Wrecked my SAK pliers??

BerkshireHunter

BerkshireHunter

Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Messages
170
Well, sorta. Was looking at my new Swiss Champ and wanted to try out the tiny wire cutter it claims to have. Took a small bobby pin and tried to cut it in half. Took a good amount of force and pressure but it popped in two -only problem is that the soft steel of the SAK may have been cut a tad.

It still opens and closes, but it's a tighter fit so that the spring can't even open the pliers anymore. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, I can see where that little bit of extra torque might come in handy, but it's also kind of upsetting. I might be able to find some small file to try to get out any burs at the cutter that might be adding a little bit of pressure, but probably not. Personality for the new knife? :rolleyes:

Anyone else ever "mess-up" the small Vic pliers? :p ... :(
 
I have wrecked a set of Leatherman original large and small and also a Gerber multitool. The cutters are designed for softer metals like wire that you would use for electrical wiring. The bobby pin is made of a spring steel and is hardened so it will return to its designed shape. Hardened metals are much to hard for the basic cutters on the pliers. You can file the burr out but it will never be a tight fitting cutter for finer wire once you have done that.
 
I've done this before to my Vic's. It should self correct with a little time and use.
 
I bought a used SAK that had that problem. I think those wire cutters are only good for soft thin copper, and not too much else. I had to take a dremel and gently grind away the damaged part so they would move freely again.
 
To be fair, I had the exact same thing happen to a full-sized Gerber multi-pliers tool as well. (No, I can't remember where they're made, but they're over fifteen years old.)
 
It happened to both my Swisstool and Gerber MP600. The Swisstools pliers are binding now. The Gerber jaws are deformed. :mad:

My next tool is going to be one with replaceable wirecutters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top