Should I worry about Sak scales?

[Sawl Goodman]

I have a couple of knives with an end broken off a cellidor scale. One breakage was from a fall to the floor - no great surprise but a disappointment nonetheless. The other was from sitting on the knife that was in my back pocket. I was flabbergasted at that one! While such damage doesn’t affect the knive’s functionality, I keep meaning to send them off to my local Vic importer to have the scales replaced - cheaper and more convenient than buying new scales from overseas.

Nylon scales are much stronger but harder to come by these days, and I doubt the agent would install them if I asked.

Aside from their near indestructibility (dings only add character), one of the great values of alox is that it makes the knife very easy to clean. My work knife is an alox Soldier and it can quickly become filthy with muck. A rinse under the tap, and a good shake to dry it, is usually all it takes to clean it. Crud can’t accumulate under the scales; nor does water drip from them into your pocket afterwards.

 

[tiguy7]

You can get glue on Titanium scales that even have slots for tools. Other metals are also available, but none of them snap on because the material can’t flex enough.

 

[Triton]

Brilliantly written, I do agree, dear sir.

Agree! Mr. Noodle has ever had a way with words!

 

[Piso Mojado]

Opaque red cellidore shows scratches the least. Translucent cellidore is the prettiest and a good choice for a present. Nylon is the strongest, and you don't worry about its finish because it has none.

 

[Sawl Goodman]

Opaque red cellidore shows scratches the least. Translucent cellidore is the prettiest and a good choice for a present. Nylon is the strongest, and you don't worry about its finish because it has none.

Nylon scales wear smooth over time (a long time!). I like this appearance so much that I’ve even aged new ones artificially with sandpaper.

 

[Guy McVer]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with a lot of the posts in this topic.

You can buy a whole SAK for the cost that some sellers want for their scales, especially when shipping is included. I do not consider this cheap.

In my experience, genuine new Victorinox replacement scales are only found through a very small number of third party sellers, most of which are on ebay or etsy. Only a couple actually have their own stores. Wenger/Delemont replacement scales are almost nonexistent. The selection of Victorinox scales are also very limited/incomplete. You will find many options completely missing.

I also find the old scales to be a total pain to restore. You will have to spend a lot of time sanding with various grits to get them smooth again, and this will still not remove deep scratches. Finally you will have to buff with some type of polishing chemicals to get that glossy shine back. I would definitely wash thoroughly afterwards, especially if you plan to do any food processing.

If you choose to go with 3D printed scales instead, they're almost all garbage and cost way too much for what they are. You may also need to file/sand them to fix them before putting them on. Sometimes you will even end up with a scale that is too crooked to use at all.

In terms of the actual replacement process, you can press the new scales on by hand but you will probably end up with tiny gaps between the new scales and the sideplates unless you use some type of vise to press them in all the way. When doing this you need to be very careful not to over tighten the vise because this will permanently compress the brass pivots and make the tools too tight when opening or closing them. I do not consider this to be easy for someone who has never done it before. It is very easy if you have a vise, you already know what you are doing, and you make sure to protect the scales from getting chewed up by the vise.

If you have old scales that are being reused, then they will just snap on and off by hand with no trouble. A little bit of superglue around the bushings will hold the scales in place just fine. The reason superglue works so well for this is that it expands when it dries. This reinforces the fit of the scales by making it tighter.

Be extremely careful not to get any glue on the outside of the scales, and if you do, then DO NOT try cleaning it off with nail polish remover (acetone). This will instantly begin dissolving the scales.

One final note: I have seen some claims that toothpaste can be used as a polish for celidor scales, but in my experience it isn't very effective at all.

 

[Tafkaag]

Opaque red cellidore shows scratches the least. Translucent cellidore is the prettiest and a good choice for a present. Nylon is the strongest, and you don't worry about its finish because it has none.

Actually I've found the "translucent" (actually transparent; the regular celidor scales are translucent) scales to be the most prone to breakage, either from dropping or just in-pocket collisions with other carried metal.

 

[tiguy7]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with a lot of the posts in this topic.

You can buy a whole SAK for the cost that some sellers want for their scales, especially when shipping is included. I do not consider this cheap.

