Today at at bottle show I picked up two Swiss Army knives. One, a Wenger made knife has an odd emblem. Rather than the usual shield with a cross in it on the handle it has a medal shield with a cross bow and the word Suisse. The main blade is marked WENGER/Switzerland on one side and WENGERNOX with the crossbow on the other. It looks and feels like the real thing but I guess it could be a copy.

Anyone seen these before?

No! Are you sure it doesn't read "Wenger Inox"? That abbreviates "Inoxidable", or Stainless/Rustless. Some Swiss knives have both Stainless and Inox on them.

In Victorinox, the name is derived from Carl Elsener's mother, Victoria, and "Inox."

Can you post pics? That would be very revealing if it's a foreign fake. The metal (not "medal") emblem may be authentic. The crossbow represents that of Wilhelm Tell, a Swiss hero. Fakes usually don't have "Suisse" on them, unless they're outright counterfeits. I've never seen one, but they probably exist.

BTW, do you find Wenger blades much harder to sharpen than those on Victorinox knives? I do. I have some of each, and like both. But I favor the Vics.

T-Star

I was a fan for years with heavy daily use of Wengers and Victorinox.

I forget the details now, but as I recall they were 2 different companies with different ideas of what steel recipes and what blades belonged in the "Swiss Army Knife".

I never could get my Wengers as sharp as the Victorinox versions. And I liken the choices of blades better on the Victorinox.

Someone might do a google or Wiki search for us.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

Victorinox now also owns Wenger. There were some made that was a combination of Wenger and Victorinox parts, perhaps that is what you have. The crossbow mark has been used on both brands.

Here is also a possibility
Vintage Wengerinox Allsport knife box only Wenger - eBay (item 230446584714 end time Mar-10-10 16:34:14 PST)

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Sceva
OGCA SWCA NRA

I have several Swiss Army knives, all Victorinox. I have nothing against Wenger but Victorinox always seemed to put more thought into the design.

The can opener in particular. The can opener on the Victorinox is unique, and is much quicker and easier to use than the generic opener of the Wenger knives.

Your right, it does say Wengerinox. I picked up this and a Victorinox Officer Suisse.

forgot to add the picture

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Looks like an old Wenger from the 1950's. I've seen a few. A classmate in high school in the 1960's had one at a summer camp. The can opener had been changed by about the mid-'60's. But it is a more hooked style, NOT the patented 1951 design of the Vic. line.

You still need to check better for spelling, though. On the Vic., it says, "Officier Suisse", not "Officer". The reason is that the two words are in French, a language spoken widely in Switzerland. If memory serves, the latest ones imported here don't have those words on the tang of the main blade.

T-Star
P.S. One of your blades is a fish scaler, in case you were wondering. I apologize if I'm stating the obvious, but I've heard people ask.

Thanks, again you are correct on my spelling mistake. Yes, I noticed the fish scaler mainly because it's not a common feature on SAK sold around here. That one will probably end up in my tackle box.

I really after the other one because of the cork screw. For some reason the cork screw at church keeps disappearing and I told myself next time I found a SAK with corkscrew at a good price I'd buy it for my Sunday Morning knife. The SAK I normally carry is the all stainless version similar to the US marked knife I was issued in the Army many years a ago.

I got the pair for $12 so I was happy. Though my favorite SAK purchase is when I was looking for a left handed version for my daughter for Christmas a few years ago. I found one distributor who when I called replied "Yes, I have 5 left @ $16 each. They just don't sell and this model is being discontinued." "If you'll include shipping at that price I'll take all 5 and you can get them off the books." was my response. ;D He agreed and I gave him my CC info over the phone.

Here's a link to everything on Swiss Army knives - the site of The Secret Society of the Swiss Army Knife:

SOSAK On Line - Home

Nice folks hang out there just like here.

The crossbow on the blade is correct and exclusive to Wenger(technically both manufacturers now) awarded by the Swiss government as a symbol of quality and national pride. The French markings are also correct as Wenger is based in Delemont which is in the French speaking Jura region. Victorinox is in the German speaking canton of Schwyz.

I don't collect the SAK(not many do as there are so damn many of them out there) but the features say probably early 1960's to me. This opinion is worth what you paid for it.

Bob

Can the OP show us his Victorinox purchase? I'm curious to see which model it is.

