If you’re thinking about buying a new Victorinox Swiss Army Knife or one of their tools, do yourself a favor, unwind for a few minutes and take some time to read this. Rather than lambasting and bombarding you with reason after reason for why you need one, we’ll give you a condensed version of their history and go over some models you should investigate while you’re shopping so you can pick out what works for you. Suffice it to say, not every knife and tool is a good match for every scenario, and certainly not for every person. If you carry a knife, you already knew that, but a little redundancy never hurt anyone.

It all started way back in 1884, far over the ocean in Switzerland. More or less, over there, as the doughboys of old would have said. The Swiss have been a people who throughout their history have been feared and respected by their neighbors, regardless of their ability to avoid a conflict. They are rugged, adaptable and inventive - perhaps that’s why it’s somewhat unsurprising that this is a ‘Swiss’ army knife we’re talking about, then.

Without getting too far off the mark, it started in Ibach-Schwyz when a Swissman by the name of Karl Elsener opened a knife shop in the city aforementioned. He was lent a fair amount of help by his mother whose name was Victoria. The pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together.

Over time, his knives gained some repute, and the man himself founded the Association of Swiss Master Cutlers. The plot continues to thicken here. Because of this distinction, he was able to become a supplier of knives to the Swiss Army.

As he continued to refine his craft, he incorporated new techniques and materials into his processes and products. One of these, with which you are no doubt familiar, is stainless steel. There is no given formula for stainless steel, just as there is no universally accepted formula for the “high carbon” steels that you see so prominently advertised. Rather, stainless steel is simply a steel that resists corrosion.

For the most part, stainless steel does this because it includes a measure of chromium, which, though it makes the alloy softer, also is not reactive in the way that iron is. And so, stainless steels do not rust as easily as many other versions of steels that were commonly used to make knives, like 1095, 1075 and so on.

Without getting too far involved, let’s just remember that this knife master and his associated shop are in Switzerland, where the dominant languages are French and German. The French word for stainless is “inoxydable.” That is actually not a cognate with our English word stainless, but it is related to our word for oxidation, which is the scientific term for the process that iron goes through when it rusts. Oxygen reacts with the iron to form iron oxide, which gives rust its red-brown rusty color. In German the associated word is ‘rostfrei,’ which may be more recognizable as the English “rust-free.”

Again, we digress, but to tie it all together, the French word inoxydable which references the stainless nature of steel may be recognizable as a portion of the word for the brand of today’s best Swiss Army Knives, Victorinox. Remember when we mentioned that Karl Elsener’s mother, Victoria, was an instrumental supporter of his early ventures? It should be clearer now - he named his brand in honor of his mother and incorporated an element from ‘inoxydable’ into the name. In short, he named the brand from a combination of “Victoria” and “Inoxydable,” giving us today’s Victorinox.

There you have a short history of the brand as well as some of its successes. Needless to say, today a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife is a hallmark of quality and innovation, and you don’t have to venture far at all to find one in a pocket, in a drawer or on a hip. If you’re looking for a new one, check out these models here, which offer a pretty fair introductory representation of their line.

Victorinox Classic SD Swiss Army Knife 

This may very well be the little tool that has given a face to the name of “Swiss Army Knife” for many, many people out there. It is immediately recognizable by its little lozenge shape and familiar (but not universal) red coloring, as you can find it in many colors here on our site, including but not limited to green, blue, pink and camouflage.

This tool is the one of which most people probably think when they hear the words “Swiss Army Knife” or “Victorinox.” It has a nearly universal application and can most certainly be found everywhere from domestic settings to the wilderness. There’s hardly a desk drawer out there that doesn’t have one buried within its depths or a backpack in the woods that doesn't have one in one of its pockets.

As small as it is,and even though it is bare by the standards of some other Swiss Army Knives, this tool is remarkably handy and can be a lifesaver. With its pen knife, scissors and nail file, it’s more than useful for opening packages and letters, though its tweezers can save your skin in the event of a splinter or something of that nature.

It’s not the first knife you should reach for in the backcountry, but it sure can come in handy as a little backup pocket tool from time to time. Plus, it fits easily out of the way, is comfortable to hold, and won’t break the bank, either. Besides, ‘two is one and one is none’ so a little backup never did anyone any harm.

