Loose scale

glassjaw

glassjaw

Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
283
The tinker I have been carrying for years has a loose scale. I don't want to just retire it. It has some sentiment to me. Is there any way I can repair it? Thanks in advance!

Gabe
 
glassjaw said:
The tinker I have been carrying for years has a loose scale. I don't want to just retire it. It has some sentiment to me. Is there any way I can repair it? Thanks in advance!

Gabe
Click to expand...

May be time for a new set of scales. Go to Swiss Bianco...

http://www.swissbianco.com/products/sak/accessories/red-91mm-sak-scales-detail.html

Here's a video showing how easy it is to change the scales....

[video=youtube;J91p9wDfD4Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J91p9wDfD4Q[/video]

P.S. Your scales are 91 mm.
 
If you want to reuse the original scale, gently pry it off, then use a drop of glue at each pin. This has worked for me. I do not remember which glue I used.
 
William Cannon said:
If you want to reuse the original scale, gently pry it off, then use a drop of glue at each pin. This has worked for me. I do not remember which glue I used.
Click to expand...

While this will work i would not do this. It will make it a pain to remove them next time and if you get any glue in the pivot area of the knife it's a nightmare.
 
Alnamvet68 said:
May be time for a new set of scales. Go to Swiss Bianco...

http://www.swissbianco.com/products/sak/accessories/red-91mm-sak-scales-detail.html

Here's a video showing how easy it is to change the scales....

[video=youtube;J91p9wDfD4Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J91p9wDfD4Q[/video]

P.S. Your scales are 91 mm.
Click to expand...


As Alnamvet68 said they are very easy to replace. You do not even need a vice like the guy in the video uses. I have replaced them by hand as well as standing on them if necessary. While you have the scale off it is a perfect time to do a through cleaning of the knife.
 
Wow that is much easier then I was expecting! Thank you for all indie gentleman. The tinker thanks you as well!
 
A bit of info I got from a knife repairer regarding installing new SAK plastic scales...put a tiny piece of bar soap in the holes in the scales where they attach to the stanchions on the blade...it will make it easier for the scales to snap in place, avoiding having to curb stomp the knife or use a vise to secure them; and the soap will do no harm to the metal or plastic.
 
Alnamvet68 said:
A bit of info I got from a knife repairer regarding installing new SAK plastic scales...put a tiny piece of bar soap in the holes in the scales where they attach to the stanchions on the blade...it will make it easier for the scales to snap in place, avoiding having to curb stomp the knife or use a vise to secure them; and the soap will do no harm to the metal or plastic.
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I personally think this is unnecessary, but if it works for him then all the better. :thumbup:
 
Pretty cheap fix as well. My dad has a bunch with broken scales. I may order a few more and fix his. Thanks Alnamvet68 and same to you Capt. Spaulding!
 
Just a thought, a small C clamp would be much cheaper than buying a vise for the job. Just put electrical tape on the contact points to avoid scratching.
 
I changed my Philips camo Outrider with red scales as that model did not come in red (only the corkscrew model came in red), all it took was a knife blade to gently pry off the handles and hand pressure to put the new red handles on. No glue, no vice, no curb stomp.
 
Dry-cell said:
Just a thought, a small C clamp would be much cheaper than buying a vise for the job. Just put electrical tape on the contact points to avoid scratching.
Click to expand...

Buying a vise is very unnecessary for the job. I have changed countless scales on SAK's and have never needed a vise once. If you cannot do it by hand just stand on it. Literally.
 
I have a piece of art board on my work table and a strip of 1/4" thick leather. I place the scales by hand then if they don't snap on completely, I place it on the art board, cover it with the 1/4" leather strip and tap it with a hammer. Replaced many scales with this method. Works perfectly.
 
I just received some plus scales in the mail this morning for an old Spartan. From the time I opened the package to the time the knife was new again took less than 5 minutes. I did use a padded C clamp to snug them up though. Here is a photo of the finished SAK. Also, Thanks to Andi for encouraging me to go for the plus scales, I have already used the pen twice today :thumbup:

2F355CF3-8640-4132-9D98-8EC43993818F_zpsj14r7yvr.jpg
 
I sand them down with 800-2000 grit sandpaper and give them a final buff with white rouge on some cotton,they come out really nice,you wont take off a ton of material as the scales are ~.035-.040 thick of actual plastic,it gives old scales new life,If their not in too bad of shape you might be able to skip the coarser grit sandpaper
 
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