T-Star

I posted this before-years back. I was in Wally world and they were cliosing out a bunch of "Tinker"'s and "Huntsman"s- I asked the sales cloerk how much and he said $9 a piece. I said "How many do you have-he had 5 Huntsmans and 4 Tinkers- I said, I'll take them all (The guy behind me who was looking got grumpy-Oh well).
I have a love affair with these little buggers-I feel they are one of the all time best products ever made. I am never without one since as soon as I misplace one, I find one that I had earlier misplaced. I'm sure the kids have snuck a few along the way but hell, that's why I buy them. Easy to sharpen and you can put an edge on them you can shave with. I bet if I had all the ones I own togeter in one place, it would be around 20, counting those little pocket ones that keep turning up all over the place. In all honesty, with a pair of shears it's all I need for duck hunting (whew-ever notice that the "u" key is right next to the "i" key ).
ANyway, back to the thread-Swiss Army Knives are the BOMB!!!!!!!!!

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Started carrying one when I was in the Army in Alaska, about 1966. it was the 'Personal' model if I have it right. In 1969 I was in RVN, and lost it out of the patch picket of my BDUs while sitting in a Huey (your tail is about 3 inches above the floor on one of those seats). My wife sent me another which I kept until about 2003; the plastic handle had worn enough the metal of the shield was standing out and was very sharp. I got one with transparent scales, which I still have.

My only criticism is the quality of the steel in the blades; it's very soft. The edge wears soon. The smaller blade of the one I carry now has a bend in it from trying to force back the bolt of a motel room door lock. A Buck would have stood the gaff. I'd prefer better steel but put up with it because I use the tools more, and they're more useful than a good blade.

Years ago the two companies put the debate to rest. One company called there knives ( The original swiss army knife) And the other company called there knives ( The genuine swiss army knife) But since then, times have changed, and things have gotten a little rough out there. So I`m happy to say, that Victorinox Knife Company now owns the Wenger Knife Company, they did that to keep the company in swiss hands. I thank them for that.

OK T-Star, here is a picture of the other knife I purchased Saturday. While it is unsharpened and even has congealed oil on the small blade, I don't think there is anything unusual about it.

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Thanks. You have a nail file in lieu of the regular small blade. I'd have to look up that model. Looks to be in nice condition.

One fellow mentioned that a plastic handle scale had worn to the point that the silver metal Helvetian Cross was standing up and was sharp.

Swiss Army Brands wll fit new handle scales. I think they may not even charge to do that.

That small blade is the nail file it ain't supposed to have an edge.
I'd sterilize the toothpick before using it if I were you.

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I thought the small blade WAS a tooth pick ;D. I meant that the main blade has never been sharpened since it left the factory.

The knife is a Spartan. Today they're more often seen with the small blade in place of the file.They've been making variations of that model for Lord knows how long. A little big for the uppity crowd but very popular with the blue collar folks.

The "toothpick" is a reamer with a sewing eye. I have no clue what it's good for other than as a toothpick.

Bob

Thanks for letting me know the model. This has both the white plastic tooth pick and the tweezers in the handle. Like I said though I bought it for the cork screw.

Yep, I keep a lockblade Victorinox in the kitchen just for cans. Easier that an electric opener. It's easy to clean and a killer opener for the mangled cans found in the bargain bins at the grocery store.

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9tenz

It's for punching holes in leather. I've used one to make some belts fit better. The real toothpick is a little white plastic one, in a handle recess. Many have these and a tiny tweezer in the other handle scale.

I think this knife may be a Standard, not too often seen here. I think the Spartan has always had a small blade, although it wasn't always a pen shape. I had an older one with more of a clip/slant on the top.

There have been many variations of the Spartan over the years and the file is one. I have never heard of a Standard model. However, with all the models and variations that have been available over the years it would not suprise me if there was one.

Bob

There has definitely been a Standard. I'm just not sure if this is one. There have also been 84mm (closed) and 91mm (closed) versions of the Spartan. I forget what the 84mm one is called, though. 84mm is the usual length for the Wenger knives.

Swiss Army Brands is listing fewer versions than they once imported. I think the 9-11-01 tragedy and the resulting ill-informed widespread bans on knives in many places has seriously affected their sales. And I think they need to be more aggressive about selling knives. I have a sense that they're on the defensive. That may in part be a result of being located in CT. I'm sure that liberal wimps are trying to make them feel bad about selling knives.

When I last wrote one of my several articles on SAK's the PR girl on the phone was very apprehensive about talking to a writer about knives. The Export Director in Switzerland was more open and helpful. Victorinox has been great to work with over the years. Under former ownership, it was harder to access people at Wenger.

T-Star