Victorinox Adventurer - Polyamide Handle

Here is an example of a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife that makes a slight divergence from their classic design in the name of ergonomics. Without even looking at the tools that come as a part of its design you can immediately tell that it is a combo breaking Victorinox tool.

Instead of the familiar lozenge shaped handle of nearly all other Swiss Army Knives, this knife has a few swells in the handle that serve to fill the grip more fully and enhance its feel in the hand. Without entirely diverging from the classic design that typifies other Swiss Army Knives, this one has provided a substantial upgrade in feel and function.

Then there is the fact that it is significantly larger than the classic and thus is capable of providing for much more functionality. In addition, it has a lot more tools, so this is definitely a more serviceable option for an outdoorsman. That may have something to do with the name, come to think of it.

On top of the picks and tweezers of the former model, this one has a larger locking blade, and that’s critical to have in a pocket knife sometimes. You can’t rely on a slip joint to take on any kind of serious work, so if you plan on making a Swiss Army Knife your main blade, you’ll need it to lock. This knife also comes with a can opener and a bottle opener along with two screwdrivers, a reamer and more. It even has a keyring so you can attach it to a lanyard or your other gear. In other words, it’s practical and effective, and those are good things to recognize in a tool, whatever brand is on it.

Victorinox Camper

While this knife looks like the same exact thing as the Victorinox Classic, looks can be deceiving. Don’t let the classic red lozenge fool you. This tool is literally weighed to the floor with features that make it a true multi tool capable of saving your skin on more than one front.

Again, not to oversell it, because there are better, more capable fixed blades out there. But when you need a quality multitool with a blade to help you solve any of a load of problems, this thing will not disappoint.

Though it is slightly smaller than the Victorinox Adventurer and the blade does not lock, this tool is still significantly larger than the Classic and has more tools than either of them. As you can see from the picture above it has two blades, a larger and a smaller blade, which means you can save both for different tasks. It also has bottle and can openers and two screwdrivers, along with a reamer like the former model. What this tool also comes with is a corkscrew, a saw and more, all important features to look for in a tool that should make your life easier instead of harder.

This multi tool would make a great addition to any camper’s pack or as a backup for anyone who works or plays in the outdoors. Plus, in true Victorinox fashion, this tool will comfortably sit flat inside of a pocket and you’ll probably never even feel that it’s there.

Swiss Army Tool Spirit XC Plus Ratchet Multitool

With this true multitool you can really see how a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife has evolved over the years. It is a clear divergence from the classic lozenge shape and even the familiar red coloring with which you may well have become familiar.

This tool is a true workhorse. While it isn’t as stout as some survival knives and it might not be as rough and tumble as some other pairs of needle nose pliers or ratcheting wrenches it is still a quality piece of steel that offers a mind blowing level of functionality.

This tool has 36 functions - 36. Let that sink in for a minute. Really, that’s enough introduction right there. What other manufacturer has been able to weigh down one single tool with so many features without throwing away its elegant design? You might very well take a look at this tool and think it was just a pair of folding pliers. It looks capable, but it doesn’t look like it boasts of nearly 40 tools, either.

This tool comes with a blade, which is important because there are times when a knife is indispensable, but it also comes with a load of other features as well. Nestled among its ergonomic outline are not one but two saws, one for wood and another for metal, along with a metal file. It also comes with a scissors, a chisel, a wire stripper and a wire scraper, a corkscrew, a reamer hook and of course, pliers and wire cutters.

It also comes with multiple different types of screwdrivers and driver bits and has ratcheting functionality as well. All of this - and more - comes in the package of this convenient tool that you can fold up and store conveniently in a tool box or in your pocket, if you so choose. While it definitely doesn’t have the same classic look as so many other Swiss Army Knives, there’s just no way we couldn't feature it here. It’s a serious tool that can make your life much easier and accomplish a lot of tasks.

While you can find any of these great examples of a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife on our website, there are just too many more to showcase so succinctly in one article. Look at our page of Victorinox tools to find the one that works for you.

Shop with confidence here at White Mountain Knives, the confidence that you will have access to one of the largest collections of Swiss Army Knife tools and other pocket knives on the market and that the prices will be set to please as well. If for any reason you are looking for a particular model that you don’t see listed on our website, please reach out to us at whitemountainknives@gmail.com. We maintain excellent relationships with our vendors and can often source products even when you don’t see them listed. So relax, take a look through our catalog of offerings, and if you have any questions or need some suggestions, please reach out to us.