In my experience, genuine new Victorinox replacement scales are only found through a very small number of third party sellers, most of which are on ebay or etsy. Only a couple actually have their own stores. Wenger/Delemont replacement scales are almost nonexistent. The selection of Victorinox scales are also very limited/incomplete. You will find many options completely missing.

I also find the old scales to be a total pain to restore. You will have to spend a lot of time sanding with various grits to get them smooth again, and this will still not remove deep scratches. Finally you will have to buff with some type of polishing chemicals to get that glossy shine back. I would definitely wash thoroughly afterwards, especially if you plan to do any food processing.

If you choose to go with 3D printed scales instead, they're almost all garbage and cost way too much for what they are. You may also need to file/sand them to fix them before putting them on. Sometimes you will even end up with a scale that is too crooked to use at all.

In terms of the actual replacement process, you can press the new scales on by hand but you will probably end up with tiny gaps between the new scales and the sideplates unless you use some type of vise to press them in all the way. When doing this you need to be very careful not to over tighten the vise because this will permanently compress the brass pivots and make the tools too tight when opening or closing them. I do not consider this to be easy for someone who has never done it before. It is very easy if you have a vise, you already know what you are doing, and you make sure to protect the scales from getting chewed up by the vise.

If you have old scales that are being reused, then they will just snap on and off by hand with no trouble. A little bit of superglue around the bushings will hold the scales in place just fine. The reason superglue works so well for this is that it expands when it dries. This reinforces the fit of the scales by making it tighter.

Be extremely careful not to get any glue on the outside of the scales, and if you do, then DO NOT try cleaning it off with nail polish remover (acetone). This will instantly begin dissolving the scales.

One final note: I have seen some claims that toothpaste can be used as a polish for celidor scales, but in my experience it isn't very effective at all.

A lot of good information here. I would add: #1)don’t like CyanoAcrylate glue (Super glue) because it’s not particularly water resistant. Epoxy is better. #2) Cellidor scales are a low temperature melting thermoplastic which can benefit from heating (160*F) when either removing or installing.
I like a SAK that is tough and take apart which is why I am willing to spend more on screw together knives that have metal scales.

 

[sodak]

I put my thumbprint in one from DEET while backpacking and climbing in Alaska. It survived and so did I.

Lol, I left finger grooves in the inside arm rest/door handle of my truck. It was plastic, and didn't appreciate 100% DEET...

 

[Hashishiin]

Lots of great info and opinions here.

I find that my favored cellidor patterns are luckily hard to wear, and red cellidor... while I do like the fresh, new, shiny look, I don't mind the worn look either, it's how it's supposed to look, like cleaning patina off of carbon steel, it's impossible to do if you use it and requires constant maintainence. Find a look you like, or a wear pattern you like, and go for that, though. If you want to polish you red celli every night, nothing wrong with that either. I'm looking for a way to polish, but not take off material, on some nicer graphic SAKS.

Nylon is nice.

 

[afishhunter]

I've never worried about them.
Never had one break or fall off. Get scratched, yes, but never anything more serious than that.

FWIW I carried a "ruby" Cellidor Huntsman in my pocket with coins and a large stockman every day for over 18 years, and matching Signature on my keyring for around 20 consecutive years.
(I misplaced the huntsman a couple years ago. )

 

[Gurdygurds]

I don’t worry about them. Lately I haven’t even been using them.

 

[fuyume]

I really like classic Sak knives. My favorites are perhaps the Waiter and the Tourist. I seldomly use my Spartan but am thinking of getting a alox scaled Pioneer since I'm worrying about ruining the scales on my Spartan, or even that they will break. Is that common? Are they easy to replace? Never happened so far, though.

Regards
Erik

People have used Victorinox and Wenger knives for decades and still continue to buy them in mass quantities despite the plastic scales. Yes, they can break, but it doesn't happen that often, and they are easily replaced. There is a huge aftermarket in custom and replacement scales, just because people love to customize them.

 

[jackknife]

I don’t worry about them. Lately I haven’t even been using them.
View attachment 1912959

Love you're attitude on it.

Definitely a candidate for the Maximum Minimalism award! Also looks like easier to flush out pocket lint and debris under a faucet.

