VIC Cellidor SAK Question

afishhunter

afishhunter

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Oct 21, 2014
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Of the various Cellidor scaled models is the (traditional) red still the most popular cellidor scale color?

Despite the various other standard colors, the red is what my (air quotes) "mind's" eye "sees" when I hear "Swiss Army Knife".
 
Red is the standard that you'll find everywhere that carries them, in every hardware store knife display and at every sporting goods store.
It is what most people think of, and the average person just doesn't care about the color or doesn't even realize that their favorite color is probably available.
 
I always wanted the translucent ones in blue, green and red, but they are nonexistent for most models, or just too rare.
 
I had a translucent red Huntsman that my former boss gave me back in 2001 for Christmas. I carried it daily for 18 years.

I lost it during my last(?) move 5 years ago, when my jeans belt loop broke. (What I get for not using my VIC belt drop that day. 😡🤬)
I didn't hear it hit the snowy ground. 😭

A Great knife/tool.

I've seen the translucent scales on the big auction site, standard, Plus with Pin, and Plus with Pin and Pen holes, on the big auction site, with and without the standard or colored tooth pick and tweezer, pin, pen, and a SAK fob in matching or contrasting colors.

I'm "thinking" of getting a red Plus set with both pin and pen, red side tools, and red fob ... and if I can find that set again, the SAK 4 way screwdriver tool. (difficult for me to justify the expense ... without the 4 way, the set costs twice what my replacement Huntsman in like new condition cost. 🤨☹️)
(The more common less expensive Sears (etal) 4 way keyring screwdriver lacks the phillips head. However, if memory serves, two of the four ends can work wit a #1 and #2 phillips head screw ... and mabey the #3 ... tho I doubt I will need that oddity size post retirement.)

Since my current Huntsman and Mini Champ match, and all 58 mm translucent scales I can find are the standard SD Classic (no provision for the pen holder/slide) or the Lite models, which I don't have or want, I won't get a set of translucent 91 mm scales.[/I]
 
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Ive done some lazy rsear5and found that cellidor/ABS scales [translucent] were stronger than plain cellidor scales.
When someone thinks swiss army knife they think a small red knife with a metallic shield with a cross in the middle. Every store here sells the solid red cellidor scales ones. They have a machine that pumps them out, and make a knife under 6 minutes depending on the model.
They're tough enough but depending on the model and situation people have cracked them by dropping them once where they hollowed them out
 
ShaiHulud said:
Ive done some lazy rsear5and found that cellidor/ABS scales [translucent] were stronger than plain cellidor scales.
When someone thinks swiss army knife they think a small red knife with a metallic shield with a cross in the middle. Every store here sells the solid red cellidor scales ones. They have a machine that pumps them out, and make a knife under 6 minutes depending on the model.
They're tough enough but depending on the model and situation people have cracked them by dropping them once where they hollowed them out
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Thats an interesting tidbit of info to know.

Those hollows on the 'new' style cellidor seem to be a cheesy way to save a few cents per knife. My tinker and my son in law's hiker broke in exactly the same spot in the same way. Mine fell out of a pants pocket while getting dressed and my son in laws fell off a kitchen counter. One, I could think just bad luck. With two, in the exact same place, no. Design flaw from poor manufacturing.

Victorinox needs to go back to the old solid cellidor scales that lasted through a war, or go to the nylon like on the economy models. Anything would be a step up from the 'modern' cellidor.
 
jackknife said:
Thats an interesting tidbit of info to know.

Those hollows on the 'new' style cellidor seem to be a cheesy way to save a few cents per knife. My tinker and my son in law's hiker broke in exactly the same spot in the same way. Mine fell out of a pants pocket while getting dressed and my son in laws fell off a kitchen counter. One, I could think just bad luck. With two, in the exact same place, no. Design flaw from poor manufacturing.

