The Swiss Army was originally supplied with the ‘Soldier’s Knife’. Victorinox and Wenger have supplied the Swiss Army with the well-known brand of knife since the 1890s. These 2 companies are still the official suppliers of pocket knives to the Swiss armed forces. Their current output for the Swiss Army alone totals 55,000 knives annually.
Karl Elsener, a cutler from Switzerland, is accredited for making the first Swiss Army knife. Horrified that the Swiss Army was being issued with knives manufactured in Germany, he established the Switzerland Cutlers’ Association. He later founded the Victorinox Company. Another company, Wenger, was also awarded a contract for supplying these knives to the Swiss armed forces. Both of these companies continue to make these knives for both the Swiss Army and general sale today. The first knife was termed the ‘Officer’s and Sports Knife’. During World War II, US soldiers had trouble saying its Swiss name, ‘Schweizer Offizer Messer’, so they called it the Swiss Army knife.
The Swiss Army knife is produced in a variety of models, sizes and colours. Common tools found on most of the knives include 2 blades, tooth-pick, and pair of tweezers, corkscrew, bottle open, scissors and nail file. Some premium models also feature a Phillips-head and flat-head screwdriver, ballpoint pen, can opener, saw, magnifying glass, wrench, fish scaler and pliers. With Swiss Army knives being used for a number of different applications, a large number of models are produced. Victorinox, for example, produces over 100 various sizes and models. Their most modern range, ‘Victorinox Cybertools’, feature the most modern technologically savvy instruments such as music players, digital clocks, laser pointer, altimeters and USB thumb drives. The Common range of knives are approximately 9cm long, however some specialty knives range from just a few centimetres, to a knife produced by Wenger called ‘The Giant’, which was 22cm long.
The Swiss Army knife is known for its superb quality and craftsmanship. Knives made many decades ago are still in great working order. The knives last so long because they are made with the best components and they are produced using a unique design. Each spring within the knife is used by a number of blades at one time. This ensures large forces can be applied to the blades, with the bigger blades able to withstand approximately of force, and smaller blades 8kg of force. The blades are also extremely hard and sharp, measuring 56 on the Rockwell C scale of hardness. This, coupled with its famous name, ensures Swiss Army knives are the first choice for many around the world.
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