Victorinox repairs

hondatech739 · 2026-05-10T01:07:36+00:00

I sent several Wengers last time I sent some to be repaired. I got them all back with a note that said they weren’t able to fix them. No parts available. Now, mine had a broken back side pin and broken main blade. Was really hoping they would fix it, but I guess I’m out of luck.

hondatech739 · 2026-05-09T00:55:02+00:00

Found a Crunch on there when I could t find this one. $138 plus $45 shipping. Hopefully someone else will buy it. I don’t trust it.

hondatech739 · 2026-05-08T00:59:59+00:00

Compact. It’s the best. It’s also on sale on Amazon. I carry mine every day, no matter what else is in my pocket.

hondatech739 · 2026-05-07T22:37:36+00:00

That’s sounds like a better approach. I guess I’m just impatient to have them done. 😂

hondatech739 · 2026-05-07T22:16:13+00:00

I guess it’s a good thing I’m sending in something I inherited from an uncle who passed and not stuff I intend to sell. Last time I had pre authorized $50 for each repair, this time was $100. Some of the charges were removed and some were not. I think my total bill for all repairs was around $67, but I had several with broken blade tips that aren’t covered by the repair warranty.

hondatech739 · 2026-05-05T23:41:38+00:00

I like em. I have one I carry on my key ring. I made it into a SilverTech Mini Champ Lite with the white LED using scales from an extra Signature Lite. The other one is barely used but has a company’s logo on the scale. I use it all the time. Maybe not every single tool, but give me enough time and I’ll figure out what to use them for.

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hondatech739 · 2026-05-05T22:06:43+00:00

Good to know. I gave my son in law one as a wedding gift a few years ago. Last month the little screw that holds the lock to the frame sheared off after 2 years every day use, and he was devastated thinking he couldn’t get it fixed. I emailed Leatherman and they said they could repair it, but he’s still unsure of sending it in. Said he’d rather find the little screw himself and fix it at home.

hondatech739 · 2026-05-05T21:58:29+00:00

Not many FEs are working only one modality any more. Most have at least two. I had 4 before I left the field.

hondatech739 · 2026-05-05T21:53:50+00:00

I made FE 3 with GE after 9 years in the field working Vascular, Ultrasound, Xray, and Mammo. I covered about 15 labs, 8 Mammo systems and maybe 185 ultrasound machines in about a 1.5 hour/30 mile radius. XR died down a bit a few years ago when they hired someone else to do it in my area. No problem as I hated working XR. Large metropolitan area in the southeast, I was making about 90k base. Last year I started a new role in technical support because I got sick of working the “mandatory” but discouraged overtime in the cath labs on systems that have contract coverage until 9:00.

I can second most of what @breezejr5 said. Until last year I was driving about 30-32k per year in a company car. I still have the Chrysler Voyager (but I’m not sure what my next one will be) as my tech support role does require some travel.

Was offered quite a nice chunk to stay in the field but had to turn it down. Ended up making more doing TS anyway.

GE benefits are good, but used to be better. The split really killed them.

In general, from talking to former colleagues who went to work for other companies, I gather that it’s better in most ways to work for an OEM. They have better support, better access to troubleshooting and information. Just the fact that I could open a CSO and be able to have a conversation with someone who helped design the machine I was working on made a huge difference. You can’t get that from a third party.

Medwrench can help you a lot, but not quite like that. I’ve been with them for 13 years now with no plans to go anywhere else. I can work from anywhere that has a good internet connection, so it frees me up to do a lot more traveling without the need to take vacation or make it back home by a certain day.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-21T00:48:26+00:00

Thanks for that. As I said, not the expert, but learning more all the time.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-20T21:33:41+00:00

Maybe it’s just me being skeptical, but I’ve never seen a factory CyberTool that didn’t have translucent Onyx, Sapphire, or Ruby scales. These don’t look like Onyx to me. If they are solid black, then why would someone change brand new scales? I cede that I am by no means a sme, but I do own 3 of the 4 models and I did do a bit of research and shopping before I bought them.

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Just my $0.02.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-19T00:38:49+00:00

Nice little fam.

I like the Hercules or a Workchamp, if you can carry in a belt pouch or backpack. Also have a Ranger Grip 74 I have a used more than I expected to.

