I have an alox pioneer in need of some help. It was of the very first knives I started to carry on a daily basis and it was also the knife I had on me the day I got married. Anyways, there seems to be a problem with the blade back-spring. It is really stiff, and no amount of lubrication or cleaning seems to make it "springy" again. All the other tools in the knife snap when opening and closing but the blade only snaps when closing. I used to able to open it using only the nail nick but now I have to pinch the blade and really put some effort into opening it. Any solutions that I anyone can recommend?
If it's been really cleaned well with very warm water and dish detergent using an old toothbrush, and it's still too stiff, then it may be defective from the start. You may have to send it in to Victorinox for repair or replacement. It happens.
+1 on that ^^^, Have an Alox's collection and quite a lot of Pioneers, the movement of the main blade may be lightly more or less smooth, but nothing of what you said. Take care of cleaning it very well as jackknife said correctly above, on the opposite side where are the tools too, then if the issue is still going on knock the Vic's Assistance door for a repair or (more probable i think) a substitution.
I have an alox pioneer too. It was very "sticky" and hard to open. I used the method jackknife describes. You can find it if you google on "Care Tips for Your Swiss Army Knife - Victorinox Swiss Army". It's a pdf with tips how to care for your victorinox SAK's. Did you open and close the tools/blade repetively under water to get out the dirt and let it dry + lubed afterwards? (I used the victorinox lube) An other possibility: maybe you dropped the knife and bent the aluminium scale at the side of the blade? This could cause extra friction when opening and closing the blade. I hope you can "revive" your pioneer, especially since it has a special meaning to you.
Sray it well with WD40 and leave it like that 5-10 mins then try opening and closing it few times to loosen it up a bit. Wash it well in warm water, let it dry and then apply some. finer lube.
Well, i followed your advice people. I marinated the knife in wd-40 for an hour, washed with warm water and dish detergent and worked the tools under water while brushing with a toothbrush. Got a bit of blue lube at the pivot and along the back spring. My pioneer is snappy again. I appreciate all the help.
