How to disassemble a Swiss Army Knife

In this video I show how I take apart a 91 mm Explorer Model Victorinox Swiss Army Knife (SAK).

The process would be pretty much the same for almost any SAK with plastic (cellidor) scales from the 84 mm and 91 mm lines. Including models like the: Tinker, Climber, Waiter, Recruit, Compact, Champ, Camp...

[edwardfletcher]

This is a really great tutorial, thank you !

You helped convince me to send my knife to Switzerland rather than try to fix it myself 👍

[Setnja]

Victorinox really should start to offer (at least limited) customisation of their knives for customers. Everytime i look in their eshop and want to buy their knife, there is no model, that fits perfectly to what i want. Everytime there is one tool, i do not want and one tool, that is missing.

[classCexplosive]

This is awesome. I have thought about modifying my Fisherman model by taking out the fish scaler, and adding scissors and the saw. Now I know it is possible, I may attempt making the perfect (for me) swiss army knife.

[redcardinal]

Wonderful! You are a master! I would have the courage to bring you a knife to fix it for me. Bravo!

[joshuamontoya]

Hey Josh, Josh here thank you for the knowledge man

[ranckie]

Thanks for a great video that shows the makeup of a typical Swiss Army knife. I can offer a few tips to enlighten your viewers in hopes of making their knife journey a bit easier, starting with,

Tip #1. I recently contacted Victorinox regarding service and repair work on several of my Executive knives that are no longer made; (l needed new scales). While it used to be that they would do repairs for free, it appears that they, like many other companies have done, have changed their policies. Now you have to fill out a form online and send in your knife and they will do an estimate of the cost and notify you before starting repairs. I was told that the cost can run from $50.00 U.S. on up, not exactly inexpensive for sure, and they discourage doing any repairs yourself, even something as simple as changing your own scales! That is exactly why I decided to look, where else, but on You Tube, and eBay.

Tip # 2, I believe the proper name for the piece that you referred to as the small bushings would be, a ferrule with a countersink, or a countersunk ferrule. Since those are most likely made by the thousands on a screw machine for Victorinox, it would be a good idea, as you suggested, to carefully preserve those since without access to a small lathe, they would be very hard to duplicate. For those with a small lathe, the material can be had by following the next tip, #3.

Tip # 3, Most, if not all of the small brass rods that comprise the riveted pins can be purchased on McMaster Carr's website at <mcmaster.com>. Once at their web site just do a search on the left starting with, Raw Material, Metal, Brass, then Rods, and go from there. I would choose the Ultra-Formable 260 Brass Rods. A 2.4 mm diameter rod is actually 3/32" or .0937" in diameter, and one piece, 12" long, will cost about $1.42 U.S., plus shipping. The 2.2 mm (.0866") seems to be a weird size and may actually be something close to that, (like .081") because it's not likely that Victorinox would not use an off-size diameter when a standard would do. If it really is that odd diameter, it might require a substitute that comes closest to it on McMasters web site.


One last bit of information I learned is, Wenger, the other Swiss knife brand was purchased by Victorinox, and the name Weger will be retired forever.

Thanks again for a very informative video.

[Gator-]

You can easily make any size pin you need by starting with a larger diameter size rod, chuck it up in the drill press and file, sand and lap it as it is turning, if you don't have a small evough lathe. Or you can use a regular drill or Dremel if no drill press.

[TheTrueDoomSlayer]

"To disassemble your swiss army knife, first grab a second swiss aemy knife"

[DEVILGRAVEDIGGER]

As it’s raining hard today, I’m taking a day off. I’ll be in the shed removing all the tools I don’t need to make a thinner knife- hopefully I’ll be able to reuse the pins. Wish me luck!

[mygoldfishrocks]

I wish I took a photo after I disassembled my little one (it has a blade, nail file, scissors, flashlight and tweezers). I had 2, so I wanted to add an extra layer, and swap out the file for a better one from another off-btand knife. I also wanted to add an awl.. I let it go and now it's just a pile of pieces I have somewhere. I may try to reassemble it now that I've watched your video. Thanks.

[renatoromano]

Thanks for this video! I´m have en Explorer too and need to push out a part of needle that I try to put on the cavity on corkscrew's base (not a great idea...). The needle broke and I can´t put it forward even push it out.

The red plastics on sides of knife are glued or fixed only with pression?
If glued, what type I can on it?

Thanks again!

[CandidZulu]

I think the bushings are called cup washers. Btw there is a tool called an optical center punch, I suspect it would be very useful to get the center punch right on those pins!

[themaggot]

I'm gonna try this to see if I can restore my dad's old Huntsman. If I can't do it, someone's gonna a get a new Victorinox for Christmas 😂

[roger.e.giralt]

Excelent instruction, but I like to see a video on how to assemble the kinive, and where can I get the new pins?

[paulacopple]

Sent my knife to victornox the scissor broke. They sent me a new knife after 2 weeks. I got the droken knife (now in peices). I have all the parts except the pins. I want to fix.

[LouieHodgson-sgnu]

What is the screwdriver you are using?

[scottys]

Great video. I have to disagree on the bit though. High speed steel (HSS) is fine for soft metals and mild steel. You really only need cobalt for stainless steel and hardened steel.

[DavideNastri]

Awesome work and knowledge but this is totally punching above my weight.

Does anyone know if sending my Cybertool to replace scissors make sense economically or is it better to buy a new one?

[ButterbeanOutdoors]

Is there any way you could show a reassembly? Id like to see what you use for the pins. I have seen people use small nails and stuff, but not sure what you would use or how to make it hold the bushing once done.

[ScrypKat]

Why flash thru removing the scales? How do you do that?