Remove Printing/Advertising from Swiss Army Knife?

LLRJ17

LLRJ17

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Jan 16, 2022
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Received this about 25 years ago at a conference. Is there a good way to remove the printing without messing up the scales? The other side has a URL I'd like to remove (along with the Swiss Army logo that I want to keep).

Thanks In Advance!
Lee

IMG_1630.jpg
 
I'd start with something pretty mild. You don't want to start melting your scales right from the start, lol.

I'd suggest starting with a mild solvent. Start with rubbing/isopropyl alcohol with a lot of elbow grease. Then try WD-40. If that doesn't work (which I would not expect it to - SAK scales are pretty impervious to most common chemicals I have come across), move up to lacquer thinner/varsol/turpentine/paint thinner, and more elbow grease. Still no bueno? Try some acetone (nail polish remover).

Worst case, you can always use some fine grit emery paper (800 grit+) and carefully sand away what you don't want to appear. Of course, that may change the texture/color of the scale however.

Whatever you do, you will do at your own peril however. I have no idea how those scales will react to anything.
 
Last edited:
abrasive method of removal
followed up with
plastic model kit rubbing compound to smoothen out scratched surfaces to a gloss
the grid system of course to fine
is advocated for the restoration perfectionist.
however if one can live with
scratches, just working over
with an automobile rubbing compound would suffice.
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best of luck removing the unsightly mars.
 
Isopropyl alcohol will leave finger prints if you wipe it down with that. I think it loosens the scale material.
 
Either new scales or gradual sandpaper and polishing. Don’t try any chemicals or solvents. I’ve tried basically anything you can imagine. You will need to sand them afterward if you need a decent finish.
 
Don't use rubbing/isopropyl alcohol, it will melt the cellidor scales. I've managed to remove printing on cellidor scales with Brasso or Flitz, and good old elbow grease. The Brasso/Flitz will also polish up the scales like new too.
 
I’ve never done it to a SAK, but I’ve scraped advertising off plastic scales with a razor blade or even another pocketknife. The imprint is only a few thousandths deep.

Parker
 
Agree with others' inputs here...

Using isopropyl/rubbing alcohol --> NO! That'll soften and distort the cellidor handle covers, and they'll never be the same again. Issues like warping will create problems holding onto the toothpick & tweezers (they'll fall out). Been there, done that, with the same model of SAK...

Polishing with a paste like Flitz (Simichrome, etc.) --> That could work - these covers will polish easily, as they're quite soft and the 'paint' is likely very, very shallow.

New scale covers --> Readily available to swap out - so that's an option...

I'd also suggest another option --> just put this knife aside and buy another standard version of the same knife. These are ubiquitous and not expensive. Sometimes those old logo/advertising knives can be a memory-prompting aid to special times & places in the past, if you acquired it in a special time in your life. Hopefully those memories are good ones. But if not, then the other options above can work. :)
 
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