With its renowned durability, large assortment of instruments and quality made components; the Swiss Army knife is the world’s highest quality pocket knife. The Swiss Army was originally issued with the ‘Soldier’s Knife’. Since 1897, however, Victorinox and Wenger have issued the Swiss Army with their well-known knives. To this day they still issue the Swiss Army with about 50,000 of these knives yearly. As well as the Swiss Army using the Swiss Army knife, it gained huge popularity amongst explorers, hikers, campers and even as a staple of many traditional households.
Karl Elsener, a cutler from Switzerland, is credited for producing the first Swiss Army knife. Alarmed that the Swiss Army was being supplied with knives made in Germany, he founded the Switzerland Cutlers’ Association. He later founded the Victorinox company. As well as Victorinox manufacturing the knives for the Swiss Army, another Swiss company called Wenger was also allowed to make these knives. These two manufacturers still own the patented term ‘Swiss Army knife’ and make the knives for the public and Swiss Army today. The name ‘Swiss Army knife’ was actually first used by soldiers from the USA in the second World War, as they couldn’t pronounce its Swiss name.
The Swiss Army knife is made in a variety of models, sizes and colours. Standard tools found on most of the knives include 2 blades, tooth-pick, tweezers, corkscrew, bottle open, scissors and nail file. Some premium models also contain a Phillips-head and flat-head screwdriver, ballpoint pen, can opener, saw, magnifying glass, wrench, scaler and pliers. With Swiss Army knives being utilised for a number of different uses, a large number of models are produced. Victorinox, for example, produces upwards of 100 various sizes and models. Their most modern range, ‘Victorinox Cybertools’, feature the latest technologically savy attachments such as music players, digital clocks, laser pointer, altimeters and USB flash drives. The Common range of knives are about 9cm long, however some of the more advanced knives range from just a few centimetres, to Wenger’s ‘The Giant’, which was over 22cm long.