Travelfair Brussels Expo - Switzerland

Today, my wife and I went to the anual travelfair in Brussels. We needed some info about Thailand, southern France and Switzerland. When we arrived at the Switzerland booth, I was surprised to see everything representing the country, from chocolate to Ricola, except Victorinox. The one thing, everyone knows and links with Switzerland, was missing. It was a nice setup with a huge display and a lot of brochures, but still....  Here are some pictures... The knife is a nice extra from my collection. ;)

WENGER Becomes VICTORINOX

For some a sad day, for others, like me, once more the proof that Victorinox once was and now will become the only Swiss Army knife manufacturer! I have some split feelings about this merger. Is Victorinox gonna produce Future knives with inferior old "Wenger" tools/methods? Are some of the Victorinox models gonna be discontinued? It's incredible that in these hard economical times, Victorinox manages to keep everyone employed! On the other hand.... Victorinox survives thanks to this mentality. Bad management was one of the reasons that Wenger failed... Here's the official press release...

Press Release

VICTORINOX JOINS FORCES AND INTEGRATES WENGER KNIFE BUSINESS

Eight years ago, the family-owned Swiss company Victorinox took over the long-established company Wenger, headquartered in Delémont, and has since managed it as a standalone subsidiary. Now Victorinox will integrate Wenger's knife business. This move eliminates duplication in the product range, responds to increased market demand and strengthens its competitive position internationally. In the future, Victorinox knives will also be made in Delémont and all employees will keep their jobs. 

In 2005, Victorinox bought the long-established Wenger company in order to keep it in Swiss hands. Since then, Wenger has operated as an independent entity, sometimes in competition with Victorinox. Both companies have asserted themselves on the highly competitive international market.

Now Victorinox has decided to integrate the Wenger knife business. «Many consumers can hardly distinguish between the knife products from Victorinox and Wenger and the global fight for survival is getting increasingly fierce. That's why we are joining forces and focusing on one brand: Victorinox." says Carl Elsener, CEO of Victorinox.

The site in Delémont will be maintained. An assortment from the Wenger knife collection will be produced going forward under the brand name Victorinox. Wenger's watch and licensing business will continue. The Wenger branch in the US will be merged with the existing Victorinox headquarters based in Monroe (Connecticut).

With this move, Victorinox is looking to still better utilize its distribution strength. Competition requires clear strategic positioning, as well as the concentration of investments in products, product range and distribution. Consumers in turn expect a unique brand promise.

Peter Hug, CEO of Wenger: "We regret of course that we will no longer be producing Wenger knives in the future. The concentration of forces will allow the group to grow within the global competitive environment, to enhance the product range and to strengthen the Delémont site in the long term. So we are taking this step from a position of strength."

With the incorporation of the Wenger knife business, Victorinox is able to retain many years of experience in the areas of development and production from its well-established subsidiary. Together with its existing watch production in Porrentruy, the Victorinox Group remains a major employer in the canton of Jura.

Victorinox Standard

At first sight, this knife is like any other "standard" Victorinox with red cellidor scales, except for the toothpick and tweezers, but when you look at the corkscrew, you'll notice that it's older then you would think... It contains the large blade, small blade, caplifter, can opener, corkscrew and reamer. The same configuration as the famous Spartan, but without the toothpick and tweezers. It's a 91 mm 2-layer model and sadly in a very used shape. The main blade is grinded instead of sharpened and has deep scratches, but the rest of the knife looks like new. Here goes a new search for age and identity... I love this part! ;)

Age - marks :

* Cellidor scales : These scales were introduced in 1937. Before 1937 the scales were made from fibre, and had no mirror polish. This knife has cellidor scales!

* Can opener : This type can opener is the more recent one with only one difference. It has a PAT - marking on it wich stands for Patented. This one is introduced in 1951 and continued till 1970.

* REAMER : The new reamer without the sewing eye was used from 1961 to 1985.

* Small blade : The small blade has a clip point. These blades were used till 1973.

