Can It Be Fixed?

The Zieg

The Zieg

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2002
Messages
4,940
Mid-1970s SAK, "camping" model with the old shield. Needs extensive repairs: One new scale, sharpening, tightening the pivots and springs, tooth/tweeze, stuff that isn't that big a deal. It's sentimental, belonged to my late brother and was his Boy Scout knife, his first knife. Want to give it to my nephew as he's not far from that age now.

Here's the rub: The "layer dividers" (don't know if this is the right terminology) are CRACKED! Can Victorinox fix this? I'm happy to put in the keepsake bin and just get the nephew his own beginner knife, but I'd love to pass on an "heirloom."

Pics below.

Zieg

IMG_20141015_072845.jpg

IMG_20141015_072811.jpg
 
Yes, it can be fixed and fixed inexpensively. USA Victorinox Service Center is in Monroe, CT.


Just google "Victorinox Service Center".
 
I had already created the service order, but those cracked liners really throw me. Glad to have the second set of eyes.

Zieg
 
Not sure how they fix knives at Victorinox. But you may want to have a letter packaged with the knife. The letter should describe how important it is too you and for them to NOT just simply swap you a new one.
 
Oh, yeah, they have a pretty detailed repair order form and online process. Lots of questions, notes, preauth. info. A lot more than when I drop my car off at the shop after hours, even.

Zieg
 
Given the personal history of the knife, and the sentiment from that, I would not send it off to Victorinox to be fixed. I would retire it as a keepsake, put it on a small display stand as a testament to the years of use it gave your brother, and as a testament to him and all he did with it as a scout. Too much history there, and if sent off, it won't even look like the same knife.

Buy your nephew a new one that is all his own. He'll make his own history with his own knife, while having his father's knife as a reminder. Nice thing about SAK's; they are not expensive nor hard to replace.
 
jackknife said:
Given the personal history of the knife, and the sentiment from that, I would not send it off to Victorinox to be fixed. I would retire it as a keepsake, put it on a small display stand as a testament to the years of use it gave your brother, and as a testament to him and all he did with it as a scout. Too much history there, and if sent off, it won't even look like the same knife.

Buy your nephew a new one that is all his own. He'll make his own history with his own knife, while having his father's knife as a reminder. Nice thing about SAK's; they are not expensive nor hard to replace.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
jackknife said:
Given the personal history of the knife, and the sentiment from that, I would not send it off to Victorinox to be fixed. I would retire it as a keepsake, put it on a small display stand as a testament to the years of use it gave your brother, and as a testament to him and all he did with it as a scout. Too much history there, and if sent off, it won't even look like the same knife.

Buy your nephew a new one that is all his own. He'll make his own history with his own knife, while having his father's knife as a reminder. Nice thing about SAK's; they are not expensive nor hard to replace.
Click to expand...

This is EXACTLY the same advice I have given tons of people on other threads in similar situations! I agree 100% and am wondering what sent me down that rabbit hole of "I must fix this!" It's the right way to go.

Thread closed! (As far as I'm concerned, anyway.)

Zieg
 
The Zieg said:
This is EXACTLY the same advice I have given tons of people on other threads in similar situations! I agree 100% and am wondering what sent me down that rabbit hole of "I must fix this!" It's the right way to go.

Thread closed! (As far as I'm concerned, anyway.)

Zieg
Click to expand...

No sweat, we sometimes loose sight of the forest because of all the trees in the way of the view.

I've went down this rabbit hole myself when I was younger, and later regretted it. I did it with my fathers old Case peanut. I sent to back to Case to have the broken bone scale replaced, and while it was there I also thought it wold be good to have them replace the old 50% worn away main blade. Years later I released that I had really screwed up on that decision, and should have just left it as it was. I carried it for years as my edc pocket knife, maybe as a kind of tribute to my dad, carrying his knife as my own daily cutter. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't have. But as much as I wish, we can't undo things we've done. I console myself with the fact that, one little Case peanut served two generations of us very well.

Sometimes I think we all get those impulses that seem like a good idea at the time.
 
I may be disagreement with some, but I vote restore it and keep using it as long as possible.
 
collim1 said:
I may be disagreement with some, but I vote restore it and keep using it as long as possible.
Click to expand...
Yup.

Just tell the service center to replace only the parts absolutely necessary. It'll still be the same knife with the same blades, just repaired which just becomes more history of that knife and which will allow the nephew to use the knife for many more years.
 
A buddy sent in a Vic to be repaired about 10 years ago. They sent him a brand new one back which normally would be cool but unfortunately the one he sent had sentimental value it was the only gift his dad ever gave him. Needless to say he was not happy. If Vic can't or won't repair it there might be modders on the forum who might be able to help you out. Otherwise just keep it as is and maybe get a new or used one. Lots of good inexpensive used Vics on ebay.
 
Great to have many thoughts on this. Thanks! But I've been the "put it in a display case/period shadowbox" guy for a long time and that's what I'll do here. Besides, the nephew deserves his own knife to use, abuse, and make new history with. And he won't have to worry about the weight of history behind the thing. It'll be his to take care of as he sees fit.

Zieg
 
The Zieg said:
Great to have many thoughts on this. Thanks! But I've been the "put it in a display case/period shadowbox" guy for a long time and that's what I'll do here. Besides, the nephew deserves his own knife to use, abuse, and make new history with. And he won't have to worry about the weight of history behind the thing. It'll be his to take care of as he sees fit.

Zieg
Click to expand...


:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
tholiver said:
A buddy sent in a Vic to be repaired about 10 years ago. They sent him a brand new one back which normally would be cool but unfortunately the one he sent had sentimental value it was the only gift his dad ever gave him. Needless to say he was not happy. If Vic can't or won't repair it there might be modders on the forum who might be able to help you out. Otherwise just keep it as is and maybe get a new or used one. Lots of good inexpensive used Vics on ebay.
Click to expand...
You must tell the service center the knife has has sentimental value and not to replace it. They'll honor that. If they can't repair it, they'll not replace it, they'll return it.

Last fall I sent in a Champion which had sentimental value. I asked that they not replace the scale with the ARRI logo and some other specific instructions. They followed the instruction, and I was extremely pleased with the knife when it was returned.
 
The Zieg said:
I've been the "put it in a display case/period shadowbox" guy for a long time and that's what I'll do here. Besides, the nephew deserves his own knife to use, abuse, and make new history with. And he won't have to worry about the weight of history behind the thing. It'll be his to take care of as he sees fit.

Zieg
Click to expand...

Sounds great. Get the lad the same model and then report back to us on just how big the smile on his face was when he opens it. :D
 
Great thread, great conclusion. But, the only question I have for the sake of curiosity is, how did the liners get cracked?

I've never seen that on a SAK before.
 
I have no idea! It's possible he ran over it with a truck, but that's about the only way I can imagine it happening. The scales are intact, though. I took one off to get a look at the damage. It was a bit warped, so I'd have replaced it. Anyway, it's a pretty thorough cracking--all the liners are split somewhere.

Zieg
 
I have no idea! It's possible he ran over it with a truck, but that's about the only way I can imagine it happening. The scales are intact, though. I took one off to get a look at the damage. It was a bit warped, so I'd have replaced it. Anyway, it's a pretty thorough cracking--all the liners are split somewhere.

Zieg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top