TLDR: random rantings of a newbie to SAK mods. By a newbie mostly for newbies.
Here is (was) a Swiss Champ SAK (now a SAT) that has been neutered of 6 tools. As such, I`m calling it the Swiss Chop
lol
Removed: blades & corkscrew, saw, fish scaler, and small flat driver on back.
Why? I carry a blade regardless, and never use some tools so why have extra weight. The top tools were an easy choice, but I did debate heavily on the back tools - small flat driver vs. small chisel. I finally decided the flat driver is kind of hard to use on the back anyway, and several times I have used the chisel on my Spirit. So the chisel won.
This was my very first experience modding a SAK. One way to learn - just do it. I really only had to seek help on tool layer compatibility and peening, as I have never ran across a need to peen anything before. Turns out to be quite easy (albeit time consuming) and doesn't require the absolute perfection I first imagined. I live in a small 1 BR apartment, so I did all the drilling, disassembly, and re-assembly on my kitchen countertop and glass dining room table covered with a towel. I did the peening in my Mom's garage with a cheap clamp-on vise and even cheaper 10 oz ball peen from HD. Overall a fun and educational experiment!
-Here is a previous post where I was still trying to figure things out
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,90118.0.htmlRandom thoughts and notes along the way:
-Once you take it apart, the tool compatibility becomes more obvious. Things fit or they don't. You can reach the nail nick or you cant. Taking out layers requires no extra parts, (if you salvage the bushings) but adding a layer will of course leave you with brass rods that are too short. I found replacement rods and bushings on AliExpress in the Mack Walker store.
-The Dremel 8250 is a great tool to have around - quiet brushless motor for the apartment setting.
-No matter how careful I was, drilling out the bushings still didn't go as well as I hoped. But, in the end they were able to be reused.
-In my attempt to center-punch the 2.2mm rod with bushing before drilling, I punched it right out on first strike. Seemed way too easy.
-Some liners where harder to remove than I expected. Springs were stiffer than I expected. Some tools were more tricky to get lined up than others. Especially assembling the first layer with openers - it's very wonky by itself until the second liner helps to hold it all together. This step really demonstrates that no single part of the SAK is very strong. It's strength comes from multiple parts working together.
- The Cybertool L (41) was a great companion to assist in neutering the Swiss Champ lol
- I left it un-peened for several days while I slept on it. Good thing, I rearranged layers several times until satisfied.
-One goal was to get the inline phillips somewhat more centered than default, I achieved that; I love the scissors being on the easiest to access outside layer; the file worked great between the openers and pliers because the nail nick is accessible; the hook is perfect to replace the corkscrew because it can be easily accessed without needing a nail nick facing the outside, which will be covered once I get custom scales made flush without the corkscrew cutout.
-Technically I could have kept the corkscrew if desired (normally with blade layer). I could have paired it with the file and made it the last layer instead. It would have required grinding/filing down the base of the corkscrew, side facing the outside, from about 2.5 mm to 1.75mm. Not all that difficult but I really didn't want it on this particular setup anyway.
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