Victorinox Alox Soldier with keyring

[Ademar]

As a newcomer first of all would like to express my greetings and deepest respect to the forum and all of its members.

The issue I open the theme about concerns one knife which was bought around 4 years ago. I have dug inside out all the available information throughout the web including this forum about the knife but did not manage to get an exact title of the model.

The matter is about Victorinox Alox "Soldier" but with keyring. Everything including blade/handle size, coommon Swiss shield of more light orange rather than red color, absence of engraving desk, and presence of a date stamp (98) on one side of the main blade and an inscription "Victorinox Switzerland...etc" on the other side tells that it is a 1961 model Soldier knife. But the knife has additional tool - keyring.

I have readen many opinions but did not manage to determine for myself - is it a genuine Swiss Army Soldier knife or not? Has it ever been used by Swiss soldiers/officers as an official equipment or not? Has Swiss Army ever made a contract with Victornox on ordering this type of Soldier knife or not?

Thanks in advance.

[swissbianco]

hello,

any pics would help alot.

+B

[jacktrades_nbk]

the much older ones had a keyring as far as i know.

[janb]

From SakWiki;
With Keyring; while almost all soldier's knives do not include the keyring attachment spacer and keyring, there was an official version that included the keyring. The keyring version is reported by Victorinox to have been manufactured from 1992/93 to 2002 for general sale, but they were never delivered to the Swiss Army. Actual examples have been have been reported with year stamps 94, 95, 97, 98 and 99. These knives are labeled as Soldier's rather than Pioneers with dated blades (common), because they have the Swiss shield on the scales.

I have one with yearstamp 95.

[Ademar]

hello,

any pics would help alot.

+B

my knife has exactly the same look as that which is already submitted by Janb.

From SakWiki;
With Keyring; while almost all soldier's knives do not include the keyring attachment spacer and keyring, there was an official version that included the keyring. The keyring version is reported by Victorinox to have been manufactured from 1992/93 to 2002 for general sale, but they were never delivered to the Swiss Army. Actual examples have been have been reported with year stamps 94, 95, 97, 98 and 99. These knives are labeled as Soldier's rather than Pioneers with dated blades (common), because they have the Swiss shield on the scales.

I have one with yearstamp 95.

I am aware of the article. But the statement "These knives are labeled as Soldier's rather than Pioneers..." makes me think that it is an own opinion of the author rather than an official title given by Vic. Isn't it?

[janb]

I am aware of the article. But the statement "These knives are labeled as Soldier's rather than Pioneers..." makes me think that it is an own opinion of the author rather than an official title given by Vic. Isn't it?

This has nothing to do with the authors or buyers opinions.
It's the manufacturer who give the soldier his name, regardles the scale variants or logos.

[swissbianco]

over the years where many versions of the alox soldier be made. the mentioned basic soldier with splitring is what we call a civillian version, one that was never officially in the military. however, to make it more complex, sutch a sak could have been carried and used by a soldier as the working sak, to keep his military issued sak nice and clean, witch was common back then in the swiss military, i did have two sak too but as usually, the user i had was way more used than my military issued soldier sak. enjoy that more rare and unusual sak! its a collectable.

hope that help, back to bed, im still sick.

[nsa-x-file]

I also have a few Victorinox alox soldiers with keyrings.
Still lots more to find.

[Ademar]

So this picture partly rejects the statement of SakWiki. As we can see the knife was produced with a blade of 96 stamp too.

[nsa-x-file]

Very true, the only others i've seen are 00 and 01 as well.
Although you never know what else is out there.

[Ademar]

The issue does't have a direct connection to the them but partly has to with that all the same. Today received a set of Victorinox Swiss Army Soldier Alox (without keyring) with AAA LED. As everybody knows the 1961 model has not been in production sice 2008 and as the result the price of the item rises step by step. It was a great surprise for me that the knife turned out a genuine Swiss Army Soldier Knife Alox with a date stamp 05 on the main blade. And the price of the set is ridiculous - only some 46$ including shipping.

[swissbianco]

that is not correct that way. the 1961 alox soldier sak was made for swissbianco in limited editions after the swiss army did choose the 111mm sak for theyr service.