@woodpunk Wow, that's excellent service!

@woodpunk Had an identical experience with Marshall Amps. Dropped off my brother's 1970s amp and it came back repaired, serviced, clean new valves at a total of £40.

@woodpunk yes. Some companies really do go above and beyond don't they. Not many, but some.

@woodpunk #bifl

@woodpunk i wouldn't say it's out of production for 40 years. Mine looks extremely similar and was bought only about 2 years ago.
Also i once cut myself with it... No, not the knife - with the hecking corkscrew because a metal shard was peeling off and sticking out 90° from it. I emailed victorinox ahout the issue and didn't get anything back from them so tha's why i don't like them..

@woodpunk They seem very Customer friendly. Years ago I was in their Store to buy a new Knive. When the worker saw the broken Shell on my Miniknive on my Keychain they offered me a free replacement in the Color of my choice.

@woodpunk incredible. I think I’ll do the same with mine!

@woodpunk I own this same model Swiss army knife. Talk about brand loyalty!

@woodpunk Had the same experience a few years ago with a knife from the same era. Amazing service. And it’s not like it originally cost a thousand bucks either!!

@woodpunk Very cool! Do you have a link to share where one access this kind of service?

@woodpunk @jannem They do that? Wow. I have the same broken blade. Need to investigate how this is from far far away from the swiss.

@woodpunk @skyfire747 I love companies that still do this kind of stuff. They’re few and far between these days.

@woodpunk OMG, I had no idea you could do this!! I will totally be getting my battered, broken one refurbished 👍

@woodpunk I sometimes wonder whether next April I shouldn't devote my #ClassicKit column to origins of the Wenger and Victorinox knives that have accompanied me since I was given one at the age of 6. The larger Opinel blade came later, and I have used mine in the lab for quick fixes more times than I could even count.

@woodpunk I just read that you received your knife that you sent them in 1985 😅 I should go to bed.

@woodpunk @clive
That's the kind of advertising that can't be written.

@woodpunk Y así es como debería de ser todo...

And that'show everything should be...

@woodpunk Really sorry though that their place in Brunnen has closed for the 'build your own' thing. Took my daughter there a few years back and she made a knife from the components. It was lovely and a really nice afternoon.

@woodpunk is it the same knife? =)

@woodpunk
What? Does this company not have stakeholders?

@woodpunk That’s awesome! I’ll remember that if something happens to mine.

@woodpunk that’s a little bit of beauty

@woodpunk
GOOD!!! I'd like to send mine, too!

@woodpunk

Looks like my knife - bought mine in 2004 in lucern. ❤️🙏🏼

@woodpunk It's not even a complete blade failure, just the tip.

For those that are interested, it's a 1985 7 layer 'Champion c' according to Victorinox.

Oh, and they sharpened all the blades too!

@woodpunk
Anyone know if #Leatherman offers a similar service?
My blade snapped when I lived in the UK but now I'm in the EU (Spain), I did look online once but didn't recall any specific details or prices on warranty or repairs

@woodpunk

The most astounding aspect of this story is that 1985 was 40 years ago.

@woodpunk 👍👍

@woodpunk I really need to send in my Tinker Deluxe, but I'm always paranoid that it will get lost by the mail service between them and I.

@woodpunk

I particularly like the smell of the oil they use with those knifes. It's something special ...

@woodpunk Victorinox is very famous for this here (Switzerland). Also:

- they never fired anyone for economic reasons, instead, they save during the good years (so they claim, at least)

- when their direct competitor went out of business (Wenger) they bought the whole company and kept everyone. Wenger still operates today.

@woodpunk That's amazing! I didn't even know they do that. I should send in mine as well!

@woodpunk love my swiss army knife, constant companion. tho i used to carry in pocket, not so much anymore since 9/11. weird. the one i have now is with a 2" long saw blade. i can saw through an inch and a half tree in a minute. always amazes me

@woodpunk good to know. I’ll do the same. Thanks

@woodpunk nice to see a customer-friendly company rn

@woodpunk @seanbala This is the way it SHOULD be. I’m so glad you got it fixed.

Sadly, there’s too much “disposable” junk these days. The mindset is changing from “buy quality and keep forever” to “buy cheap and replace it when it breaks.” How sad is that?

@woodpunk Check out the renovation of my dad's 1950s knife!

https://aardvarchaeology.wordpress.com/2019/06/26/eskilstuna-knife-renovation/

@woodpunk I love the fact they even sent back the old blade.

@woodpunk I hope I can do the same with my Explorer 39 years from now 😃

@woodpunk Add Secrid to the awesome list. I went into their Rotterdam shop with every intention of buying a replacement for my worn out wallet, and they repaired it, replacing the worn parts, for free!

@woodpunk How nice!!!

@woodpunk that's how things should be made this days 👍

@woodpunk I have had a similar experience with Leatherman. Great service!

@woodpunk I have the impression that european steel blades manufactorers, contrary to many other categories of producers, are quite resistant to enshittification.
A lot of products are still made by centuries old companies (I'm thinking of fixed blade razors and shavettes for example)

@woodpunk Looks like I've got exactly the same model. Mine was already a few weeks at the airport because I forgot to take it out of the backpack before the flight and at the Eiffel tower security check where my then five year old daughter helped me get it back from the grumpy guards.

@woodpunk didn’t know that’s possible. Maybe I’ll send in one of mine soon …

@woodpunk Where's the corkscrew? How am I supposed to open this wine??

@woodpunk @clive I’m happy to see a company fight against planned obsolescence. We need much more of this.

