Hey, everyone.
David C. Andersen here coming at you from the KnifeCenter, and today we're gonna run
down the top ten Victorinox Swiss Army Knives.
You can get them all at Knifecenter.com.
Let's check 'em out.
So, I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, there was nothing cooler than a Swiss
Army Knife.
There's always been something just so appealing about having all these gadgets in a pocket
knife form that even now when I'm older, it never goes out of style.
When people think of Swiss Army Knives, the image of the iconic red-handled pocket knife
is probably what comes to mind, and we're gonna get to versions that show that, but
they do a lot more in the handle department as you'll soon see.
Now, since Victorinox has been around since the late 1800s, there's innumerable models
to choose from at this point, but we've narrowed it down to the top ten that we think represents
the of what this hallowed brand has to offer.
So first up, is this Swiss Army Pioneer, which is the modern descendant of the knife that
started it all: the original Swiss Army Knife, the model 1890.
Now, the original knife had wood handles, but the tool set on the Pioneer is remarkably
similar.
This can do everything the 1890 did, but thanks to the modern iterations of the tools it carries,
it can do even more.
It trades out the wood handles for Victorinox's signature Alox aluminum handles.
They look great and they sport a raised grid-like pattern for texture, and they tend to be a
little bit sturdier than the plastic, or selador knives that you may be used to.
Now the Pioneer has two layers of tools, as you can tell from the backsprings on the slipjoint
mechanism here.
Of course, we get a stainless steel knife blade, and a nice awl.
We also get a bottle opener and a can opener, and each of these has a flathead screwdriver
tip.
The smaller screwdriver on the can opener can even work on some Phillips screws in a
pinch.
The bottle opener also sports a wire stripper here at the base, and it also has a strong
half-stop, so you can exert more leverage on a stuck screw when you have it in this
configuration.
Sharing the top spot, the closely-related Pioneer X takes these same tools and adds
a pair of scissors for even more versatility.
It also comes in silver Alox, but if you prefer a more colorful version, we've got these Knifecenter
exclusive red Alox Pioneer X's that you can only get from us.
Next up is the Farmer, and while it may look like the Pioneer we just saw, it has another
layer to add another tool.
Now, this knife, along with another model we'll mention later, is one of the two most
highly regarded Swiss Army Knives for use while camping or in the outdoors.
For one, thanks to the Alox construction, the farmer is nice and sturdy, and that extra
tool that it has is an excellent saw blade, and when it comes to pocket-sized multitool
saws, Victorinox ones are hard to beat.
The included awl is also a great tool for outdoors.
It's great for drilling small holes or scraping, and it makes a great striker for a fire steel
or ferrocerium rod when you want to get your fire going.
Next up, probably more commonly seen than any other model, is the keychain-sized Classic
SD.
This little guy has an impressive tool set for such a small unit; with a pen blade, scissors,
and a nail file with a screwdriver tip.
This knife also sports a famous Swiss Army Knife feature: the included toothpick and
tweezers that are stored inside the handle scales.
Speaking of handle scales, there are perhaps more variants of the Classic than any other
knife, from the classic red selador, silver Alox, translucent covers, custom graphic variants,
and more.
But here we have Victorinox's StayGlow material, which is bright yellow in the sunlight, but
emits a nice glow when the sun goes down.
It's really handy if drop your keys in the dark.
The Classic SD is a knife that's so handy and so attainable that anyone can afford to
put it on their keyring.
It's useful for all kinds of day-to-day tasks, and even personal grooming in a pinch.
Now, the king of the keychain-sized Swiss Army Knives, the Midnight Mini Champ.
This has a ton of tools on it that let it compete with some of their larger offerings,
and it even includes a few implements that can only be found on these smaller knives.
The best of which is this tool with a bottle opener, wire stripper, and and even a magnetized
Phillips-head screwdriver.
The killer feature though are these translucent selador scales that house both an LED light
and a retractable ball-point pen.
With all of these great tools you're gonna have a hard time finding anything else with
this much utility in such a small space.
Next up is the Tinker, which is a great tool for getting things done day to day, and it's
a pattern that's been so successful for Victorinox that it spawned several other models, like
the Super Tinker and Deluxe Tinker with even more implements.
The Tinker has both a main blade and a smaller pen blade, which is great for delicate work.
Some people like to use the larger blade for most day-to-day tasks, but keep that smaller
blade in reserve with a super-sharp edge for those times when you really need it.
It's got the bottle and can opener tools as well, and this is the first full-sized Swiss
Army Knife we're looking at that has some tools on the back side as well.
On the back is an awl as well as a nice Phillips screwdriver, and in this T configuration it
makes it very easy to exert a lot of leverage on a screw despite the short length of the
tool.
This version here is shown with translucent blue covers, but this is just one of the many
colors you can get, including that classic red.
