Swiss Army knife modification

[otto76]

I have a Wenger Standard Issue, this one:

I want to rescale it...to me it looks as simple as unpinning the blade end and the center pin, then pulling out the lanyard loop and maybe drilling a pin out of that end if it's not just the lanyard loop holding it together.

Does that sound right? Has anybody ever taken one of these apart? It's not a very expensive knife but I really like it and don't want to wreck it.

 

[ArNav]

It looks like a Pioneer. I have one. But I guess it is smaller.

 

[otto76]

They have the same scales and you are correct (I think), the Pioneer is smaller. This one is supposedly army issue.

 

[otto76]

So none of you has intentionally disassembled a perfectly fine Swiss Army Knife? Well, watch and learn then. ( I hope.)

 

[otto76]

ArNav, I was mistaken...the Pioneer is virtually the same knife, made by Victorinox instead of Wenger.

 

[jrp316]

Your description of disassembly sounds pretty much correct. Drill the rivet heads off (preferably use a center drill or a jewelers burr to pop the heads), then do the same for the hollow rivet at the end. Drive out the rivets with a center punch. The knife will most likely explode on you when you do this, so do something to contain the springs and tools (tape the knife together prior to starting, for example). What are you planning to re-scale it with? The alox scales on the SI are pretty nice and darn near bulletproof.

 

[otto76]

Thanks for the tip on the exploding knife, I hadn't thought of that! That's how people lose eyes.

I really do like the alox scales as they are, I just got an itch to customize it. I have some construction paper micarta and some bocote I am floating in between...might make some green canvas micarta instead.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The problem with that knife is the the scales are also the body of the knife. On a regular knife the plastic scales are melted onto a metal backing plate, whereas the scales on this knife go all the way thru.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[otto76]

The problem with that knife is the the scales are also the body of the knife. On a regular knife the plastic scales are melted onto a metal backing plate, whereas the scales on this knife go all the way thru.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

Hurm. They look separate from the actual frame of the knife to me. Will have to look into that.

 

[Mike H]

Otto, I am in the process of creating some scales as well. I had a nice Case Trapper, but I wanted a single blade knife. I punched out the pins and removed a blade and the spacers, and then re-assembled the knife, ground and polished the pins and it turned out pretty good. Next phase is to create some scales for the second blade, using the spacers I already have.




When removing the pins, open the blades fully, then remove center pen first, then the end pins. Re-assembling will not be easy since you have spings on both ends of your knife. Good luck with your project.

 

[otto76]

Two knives for the price of one, very clever!
Really neat idea.

 

[Legion]

Otto, I am in the process of creating some scales as well. I had a nice Case Trapper, but I wanted a single blade knife. I punched out the pins and removed a blade and the spacers, and then re-assembled the knife, ground and polished the pins and it turned out pretty good. Next phase is to create some scales for the second blade, using the spacers I already have.

View attachment 336914


When removing the pins, open the blades fully, then remove center pen first, then the end pins. Re-assembling will not be easy since you have spings on both ends of your knife. Good luck with your project.

Hmm. That's an idea I never thought of. I would like a knife that is just a blade and a bottle opener. I never thought of removing components from a bigger knife.

 

[jrp316]

Hurm. They look separate from the actual frame of the knife to me. Will have to look into that.

The scales are a separate part per se, but on the alox knives they also act as the outer liners (i.e., there's nothing between the scale and the tool layer). The scales come off as individual units. On the plastic scaled knives, there's a liner in between the outer tool layers and the scales to give the needed sturdiness.

Look forward to seeing what you come up with. The Victorinox Soldier (virtually the same knife) uses 3mm pins for the outer pins and 2.5mm for the inner pin, so you'll need some brass rod to rivet the knife back together.

 

[Mike H]

Otto, did you get it apart?

I put mine together with a blade modification.

Spoiler

Yes, yes I did, and is it was as bad as I anticipated

 

[otto76]

LOL, bonus points for that. Knife looks good, is that G10?

I haven't done anything with mine, been swamped with work and have had very little time for anything else. Soon though!

 

[diamondtim]

Why don't you find a SAK with broken scales to conduct your experiment on?

 

[otto76]

Why don't you find a SAK with broken scales to conduct your experiment on?

For one, I've never actually seen a SAK with broken scales. Ever! Probably a dumb thing to replace, actually

I do like the knife but have no attachment to it so not a lot of risk here.

 

[jrp316]

It'd take quite a bit of effort to break those alox scales. I've seen quite a few of the cellidor knives with broken scales; they're great for modding. I've never seen a broken alox scale. They get a little beat up, but that gives it a nice patina.