this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2024
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A few weeks ago, I sent my 1985 Swiss Army Knife back to Victorinox for a broken blade replacement.

It came back today, fully repaired, cleaned, polished, lubricated and in a new box.

Total cost: £10 + return postage.

They sent the knife back with an invoice. I didn't have to pay a penny before the job was done.

A product that's been out of production for almost 40 years, repaired at very little cost by the original manufacturer.

I'm stunned. Happy, impressed, grateful and stunned.

I have at least a couple of victorinox Swiss army knives, I will keep this in mind!

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[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 37 points 6 months ago

This is refreshing. Someone clearly took pride in their work.

[–] Pechente@feddit.org 31 points 6 months ago (2 children)

They also make an excellent all-rounder kitchen knife that only costs 5€. It’s super sharp despite being in use for years. Best purchase ever.

[–] xpinchx@lemmy.world 11 points 6 months ago

I have the same knife I think, I sharpen it every couple of months and it's still my go-to after 5 years despite the shutty plastic handle. Great steel for the price.

[–] BruceTwarzen@lemm.ee 5 points 6 months ago

I used to hate these knifes because of the plastic handle that felt a bit cheap and stubby. Then i found one in a store marked town to 10 bucks or something and i bought it for things that i wouldn't use my nice knifes for. I really started to like it, super sharp and easy to resharpen

[–] Deebster 14 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Did they send back the original blade as well? I suppose they may as well since they have no use for it and it may be sentimental for the owner.

[–] lgsp@feddit.it 16 points 6 months ago

I think this is good practice from repair people: my motorbike mechanic would always keep the old parts when replacing them, to show me the status when I was taking the motorbike back. It's a sort of transparency move that I actually appreciate.

And moreover, the old part is still yours, so it makes sense to give it back to you, unless you explicitly say otherwise

[–] yojimbo@sopuli.xyz 13 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I don't know if its only here in eu - but if you go to a knife shop that carries victorinox knives in order to buy "the springy think" that makes the scissors work - they won't - they'll just fix it for free.

[–] Zaphod@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 6 months ago

The springy thing has actually been broken for years in mine, I'll definitely go look for a nearby store

[–] pineapplelover@lemm.ee 4 points 6 months ago

I swear if I try to do this they'll be very contused and proceed to ask me to bugger off

[–] vortexsurfer@lemmy.world 12 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Zippo also have lifetime warranty / free repairs. I got mine repaired some years ago, from what I remember I only had to pay postage (from Norway to the US in my case).

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 8 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Unless those red plastic side covers are broken.

[–] lgsp@feddit.it 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

You mean they don't repair the plastoc covers?

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 14 points 6 months ago

They do not. Those covers are no longer made, at least not for mine, which I believe is the same model as the one pictured.

[–] superkret@feddit.org 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Edit: Disregard everything I wrote below! The new knife was from a different manufacturer, Swiza!

Back when I was a kid, one difference in quality between Vic knives and all the cheap knock-offs was obvious to everyone, even if you had no clue about sharpness, holding an edge, manufacturing tolerances, etc.

On a Vic knife, the corkscrew held its shape.
On the cheap knock-offs it unwound and lengthened if you didn't screw it into the cork all the way.

Unfortunately, now that I'm 40 years old, on the newest model of Vic knives, the corkscrew lost its shape after a couple uses and can't be folded back into the knife.
To some small part of my soul that still retained its childhood values, this feels as if Superman died.

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world -5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

And that's why I buy $5 pocket knives. I'm not spending twice as much to wait two weeks for a replacement when I depend on my pocket knife every single day.

I try to BIFL whenever I can but this is one case where the trade-off of a cheap knife are better.

No, seriously, every day. I'm a handyman. I'm lost without my pocket knife. I have to replace one about every two years.

[–] Mr_Blott@feddit.uk 6 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I do the same thing and I've had my Leatherman for over a decade now

Dunno what you're doing that requires a new knife every two years!

[–] ScreamingFirehawk@feddit.uk 12 points 6 months ago

Buying knives for $5 probably has something to do with it

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Usually losing them. Though there was this one time where I shorted some wires And the best portion of serratedness became useless.

[–] Mr_Blott@feddit.uk 4 points 6 months ago

Ah carelessness, I see! Not a great quality for a handyman 😜