Victorinox Swiss Army Soldier Knife Standard Issue

Victorinox Swiss Army Soldier Knife Standard Issue
List Price: $68.00
Price: $48.97
Updated on 4-13-2012.

Product Description
I finally decided to buy a Victorinox Swiss Army Watches Knife because I knew I would get a lot of use out of it at work as well as home. I've never owned a Swiss Army Watches Knife, just cheap imitations (which this ain't). While browsing their online catalog and searching for the right compromise between features and size, I saw that the new standard-issue soldier knife had just gone on sale for 2009. I was attracted to the olive drab color scheme, much more businesslike than the Swiss red. Since it's brand new and I'm a geek, I had to have it. Factory site says it's 4 and 3/8" long closed, which is on the big end of the pocketknife scale IMO. Some may even carry this in a belt pouch, but I find it very pocketable. The grips are lightweight, hard plastic with softer black inserts. The matte texture is very easy to hold and won't show fingerprints or smears. Comfortable in the hand. The size of the knife, along with the tool loadout, make it more suited for outdoorsmen, soldiers (go figure), and assorted "rural adventurers". The knife blade opens easily with one hand, lefty or righty, and locks with a satisfying clink!. The lower 1" of the blade is plain (and sharp!) and the rest out to the tip is serrated. Fun fact: I believe they bill this blade as a "seatbelt cutter" as well. I carry the Swiss knife alongside a plain folding knife, so I don't really miss having a plain blade, but this may be a concern for some. The bottle opener is the only other tool with a liner lock; it doubles as a big flat screwdriver and it has a little wire-stripper notch onboard (works well on small wires, fyi). The can opener has a small flat screwdriver at the end. The saw is accessed by pulling up on the blunt tip on the blade (it sticks out of the knife just enough to get ahold of but not enough to snag anything). Its ability to fell small trees is limited only by your patience. The keychain attachment point could be used for a lanyard or something too, because it's kind of a big knife for a keyring. The Philips screwdriver is fine but boring, so I won't talk anymore about it. The "reamer" is a fearsome looking sharp little dude, useful for punching reamer-shaped holes in about anything (use your imagination), but be careful because it doesn't lock open. This knife is all about craftsmanship and good steel, no cheese to be found. It's got the quality you'd expect from Victorinox, especially since they're building these for the military. It comes together like a Swiss watch, or maybe a bank vault. I look forward to slaying a lot of beer bottles and odd jobs with it, and if it turns out to be a lifesaver someday then that's cool too.

Amazon.com

From the renowned company that created the Swiss Army Watches Knife a century ago comes the Soldier Knife, a compact multi-tool for camping, hiking, hunting, or around-the-house use. Field tested and approved by the North American Hunting Club, this version of the Soldier Knife is stylishly cased in an olive-green housing with the familiar Victorinox logo on the side. More importantly, the unit contains a variety of classic Swiss Army Watches tools, including a one-handed serrated locking blade, a Phillips screwdriver, a can opener, a small screwdriver, a bottle opener, a large locking screwdriver, a wire stripper, a reamer, a key ring, and a wood saw. As with all Victorinox items, the Soldier Knife is made to exacting standards, with dozens of steps going into its construction. Victorinox attends to every detail, from selecting the finest materials to performing the final inspection. In addition, each individual tool has been hardened in a different way to stand up to its designated use. The Soldier Knife--which measures 4-3/8 inches long--carries a lifetime warranty.

About Swiss Army Watches Knives
? In 1884, Swiss cutler Karl Elsener set up shop in Ibach-Schwyz, installing a waterwheel in Tobelbach Brook to run his grinding and polishing machines. Thus began what would become the international brand name Victorinox, a combination of Victoria, for Elsener's mother, and "inox," or stainless steel. Today, Victorinox produces watches, luggage, clothing, and, famously, Swiss Army Watches Knives. The original product dates to 1897, when Elsener patented the Swiss Officer's and Sports Knife he supplied to the Swiss Army. Following World War II, American servicemen and women shopping in PX stores shortened the name to Swiss Army Watches Knife, which lives on in English-speaking countries around the world and has become a metaphor for versatility.