Paper-thin gap between scale and knife body of my SAK

DOA

Joined
Jul 11, 2018
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12
Hi everyone, this will be my first post in this highly entertaining & resourceful forum.

I recently just received my SAK Cybertool knife off ebay, and just made a thorough inspection, everything is great,

but I notice there is a paper-thin gap between the scales with the knife body, is that a normal thing u guys? Just wanna make sure mine is not defected, and what to do if that is the case.

I'd love to post some pics of what I am talkin about, but I do not know how

Thsnks so much!

DOA


https://www.dropbox.com/s/4adg60tzl0oelhk/Photo 7-12-18, 12 02 41 AM.jpg?dl=0
Photo%207-12-18%2C%2012%2002%2041%20AM.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l8txxcdwzdaox28/Photo 7-12-18, 12 03 34 AM.jpg?dl=0
Photo%207-12-18%2C%2012%2008%2028%20AM.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ejil781klb27whe/Photo 7-12-18, 12 08 28 AM.jpg?dl=0

Photo%207-12-18%2C%2012%2003%2034%20AM.jpg
 
Man, that's just fine. It will give excess water a place to drain out. These are all weather tools!:thumbsup:
 
Hi Jack thanks for the reply, really appreciate it...that is good to know, but I hear in some other talk that a lot of people who has the same issue had put glue, cause they saying it will be collecting dust through that gap..

Sorry my OCD is just killin me to find out more bout this hehehee, thanks again
 
Also am curious, does it shipped from the factory this way? Anyone with SAK wanna share this info?
 
yeah, it's just OCD!:D

For the sheer usefulness of the tools and the fairly low cost of them, SAK's are the gold standard of pocket knives. A little space between handle scale and frame is a very minor thing. I wouldn't use any glue as that could come back to haunt you. The scales on these knives are so easy to replace as they just pop off and new ones can be carefully press fit on. I've broken one or two in my time. You can do a color change, or even make some nice wood scales or even stag. I've seen it done.

A SAK is far from a collectible, so I just use them like I stole it and of it breaks, just send it in to the Connecticut Victorinox place and they fix or replace it. Or go to the big box store like Walmart, or Target, or Acadamy Sports and buy another one. They are like Bic pens or Casio watches; unbelievable quality for the utility you get, but not overly expensive to replace if it gets used up or goes missing.
 
I'm the type this would bug to no end. If I paid for it and purchased it from a reputable source, I would want to try and exchange it. But it doesn't look bad from the picture and I think J jackknife is right. Consider all things. Is the function ok? Can you live with it? Is it worth the trouble to return it or exchange it? Will it not matter a year from now?
 
Thanks so much J jackknife & A aih

Every function is at perfect condition,..but I am still curious if that thin gap normal factory condition or they supposed to be sealed shut, do u guys own a SAK too?
 
Thanks so much J jackknife & A aih

Every function is at perfect condition,..but I am still curious if that thin gap normal factory condition or they supposed to be sealed shut, do u guys own a SAK too?

I've had a ton of SAK's over the years, especially recruits and classics that I use for semi disposable type of tools. When I travel I tend to mail a SAK to where I'll. be flying since I don't like to check bags. Prefer to travel light with just a carry on. The recruit and the classic have been my one way travel knife of choice. Usually an older one that I've used the heck out of, and I give it away when I leave for the airport to fly home. Some have had the gap you talk of, some have not. I had a recruit for 10 years that I used like I stole it and the slight gap never affects anything.

If anything, I view the gap as an air vent for water to drain out and maybe prevent mold. My SAK's have aways been my wet condition knife. Most of my life in the east coast Maryland area meant I was on some kind of small boat from spring to late fall. Canoe, kayak, sailboats, John boats. I like if I clean a fish, I lean over the side of the boat and swish it around in the water and shake it off. That's the extent of my field cleaning for SAK's. A little gap is a good thing. Like the little side play in a blade that drives most knife nuts crazy, that I see as a plus for letting the oil flush dirt out of the pivot area. Like the sloppy fit of an old 1911A1 Colt that rattles the you shake it.
 
U made a valid point there J jackknife as to makin' it more mold proof etc, might see it as an added benefit rather than an 'imperfection'

I valued ur inputs, thanks again
 
I've had a bucketful of SAKs, done scale replacements on a couple. The way they are held on is basically a barbed collar on each of the end pins, due to changes in temp the scales move a little differently than the aluminum frame. You can tighten them a little by gently tapping with a soft mallet, or in a padded vice, but I wouldn't bother if its just a paper thickness of a gap. The thing is that while Victorinox produces "precision" tools, they are unlike almost any other maker. They pump out so many knives a year that they just can't possibly do the same things as everyone else. So all the knives are designed so that the springs provide tension, and they balance each other other, keeping that great snap. They are designed and engineered so that any slight imperfection in one part is adapted for by another part. No mechanical device is perfect, so all those thousandths of an inch of error all have to be accounted for, and in a Vic, you get a real great knife. Yeah there will be a gap here or there, but they will always be functional, and still look dang good. Consider that in many other makers of slipjoints, having blade rub is just part of the deal, never on a Vic.
 
