Originally Posted by
BillyCasper
Go help me if Mrs Casper saw that accolade!
Value in good knick? $30-$60?
Victorinox took over Wenger some years ago and still make an 85mm range based on a Wenger pattern.
You could:
1. Contact Burton McCall in Leicester. Burton McCall is Victorinox's customer service representative, they might:
1.1 Replace it free of charge (the Victorinox shop in Bond Street replaced a knife for me free of charge)
1.2 Repair it for a small charge (Burton McCall repaired one for me for about £10 including postage to and from Switzerland)
1.3 Say that it can't be repaired. Standard Victorinoxs are a 91mm pattern, so they might not repair Wengers anymore due to lack of parts.
2. Buy a donor knife with a decent blade and repair it
2.1 Keep an eye out for a donor at another car boot
2.2 Swiss army knives can be picked up on Ebay if you know someone in the USA or Europe who can buy as your proxy. There's a seller Italy who has some Wengers for around €10 plus €5 post.
2.3 To repair it:
a) Prise off the scales
b) Drill and then punch out the pivots using a Dremel, drill press or firm, steady hand
c) Take apart, but taking photographs of the layers so that the right tools go with the right springs and liners on reassembly
d) Buy a piece of brass rod on Ebay, I think 2.5mm for all Wenger pivots
e) Make a jig in a block of wood drilling just over 2.5mm holes to match the hole positions in a liner
f) Reassemble
h) Trim the new brass pivots
i) Peen the ends of the new brass pivots
j) Snap the scales back on or stick on with two part epoxy
Lots of YouTube videos, but mostly Victorinox and there are differences between the two brands around how the scales are attached.
Et voila, a restored Swiss Army Knife. If I can do it, anybody can do it. A few hours fun in the shed and much amusement and eye rolling for friends and family.
If any of that is not for you and you want a useable penknife, for swaps I have a couple of new Waiters (One branded ISC, one Aitor) and a used Victorinox Spartan.