More advertising

This blade must have been sharpened many times.

07.11.2019

Today I would like to show you my latest advertising 84mm Victoria SAK. This one got black scales with nickel-silver inlay for a Company in Norway. This one must have seen much use, it still got some functionality. It is interesting and demanding to find from what time window this was made. First I can write some about the functions. It got the scraper function on the flat screwdriver with notch and cap opener. It is a Victoria backside stamped blade and it got the +Pat designation on the can opener function. Usually SAKs like these can be placed 1968-1974 and because it is an advertising knife it could have variations. To me the SAK itself looks like 1965-1970 and this could be a time window for it so far. The inlay and advertising is cool looking and it is fully possible it could be up to the early 1970s.

Advertising SAKs are far more demanding to place into a time window. The functions and construction is typically 1965-1969. The advert is for a Company that made protective clothing, rain coats, jackets and so forth.  I found a Company with a different name so they could be still around. On this SAK it is the advertising that perhaps it the best collectable factor and because the functions are so used it is maybe not so collectable there, the advert is the key for it.  Many of the functions got good spring tension still, the main blade must have been used to a great extent and the flat screwdriver tip on the can opener must also have seen much use. The awl edge also got some damage from use.

I cleaned this SAK and placed some oil on the friction parts. It would be fully possible to sharpen the blades some and get use out of it still which is nice. You can feel that some spring tension is reduced on some functions. This is because of too much force applied during use.  Some form of substance is hardened on the scales on some places and it got many scratches. I can see that the handle is worn in a way that shows it’s been used very much. No doubts that the Swiss makes a quality knife because this is the evidence of long lasting quality with a Swiss Army knife designed for use. This is important to remember. It was made to be used for a very long time! So the symbolism with the sailor holding the wheel protected by a quality against the elements is very nice. To me it is also so nice when Companies used or use quality products. In other words it is educational with a cool advertising so it is very welcome in the collection.  Everything is original on it.

10.11.2019

Today I would like to show you my latest addition to the 74mm advertising Alox collection. This is a backside Victoria stamped one. The advertising is very difficult to find 100%. I found a Company here in Norway from 1977 that could be it. It could be a combination of two names. I do not know yet, I will continue to see. It is a nice looking design.

The condition on the construction and functions is very nice. Only a few places with missing color. The design on the blade is a bit extra solid with the tip section also a hair thicker. On the pictures you see in random order my collection of the 74mm advertising SAKs with a few different selections of functions. I sharpened the blade, it is ready again. All the springs in the slip-joint construction for the functions are very nice with full functionality. I had to clean the complete SAK and I placed some oil on the friction parts. The area around the scissors assembly had some dirt and the scissors spring was missing. I improvised a spring for it until I can manage to find an original one for it. Besides this the condition of the scissors is very good. It is sharp and tight. The scissors spring is the older type and therefore more difficult to find. To me this SAK looks to be around 1970. That said I do believe this could be found until 1980.

20.11.2019

Today I would like to show you my latest 84mm Victorinox with nylon scales. It is the black advertising model. I have from before a white one with the same Company on. One is for the East of Norway and one is perhaps representing the full Brand. It is very difficult to be 100% on when these two was made. They both got the same tang stamp designation. I am looking into it as always. Many refer this configuration to be the Bantam. It got the combination tool, knife blade, key-ring and toothpick + tweezers. So far I have placed it to be 2000-2005. It is in beautiful shape and condition. The advertising is on different sides on these. The emblem is therefore also alternated. On one picture you can see two wine/bottle openers from Maniago Italy that I am looking into. Both in very nice condition.

Silver color emblem, pad printed or similar....

23.11.2019

With advertising Swiss Army Knives you will discover that some got the emblem while others are without. You will find alternated sides and you can find most categories used. This means you have embossed/hot stamped emblems, pad printed and inlay. The emblem got alternated sides on the two Bantam configuration SAKs as you see on the picture. Advertising SAKs may only have a number for its identification. This you also know.

Tandem Computers Advertising

This is my latest 58mm Classic Victorinox advertising model. To me this looks and gives the impression of being mid-1980s made. This was an American Company from 1974-1997 according to Wikipedia. The advertising is metal inlay which is nice to find. The condition is fair and I am glad it is in the collection.

