Some of the various designs produced by Victorinox.

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Pocket Knives & Cutters

A Swiss Army knife (SAK) is a multi-function pocket knife or hand tool. Generally speaking, a Swiss Army knife has a blade as well as various tools, such as screwdrivers and can openers. These attachments are stowed inside the handle of the knife through a pivot point mechanism. more...

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The handle is usually red, and features a white cross, the emblem of Switzerland. The knife model that is actually used in the Swiss Army has a knurled aluminum handle. It was originated in Zurich, Switzerland around 1920.

The term "Swiss Army knife" is sometimes used generically to describe a tool, such as a software tool, that is a collection of special-purpose tools.

Features

Various designs and types of Swiss Army knives exist, with different tool combinations for specific tasks. The version supplied to the Swiss Army has a knurled metal surface with a red emblem, and includes a blade, a reamer, a bottle-opener/screwdriver/wire stripper, and a can-opener/screwdriver (smaller).

The simplest model sold includes only a single blade. The most popular models typically include some combination of the tools included in the official army model, a second blade, tweezers, toothpick, corkscrew, phillips-head screwdriver, nail file, and/or scissors. Other models include a saw, hook, magnifying glass, ballpoint pen, fish scaler which doubles as a 7 cm (3 inch) ruler, pliers/wire cutters, and/or key chain. Recent technological features include USB flash storage, digital clock, digital altimeter, LED light, laser pointer, and MP3 player.

The official army model also contains a brass spacer, which allows the knife, with the screwdriver and the reamer extended at the same time, to be used to assemble the Swiss Army assault rifles, both the SIG 550 and the older SIG 510: the knife serves as a restraint to the firing pin during assembly of the lock.

The standard full-size SAK is approximately 3.5 in. (9 cm) long and 0.75 in. (2 cm) wide; smaller models are typically about 2.25 in. (6 cm) long and 0.5 in. (1.5 cm) wide. Thickness varies depending on the number of tools included. A flat version with somewhat fewer tools (but still retaining a knife) the size and shape of a credit card, known as a SwissCard, can be stored in a typical wallet. Although red SAKs are most common, black, blue, white, phosphorescent yellow, camouflage (types of camo may include: Mossy oak, shadowgrass, winter camo, black forest camo) patterns, and other colors are available. The plastic cladding is usually opaque but may be transparent; metal- and wood-clad models are available. Many textures colors and in fact shapes are now popping up in the Swiss Army Knife.

History

Origins

In 1891, Karl Elsener, then owner of a company that made surgical equipment, discovered (to his dismay) that the pocket knives supplied to the Swiss Army were in fact made in Germany. Outraged, he founded the Association of Swiss Master Cutlers. Its goal was simple: Swiss knives for the Swiss Army.