Try squeezing them from the pivot areas with your hands real hard and see if that helps. Since it's used, it might just be that the scales have "lived" a little and have moved slightly. Or alternatively, the aluminum liner has bent but that's unlikely.
You can go to the online flea market and buy scales of your preference for very cheap! The nice thing about SAK scales is that you can pop them out and replace with minimal work and tools. Check youtube for tutorials. Word of warning, the scales that are popped out cannot be attached back.
 
Try squeezing them from the pivot areas with your hands real hard and see if that helps. Since it's used, it might just be that the scales have "lived" a little and have moved slightly. Or alternatively, the aluminum liner has bent but that's unlikely.
You can go to the online flea market and buy scales of your preference for very cheap! The nice thing about SAK scales is that you can pop them out and replace with minimal work and tools. Check youtube for tutorials. Word of warning, the scales that are popped out cannot be attached back.

Hey there..just wonderin why once used SAK scale cannot be installed again?? Something will break during opening or what?
 
Thanks so much J jackknife & A aih

Every function is at perfect condition,..but I am still curious if that thin gap normal factory condition or they supposed to be sealed shut, do u guys own a SAK too?


I think the answer to your question is yes, it's supposed to be flat and not have a gap. The gap is not a feature. But slight gaps are one of the most common imperfections on knives, especially slipjoints. It's difficult to make every part of a knife equally flat.

Victorinox does an INCREDIBLE job. I consider their factory process almost a modern wonder. They make thousands upon thousands of knives per year, and have insanely low quality control issues. I've literally never gotten one that had a practical issue out of many many knives. The closest is proud tips on classics, but I'm overly picky about that.

Once the knife is out of their hands they have no control over it. If you got it second hand especially, but also even getting it from a dealer, it could have been subjected to changes in heat that could warp things. Who knows if it came that way.

Even if it did, I don't think it'd bother me unless it pinched the hand when you use the knife. That said, if it bothers you then you should sell or trade it for something you're happy with.


Hey there..just wonderin why once used SAK scale cannot be installed again?? Something will break during opening or what?

The scales are held on by a lip on the pins. When you pop them off the lip can shear enough of the contact area on the scales off to make them not be secure if you try to push fit them back on.
 
Clamp it further using a vise (use leather on vise jaws or something)when I replace my Sak scales that's how they look till I give them a moderate clamping
 
Clamp it further using a vise (use leather on vise jaws or something)when I replace my Sak scales that's how they look till I give them a moderate clamping
How long should I leave the knifr in the vise tool for?? To get the optimal result
 
Clamp it further using a vise (use leather on vise jaws or something)when I replace my Sak scales that's how they look till I give them a moderate clamping


This actually fixed it, no more gap after 20 mins in the vise jaw, heheheh my OCD thanks u B BITEME
 
Nice ...what type of SAK is the black one??

Below are photos of three of mine that have plastic scales. The two with red scales are around 30 years old. I purchased them at retail in Germany sometime in the mid-80's on different occasions. The one with black scales is new, purchased on Amazon.

IMG_20180712_055942 by Ira, on Flickr

IMG_20180712_055933 by Ira, on Flickr

IMG_20180712_055923 by Ira, on Flickr

IMG_20180712_055911 by Ira, on Flickr

IMG_20180712_055906 by Ira, on Flickr

IMG_20180712_055902 by Ira, on Flickr
 
The model with black scales is Swisschamp

Looking at the knives while taking the pictures, and thinking about it, there is so much that is good about SAK's and this imperfection is about the only thing--if it is a thing--that you might say in the negative. I wouldn't be thinking about it if you hadn't mentioned it. All things considered I really don't see it as a negative. I really wouldn't worry about it. I'm not.
 
This actually fixed it, no more gap after 20 mins in the vise jaw, heheheh my OCD thanks u B BITEME
Ur welcome, I think sometimes people tinker with them or try to replace them but don't squeeze down far enough,there is like a sharp brass retainer ring(kind of like a one-way compression),when you push the scale on it let's it go in easy(usually)but won't release it easily,that's why sometimes when you take one off you brake/slice the plastic enough so that when you put it back on it won't stay tight.
I buy cheap saks off eBay with tons of scratches for cheap and then using progressive grits of sand paper till 3000 grit then I use flitz for a final polish and they come out great,if that doesn't work I will usually just buy new replacement scales ...Sorry for the rant
 
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