With its renowned durability, large number of attachments and quality made components; the Swiss Army knife is the world’s greatest 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 famous knives. These 2 manufacturers are still the official providers of pocket knives to the Swiss armed forces. Their current output for the Swiss Army alone totals about 50,000 knives each year.
The founder of Victorinox, Karl Elsener, was the first individual to design and make the Swiss Army knife. After realising the Swiss Army were using knives created in Germany, he decided to create his own product to ensure locally made products were supplied to armed forces. Another company, Wenger, also won a contract for supplying these knives to the Swiss Army. Both of these manufacturers continue to manufacture these knives for both the Swiss Army and the public today. The original knife was termed the ‘Officer’s and Sports Knife’. During the Second World War, soldiers from the USA had trouble saying its Swiss name, ‘Schweizer Offizer Messer’, so they named it the Swiss Army knife.
The Swiss Army knife has a number of various instruments and components that are used for everyday purposes, adventure, hiking, travel, first aid and much more. With the addition of several new models in recent years, the knives have proven even more popular. 80 different models are manufactured by Victorinox alone. These range from mini models right up to complex larger models with about 60 different instruments.