The Swiss Army Knife is an essential tool for not only the Swiss Army, but explorers, and everyday people around the world.   Each knife model contains at least 6 practical tools.  The knife is small enough to fit into a pocket.  The tools store inside of the knife by a pivot mechanism. The Swiss Army Knife is made exclusively by VICTORINOX and Wenger.  They are usually red in color and each carries the emblem of the country of Switzerland.  Each day over 34,000 knives are shipped by the company.

Swiss Army Knife History

The Swiss Army Knife was invented over 100 years ago by inventor Carl Elsener. Elsener claims he invented the tool in 1891 and trademarked it in July of 1897. Originally, his mission was to create jobs for the people of Switzerland. The country had been left behind during the Industrial Revolution and people were leaving the country in search of work.  He named his company after his mother, Victoria. He soon started supplying his knives to the Swiss army. They called these knives, “the soldier’s knife”. It was the United States army that gave the tool its’ now famous name of “Swiss Army knife”, because they could not pronounce its’ Swiss name. Today, VICTORINOX is still owned by the Elsener family and it employs over 900 employees.

Swiss Army Pocket Knife

The Swiss Army Knife continues to be a staple for the military. It is used by NASA astronauts and has been in space.  The Swiss Army Knife is also used by explorers and it has made it to the top of the highest mountain peaks, the deepest parts of the rain forest, and to the Arctic Circle. This tool is essential in survivor situations because of its’ many uses. The tool measures only 9 cm x 2 cm, but its’ components seem endless. The standard knife comes with: tweezers, toothpick, cork screw, Phillips-head screwdriver, nail file, scissors, saw, file, magnifying glass, ball point pen, fish scalier, hex wrench, pliers, and a key chain.  Even the latest technological advances are being included and pricier Swiss Army Knives come with USB flash drives, digital clocks, LED laser pointers, and even MP3 players.

Swiss Army Knife Huntsman

VICTORINOX makes several different models of their popular Swiss Army knife. There seems to be a tool for every interest. There are scouting models, fishing models, huntsman knives, executive models and even garden models.  Each model contains an array of tools specialized to these individual needs.

The tool has reached worldwide recognition and respect for it’s’ usefulness and design. Swiss Army knives are on exhibit in both the Museum of Modern Art and Munich’s State Museum of Applied Art.

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