General Victorinox Conversation

[Tasky]

I’ve often wondered that too, so I looked it up in Chambers:

“lanyard or laniard /lanˈyərd/
noun
1. A short rope used as a fastening or handle (nautical)
2. A cord for hanging a knife, whistle, etc around the neck
ORIGIN: Fr lanière, origin doubtful; confused with yard”

So usage no. 1 would seem to fit nicely - every day’s a school day, and I’ve learned something new! 

Laniard being French for a strap or thong, lanyard (line-yard, in some cases) almost universally being a method of attaching/securing something to one's self or another object.
You do not actually hold a SAK by the 'lanyard' when using it, and it's form/function is more akin to the Paracord Pendant featured on Victorinox websites... and in the original German, it is Kordel which translates to cord. Lanyard in German is Schlüsselband, literally key-band.

I suppose it's more like 'holsters' for things other than firearms, knives and tools, when they are mostly just cases...

[Farmer X]

Farmer X, I would really like to see some pictures.

Here you go! From top to bottom: Farmer X, Pioneer, and Camper (whose scales are slated for replacement). All of these lanyards fobs are made of 550 paracord. More to come in a future post.

 

FS Navy And Silver Alox.jpg (Filesize: 112.23 KB)

 

Royal Mountain And Black Alox.jpg (Filesize: 128.31 KB)

 

Moss And Red Cellidor.jpg (Filesize: 96.68 KB)

[nakken]

Looking good, Farmer!

[Tasky]

All of these lanyards fobs are made of 550 paracord.

 

[marlowe221]

So here's an interesting observation I had about the 2D phillips on the can opener and the backside Phillips.

Yesterday, I needed to change some batteries in a toy for one of my kids. They are 6 and 3, so this happens with some frequency. The screw didn't look recessed, really, in fact the screw head was just a little below the surface of the back of the toy. So I pulled out the can opener on the Huntsman I was carrying in my pocket and tried to turn the screw.

No luck!

The can opener fit the screw head well enough (it was a #1 size) but the screw head was just recessed enough that the 2D Phillips cammed right out of the screw head as I tried to turn it. Not wanting to strip the head of the cheap screws they use in children's toys, I stopped.

Fortunately, I had a Tinker in a drawer in the kitchen where I was. Out came the back spring Phillips! It was perfect for the job, since the screws in kids toys are almost never overly tight, and Vic makes them in a kind of #1.5 size.

Score one for the back Phillips!

The interesting thing about this experience to me was this - We've all seen the argument made that the 2D Phillips on the can opener doesn't work on recessed screws. But what I didn't realized was just how minimal that recess had to be for that argument to be true! This screw was barely recessed at all - so little that I couldn't tell that it was recessed at all at first glance. In fact, I didn't notice it until the end of the can opener jumped out of the screw and I took a closer look to see what was going on.

I've had good experiences with the 2D can opener Phillips, but if a screw head is below the surface at all you may very well be out of luck. Of course, an Explorer-style inline Phillips would also have been great in that situation as well. I just didn't happen to have my Explorer handy at the time.

[nate j]

So here's an interesting observation I had about the 2D phillips on the can opener and the backside Phillips.

Yesterday, I needed to change some batteries in a toy for one of my kids. They are 6 and 3, so this happens with some frequency. The screw didn't look recessed, really, in fact the screw head was just a little below the surface of the back of the toy. So I pulled out the can opener on the Huntsman I was carrying in my pocket and tried to turn the screw.

No luck!

The can opener fit the screw head well enough (it was a #1 size) but the screw head was just recessed enough that the 2D Phillips cammed right out of the screw head as I tried to turn it. Not wanting to strip the head of the cheap screws they use in children's toys, I stopped.

Fortunately, I had a Tinker in a drawer in the kitchen where I was. Out came the back spring Phillips! It was perfect for the job, since the screws in kids toys are almost never overly tight, and Vic makes them in a kind of #1.5 size.

Score one for the back Phillips!

The interesting thing about this experience to me was this - We've all seen the argument made that the 2D Phillips on the can opener doesn't work on recessed screws. But what I didn't realized was just how minimal that recess had to be for that argument to be true! This screw was barely recessed at all - so little that I couldn't tell that it was recessed at all at first glance. In fact, I didn't notice it until the end of the can opener jumped out of the screw and I took a closer look to see what was going on.

I've had good experiences with the 2D can opener Phillips, but if a screw head is below the surface at all you may very well be out of luck. Of course, an Explorer-style inline Phillips would also have been great in that situation as well. I just didn't happen to have my Explorer handy at the time.

In my experience, inclining the SAK slightly toward the back spring side helps the can opener flat Phillips achieve maximum depth, but this still may not be very deep if the hole is quite small.

[Farmer X]

Thanks, nakken and Tasky!

[marlowe221]

In my experience, inclining the SAK slightly toward the back spring side helps the can opener flat Phillips achieve maximum depth, but this still may not be very deep if the hole is quite small.

Good tip! I'll keep that in mind for next time.

[BPRoberts]

Phillips is a big part of the reason I usually carry a small keychain SAK. The 58 combo or the 74 file are both great on tiny recessed battery screws.

