Frequently Asked Questions about our engraving service

General:
0. General Maximum Character Guide
1. What is the maximum number of characters that can be engraved onto a knife?
2. Can all Swiss Army Knives be engraved?
3. How long will it take before my Swiss Army Knife is engraved and sent to me?

Mistakes / Errors:
4. What if I realise that I've typed the wrong text after I place my order?
5. What if I change my mind and want some different text engraved instead?
6. What if SwissTool.co.uk engrave an item incorrectly?

Miscellaneous:
7. Does engraving damage the Swiss Army Knife?
8. Are there any visible remnants from the engraving process?
9. Can you engrave foreign characters?
10. What does engraving a Swiss Army Knife involve?
11. Can you engrave anything other than Swiss Army Knives?

General Maximum Character Guide

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1. What is the maximum number of characters that can be engraved onto a knife?

This depends on three things: the size of the knife; the style of engraving you choose; and placement (whether front or back).

a. Size of the knife

Large knives (91mm): Can fit approximately 16-20 characters per line on front. 26-30 characters on back.

Small knives (58mm) : Can fit approximately 10-14 characters on front. 15-20 characters on back.

Lockable Knives (111mm): Can fit approxiimately 20-24 characters per line on front. 35-40 characters on back.

b. Engraving style

The different styles of engraving take up varying amounts of space. Although we can adjust the size to a certain extent, there is a threshold as to how small we can go for the engraving to still be legible.

c. Placement

The front of the knife features the Victorinox Logo, hence there is less room for engraved text. The back of the knife provides more continuous space for engraving.

The front of large knives (91mm and 111mm) can be engraved with 2 lines of text on the front, or one line of text on the back.

Small knives (58mm) can be engraved with 1 line on the front, or 1 line on the back

We will contact you by phone or email if your engraving text will not fit on your chosen knife.

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2. Can all Swiss Army Knives be engraved?

All the Swiss Army Knives that have smooth plastic sideplates can be engraved - this includes all the 58mm knives, and the vast majority of 91mm knives

The following knives cannot be engraved:

a. Knives with metal sides, eg. Soldier, Director, Silver Classic

b. Lockable knives (111mm)

c. Knives with textured sides, eg. GolfTool, Altimeter, Voyager

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3. How long will it take before my Swiss Army Knife is engraved and sent to me?

We try to engrave items within 24 hours of the customer placing their order. However we advise you to allow 48 hours for your item to be engraved as demand varies according to the time of year - for example, the run-up to seasonal events such as Christmas are busier than other times. After the item is engraved, we will then send it to you according to the delivery method you specified at the checkout point.

If you are in a hurry (for example if the item is a gift), please let us know the details/timescale in the "Notes" section at the checkout point so that we can warn you in advance if we will be unable to meet your timescale.

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4. What if I realise that I've typed the wrong text after I place my order?

It is very important that you let us know as soon as you become aware of any mistake using the Contact Form

We send out an email as soon as your order has been engraved, to let you know that your order has been processed. Once you receive this email it is impossible for us to rectify any errors. So as long as you have not received the "order processed" email, it should be possible to correct any mistakes.

We cannot offer any refunds on knives that have been incorrectly engraved due to customer errors.

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5. What if I change my mind and want some different text engraved instead?

If you change your mind, as long as your order has not yet been processed, we will try our best to accomodate you. Please contact us using the Contact Form as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

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6. What if SwissTool.co.uk engrave an item incorrectly?

We engrave the item exactly as it you type it, however if we do make a mistake, then we will send you a replacement with the correct engraving, and for your inconvenience, we will refund you your original engraving charge. In other words, you get the engraving for free. Please note that the item with the incorrect engraving must be sent back to us within 7 days.

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7. Does engraving damage the Swiss Army Knife?

Engraving by its very nature is designed to cut into a material, so technically speaking, damage is done. The cut is less than 0.5mm deep, and is only to the plastic on the side. The tools and frame of the knife are untouched, and the Swiss Army Knife will function normally in every way.

Victorinox's lifetime guarantee will still apply to knives that have been engraved.

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8. Are there any visible remnants from the engraving process?

58mm and 91mm knives: Due to the highly polished surface of the Swiss Army Knives, occasionally, some minor scuff marks can be visible in certain lighting conditions around the engraving. This is normal, and as above, Victorinox's lifetime guarantee will still apply to these knives.

111mm knives: The lockable knives have a textured surface, so a slight "halo" effect may be visible around the engraving in the same colour as the engraving. This is normal and disappears over time.

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9. Can you engrave foreign characters?

We cannot engrave any foreign letters including those with accents (Á, á, õ, etc).

We can engrave all the letters in the English alphabet, as well as standard characters such as hyphens, full stops, brackets, colons etc.

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10. What does engraving a Swiss Army Knife involve?

Engraving a Swiss Army Knife is a procedure whereby a mechanical rotating cutter cuts into the plastic on the side of the penknife to create a hollow or groove. We use a 0.1mm carbide cutter.

The engraving is cleaned, and then hand-filled with a special coloured wax to make the engraving stand out. The surface is cleaned again after filling.

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11. Can you engrave anything other than Swiss Army Knives?

We will be offering an engraving service for Zippo Lighters soon. Keep tuned in!

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