@woodpunk where did you ship it from? I'm totally going to do that with one of mine (several decades newer than yours but still in need of an overhaul).

@woodpunk oh, that's very good to know!

@woodpunk good read. I’ve used Victorinox for years, they never fail to get the job done and their customer service is top quality. Glad you experienced the same.

@woodpunk Great products. I use a Huntsman at home and when adventuring.

@woodpunk this is cool! Might need to do this with mine as well.

@woodpunk

Leatherman offer a free replacement service for broken blades too. I am on my third replacement multi-tool with them.

@woodpunk I was really into these knives as a teenager. I could never get the blades sharp. Sad to hear that they are no longer made.

@woodpunk Unfortunately, I lost my original Swiss Army Knife that I've had since I was a kid. I've since replaced it, but it pleases me to know that my lost knife is probably still functional. More things should be made to last -- and be able to be repaired!

@woodpunk

Is that an Explorer?

@woodpunk Maybe I shoul try with my Swiss Card with loose case...

@woodpunk very nice, they are so handy and great that they look after historical products especially when they become something you grow fond of.

@woodpunk@mastodon.online And yet people still wonder why I buy and recommend Victorinox

@woodpunk
When a business gets it …

@woodpunk In a couple weeks, everyone on Mastodon is going to own a Victorinox Swiss Army knife because of this post.

@woodpunk I have this knife with a few different wounds. Hmmm.

@woodpunk one of those stories that gives me hope... beautiful and btw. I had the same one.

What a company!

@woodpunk good for you

@woodpunk out of production for nearly 40 years? I'm sure I got one of this as a child (now lost) and I was born in 1985 (so I probably got it well into the 90s, given that's a knife). Do they really not make them any more?

@woodpunk Victorinox there, demonstrating how to stay in business for 140 years.

@woodpunk

Not only is their product superior with excellent customer service they are a fantastic company to be employed by: in good times they sock $ away so in downturns they don't have to lay staff off (may have changed in recent times, but thats what they used to do.)

@woodpunk @tobru

A few weeks ago we had friends over from Australia. At one point one of them said he would like to get his knife fixed (30+ years old) and asked if there was a Victorinox shop nearby that we could stop at. Turns out we were actually driving past the factory that day.

So we stopped there on our way back home, he showed them the knife and they fixed the side covers, replaced the toothpick and oiled the knife within 10 minutes of entering the shop. The cost? Nothing.

@woodpunk This is how businesses should be run. I’m happy to say we had a similar experience with our Wüsthof Trident kitchen knives, when a few of the synthetic handles fractured.

@woodpunk well isnt that just bloody wonderful! Absolutely great stuff.

@woodpunk oh, I think I'll head to the nearest Victorinox dealer with mine, the spring of the scissors is broken for ages. And I lost the little screwdriver (screwed in the corkscrew -- that's a lot of screws --)

@woodpunk this is one reason why I have three Victorinox watches. When I got my first corporate job 22 years ago I bought myself my first “nice” watch, and I am wearing it right now as I write this post. ❤️Got it out of the drawer and put it on this morning! They’re nothing super special (although I like them a lot) but they have endured and kept great time and the company’s customer service is great. Love me some Victorinox and I love that you’ve cared for this knife so well!

@woodpunk
Yep, that’s what they really mean with « lifetime warranty »

@woodpunk Oh my science! This is awesome!

I have one too (a touch newer than yours). How do I do it?

@woodpunk amazing just how successful companies not owned by private equity can be.

@woodpunk
Look at this beauty. My father purchased it in Switzerland circa 1980. It then sat in the kitchen for some 5 years until I took possession of it. I just took the pictures for this post.

No rust, blades still sharp, fully functional despite the dust. Note that the warranty book says "5 years".

@woodpunk I am not one for brand association or loyalty but it's things like this that really keep me coming back. It has nothing to do with the company itself, it's the people who show care and love for the work they do.

@woodpunk wow!

@woodpunk WOOOOW very impressing

@woodpunk wow!

@woodpunk #repair is always better than buying the same product new again. Especially these days, when products seem to be made to go broken. Love it!

@woodpunk

That's really a cool story.
Sadly, it's not a story I hear from many companies these days.

Guess I know which company I will buy an Army Knife from.
Always wanted one, never bought one so far.

@woodpunk Had similar great experiences with Cherry keyboards (which I love using for work and play).

@woodpunk guess why. BC you're telling this to everyone, and that marketing alone is worth more than 15€ or whatever. And guess what? They deserve it. There's a few other companies that have similar repair practices (i.e. being able and willing to repair at a fair price) and they should be be applauded for it.

@woodpunk and the original blade comes back too? that's awesome

@woodpunk holy, because i have one with my name embedded in it i got as a gift and the plastic has broken in the parts where it connects and I've been thinking about this for a month or two now!

That's awesome, maybe one day I'll get my own one back to its former glory!

@woodpunk That's quality and repairable quality is sustainable!

@woodpunk
They make fantastic kitchen knives, too. I've had one for over a decade and use it all the time. The thing is a tank and holds an edge really well.

@woodpunk I lose mine before I break them, and have been buying them since the late 70s. They can afford service like this when they rarely require service.

I just wish they would bring back the SOS pouches since my last one was stolen.

@woodpunk There's still companies like this one! I had the same experience with RayBan sunglasses which didn't survive a hearty hug. Had to pay exactly: 0€.
Just great!

@woodpunk I so love this brand

@woodpunk

That is the definition of quality mindset…

@woodpunk In this times? This is punk af.

@woodpunk @miek hopp Schwyz!!