111mm Fireman "liner-lock"

A very good saw, used hard and tested on many types of wood, softer and harder. Also on small to big branches and even oak. Let me just say this has been tested to the extreme.

Saw blade takes very hard use and stays sharp for a very long time, can be sharpened and there is good flex in the steel. Important during use is to clean the saw and wood you are cutting for safer/faster use. Saw and tip has a very good design. I feel that in survival situations it would be a formidable tool since it will save the blade for the hardest use.

All Tools on the Fireman knife was tested:

 This Fireman knife was tested over 3 years

"Remember that the locking mechanisms is to prevent accidental closing, this is not a knife to be used for combat. It is a tool for services and harder use"

A super sharp edge, the serrations cuts several layers of harness and leather. A strong blade aswell. Rope is no challenge for this and this is a good feature to have as a spare if things happen with the main blade. Shape of the belt cutter is well to be used in situations when one have to free one self, or others stuck in rope or belts.

Improving was done with the RescueTool and finally the Dual Pro, the lock is a huge safety feature.
I can mention that a serrated edge will not work on wood

The angle on the edge is well on a new tool and one may follow it as long as possible. I feel however that the blade gets sharper after the 5-7 times. I used the blade in summer, fall and winter(all season). I had little knowhow on how this steel performed during cold, so I tried at minus 7,13 and 17 degrees Celsius, I can not feel that any of these temperatures influence the steel.

The handle got a good shape, the Nylon handles is tough and still as new. This has been improved with the TPE-U and Polyamide 6 handles, especially with gloves.

The Nylon on this Fireman is well with gloves no complaints. Cleaning fish and when completely wet it was no danger for slipping(without gloves).

It is a very sharp steel with the properties that does many materials, a stainless with perfection. No negative sides.

Takes hardships and does not chip or break, my feeling also that the steel is fine grained so it takes a sharpness easy.

I was so lucky to get very good information from Robert Elsener on the steel! Steel is treated with perfection in the factory.

Construction is a tank built tool, interesting is the Steel liner with locking mechanism that locks both mainblade and big screwdriver, it also serves the purpose of strengthening the blade and screwdriver or the whole tool in general.

I have used more strength than standard use would need, this I did to make sure this test would be a real challenge for it. I can not see damage, maybe some minor details has happened. On the saw points a few minor damaged points because of the oak wood. I had to use the tip hard to cut the center of the log since it was so thick, I managed to repaire myself.

The whole tool is fully usable. I have tried to be objective and true. My conclusion is that it is Swiss.

At many times I got surprises and I mentioned especially woodcutting,  never thought the mainblade or saw would hold.

The stainless is superb and with cleaning no negative corrosion will happen. I can not find any rust or corrosion to mention. Victorinox MultiTool oil is one of my experienced best oils ever.

 The edge angle and blade shape plays a role here.

The Services Range tool and construction is stronger almost everywhere compared with 111mm slide-lock models, thicker rivets stronger blades and more. It is important doing this test to learn about the tool, I can honestly say I have taken steps after steps and still learning.

Tool should be carried in a sheath. A lanyard is best to have if so.

Can Opener:

I have used this on many of the brands products, so I will not mention this so much here, it is a very good can opener and the little flat screwdriver is a plus to have. Can opener will work everywhere.

Big screwdriver:

This function can be used in light prying aswell, I would however always be careful doing so. The shape of this function make me believe other purposes is also served in the field on the gear with this

 During testing I had the blade sharp before use, easy sharpen in all surroundings, can be sharpened fast with Arkansas stone(soft) or diamond stone. Or Victorinox Carbide 7.8715(sets up edge and works very well) Also diamond rods, when using ceramic fast sharpeners with ready angles be aware that the round rods can fold the edge some.

Knife should be sharpened and tool cleaned before use or after. Some oil in friction points is important. Tool is easy to clean. Experience here is important.

The Fireman is a knife that i used to learn about the larger Swiss army Knives and it is in full working order, it is now a knife in my collection and is not used anymore. I can use it to explain the quality of it and important knowldge i got.

The corkscrew is also tested.

 Many of you probably remember my old page Victorinoxpage.com, here i did show much on my experience with this tool, i used my imagination to find any kind of fabric or test materials i could.

The locking mechanism:

It is for me a modified liner-lock, i have a norwegian word for it "bjelkelås" It is not a normal liner-lock, it will lock on two parts of the tang under heavy use. It is not rare to find some play against the lock. This really have no negative effect at all. It is a very sturdy construction.

To release the main blade one will have to press the liner to the opposite side.

One see some on this lock on the old Wenger Rangers from 1990, only that Wenger use a different release and direction.

The big flat screwdriver with locking used on 111mm knives is very tough.

Victorinox services range got the very nice design with the springs and liners side by side without sharp edges. Very nice construction and design. The 111mm with the liner locking bjelkelås is from 1993. Our known date.

The 111mm slide lock models from 1985 got different spring and liner construction with some sharp edges. Both got a sandwich construction.

03.11.2020

Lessons learned

For over 15 years ago I bought a 111mm liner locking Fireman model. I still remember very well how one said to me that this is a tank construction. I knew when I first got one services range model in my hands that this is something extra and a SAK with a sophisticated design.  Finding the correct words to describe this category is difficult. It is not strange that we see the numbers of liner-locking models today. The reason is because of the quality and enhanced size.  The lessons I learned from it is very valuable for me today. When you have tested something for many years and find that it never fails then it is valuable teachings. The respect increased very much about this category, I would say it is a very advanced construction. Many would agree with me on this.

Services require the extra factors for solid design, so it did not come as a surprise when I discovered that the New Soldiers knife 2008 type would be the Services Range construction.