Anxiety Medicine

The Swiss Army knife is world famous for its durability, range of features and ease of use. The Swiss Army was originally issued with the ‘Soldier’s Knife’. Since the late 19th century, however, Victorinox and Wenger have supplied the Swiss Army with their famous knives. To this day they still issue the Swiss Army with 50,000 of these knives per annum. As well as the Swiss Army using the Swiss Army knife, it achieved huge popularity amongst adventurers, hikers, campers and even as a basic staple of many traditional households.

Karl Elsener, a cutler from Switzerland, is credited for producing the first Swiss Army knife. Alarmed that the Swiss Army was being supplied with knives manufactured in Germany, he founded the Swiss Cutlers’ Association. He later established the Victorinox Company. Wenger, another Swiss-based company, was also awarded a contract for supplying these knives to the Swiss Army. Both of these companies continue to manufacture these knives for both the Swiss Army and general sale today. The original knife was termed the ‘Officer’s and Sports Knife’. During World War II, soldiers from the USA had trouble saying its Swiss name, ‘Schweizer Offizer Messer’, so they called it the Swiss Army knife. The name has since been used and both Wenger and Victorinox use this term today.

Basic instruments on the Swiss Army knife include multiple sized blades, scissors, tooth-picks, pair of tweezers, corkscrews and many more. Larger models contain a number of application-specific tools such as screwdrivers, pens, saws, magnifying glasses, scalers, pliers and can openers. The latest models, termed ‘Victorinox Cybertools’ feature a digital clock, music player, laser pointer, altimeter, hex screwdriver and even a USB flash drive. The knives come in a number of sizes, with the Basic model being about 9 centimetres long and the smaller models about 6 centimetres long. ‘The Giant’, produced by Wenger, was the biggest ever made. It was over 22cm long and featured 85 unique instruments.

One of the finest features of the Swiss Army knives, and the key reason for its durability, is that it uses each spring multiple times. One knife featuring up to 6 blades can use just two springs. The blades are measured on the Rockwell C scale as being a level of 56 for hardness. The big blade is held within the knife with a force of 12kg, and the smaller blade is pressed into place with a force of 8kg, ensuring the knives can be used for a variety of tough uses.

For more info: Swiss Knife

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