Victorinox needs to go back to the old solid cellidor scales that lasted through a war, or go to the nylon like on the economy models. Anything would be a step up from the 'modern' cellidor.
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Yes they need to do something or people will start treating them like dated multi tools, which they are--- but it's not to say that that's bad, change the steel type and switch out cellidor with something stronger and they'll new success. I don't have a problem with their current steel, but would love to see some modified Sandvik
 
ShaiHulud said:
Yes they need to do something or people will start treating them like dated multi tools, which they are--- but it's not to say that that's bad, change the steel type and switch out cellidor with something stronger and they'll new success. I don't have a problem with their current steel, but would love to see some modified Sandvik
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G10 scales and 14C28N blades have seemed like such obvious potential upgrades for so long now. I'm amazed that they ever released limited runs in damascus but havent tried 14C28N or any other decent stainless at least in a limited run. Like most big companies these days, I don't think they read about what their hardcore customers want. For every 1 of us that wants these upgrades, there's 1000 people that just grab a Classic SD or Huntsman off the shelf at the store or from Amazon and just tosses it in a drawer or backpack for when they need it without considering how it could be improved.
 
bforsteel said:
Like most big companies these days, I don't think they read about what their hardcore customers want. For every 1 of us that wants these upgrades, there's 1000 people that just grab a Classic SD or Huntsman off the shelf at the store or from Amazon and just tosses it in a drawer or backpack for when they need it without considering how it could be improved.
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True.
I "think" for the vast majority of users world wide, the steel Vic uses meets their needs, and they can maintain them without needing an expensive diamond stone/plate or SiC sharpening stone that may not be available where they reside ... The bush and deserts of Africa, the remote jungles of Asia, India, andd South America, for example.

Honestly, I don't have any complaints about the blade steel. It takes and holds a keen edge long enough to do the job at hand, and is easy enough to get sharp again quickly. Also, I (other's experience may be different) have never experienced or seen a Vic/Wenger SAK with a chipped blade.
I've never felt "under equipped" when using my SAK when hiking, bicycling/camping/fishing/hunting, or at work. Nor have I ever "thought" while using it: "gosh! if only this had _(what-ever)_ blade steel it would work so much better!"
 
afishhunter said:
True.
I "think" for the vast majority of users world wide, the steel Vic uses meets their needs, and they can maintain them without needing an expensive diamond stone/plate or SiC sharpening stone that may not be available where they reside ... The bush and deserts of Africa, the remote jungles of Asia, India, andd South America, for example.

Honestly, I don't have any complaints about the blade steel. It takes and holds a keen edge long enough to do the job at hand, and is easy enough to get sharp again quickly. Also, I (other's experience may be different) have never experienced or seen a Vic/Wenger SAK with a chipped blade.
I've never felt "under equipped" when using my SAK when hiking, bicycling/camping/fishing/hunting, or at work. Nor have I ever "thought" while using it: "gosh! if only this had _(what-ever)_ blade steel it would work so much better!"
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Good point. The knife nerd tendency in me always says - "it could be __% better if they just __!" Personally, i don't really have much of an issue with the steel as it is. But I do notice that it loses high sharpness levels very quickly compared with even 8cr13mov when cutting even slightly abrasive materials like cardboard.

I would think that they don't bother with better steels because that would require bringing their very thin blades to a higher hardness, which would (maybe?) cause more blades to warp in production. And it would also cause more users to snap their blades. It would throw a wrench into their well oiled machine of mass production. I think Case Knives have the same issue. If they were to bring their carbon steel up to like 59-60 HRC, it would be absolutely sweet - for like 400 of us. Everyone else would snap their blades and get upset.

Regardless, they should try some factory G10 scales and charge accordingly for those of us who enjoy wasting money on marginal upgrades.
 
Personally I think if they made an Alox scale that could hold the toothpick and tweezers they would have a real winner. Hell even plane aluminum scales could be a very viable aftermarket option.

The 3d printing community has been making scales for all the non Alox models for years. The only hollows are the slots for the tools. There are even options to remove them if you want. If you have your printer dialed in you can get some great looking transparent scales in what ever colour of filament you can find. I have done it to a few models already. Prusa transparent orange and transparent green look great.
 
bforsteel said:
Good point. The knife nerd tendency in me always says - "it could be __% better if they just __!" Personally, i don't really have much of an issue with the steel as it is. But I do notice that it loses high sharpness levels very quickly compared with even 8cr13mov when cutting even slightly abrasive materials like cardboard.

