How to Replace a Swiss Army Knife Scissor Spring

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 10, 2021 References

A Swiss Army knife is an extremely useful pocket knife and multi-tool to keep handy. Most Swiss Army knives come with a small pair of spring-loaded scissors that you can use to cut paper, string, and other things when you don’t have an actual pair of scissors handy. If your Swiss Army knife and its scissors see a lot of use over the years, it’s possible for the spring to break or wear out. Luckily, you can order a replacement Swiss Army knife scissor spring online for about $2 USD. Make sure you measure your knife first, then purchase a small, medium, or large spring based on the size of your knife. After you receive your new spring, it’ll only take you a couple of minutes to swap it out and get your scissors cutting like new again!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Choosing the Right Spring

1
Measure the length of your Swiss Army knife when it is closed. Close all the attachments on your Swiss Army knife. Use a tape measure or a ruler to measure the length of the closed knife.^{[1]
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- Swiss Army knife scissor springs, also known as Victorinox scissor springs, come in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large.
2
Order a small replacement spring if your knife is 2.28 in (5.8 cm) or less. Small Swiss Army scissor springs fit the smallest swiss army knives. Choose a small spring if your knife is up to 2.28 in (5.8 cm) long when it is closed.^{[2]
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- The small springs fit all Swiss Army knives from the “Classic” and “Signature” lines.
- You can order a replacement scissor spring directly from the Swiss Army website or from a variety of third party sites that sell Swiss Army products. For example, outdoor equipment supply companies often sell the springs.
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3
Get a medium replacement spring for a knife that is 2.91 in (7.4 cm) long. Medium Swiss Army knife springs fit the brand’s medium-sized knives. Buy a medium spring if your knife is 2.91 in (7.4 cm) long when it is closed.^{[3]
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- The medium springs also fit the SwissCard, which is the brand’s credit-card-shaped multi-tool holder.
4
Purchase a large spring for knives that are 3.58–4.37 in (9.1–11.1 cm) long. Large Swiss Army knife scissor springs fit the brand’s largest knives. Select a large spring if your knife is 3.58–4.37 in (9.1–11.1 cm) long when it’s closed.^{[4]
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- Some of these larger knives have other tools with springs, such as pliers. You can use a large scissor spring to replace the spring on any of the other spring-loaded tools as well.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Changing the Spring

1
Cover the scissor blades with masking tape to protect yourself from cuts. Open up your knife’s scissors and wrap masking tape 2-3 times around each blade until you cover the sharp blades completely. This will help avoid accidents when you’re swapping out the spring.^{[5]
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- If you don’t have masking tape, you could use another type of easy-to-remove tape, such as medical tape.
- Avoid duct tape and electrical tape since they leave a sticky residue on the blades of the scissors.
- Be very careful not to cut yourself when you’re handling your Swiss Army knife. The tools are all very sharp.
2
Fold the scissors to the halfway open position. Flip the scissors back until they are halfway open. They will stay open at a 90-degree angle to the handle of the knife.^{[6]
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- This exposes the hole that the scissor spring slides into at the base of the scissors. You cannot slide the old spring out from the fully open position.
3
Push the spring out of the base with something skinny and pointy. Find a thin, pointy object like a nail or something similar that is skinny enough to fit in the hole where the spring sits in the base of the knife’s scissors. Poke the tip of the object into the hole against the base of the spring on 1 side until you push it out the other side.^{[7]
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- If you can’t find a utensil to use to poke the spring out, you could also try using something like a pair of needle-nose pliers to grip an arm of the spring and carefully pull it out.
4
Press the new spring into the hole at the base of the scissors using pliers. Line up the tiny loop on the new spring with the hole in the base of your knife’s scissors. Squeeze the loop into the hole using a pair of needle-nose or other small pliers until it sits flush with the base of the scissors and the spring is in between the handles of the scissors.^{[8]
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- If the new spring is not sitting flush in the hole, it will be off-center and won’t work as it’s meant to. Make sure you squeeze it all the way into the hole, so your scissors work smoothly.

Warnings

Be careful not to cut yourself when you’re changing the spring on your knife’s scissors. Cover the blades with masking tape to be safe.

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