Next up is the Spartan, which is quite similar and tied to the Tinker on our list, but it
traded the screwdriver for another classic Swiss Army Knife feature: a corkscrew.
Not only is this great to have on a picnic to open your favorite beverage, but even if
you don't drink wine, this can be a useful implement for things like untying a stuck
knot, or other things when your fingernails just won't cut it.
This version we're showing has glossy black scales and a coordinated black finish on all
the tools.
It's called "polispectral," or Inox spectral, but it looks great and it reminds me a bit
of gun bluing, but with a more refined feel overall.
Now, finally, here's a classic red-handled Swiss Army Knife, and this model is called
the Compact.
It's only two layers thick, but it still manages to pack a ton of features into the knife.
Part of this is thanks to the combo tool that combines the bottle opener and can opener
functions into a single implement.
While it still maintains the wire stripper capability and the screwdriver functionality.
This is also one of the few modern Swiss Army Knives to feature what Victorinox calls "Plus
Scales."
In addition to the toothpick and tweezers, they also house a removable ball point pen
and a small sewing-style pin that's hidden here behind the corkscrew.
One way to use the pen a little more easily, because it is very small, is you can actually
clamp it in place underneath the corkscrew for a better hold.
One last implement is a small eyeglass screwdriver that's stored inside the corkscrew when not
in use.
So it used to be that there were two official Swiss Army Knife companies.
In addition to Victorinox, contracts were also awarded to Wenger to make pocketknives
for the Swiss military, and in their later years they were known for a little more adventurous
than Victorinox with their models.
But in 2005, Victorinox actually acquired Wenger, and they continued to produce those
models under the original brand name until 2013, when they brought all the knife models
under the Victorinox umbrella.
They discontinued some models in the process, but they kept the best and continue to produce
them, and the EvoGrip series allows Wenger to live on for a new era.
Now, first came the Evolution Series, which brought curves and swells to the Swiss Army
Knife in an attempt the break up the normally smooth and streamlined look.
Now the EvoGrip by adding grippy inserts for even more traction, and the EvoGrip S18 is
the model I personally carry every day.
There are red-handled versions of these knives, but the S18 comes in yellow, and this model
has a few tool holdouts from the Wenger era where they differ just a bit from the other
Victorinox models.
The most obvious is a blade lock, which is a rarity on standard-sized Swiss Army Knives.
In use, I've never found it to get in the way, it actually sits between my index and
middle finger, and it's easy to disengage when you're done with the blade.
The scissors are also a more robust design, and they actually use the slipjoint leafspring
as the backspring for the scissors.
They also feature micro-serrated blades that are self-sharpening as you use them.
The bottle opener is also a little bit different.
You can see the shape is different, and also instead of a half-stop, it actually has a
self-locking mechanism that will prevent the tool from closing on you as long as you're
pressing down.
Now for the Cadet, which, if you're looking to the Swiss for a gentleman's knife, this
is a prime candidate.
It's available in several different colors of Alox, and shown here is the 2019 limited
edition gold Alox that spices it up even further.
The thing that makes the cadet so great for formal occasions is that it not only has a
refined look, but it's also very thin, with only two layers of tools and thin Alox scales,
and it can fit very easily in a pocket without spoiling the lines of your attire.
But the limited tool set that includes the blade, bottle opener and can opener with screwdriver
tips, and a combination nail file and fingernail cleaner is just enough to see you through.
And last, but not least, we started with the modern successor to the original-issued Swiss
Army Knife, and we're gonna end with a civilian version of the knife issued to the Swiss Army
today, and that's the One-Hand opening Trekker.
The main feature is that one-hand opening blade; another rarity among Swiss Army Knives.
You can get it with a partially serrated edge out here near the tip, but we much prefer
the plain edge version.
The blade is secured open by a liner lock, and that same liner actually locks the large
bottle opener in place as well.
The one-handed trekker is a knife that's preferred for heavier jobs, and, like the Farmer earlier,
it's a favorite of outdoorsmen as well, and that's thanks to the comfortable handle and
the inclusion of an even-longer saw.
Apart from their inherent usability, Victorinox Swiss Army Knives represent a great opportunity
for collectors, and they're more than happy to put out fancy and upgraded versions that
make fantastic additions to a collection.
Common themes are yearly Chinese Zodiac models, which include this Year of the Dog Huntsman.
They also run yearly artwork contests, with winning entries showing up on select knife
models.
They also aren't afraid to experiment with natural handle materials and premium Damasteel
blades.
As we mentioned at the top, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Victorinox
Swiss Army Knives.
They have got, seriously, a ton of models, and if one of these isn't quite what you're
looking for, chances are they've got a model that's gonna have the tools that you need,
and as you can see they're far more diverse than just the red-handled pocket knives you
remember, but you can't go wrong with anything you've seen here.
To get your hands on any of them, click the link in the description below to head over