* Cap lifter : The cap lifter, here used, with sharpened curve, without the 90 degree lock, was manufactured from 1951 till 1972.

* Blade stamp : The main blade stamp says Victorinox Switzerland STAINLESS ROSTFREI and on the back is VICTORIA in a crossbow stamped. This stamping was used from 1952 on till ??

Conclusion :

If I only look at the tools, this knife should be made after 1961. The reamer is the new type, but without the sewing eye. The small clip point blade was used till 1973 and narrows my time window to 12 years. My guess would be early seventies... The scales look brand new and I'm missing the visible rivets or shackle to call it a sixties knife. Further info may follow... The modelname was fairly easy to find. This knife looks like the Spartan and from there on, only one other knife uses this config... The Standard!
When I take a look at the 60's and 70's catalogs, I can't find the Standard, but can see that the clip point blade wasn't used in the seventies anymore. The model closest to the Standard is the Tinker, and has the same tool-marks as mine in 1967. So I would say.... made between 1967 and 1970. A three year time window...

Here's a picture from an eighties catalog with the Standard model. The tool config is the same as mine, but the age-marks are different. Mine is clearly older then this one. One more evidence that it's made before 1980.

Soldier model 1961

In 1960 Victorinox tried to change the known Soldier 1908 design. They wanted a lighter, more durable and smaller knife to add to the soldier's gear.This resulted in the 1961 design and this stayed the worldwide favorite till 2007... I'm a big, no, a huge fan of the 2008 Soldier, but the 1961 design had alox scales and that just looks better! This was a compact knife with durable scales and had all the tools on board to aid in the everyday military in the field problems. Let's have a look at the different types I already collected... 

The Dutch Army (Koninklijke Landmacht) knives are easy to find in this region and were made from 1983 till 1992 by Victorinox. I'm not the kind of freak to collect every year, but bought the 1983 and 1992. The year it started and stopped. Amefa (Apeldoornse MessenFabriek) was one of the contractors to make the knives at the same time and before 1983. These knives don't have the Swiss cross on the scales. There are also knives made in the same period with a KM stamping and this stands for Koninklijke Marine (Royal Navy). In 1993 they changed to the 111mm model.

UPDATE : Production numbers of each year by Victorinox 

1983 - 77.400

1984 - none

1985 - 43.000

1986 - 75.250

1987 - 87.000

1988 - 67.000

1989 - 112.000

1990 - 66.725

1991 - 71.147

1992 - 66.150

The traditional Victorinox Soldiers on the pictures below are the 1970, 1978 and 2007. I still miss the model 80-90's without the Swiss Arms inspector stamp and with the hollow rivet. The first alox Soldiers, or better known as the Soldier model 1961, with red scales and no Swiss shield was made from 1961 till 1965. It didn't take long for the military to notice that the red color faded easily when used in the field and after five years they changed it to the silver colored knives till 1973. From then on they used the Swiss Soldiers shield in combination with the Swiss Arms inspector stamp and still the hollow rivet. The hollow rivet was used till 1992 and from 1977 on the red shield was added on the scales. A nice, functional knife with all the necessary tools!

The South African Nato knife is a gem! This knife is real hard to find and has the nato number stamped on the front scale. These knives are always in a used state and actualy more abused as used, but mine is in a good used state. The scales are dented and the main blade has a wide sharpened edge, but looks and feels still very good! On a South-African forum was mentioned that these knives are even rare over there, so I was very lucky to find one in this condition.

Swiss Railway Soldier

This is by far the most beautiful alox Victorinox I own. It's nickname on the forums and Sakwiki is "Black Beauty". Doesn't that say it all? ;) There's not much information about this knife. It's a Soldier model 1961 design with no year stamped on the main blade, so technically it's not a Soldier. But I did find out who ordered them... The Swiss Railway... There's no amount known, and the nice black anodizing with Soldier shield makes it stand out between the other "special runs".It was produced in the late eighties and early nineties. This is a wanted knife and has a very high collectable factor. I was very lucky to find this one, and no, I'm not gonna sell it! :)