The Original Swiss Army
knife was created in a small village in central Switzerland called Ibach. From
those humble beginnings emerged a phenomenon that's now recognized in more than
100 countries around the world.
In the late 1800's, Master
Cutler Karl Elsener designed a multi-functional pocketknife, the Soldier's Knife,
that he sold to the Swiss Army in October 1891. From this simple start, a revolution
was begun. Other models followed quickly, most notably the patented Officer's
Knife in 1897. Lighter and more elegant, this sleek new pocketknife contained
two extra tools, a small blade and corkscrew, along with the original blade,
punch, screwdriver and can opener.
Orders soon took off, both
within Switzerland and from abroad. Worldwide recognition exploded between 1945
and 1949, when Victorinox pocketknives were snapped up in the PX shops of the
U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force. In fact, it was American GI's who coined the
nickname "Swiss Army Knife." As production increased, so did the variety of
tools.
Today, the Officer's model
is available in over 100 combinations, led by the flagship SwissChamp with 33
different features packed into a hand-held, 6.5-ounce "toolbox". Victorinox
Original Swiss Army Knives are now found in a variety of extraordinary places
from the New York Museum of Modern Art's Permanent Design Collection, to Mt.
Everest expeditions, to NASA space explorations.
Today, the Victorinox legacy
of quality, precision and versatility is evident in every product we make, from
our exciting SwissTool to the precision-crafted SwissCard, to our Victorinox
Watches, and our innovative Lifestyle Tools.
