Swiss Army Knives\u00a0is the\u00a0comprehensive guide for Swiss Army Knives\u00a0no collector should live without. This fascinating, colorfully illustrated book is a celebration of one of the great icons of Swiss culture.
Swiss Army Knives\u00a0catalogs each gadget, beginning with the simple Soldier\u2019s knife, later developed into the Student Knife, the Cadet Knife, and Farmer\u2019s Knife. Each model is accompanied with a narrative. For example, the Soldier\u2019s knife was heavy, which led developers to create the lighter Officer\u2019s knife, with an added second blade and a corkscrew.\u00a0The book includes hundreds\u00a0of illustrated examples of Swiss Army Knives and anecdotes from military personnel and other owners and a comprehensive model identification system, for the dedicated collectors.\u00a0\u00a0
This fascinating, colorfully illustrated celebration of one of the great icons of Swiss culture\u2014in France it\u2019s the Couteau Swiss, in Germany the Schweizer Messer, and to the English-speaking world it\u2019s the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife\u2014used by military programs the world over and\u00a0given away as gifts to guests by the White House (Lyndon Johnson did it first).
Switzerland is not a country we associate with war. Nor is it a major steel-producing country. Yet the Swiss Army Knife, originally produced by a Swiss master cutler for the Swiss armed forces, is now recognized throughout the world. Like the Rolls-Royce or the Zippo lighter, it has become part of mythology, an icon that represents a standard of quality and versatility which has carried through from the nineteenth into the twenty-first century.
The basic design of the knife has changed little since Karl Elsener patented the first Swiss Officer\u2019s Knife in 1897, but the context within which the knives are now used would have astonished him. Elsener\u2019s knives have been used at the top of Mount Everest and on coral reefs; astronauts carry them in the Space Shuttle; and they have saved lives on the ocean, in the air and in the desert.
Charles Elsener, the fourth son of a hat-maker, decided not to enter the family business but to become a cutler. After serving his apprenticeship in south Germany, he opened his own business near Schwyz in Switzerland. Soon after, in 1891, he formed the Swiss Cutlery Guild with the main aim of producing soldiers\u2019 knives for the Swiss Army, which had to date been bought from German sources. By the end of the year, the first batch had been delivered and Elsener\u2019s plan proved a success\u2014the first knife, known by name rather than type number\u2014the Soldier\u2019s knife\u2014had a blade, awl, can opener, and screwdriver. Then the development started: as well as the simple Soldier\u2019s knife he quickly developed the Student Knife, the Cadet Knife and Farmer\u2019s Knife. Because the Soldier\u2019s knife was heavy, Elsener developed the lighter Officer\u2019s knife, with an added second blade and a corkscrew.
On 26 April 2005 Victorinox acquired Wenger, its historic rival and the other official supplier of the Swiss Army knife. It also started expanding its product range to include fragrances, travel gear, and watches. Victorinox has since licensed the Swiss Army brand and shield logo to companies producing watches, writing tools, luggage and\u00a0clothing. Victorinox produces some 34,000 Swiss Army knives, 38,000 multi-tools, and 30,000 household, kitchen, and knives per workday. Approximately 90 percent of its production is exported to more than 100 countries.\u00a0 With a wide reach and diverse product development, it’s no wonder their knives are so popular.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"