The Interesting History Of Swiss Army Knives

The Interesting History of Swiss Army Knives

by

Danny Sweeney

Swiss Army Knives are well known all over the world. With over 34,000 of these pocket knives currently leaving the Victorinox company each day where they are sent to over 100 different countries, the popularity of these tools is astounding. The origination of this company is surprisingly humble in comparison to its modern-day recognition.

In 1891, the original owner of Victorinox, Karl Elsener, found out that the Swiss army was supplied with knives made in Germany. He hoped to create high quality knives in Switzerland that could by the army instead in order to create more jobs in his home country. At the time, emigration for jobs out of Switzerland was common. Victorinox currently employs 950 people. Through many years of determination, Elsener eventually developed an innovative spring mechanism which allowed him to implement twice as many features on each knife. With this invention, he added a corkscrew and an additional cutting blade. Eventually, the knives that Elsener created were given to every Swiss recruit as they entered the army. The company’s name, Victorinox, is a combination of two words. After Elsener’s mother, Victoria, died in 1909, he decided that he wanted to honor her by naming his company after her. It wasn’t until 1921 that her name was combined with ‘inox.’ At this time, the company began using stainless steel in each knife. The French term for stainless steel is acier inoxydable, or ‘inox’ for short. In combination with Victoria, the company name became Victorinox. Why are Victorinox knives better known as Swiss Army knives? According to Carl Elsener, the current head of Victorinox, when United States soldiers began using the company’s knives, they found it too difficult to pronounce the Swiss term for these tools, ‘Schweizer Offiziersmesser.’ Instead, they began calling them ‘Swiss Army knives,’ a name that is known all over the world today. In 2006, the Victorinox company began manufacturing a Swiss Army knife that included 87 tools and 141 different functions. They deemed this tool ‘The Giant.’ The Guinness Book of Records awarded this tool the title of the ‘world’s most multifunctional penknife.’ At the time, it sold for roughly GBP 550. Also recognized by the Guinness Book of Records is a knife inspired by Swiss Army knives that included 314 blades and weighed 11 pounds. While the practical application of Swiss Army knives is certainly a major draw, the intriguing multifaceted nature of these tools has also drawn countless people to them.

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The Interesting History of Swiss Army Knives