Victorinox vs. Wenger

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Texas Star

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Some years ago, Victorinox bought Wenger and there is now just one legitimate brand of Swiss Army knife.

But some of you have Wenger knives from when they were still made.

Did you have to sharpen a Wenger knife before use? I found that true several times although I've never seen a dull Vic.

I think Wengers would have sold better if they'd all come sharp from the box.
 
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My grandmother brought this back from Switzerland in the early '50's and gave it to my dad. He gave it to me when I became a Boy Scout in 1960. I've never really been impressed with the blade's steel. As a result, this is the only Swiss Army knife that I've ever owned.

I know many people swear by them, but judging from the blade on this one, I've always felt they were the proverbial "jack of all trades, yet master of none." Maybe I'll have to go buy a Victorinox just to see if the steel is any better.:)
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Victorinox come sharp from the box, and the edge will last a while if used with some discretion, but I have considerable difficulty re-sharpening them - and everyone I know seems to have that problem. I can put a fair edge on one, but not like they are when new. Wengers never seemed to be as well made, but I had a friend who swore they were better and he preferred them. (I think the can opener was the selling point for him with Wengers.) I have a Wenger or two lying around, but I never use them.
 
I have a Wenger stashed around here someplace, my first SAK. I wish I could find it. The scissors are much better than the ones on Victorinox SAKs. I couldn’t comment on the relative merits of the steel, as I paid no attention to that in those days. I don’r recall ever sharpening it, and I probably never used it hard enough to dull it.
 
The stainless I grew up with is softer. You have to sharpen with a steeper angle. High carbon steel that I grew up with can take a finer angle.

New metals and tempering have changed things. You'll find out what's best when you go to sharpen each metal combo.
 
I had a Wenger wrist watch once. It was a heap of junk. I continually had to take it back to the jewellers for repairs until the warranty expired. After that, it ended up in the trash and I bought a Casio G Shock.
 
I recently purchased a large Wenger that was kept in a collection and never used or sharpened. It is as sharp as I expect new Victorinox SAKs to be. I've had my only other Wenger since the 1970s and do not remember how sharp it was when new. That's not something that I care about because all knives need to be touched up sooner or later so what's one more time across the stones? I bought my as new Wenger because $25 at at a gun show got a 5" knife with a cross cut wood saw. Also I like its master blade's clip point which is a shape that Victorinox has not offered.

I wrote this for Mule Packer as much as Texas Star. Poor edge retention is a drawback to all the SAKs I've used, both Victorinox and Wenger. I do not remember one brand holding an edge longer that the other but it's been a long time since I used a Wenger. A member who regularly carries both could give a better comparison. Mule Paker is used to blades with better edge retention than any Victorinox has.

I've been carrying a Camillus made Remington camp/scout/utility knife. It's a compromise, less tools than a SAK but better edge retention. Lots of them are sold through eBay. I like the largest one, a R4243. If I ever get around to it I'll add a medium size R4. I would not buy a Remington made after Camillus closed in 2007. Most of the newer Remingtons came from China.

Two to three times as much money will get you a Leatherman Wave. They have more tools than a SAK and the better versions have ATS-34 or S30V blades. The trouble is they are not satisfying for a knife traditionalist to handle. They are a breed of gadget that I've never seen Texas Star comment on.
 
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I have been carrying a Wenger for 36 years.I was drawn to
the lock blade feature.Never had a problem keeping it sharp.The can opener is great I use it at home instead of kitchen opener. By the way I still use my first wenger but I bought a new one a
Few years back for a spare but I haven’t had to use it yet.
 
I have taken a fair number of trips to Europe and always spent a few days in Switzerland. I have gotten the same story from every knife shop that I have been in about the Wenger and Victorinox difference----specifically---the materials in either are the exact same quality. Feature for feature the Wenger is a bit more compact than the Victorinox. The main differences are in the scissors and the can opener. Both work although I like the Vic's scissors better. On some fairly rare instances you could find some dull knives which were meant for salesmen's samples, so a customer cannot cut themselves with them. How they got out to public was a mystery. Today many of the Vics and made in Delemont, which is the factory that made the Wengers. You really cannot go wrong with either. Both have a lifetime of the knife guarantee.
 
I'm not always a knife guy, but when I am I like my Victorinox Officier Suisse.
So far, it has not failed to open a bottle of beer or wine that it's encountered.
:rolleyes:

Jim
 

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StrawHat said:
I probably sharpening 15-20 SAK a month. Over the past decade, I can count on one hand, the number of Wengers that have surfaced. The Victorinox does sharpen well and quickly for me.

Kevin
Click to expand...

What technique do you use? Sharpening tool?
Geoff
Who suspects the current Stainless Steel is not the same as the old, and his current carry is not as nice or as usable as the older models. (Just too lazy to go back.)
 
I always carry a SAK and one other knife. An old girl friend was in Switzerland and brought me back a Wenger that I still carry. I don't think it is of the same quality as a Victorinox but it's close enough and it has the tools I want and need. I have no trouble sharping it.

I have never had a SAK with steel that gets close to a Spyderco in any quality except corrosion resistance. SAKs shine there.
 
I prefer Victorinox because I like the design of their tools over Wenger.
The Victorinox brand is known in Argentina at least since 1960, however, Wenger appeared in my country between 1985 and 1990, for that reason the Victorinox are more popular.
 
Skeptic 9c said:
What technique do you use? Sharpening tool?
Geoff
Who suspects the current Stainless Steel is not the same as the old, and his current carry is not as nice or as usable as the older models. (Just too lazy to go back.)
Click to expand...

Geoff,

I use foot powered, slow turning wheels for 99% of my sharpening, including pocket knives. As a full time sharpener, I see a variety of knives but mostly chefs knives or kitchen knives. Pocket knives are definitely in the minority. I have an acquaintance who sharpens at the area Gun shows and the majority of what he sharpens are pocket knives. He is also a Victorinox dealer.

Kevin
 
My fishing buddy who is left handed carried a Vic in Vietnam, because being left handed, he found it difficult to use a P38 can opener. I've got two SWKs, one that I like the most is the one with the aluminum handle and only two or three tools...like a can opener/bottle opener and a screwdriver.
 
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