Does a 246fma with a key ring become a fmaU?

[J2000E]

A "U" is the code for "Anhängebügel" or bail.

In the late 60ies and very early 70ies - there were still descriptive number/letter codes. A recent purchase got me thinking.
When a Vic did not have a bail but a key ring (Anhängering) - was it still a considered a "U"?

I guess there must have been quite an overlap in time when there were options of bail, ring and nothing.

So what say thee? Is a 6-layer "Champion A" that has a key ring - an 246fmaU?

The logical thing would have been:
246fma - no bail or key ring
246fmau (small u) = key ring
246fmaU = bail

[J2000E]

And of course... as soon as I had written to ask you all, I found the answer. Before writing - an hour or so and nothing. After posting here - one minute of checking up in material I already had.

Yes - a key ring makes it a "U". This is an ad for Elinox.

[pfrsantos]

Glad we could help!

 

[J2000E]

 

[Huntsman]

Good question and great work PFRSANTOS      

I must admit I had always assumed that the u meant a bail - You would have thought that a KR would have been another letter
But now we know     

[J2000E]

The reason I asked. Got it home today. The scales were shot and I had to replace them with modern (non +).
A good ultrasonic bath and some oil got it going.

The transition period of Champion 246fmaU seems all over the place. This one has the old scissors and a "non Pat" can opener.
I will settle for first years of 70ies.

Long nailfile on the back of the scissors moved to the other side compared to the older 246fmaU







I have got these two older ones - awl being the big difference between these two. The above is a nice addition to the timeline with its changes.

[Myron]

Amazing transformation, J2000E!

May I ask for the details on your ultrasonic cleaning procedure?  Time, temperature, and preferred cleaning agent?

Thanks,

Myron

[J2000E]

Amazing transformation, J2000E!

May I ask for the details on your ultrasonic cleaning procedure?  Time, temperature, and preferred cleaning agent?

Thanks,

Myron

No problem at all Myron. I use hot tap water to begin with and on top of that my ultrasonic cleaner heats the water. My tap water is about 50 degrees Celsius (122 F?) and I do not believe the cleaner heats it up to more than maybe 60. I can still pick up things and if it would be more than 60 I would not be able to do that...

Time is somewhere between 5 and 20 minutes depending on what kind of dirt we are talking about.

And the secret detergent is.... YES (Fairy in the rest of the world I believe). edit - a healthy amount of detergent - about 1 dl to a litre.

The above works great on those watch bracelets too... ;-) There are nasty things living in watch bracelets... If people knew!

On bicycle parts I pre wash with cold/solvent degreaser but that has never been needed on multitools. Yet.

[Reinier]

Long nailfile on the back of the scissors moved to the other side compared to the older 246fmaU

I'm probably missing something obvious here. But what do you mean?

Nice pics

[Myron]

No problem at all Myron. I use hot tap water to begin with and on top of that my ultrasonic cleaner heats the water. My tap water is about 50 degrees Celsius (122 F?) and I do not believe the cleaner heats it up to more than maybe 60. I can still pick up things and if it would be more than 60 I would not be able to do that...

Time is somewhere between 5 and 20 minutes depending on what kind of dirt we are talking about.

And the secret detergent is.... YES (Fairy in the rest of the world I believe). edit - a healthy amount of detergent - about 1 dl to a litre.

The above works great on those watch bracelets too... ;-) There are nasty things living in watch bracelets... If people knew!

On bicycle parts I pre wash with cold/solvent degreaser but that has never been needed on multitools. Yet.

Thank you!

[J2000E]

I'm probably missing something obvious here. But what do you mean?

Nice pics

On the two older 246fmaU the scissors layer is next to the knifes and as the long nail file is at the back of the scissors it is by the corkscrew. On this late 246fmaU the scissors layer is by the openers and the long nail file by the awl.

[Reinier]

Of course. Sorry. I was looking at the bottom four photos

[Huntsman]

Great work, research and piccies J2000E - Discussing and discovering SAK evolution is what interests me and is what I love about this site

PS. I am so jealous of those lovely old Champions that you have ..... especially the old awl one -
And it looks like you have also restored them beautifully