Review of SWIZA D01 knife after three years of use

[naugea]

I bought my first Swiza knife, on the German Amazon, in November 2018. In general, I liked this knife, especially the design, soft plastic handle and I wore it a lot, mainly in the small pocket of my jeans trousers. The knife was in my pocket for about 2,000 hours a year, I estimate. Unfortunately the finishing and durability of Swiza are not as good as Victorinox's.

Later I also bought a three-layer D05 knife, but this model was simply impossible to carry and use, because of bad ergonomic. The tool is too bulky, and not convenient when using it, the saw and openers sticking from the handle and unpleasantly press fingers when using the main blade.

After a while, I slightly modified the D01 knife: I filed off some of the base of the large blade and the awl so that they would close deeper and slightly filed the upper edge of the large blade on a sanding belt.

The first problems started after about a year of use. The soft plastic around the white-cross-knob began to flake off, then the button itself fall off the plastic base. The closing of the locked blade was too difficult after the failure of the knob.

Since Swiza gives a lifetime guaranty, I wrote them an email asking them to fix the problem or send a new scale for self-replacement. Swiza never answered my email.
Then I wrote about this case on their Instagram page, my post was simply deleted. Unfortunately Instagram lives no evidence of this event, I have not taken a screenshot.
Thus, for me the guarantees Swiza are simply non-existent, like any cheap china manufacturer.

I fixed the button with some kind of building glue like No more nails or similar. Thus, the knife worked for another year or a year and a half. The DIY knob is rather ugly, but it's do the job.  The coating of the scales worn-out with the time. The touch feels now a bit different. When the knife was unused and stored in the box for some time, say a month or two weeks the soft plastic of  scales are sweating with oily substance. It's take some minutes to wash  and wipe it before use.

The scales fall completely in October 2021; they did not live up to three years of operation of the knife, even after my repairs. The fixing clips were worn out and scales constantly detached off the knife. The soft plastic began to flake off at the edges.

Thus, I peeled the red soft plastic off the hard white plastic base, sanded the white plastic, glued the cow leather onto the white plastic scales and white plastic to metal scales of the knife with Loctite Super glue Precision MAX.

Now the knife looks and feels even better than the new one with soft plastic scales, IMHO. I don’t know how long they can stand?

In general, Swiza has big problems with reliability, non-existing guarantee, and bad attitude to the client.

Siza is not a knife that the father will pass on to his son and Swiza is not providing a lifetime guarantee, about which urban legends tell, how Victorinox restored a badly worn 20-year-old knife.

[Barry Rowland]

Great review!  That's good to know, since Vic has restored a 20 plus year old EDC of mine, as well as several other knives, for me over the years.  For the price, Swiza should be aggressive in their customer service, quality and warranty. 

[rvlulu]

the saw and openers sticking from the handle and unpleasantly press fingers when using the main blade.

Nor with Ranger or Work Champ and the phillips screwdriver is more pleasant than the corkscrew.

[getahl]

Wow, that's three years of discoloration just from using and carrying? That's nauseating and off putting of the brand.

[Singh]

They always struck me a cheap coming out of the gate, so I was never interested.

[dks]

They are OK, not brilliant, but not bad

[smiller43147]

I thought they were over priced.  Apparently also cheaply made.
I do like the looks of your leather scales though.

[kamakiri]

 I was hoping they’d grow and evolve to be a decent competitor… this doesn’t surprise me, but certainly disappoints.

Thanks for posting about your experience.

[Nick4]

Thank you for sharing your experience, naugea!   

If you do not mind, I posted a link to this topic on the guns.ru forum too.
The country people must know its heroes the truth about the quality and service of Swiza.

[ReamerPunch]

Wow, very disappointing to see how poorly the knife held up and the non-existent warranty. I did not expect either to be such a big issue. Thanks for sharing!

[Chako]

I have a few in my collection. I like the shape of them, but what you have discovered is inciteful.

[hsherzfeld]

Wow, that's three years of discoloration just from using and carrying? That's nauseating and off putting of the brand.

I think the second and third photos are of the leather scales that he made to replace the original red ones.

