It took 43 years for the knife to be reworked: that is the M1951, which, however, might not do without outside help. First the model…
… M1961 comes exclusively from the production facilities of Wenger and Victorinox in Delsberg JU and Ibach SZ. It has a blade that is 7 millimeters shorter and at 72 grams is only half as heavy as the original M 1890,…
…which can be seen here. The first 15,000 copies of this model had to be ordered from a German company in Solingen.
The last issued soldier’s knife 08 comes with a 111 millimeter blade. In addition to the can opener and screwdrivers, this model also comes with a saw.
The Wenger Giant Knife 2007 offers 81 individual tools for 141 different functions – a case for the Guinness Book of Records.
Von links: Wenger Basic, Wenger Classic 63, Wenger Monarch, Wenger EvoGrip S17, Wenger NewRanger 70 Handyman.
Special editions appear once more and once more – here the Victorinox Classic Edelweiss.
There are even Swiss children’s knives.
Victorinox keeps up with the times: modern examples are equipped with USB sticks, for example.
In 1908, the Swiss companies Wenger and Victorinox split the production of the Swiss army knife equally – but the 1908 model at that time, also known as the M1908, was still manufactured abroad.
It took 43 years for the knife to be reworked: that is the M1951, which, however, might not do without outside help. First the model…
… M1961 comes exclusively from the production facilities of Wenger and Victorinox in Delsberg JU and Ibach SZ. It has a blade that is 7 millimeters shorter and at 72 grams is only half as heavy as the original M 1890,…
…which can be seen here. The first 15,000 copies of this model had to be ordered from a German company in Solingen.
The last issued soldier’s knife 08 comes with a 111 millimeter blade. In addition to the can opener and screwdrivers, this model also comes with a saw.
The Wenger Giant Knife 2007 offers 81 individual tools for 141 different functions – a case for the Guinness Book of Records.
Von links: Wenger Basic, Wenger Classic 63, Wenger Monarch, Wenger EvoGrip S17, Wenger NewRanger 70 Handyman.
Special editions appear once more and once more – here the Victorinox Classic Edelweiss.
There are even Swiss children’s knives.
Victorinox keeps up with the times: modern examples are equipped with USB sticks, for example.
Even if Mr. and Mrs. Schweizer will hardly believe it: the first models of the Swiss army knife had to be produced in Germany. Karl Elsener from Schwyz mightn’t bear that.
The Swiss army knife is world famous. It was originally developed for the army, but for both soldiers and civilians it stands for one thing above all: innovation and pragmatism from Switzerland.
In this respect, not every viewer can immediately see what is wrong with this example, which was one of the very first: What is wrong with the Swiss Army Knife from 1891?
Commons/Cutrofiano
The truth is: the first 15,000 Swiss army knives didn’t come from our latitudes at all, but from Germany. At its meeting on December 6, 1890, the Federal Council decides that the knife should be procured, but national production cannot supply such quantities. The company Wester + Co. from the German knife capital Solingen therefore steps in.
The early M1890s have ebony handles. Blackened oak wood is used later. It should offer functions that would make life easier for the soldier at the time – such as a blade and a can opener. In order to be able to use the Schmidt-Rubin rifle introduced in 1889, there are also screwdrivers and an awl with which you can make holes.
Bring and hey
Karl Elsener cannot accept the fact that the Swiss Army Knife is not made in his home country. He was born in Schwyz in 1860 and trained as a cutler in Zug. Elsener comes from a family of entrepreneurs: his grandfather, Peter Oswald Elsener, opened a millinery in Schwyz, and his father, Balthasar Elsener, added felt manufacture and the fur trade.
Commons/Benutzer:DM
Karl also became self-employed in 1884 – but not as a clothing manufacturer, but with a shop for knives and surgical instruments. He calls the company in Ibach SZ “Victoria” – following his mother. In 1891, the 31-year-old founded the Swiss Cutlers’ Association. His declared goal: to bring pocket knife production home.
In the same year, the entrepreneur is able to deliver the first genuine Swiss army knives to the army – and has to expand his business. In 1892 he employed 30 people. In 1893, Paul Boéchat founded a similar company with three colleagues: Paul Boéchat & Cie. manufactures knives in Courtételle JU and employs around 20 people. In 1898, a certain Théo Wenger took over the management of the starving manufacturer.
Trademark protected for 125 years
In 1907, Wenger took over the company, which went bankrupt, gave it his name and ran it Wenger & Co. to new shores – just in time for the introduction of the second Swiss army knife, named following the year of its introduction. The M1908 will be in production until it is superseded by the M1951. The M1961 and that soldier knife 08 complete the official versions of the pocket knife.
The tool has been protected for 125 years on June 12, 2022: the trademark is registered in 1897 as “Swiss Officer’s and Sports Knife”. In 1901 there is the first drastic change: because the oak wood does not stand the test, the M1890 version 1901 is delivered with fiber grip panels. It still has a length of 100 millimeters and a weight of 144 grams.
The M1908 has a modified blade, which is still the same length, and weighs slightly less than its predecessor at 125 grams. From 1921 every knife is marked with the year of manufacture. The 1951 model has a modified blade that is only 93 millimeters long, weighs 90 grams and is made of stainless steel. Named because of this stainless steel Victoria by Karl Elsener in 1921 by the way to the company Victorinox – INOX (stainless) is the international hallmark for this metal.
Only the M1961 comes entirely from Switzerland
Finally, the M1961 makes history: It is the first model to be produced exclusively by Victorinox and Wenger is produced. Of course, Karl Elsener did not live to see it: he died in 1918. The first real Swiss army knife from 1961 has slimmed down once more at 72 grams and for the first time has a red anodized aluminum handle. The can opener was a new addition back then.
Karl Elsener’s descendants continue the company tradition Victorinox to this day. In 1978, Nasa ordered 50 of the model Master Craftsman for their astronauts. The US Army has been supplied since the 1930s – and in 1989 the company also began producing watches. In 2000, most of the shares flow into a company foundation. Since 2007, the German Bundeswehr has also been supplied with special knives.
Manufacturer Wenger on the other hand, things are starting to falter because, following September 11, 2001, knives are no longer allowed in hand luggage – and the Swiss have sold many products in duty-free shops. In 2005 the company was on the brink of ruin Victorinox takes over their shares: The brand is retained and is initially in competition with the parent company.
Various designs and extras
That also explains why the record knife Giant Knife 2007 von Wenger comes: It is 24 centimeters wide and has 87 tools that fulfill 141 functions. This gives the tool a place in the “Guinness Book of Records”. However, the company name Wenger has not been used since 2013: Das Sack knife 08 is exclusively from Victorinox produced.
Commons/Slartbartfass
Today there are well over 100 different specimens and versions of the Swiss army knife. There are also military knives that Victorinox manufactures for Germany and France – as well as bayonets for current Swiss Army rifles. There are also knives for outdoor activities, kitchen utensils and garden knives.
The brand protection 125 years ago has paid off: Victorinox employs around 2100 people in 2019 and generates sales of 480 million francs that year: After modern Swiss army knives were also equipped with utensils such as USB sticks, MP3 players, laser pointers and fingerprint scanners are available, there is no need to worry that Victorinox will not keep reinventing this Swiss original in the future.