[marlowe221]

Phillips is a big part of the reason I usually carry a small keychain SAK. The 58 combo or the 74 file are both great on tiny recessed battery screws.

Oh yeah, I always have the Rambler on me too. I was just experimenting a little. Pretending I didn't have it, if that makes sense.

Partly just for fun and partly because I'm always kind of wondering if I can get down to just carrying one SAK. Not that an extra 58mm is any burden, of course. Just my own personal tendency towards minimalism at play.

[Huntsman]

......  I was just experimenting a little. Pretending I didn't have it, if that makes sense........

    Makes complete sense - And really good to know   

I am sure that everyone here recognises that MTs always have compromises - And for us it's really good to know where the lines are drawn

Good tip Nate - On the angled SD blade to get a bit more depth

PS. Nate (and everyone) - If possible - Please don't quote a whole post especially when your post immediately follows the original post - It just clutters up the thread with duplicate text - and detracts readers from seeing what you are saying!! A straight reply is usually best.

[Matcha255]

I just removed the scales from a knife and I kinda want to put them on my compact, how do I tell if scales will snap on without glue?

[Explorer]

Putting the knife in hot water before removing the scales can keep them from getting damaged during removal. If removed in this fashion they should snap right back on. If removed without the hot water technique sometimes small bits of plastic will get broken away during removal which can affect how tight the scale rivet hole fits over each rivet. I'd say if you noticed a lot of little pieces of plastic it might be worth putting a small dab of glue on each rivet before installing the scale

[Farmer X]

Good advice. The one scale replacement I've done was removing a set that I did not intend to reuse and putting on brand-new ones. The next one may involve reinstalling an existing set.

I can add two things: I believe Felix Immler says to keep the water temperature at no more than 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit). And if you give the SAK a water soak to help remove the scales, don't forget to put fresh oil in the pivot points.

[XAVT]

Is it possible to buy brand new genuine, say for example 91mm scales?

I can see they are on eBay but only used or knock off copies, not brand new genuine scales.

[Huntsman]

Usually they are new on ebay from the recognised sellers - Check the feedback 

What country are you in?

[XAVT]

been burnt a few times with fake rubbish from eBay,

Australia

[Huntsman]

Hmmm   

Heidishop should be genuine -But they are in Switzerland - And they dont do good postage
https://www.swiss-knife.com/en/swiss-knives/handles-sides/victorinox-handles.html?p=2

Etsy seems to have some - And they look OK
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/907856978/victorinox-plus-handle-scales-scales-sak?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_au_en_au_b-craft_supplies_and_tools-other-other&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AZkucu00BaBb9z1JmM47SebrupYCsnAl5WJhvuQSo1xPTNJo9lOXUBoCjdQQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_344340968_19782570128_78803052728_aud-966475066253:pla-350250224874_c__907856978enau_554908344&utm_custom2=344340968&gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AZkucu00BaBb9z1JmM47SebrupYCsnAl5WJhvuQSo1xPTNJo9lOXUBoCjdQQAvD_BwE

[XAVT]

Having a look, thank you so much for your help.

[Explorer]

Good advice. The one scale replacement I've done was removing a set that I did not intend to reuse and putting on brand-new ones. The next one may involve reinstalling an existing set.

I can add two things: I believe Felix Immler says to keep the water temperature at no more than 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit). And if you give the SAK a water soak to help remove the scales, don't forget to put fresh oil in the pivot points.

Good on you sir I was not sure of the temperature    Actually I'm remembering now that last time I did a scale swap I put the knife in a ziplock bag and dunked it into really really hot tap water and that worked pretty good with the added benefit of the knife staying dry.

[marlowe221]

A couple of weeks ago I used the screwdriver tip of the bottle opener on my Camper to do some prying. At the time I didn’t think that I over did it but… I might have

Now, any lateral pressure on the bottle opener makes the saw move around in between the handles.

Did I loosen the rivet somehow?

Of course, I bought this Camper used and I’m not 100% sure it didn’t do that before….

[Farmer X]

Last time I did a scale swap I put the knife in a ziplock bag and dunked it into really really hot tap water...

I'll give that method a try sometime.

[Explorer]

It can be a tad precarious if ya don't get all of the air out of the bag.  Another method I've seen some folks around here do is use a hair dryer but haven't tried that method yet myself.
 

[BPRoberts]

Any modders ever played with adding the small screwdriver and or chisel to the woodsaw or fish scaler? I know on the smaller knives front and back tools can swap around however, as long as their balanced, and was wondering if that would be an easy way to sneak some extra utility into a Huntsman, Fieldmaster, etc. They're the same profile as the metal saw, so it seems like it "should" work.

[Huntsman]

Well on the Ranger all the main tools have a corresponding backtool so it should be OK.

I think the chisel and small screwdriver are interchangeable - spring-wise - But have not tried it or checked !

[Tasky]

Indeed, the Ranger (also Handyman and SwissChamp) woodsaw has the screwdriver, which is right next to the metal saw that has the chisel. Both saws have what appear to be identical springs, yet I note that the SwissChamp scaler spring has a different shape, despite seeming to have a similar outline and seating to the woodsaw next to it.