Victorinox Forester awl problems

[Muddypaws]

I've just got myself a Victorinox Forester knife, and whilst I am generally happy with it I am having some problems getting the awl out of it. My thumbnail just isn't strong enough to lift it out of the slot on the back of the knife.

If I use a screwdriver I can get the awl out, and once out it seems to move freely, but obviously this isn't an ideal situation.

Has anyone else had this problem, and might it ease over time?

Or have I got a faulty one that should be sent back?

 

[Van-Wild]

I had this problem with my Rangergrip 79. I almost bent my thumb nail back trying to open it.

The solution I found was to keep opening and closing the awl to loosen it up a bit. Over time it does become smoother and lighter to open. A little WD40 or light lubrication oil won't go amiss I'm sure.

 

[Muddypaws]

I've been wiggling it about hoping it will ease, but it hasn't happened yet. I'll give it a bit more time.

The knife only arrived today, so it still has the factory oil on the joints, so lack of lube shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Seagull]

Try scraping the inner lead of a 2B pencil over the joint area and work it,( the joint) a day or two..better still, but short term only, is a drop of PTFE.....plasters and bandages at the ready.
Regards all
Ceeg

 

[grainweevil]

It might loosen up, but sometimes they're just peened in too tightly and never do. Having owned such a SAK for nearly 40 years, all I can say is I wish I'd known that then and returned it rather than hoped it'd loosen over time.

 

[Magentus]

Could you gently pry the liners either side of the awl with a large flathead screwdriver? If it's peened too tightly that might help ease it

 

[Muddypaws]

Could you gently pry the liners either side of the awl with a large flathead screwdriver? If it's peened too tightly that might help ease it

I don't think it's peened too tightly - once it is out it moves freely enough. It's just the initial resistance of the backspring means I can't get it out of the slot without bending back my thumbnail.

 

[Broch]

I confess, I have a couple of SAKs that have the odd tool that is very tough to get out without breaking a nail and, in the wood, when my hands are damp, my nails are too soft anyway.

It's probably a bad habit, but on SAKs with the tweezers (always easy to extract) I use those to just lift the tool the first couple of mm - then I'm fine with my nails. On my Champ I just use the screwdriver in the corkscrew.

 

[Muddypaws]

Update - After spending quite a lot of time with extra oil and wiggling the awl backwards and forwards I had no joy in easing the problem, and the awl remains unopenable with my nails.

I contacted Victorinox about this, and they referred me to Burton McCall, the UK distributor and service agent, who assured me that the awl should definitely not be so stiff, and that my course of action should be to return the knife to the retailer.

So I shall return it to FFX, I've heard that their customer service is pretty good. And I hope that the replacement will be better.