[Farmer X]

I was curious about them, but after reading that review...no, thanks. Felix Immler wasn't impressed with them, either. The big red flag for me is how the warranty claim was handled. I've also heard stories that shook my faith in Case's warranty claim process, but those are probably better discussed elsewhere.

[rvlulu]

We know that a comfortable coating is less resistant and we do with it.

[naugea]

Nor with Ranger or Work Champ and the phillips screwdriver is more pleasant than the corkscrew.

I am personally just fine using my old Huntsman with additional benefit of scissors. Huntsman has good ergonomic for my hands.  I have more use for a corkscrew, sometimes I need it just to open a wine bottle.

[naugea]

They are OK, not brilliant, but not bad

Everything what is made from metal in this knife is stylish and has reasonable quality.

Soft plastic has issues, Swiza needs to pay attention to selection of the correct materials and redesigned the white cross.

[naugea]

I thought they were over priced.  Apparently also cheaply made.
I do like the looks of your leather scales though.

I am also impressed how good the nice with leather scales is.

On this photo is the back side of the knife.

[naugea]

Thank you for sharing your experience, naugea!   

If you do not mind, I posted a link to this topic on the guns.ru forum too.
The country people must know its heroes the truth about the quality and service of Swiza.

Please feel free to share my review.

[naugea]

We know that a comfortable coating is less resistant and we do with it.

Basically it's correct.
But I have inexpensive Sweden made quality knives with durable soft touch plastic handles Mora 2000 and Bacho Laplander.

It is possible to do knife's soft plastic handles right.

[dks]

Everything what is made from metal in this knife is stylish and has reasonable quality.

Soft plastic has issues, Swiza needs to pay attention to selection of the correct materials and redesigned the white cross.

I pointed out the possibility of the rubber getting damaged, especially at the button when they came out.

Need more work.

[naugea]

 

I pointed out the possibility of the rubber getting damaged, especially at the button when they came out.

Need more work.

[rvlulu]

But I have inexpensive Sweden made quality knives with durable soft touch plastic handles Mora 2000 and Bacho Laplander.

It's easier on a circular handle or almost.

[Archibald Tuttle]

Thanks for posting your experience with the Swiza 

[cody6268]

Thanks for your review.

I have a D04 I've used more off than on, and I knew for sure the scales wouldn't last long.  They're scuffed up pretty bad also from just light use.

The prices are obscene. I was looking at a kind of Huntsman model and it was like $70. OUCH!!!

I've sent in an 84mm that was more than 50 years old, and I (obviously) wasn't the original owner, and they fully restored it for like $10. I've had great experiences from Gerber and LM also. I usually got quite prompt replies from these three and Buck when asking questions like "Is this covered, and I'm not the original owner"; and usually the reply was "Send it In". Buck especially.

[Farmer X]

I've sent in an 84mm that was more than 50 years old, and I (obviously) wasn't the original owner, and they fully restored it for like $10.

That pretty well matches my experience with Victorinox's repair department. The two I recently sent in were repaired for the cost of shipping there and back to me. I expected to be charged for the one, as it was clearly mistreated. My only real issue is that the Bijou was turned into a Classic SD during the repair process...but then again, I didn't specify to not add a key ring.

[Huntsman]

I was hoping they’d grow and evolve to be a decent competitor… this doesn’t surprise me, but certainly disappoints.
Thanks for posting about your experience.

Yes me too

I have one - (D04 I think) I like it, but have not used it much.

Ditto - Really appreciate you doing this extended usuage test and then letting us know all about it here
I like the scales too - But did wonder about the duarbailty of them so this is really good to know

Cudos - Thanks

And as KK says - Disapponting ........ and sad. ..... Particularly the warranty and customer service aspects

[mattbod]

This is a shame as competition is always healthy. These are priced quite high too: more expensive for what I can get a Vic for here in the UK for and I have a lot of loyalty for Victorinox as they do honour their warranty. They serviced my 20 year old Climber and did not charge me. They even wrote and apologised for being a bit late with the return and enclosing a free Classic SD. Their warranty is brilliant. It was sent by UK distributor to Ibach and did not even charge me carriage (though I offered) If I was running this outfit i’d charge less, be top notch with customer service and replace any faulty knife without quibble.  Obviously they can’t get the consistency of Vic and Wenger in just a few years but they should be humble about that and as I say honour warranties.