What's the Victorinox pen made of?

[Guy McVer]

I can't find any solid information on this.

I always thought it was stainless steel, but now I'm not sure.

I noticed a strange effect resulted from wrapping a large Victorinox pen insert with sewing thread and leaving it inside a small sewing kit. When I unraveled the thread several months later, the pen was covered in weird discolored blotches resembling some type of corrosion.

I tried various methods of removal, but nothing worked until I finally rubbed it with a rust removing eraser. It worked immediately.

What the hell is this pen insert made out of, and why the hell would sewing thread cause it to rust?

 

[yablanowitz]

I don't know what they're made of, or what kind of thread you had wrapped around it, so I'm spitballing here. A lot of fabrics and threads will absorb and hold moisture, and a lot of dyes are corrosive. A dyed cotton thread in prolonged contact with a metal surface could result in surface corrosion.

 

[hsherzfeld]

Today I learned that fabric dyes can be corrosive. The things I learn here!

 

[afishhunter]

The refills for the 58mm Signature and Mini Champ look like brass, to me.
I don't have pens/refills for the larger knives, since none of my 85, 91/93, or the 111, and 130mm SAK's I have access to, have a pen.

 

[Guy McVer]

Well I just tested a 91mm pen insert with a magnet. Interesting results.

The tip is attracted to the magnet. The main body is not. So that's definitely not stainless steel. I'm going to guess that it's either a zinc aluminum alloy or possibly white brass.

So the pen is made of at least three different pieces. There's the plastic end (possibly this is a brass piece for the 58mm size), the main body housing pressurized ink (definitely not made of stainless steel), and the tip which is some kind of steel, possibly stainless.

Okay. Magnets are fun. So...

a lot of dyes are corrosive. A dyed cotton thread in prolonged contact with a metal surface could result in surface corrosion.

Then I guess that must be what happened.

I think the thread is cotton. It's remarkably fuzzy for such a thin sewing thread, so I think it must be cotton.

 

[yablanowitz]

Today I learned that fabric dyes can be corrosive. The things I learn here!

Another good reason to wash new clothes before you wear them. Dyes are chemical concoctions, and not all of the chemicals are friendly, especially industrial mixes where everyone around them has to be trained. Usually all the excesses are nuetralized and washed out, but nothing is 100% foolproof. Even table salt or skin oils are corrosive under the right circumstances.