Karl Elsener registers his “soldiers’ knife” for use by the Swiss army.
Elsener, a manufacturer of surgical instruments and cutlery, was disturbed to learn that the Swiss army was importing Solingen blades from neighboring Germany. Elsener set out to develop a homegrown multifunctional tool worthy of the mountain nation.
His 1891 prototype included a blade, screwdriver, and can opener. But Elsener was not happy with it and tinkered endlessly, adding a second blade with a revolutionary spring mechanism and strengthening the housing. The extra space needed for the spring opened up room for other tools.
Elsener created a company and named it Victoria, after his mother. After switching to stainless-steel (see here) blades in 1921, the company was renamed Victorinox, from the French inoxydable, “rust-resistant.”
More than 34,000 Swiss army knives are manufactured every day. The remarkably versatile tool is standard equipment for everyone from Boy Scouts to building contractors to mountaineers. It was even carried into space aboard the space shuttle.
Oh, and every new recruit in the Swiss army is still issued a knife. Victorinox supplies the army with about 50,000 knives each year. Many variations are available, from relatively simple to jaw-droppingly complex. The SwissChamp boasts large blade, small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, scissors, pliers with wire cutter, wood saw, fish scaler with hook disgorger and ruler, metal saw with metal file and nail file, magnifying glass, reamer with sewing eye, Phillips screwdriver (see here), corkscrew, hook, wood chisel, fine screwdriver, mini-screwdriver, ballpoint pen, straight pin, tweezers, key ring, and… toothpick.
A commemorative knife known as the Giant (nine inches thick) contains eighty-five devices for 110 functions. Other models reflect advances in technology with features like a laser pointer, a USB flash drive, and even an MP3 player.—TL