I'm concerned. Which is crazy, because they seem to try real hard. I wish I could like their products, but I know them too well.

[SwissMix2020]

Agree with both camps and I purchased several preowned models for the express purpose and intent of using them.  They’ve all served me well.

Only recently did I start taking a second look at them and was surprised to discover some are 30-40 years old.  It’s a testament to their build quality and why so many are fond of Victorinox knives.

Probably the most dangerous thing for an Alox SAK or any SAK are your keys.  If you want to keep it pristine and still use them, then consider a small pouch cover if you have them in the same pocket as your keys.

[cody6268]

That does happen.

We also use a Vermeer wood chipper at work.

What I can say about Vermeer equipment from having used some:

A. They work great when they're new.
B. They wear out something fierce (too quickly).
C. They're not terribly hard to work on.
D. They need worked on way too often.
E. They bang up and get out of whack a little too easily.

Our local Bobcat/Kubota dealer was also a Vermeer hay equipment dealer until a few years back (he just now started carrying Kubota's new line of hay tools).  Also, the guy who owned the dealer was also the only guy to really use Vermeer hay equipment.  Everyone else around here uses mostly New Holland or Deere hay tools. We had as much as 50 year old pieces of New Holland hay tools (as well as a 1950s Ford wheel rake), and they very rarely needed parts. The guy who owns them now (who is a heavy equipment mechanic, and is always fixing something that goes wrong around here) has rarely needed to fix anything on them either.