I would think that they don't bother with better steels because that would require bringing their very thin blades to a higher hardness, which would (maybe?) cause more blades to warp in production. And it would also cause more users to snap their blades. It would throw a wrench into their well oiled machine of mass production. I think Case Knives have the same issue. If they were to bring their carbon steel up to like 59-60 HRC, it would be absolutely sweet - for like 400 of us. Everyone else would snap their blades and get upset.

Regardless, they should try some factory G10 scales and charge accordingly for those of us who enjoy wasting money on marginal upgrades.
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They have, tho not with G10.
Remember the various 91 mm models they had a few years back with Nylon scales?
Only difference between the same models with Cellidore scales were the nylon scales and the price.
Those with nylon were lower cost.
Since they dropped the nylon scales, I'll "go out on a limb" and guess they didn't sell. 🤔

I have not found any genuine VIC 91 mm replacement nylon scales for sale online.☹️

I've seen a few 3D printed sets made from some plastic I am not familiar with ... in strange colors, including pink, orange, and turquoise blue (yet no traditional red 🙄) ... Some are even Plus scales with slots for toothpick, tweezer, pin, and pen ... all for for much more than I am willing to spend, and roughly twice the price of genuine Vic replacement Cellidor Plus scales with the same slots ... A few even have "jigging" patterns built in.
I found some great looking G-10, Aluminum, carved Brass, Steel, and Ti scales, too. Sadly, the metal scales require changing out the pins with Chicago screws to install the covers. (no thankee. i no i'd screw up the install, destroying my precious and useful Huntsman ... most also lack the slots for the handy side tools, so why bother?)

Eventually I'll get a replacement set of red Vic Plus replacement scales with the slots for pin and pen, the pen, and a red tweezer and toothpick for my Huntsman. Probably next year. I need other things more.
 
afishhunter, if you can PM me a shipping address I can print you a set of scales in red at no charge. I think the forum rules allow me to do that.
 
ghostguy6 said:
afishhunter, if you can PM me a shipping address I can print you a set of scales in red at no charge. I think the forum rules allow me to do that.
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Thanks. R U sure?
I don't have the button to send U a PM. ☹️

my email is the same as my user name. i use g mail.
if U send me a email i can get my addy to U.
 
There are so many different people providing aftermarket scales for Victorinox models, that I don't really see a need for a factory option. Hell, I'd be willing to bet that a new SAK plus aftermarket scales would still cost you less than buying a factory produced Victorinox with G-10 scales.

Really, if scale breakage is such a big issue with you folks, just buy two of the same model. That way when one breaks, you'll have one to use while the other one is being repaired.
 
StuntDouble said:
There are so many different people providing aftermarket scales for Victorinox models, that I don't really see a need for a factory option. Hell, I'd be willing to bet that a new SAK plus aftermarket scales would still cost you less than buying a factory produced Victorinox with G-10 scales.

Really, if scale breakage is such a big issue with you folks, just buy two of the same model. That way when one breaks, you'll have one to use while the other one is being repaired.
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Actually, I've never had a Cellidor scale crack or break on me. I just want the Plus scales for the added pen slot.
(I am loathe to admit I didn't get my first SAK, a Recruit, until 1975 or so. I lost or misplaced it 5 or 6 years later. ☹️)

Yes, my SAK's have been dropped on occasion onto hard surfaces, (concrete, paving bricks, and granite floor tiles) sometimes from more than waist and shoulder height.
Accidentally dropping it while working from scaffolding is one reason I use a lanyard (tho TBH I doubt I will be working from scaffolding again) that is long enough I don't need to remove the SAK (or Scout/Camp/ Demo knife, or pliers based multitool) from the lanyard to use it - even with my arm fully extended.
 
afishhunter said:
Thanks. R U sure?
I don't have the button to send U a PM. ☹️

my email is the same as my user name. i use g mail.
if U send me a email i can get my addy to U.
Click to expand...
Its no problem. I have the time and materials here.

I thought I could receive messages just not send them. Email sent
 
For some reason Gmail seems to be down so I just thought I would let afishhunter know that his package is in the mail as of 3pm today. It should arrive in 5 to 10 days.
 
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