21.01.2020

Today I would like to show you an advertising/shipping SAK that got much going on for it, it is very educational. It is a Victoria line from Victorinox, with red scales and inlay on both sides. It got the old awl and hidden rivets. I have known for a long time that hidden rivets is from the late 1950s. Still it is possible to have 1961 as an evolution date for hidden rivets. Victorinox got many categories and so forth. 1957 is the date for hidden rivets because I have seen Victorinox catalogues with old awl and hidden rivets from the late 1950s and I have seen knives personally.

This SAK today is one of the late 1950s knives. I am rather sure this is in the time window 1957-1960. It is in fair condition because the advertising is intact, the functions have seen some use but it is absolutely fair. I have not seen many of these in my time. And when an advertising SAK got inlay nickel-silver advertising on both sides then it is special. If you take notice you see that this got two flags on it. In the maritime history you can find some information about it. The K is for Klavenes and the other for Fearnley & Eger. So there you go, it is cool.I am very grateful for my collector friend that managed to find this for me. Well done!

23.07.2020

Finally I got myself another 74mm advertising knife with the black Alox handles. It needed a good cleaning and later today I will put on some oil on the friction parts. I really enjoy these and they are quality made. This one is in very good condition with full functionality. Ekornes is a well-known Brand and I will see if I can find some more information. Of all the knives these has for sure been the most difficult to find information on and to date them. This one is marked Victorinox on the tang. Some of them got the Victoria designation.

I cannot find any special confirmation information on them. They are as mentioned quality made and got some variations in the evolution that not always makes much sense compared to other products. I cannot give 100% confirmation on these. It is a very slim configuration with precision on the functions and assembly. Nice springs and steel too. I like them!

Advertising update

It is time to write a few sentences about the 74mm Alox advertising knives. I have already mentioned that there are many uncertain factors with them. For sure I have a good idea about the age on them. 

The 74mm category got both regular models and advertising models. The black ones are the knives that I am the most uncertain about. What is for sure is that during a period such knives were used for advertisings here. Which is nice and interesting, it gives a good feeling.

You also find a type of pocket knife that is kind of similar looking. Only these were produced by EKA and in the Eskilstuna area. Typically these had special scales with beautiful decorations. Especially the scissors on some looks remarkably similar to the Victorinox ones. Custom made perhaps….It all gives inspiration and joy to the interest.

What is extra interesting is the advertising.  It seems for a good period these black scaled Alox handles seems to have been used on knives for the furniture industry. Several of them got adverts for Norwegian Companies there. I could ask Victorinox but I find it the most interesting just to wait it out and see what information that could appear in the future.  Because of age differences there are variations on the design on the scissors, nail file and so on. Not to forget tang stamps!

13:51

I did ask Victorinox one question some time ago about the scissors that looked so similar. I got an answer quickly. I asked if Victorinox made parts for EKA? The answer I got settled this. Victorinox never made parts for EKA. I Like EKA very much. Nothing negative there it is just for the knowledge.

As mentioned i like EKA very much and the reason why it is similar i do not know. Most of my EKA knives do not have scissors and these two looks real.

The black knives scissors is an older type design while on the picture to the right you see what I mean about similar. It is practically the same……..

It is a small difference on the area of the scissors marked on the picture. That again can have something to do with the age and date too. When i use a digital caliper the Cellidor Victorinox, Alox Victorinox and the EKA measure the same thickness. What happened here i do not know.

15:30

I looked at a Alox 74mm Victorinox with rivited construction and the gap is the same as on the EKA. It is interesting. So the design is 100% Victorinox but not made by them.

15:57

I have for sure used the same opening of the scissors when looking at the gap above to the right, marked with arrow. That particular gap got strangely very similar machine marks. it is also an area you find with some variations by Victorinox. Depending of year made.

Thats it for today, let me know. Hope it is interesting and the pictures are just for showing what i mean. I would have to take better pictures if one should use them 100%.

12.09.2020

I will not go deeper into the scissors for now. It is probably custom made as a clone or most likely custom made with somebody got parts from Victorinox.