Most Swiss Army Knives have some sort of plastic on them.
Be it the iconic red Cellidor scales or funky glow in the dark Nylon scales.
Plastic are vulnerable to chemical and heat damage. Be very careful around solvants, you might damage your scale beyond repair.
Heat is also an issue. Be careful not to overheat your knife or the scales might warp.
These warnings are relatively vague. So here’s some information from the 2015 catalogue.
Cellidor – Maximum temperature 65’C
Victorinox most iconic material. It’s very good material as it’s relatively durable, can be made from renewable materials and is very cost efficient. Yet it’s the most vulnerable to heat. Overheat Cellidor and it starts to warp.
To illustrate this, leave it in a car out in the sun and temperatures can rise over 55’C in half an hour. In warmer regions this get’s even hotter!
Dishwashers reach temperatures of 80’C, so don’t put a SAK in the dishwasher. Or a washing machine for that matter, they also reach 60’C with ease.
Cellidor is found on many Victorinox knives.
ABS – Maximum temperature 80’C
ABS or Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene if you want to impress your friends has a better heat resistance than Cellidor. As far as I know of there are no SAKs with ABS scales. However, the magnifying glass (gray) is most likely made out of ABS. As is the SwissCard.
Some SAKs contain ABS parts, like the magnifying glass and LED light.
PA – Maximum temperature 90’C
PA is short for Polyamide but better known as Nylon. It’s a very durable plastic with high abrasion resistance. The StayGlo scales are also Nylon. The glow in the dark pigment in the scales get’s exited by heat and glows harder. I have no info on maximum temperatures for the pigment in StayGlo scales.
Most 111mm and ecoline 91mm SAKs have PA scales. StayGlo scales are also Nylon.
Besides the Plastic scales Victorinox uses other materials. Some are virtually indestructable other require more care.
Alox
These aluminium scales have a hard anodised layer. It protects the scales from damage and corrosion. Beware of caustic chemicals. Ammonia is said to damage aluminium. Avoid prolonged exposure and clean immediately with lots of running water.
Alox scales are found on various Victorinox models like the Soldier and the Pioneer.
Walnut
Wood is a wonderful material. It looks great and it feels great. But you do have to know how to care for it. Wood reacts to moisture and humidity, the material expands and shrinks depending on the conditions. Because of this scale tools can be hard to remove. The general rule is, if it’s stuck, it’s stuck. Don’t force the tools out. If the knife gets wet dry it directly after. It’s a good idea to protect the wood by oiling it. Do not put wood scales in a dishwasher! Do not soak these scales in water.Leaving wood scales in sunlight for prolonged time will dry them out. Also do not leave them in a hot car.
Wood scales can be found on Wenger EvoWood, RangerWood and some Victorinox models.
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