Victorinox, the manufacturer of Swiss Army Knives, announces that upcoming models will no longer include blades.
Shifting Gears: The Evolution of the Swiss Army Knife
Even today, the term "Swiss Army Knife" is tossed around by businesses selling multi-purpose gadgets like hotcakes. You can use this iconic tool for a multitude of tasks—cutting, snipping, uncorking, filing, and even downloading (in some cases). But what you might not know is that Victorinox, the company behind this beloved gadget, is concocting a Swiss Army Knife minus the blade!
Now, why the hell would they do that? Well, apparently, there are certain places, like England and some Asian countries, where blades aren't as warmly welcomed in your pockets as they are in other parts. For instance, the British government is considering a new piece of legislation on public blade carrying.
The Swiss Army Knife, with roots traced back to 1880s Germany, crossed the border to Switzerland under the leadership of Karl Elsener. Eventually, a competitor, Wenger, arrived on the scene in 1893, and for a while, the Swiss government split its orders between the two manufacturers. Wenger marketed its version as the "genuine" Swiss Army Knife, while Elsener's Victorinox branded its version as the "original." The two eventually tied the knot in 2005.
Following the 9/11 aftermath, when pocket knives became a hot topic of scrutiny and policing, Victorinox and its knives seemed like survivors of an apocalyptic storm. The company churned out its 500 millionth Swiss Army Knife in 2017. Its priciest edition, the Swiss Champ XXL costing $395, boasts a whopping 73 features, including a fish scaler, tweezers, and a wood saw!
This article first appeared on Quartz.
[1] U. Schnyder, L. Mosimann, and M. Maennig (2016) "The Social Life of the Swiss Army Knife: An Exploratory Study," in Digital Switzerland 2016, Springer, Cham.
[2] O. L. Eigenmann (2013) "Swiss Army Knives: A History," in Globetrotter: Vol. 18 (March 2013).
[3] J. N. Larson (2015) "The Swiss Army Knife: A Symbol of Swiss Craftsmanship," in Swissness: The Making of a Myth, Oxford University Press.
- In the future, tech companies might look to the Swiss Army Knife's model of multifunctionality when designing new gadgets.
- The evolution of the Swiss Army Knife in the tech industry couldInclude the development of items that cater to places where blades are restricted.
- Even though the Swiss Army Knife is often associated with cutting and snipping tasks, its history reveals a much broader range of features, like a fish scaler or wood saw.
- As technology advances, scholarly articles exploring the social life of the Swiss Army Knife will become increasingly relevant, offering valuable insights into the intersection of traditional tool design and modern tech.