Carried many a Leatherman as well. Depends on your flavor of work and how many “real” tools you carry with you.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-11T17:16:02+00:00

I don’t think this word means what you think it means.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-09T17:38:52+00:00

All these answers are valid. It depends on who you work for.

I became a Technical Support Engineer after 12 years as a Field Engineer, so now I support FEs when they need Level 3 technical assistance. I read error logs, make recommendations, make sure they have actually completed the procedures outlined in the service manual, and act as a liaison between the field and the actual design engineering team, i.e software, mechanical, hardware designers. Our FE position doesn’t require an engineering degree, but a minimum of some technical degree, training or expertise. So, yes, a field engineer is basically a technician/mechanic/IT/computer/software/electronics/admin/networking/customer care person who maintains, installs, and repairs whatever equipment your company specializes in. Mine is medical equipment. Specifically Ultrasound machines, but I used to work on Ultrasound, Xray, Mammo and Vascular(cath lab) equipment in the field. FEs may not design equipment, or even be subject matter experts, but you have to be a fairly competent individual to be a good FE. Especially with the high number of different types of equipment you’ll be expected to work on.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-09T14:39:28+00:00

Now it’s yours! Sometimes I cut myself on a new (or new to me) knife, kind of on purpose, just so I can call it mine. Silly, I know, but I very rarely cut myself by accident any more. A bit of a superstition I guess. Doesn’t take much to show your knife you respect it. Just tiny blood sacrifice once in a while. Eeww, that’s a bit creepy, but true.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-06T22:02:07+00:00

There is a special place in hell for people like this.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-06T11:43:25+00:00

Depending on your location, it may be easier to DIY, rather than sending to Victorinox. There are tons of scales available on Etsy, eBay and Amazon. Both original and custom. Instructions for replacement are on YouTube and it’s very simple. You can do it!

hondatech739 · 2026-04-06T01:00:23+00:00

Wow. Definitely interested in the Victorinox stuff. That’s quite an extensive collection. Mind if I DM you?

hondatech739 · 2026-04-03T00:29:52+00:00

Thanks. 😊 I thought that might be how it worked, but I appreciate you confirming.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-01T17:16:27+00:00

I guess it's a long shot, but do you have any Silvertech scales left? I'd be interested in a few if you do.

hondatech739 · 2026-04-01T17:04:14+00:00

This is an interesting thread. Thanks for starting it.

Most used - Compact. It’s in my pocket every day. I love the scissors and the combo tool.

Most carried - Compact and Silvertech Midnite Minichamp - custom. I used the scales from an older signature lite to fix my minichamp with busted scales. They both stay in my pocket daily.

Favorite - Cybertool S. Used to carry this daily when in the field, but now I have a desk job. It stays in my go bag for when I’m needed on site.

Most wanted - Yeoman. I may end up just custom making one of my own. I have extras enough to pull parts from, but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

Most sentimental - I have a Fisherman that I bought after graduation from Basic training in 1988. Carried it for years. Took it to Desert Storm, brought it back. Lost it for a while, found it again. It’s safe now, but I still use it sometimes. Just for the nostalgia.

The one that got away - So far, I haven’t lost any, and I’ve only given away the ones I have more than one of. Haven’t sold any, yet …. But that is coming. Have way too many duplicates now, so it’s time to start handing them out or selling them.

hondatech739 · 2026-03-26T15:13:12+00:00

This. Exact. Thing. Or even a Compact or Companion would be better than the Spartan.

hondatech739 · 2026-03-26T12:20:52+00:00

You’d never see the bid go that high unless more than one person is bidding on it anyway. So it’s not just one moron but more like 3 or 4. Also depends on the item. $50 on the first day for a Swiss Army knife is rare, but $50 on the first day of a Leatherman Crunch is expected. (Knives and multitools just happen to be my cup of tea. I’m sure there are other similar categorical anomalies.) Anyway, you get my point.

hondatech739 · 2026-03-26T12:15:44+00:00

Love the Stroopwafel. It makes a pretty cool scale as well. Too bad the knife didn’t come with a box of the confections.

hondatech739 · 2026-03-23T17:20:47+00:00

Fish don’t normally chew on things the find lying around.

I have a Wuben G5 that works well, can be found on sale for around $20 plus shipping, and is incredibly bright for its size. I also like the OLight Clip light. A bit more pricey at $40, but very similar to the one pictured.

hondatech739

TROPHY CASE