 

[Guy McVer]

A lot of good information here. I would add: #1)don’t like CyanoAcrylate glue (Super glue) because it’s not particularly water resistant.

I disagree with this when it comes to celidor scales. Once the superglue touches the scale, it becomes literally impossible to remove without sanding. No amount of washing will get it off. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the glue in this case is mostly due to its expansion and not its ability to bond with the brass bushings. Also, getting the SAK wet, even if done repeatedly, poses little to no risk of dissolving the glue, and anyone who has ever tried to clean off dried superglue in the sink will be able to verify that, Once it dries, that's pretty much it. It's going to take a lot of work to remove. Even if you were to fully submerge the SAK in water, it would take a very long time for the glue to break down. I think superglue is quite safe to use and I've never had any problem with it.

This is just one of those things people always like to object to no matter how many times you have others telling you that it works just fine.

 

[kamakiri.knives]

I think superglue is quite safe to use and I've never had any problem with it.

I repaired my original knife’s black cellidor with CA glue back in 2016 and I do agree with your statements. A large corner was broken off (thanks TSA) but it did not affect any of the attachment lugs. I used a blade to roughly scrape the excess. The glue seems to hold up just as well as the cellifor.

 

[tiguy7]

I disagree with this when it comes to celidor scales. Once the superglue touches the scale, it becomes literally impossible to remove without sanding. No amount of washing will get it off. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the glue in this case is mostly due to its expansion and not its ability to bond with the brass bushings. Also, getting the SAK wet, even if done repeatedly, poses little to no risk of dissolving the glue, and anyone who has ever tried to clean off dried superglue in the sink will be able to verify that, Once it dries, that's pretty much it. It's going to take a lot of work to remove. Even if you were to fully submerge the SAK in water, it would take a very long time for the glue to break down. I think superglue is quite safe to use and I've never had any problem with it.

This is just one of those things people always like to object to no matter how many times you have others telling you that it works just fine.

Every time I glue my fingers together with SuperGlue, I have to run warm water over them for 20 minutes as per the directions on the tube to get them apart.

 

[Guy McVer]

Every time I glue my fingers together with SuperGlue, I have to run warm water over them for 20 minutes as per the directions on the tube to get them apart.

Skin is not celidor.

I disagree with this when it comes to celidor scales. Once the superglue touches the scale, it becomes literally impossible to remove without sanding. No amount of washing will get it off.

Side bit of trivia: you can put superglue in your first aid kit to be used as a quick temporary substitute for stitches. Just be careful not to seal the wound completely from the air, because that may cause an infection. You want to pinch the surrounding undamaged skin to itself. You do not want to just pour glue directly on the wound.

edit: I am not a doctor and this post is not qualified medical advice. If you have a serious injury and require stitches, please seek out a trained medical professional. However, in some situations this may not be an option, or it may take a long time for before proper care is available. In such a case, superglue can be helpful if you understand its limitations and you use it appropriately.

 

[kamakiri.knives]

Every time I glue my fingers together with SuperGlue, I have to run warm water over them for 20 minutes as per the directions on the tube to get them apart.

Skin is not celidor.

Water is used to loosen (for lack of a better word) the skin. Essentially, the dead cell layers soak up the water…slowly, because it needs to go laterally across the skin surface underneath the CA glue bonded area. Hence the 20 minute soak time. It’s not to dissolve the glue in any way I know of.

 

[hsherzfeld]

Skin is not celidor.



Side bit of trivia: you can put superglue in your first aid kit to be used as a quick temporary substitute for stitches. Just be careful not to seal the wound completely from the air, because that may cause an infection. You want to pinch the surrounding undamaged skin to itself. You do not want to just pour glue directly on the wound.

edit: I am not a doctor and this post is not qualified medical advice. If you have a serious injury and require stitches, please seek out a trained medical professional. However, in some situations this may not be an option, or it may take a long time for before proper care is available. In such a case, superglue can be helpful if you understand its limitations and you use it appropriately.

There is also liquid bandage, which is basically medical superglue. It doesn't hold as well or as long as regular superglue, but it's intended for use on skin.