A little Wenger.

[OpKey]

I figured I would post a few pictures of this little knife I found in my vast collection the other day while sorting through. Ever since I stumbled across it, it found it's way on my keychain for EDC. At first glance, I thought it was a SAK, but upon further inspection I realized it was a Wenger. A name I've never heard of , but it does say Wenger, Delemont, Switzerland, Stainless on the blade. I actually love it so far. I just wanted to post it on here in hopes you guys could give me some history, input, or information on the company and knife itself. Thanks ahead of time, guys.

 

[dfwcowboy]

It is a Genuine SAK made by one of the 2 main SAK companies from Switzerland. The model name is Pocket Tool Chest and is one of my favorites too. The same knife can be had in regular cellidor scales in different colors which will include the inserts that yours is missing, Toothpick and Tweezers.

Wenger is on the western border of Switzerland and France. The Swiss government split the Swiss Army Knife contract between the 2 companies. It has been in operation nearly as long as Victorinox and since 2005 is now owned by Victorinox.

 

[OpKey]

Thanks, man. This is the exact information I was looking for. I wanted to know the model name and whatnot. I had read that Wenger was the "genuine SAK", and I was just trying to figure out if that was true or not. I understand now, and thanks for your help. I noticed you mentioned something about the cellidor scale models. Do you think I'd be better off with those or does my "brushed stainless" have any advantage?

 

[Harayasu]

The advantage of stainless scales and alox scales is that they're stronger and won't break easily. I've never broken a cellidor scale myself, but there are several people whose cellidor scales popped off or broke when their SAK fell.

On the other hand, an advantage of the cellidor scales is that it can contain a toothpick, pen and tweezers. Some Victorinox models also have a small LED light or clock and other kind of electronics built into the cellidor scales.

 

[asemery]

The blade on my SAK is also stamped Wenger, Delemont, Switzerland Stainless but it looks completely different. Not shown are toothpick and tweezer.

 

[jackknife]

At first glance, I thought it was a SAK, but upon further inspection I realized it was a Wenger. A name I've never heard of , but it does say Wenger, Delemont, Switzerland, Stainless on the blade.

The Wenger is indeed a real SAK. For many years, the Swiss army would buy half their supply of knives from Victoriox, and half from Wenger. While Victorinox goes back to 1890, Wenger is about 15 to 20 years later than that. So they both have a long history of being a real Swiss army knife. Buit for some reason, Wenger just never became the giant that Victorionx did, and they fell on hard times by 2000. Rather than see them bought out by a non Swiss company, Victorinox bought them out, and the Wenger SAK's were incorporated into the Victorinox company under the Delemont line.

I always thought that they were a very good knife, and my favorite SAK aside from the Victorinox classic is the Wenger SI.

 

[Piso Mojado]

Victorinox was founded in 1884 and received its first Swiss Army contract in 1890. Wenger was founded in 1893 as Paul Boechat & Co., receiving its first Swiss Army contract that year; it was acquired by new owners in 1897 and renamed Wenger & Co. after its new general manager, Theodore Wenger. In 1908, the Swiss Army decided that half of all future knife orders would go to Victorinox and half to Wenger. This was Swiss canton politics: the Victorinox and Wenger factories were in German and French speaking districts, respectively.

Both companies were hammered by the world-wide recession and the air travel nightmare following the September 11 attack. Victorinox had long been interested in buying its smaller rival, and the Swiss government approved the deal in 2005. Wenger's knife line was discontinued in 2013, and we held a wake for it here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1033860-Wenger-will-be-no-more?highlight=wenger

Some Wenger knives have been rebranded and are now available in Victorinox's Delémont Collection. Wenger's Delémont factory is still making knives, and Victorinox says no jobs were lost in Switzerland.

 

[leghog]

.....

 

[The Zieg]

Am I wrong or didn't Wenger have the first locking blade SAK?

Zieg

 

[jackknife]

No, you're not wrong.

Wenger had numerous innovations that Victorinox did not. Scisor spring operating off the back spring so no little wire spring to replace now and then. Locking blade. A locking screw driver that wouldn't buckle if you leaned on it a bit.

When you're number 2, you have to try a little harder.

 

[SAK Guy]

Some recent Wengers:
Blue Traveler, Basic 09 and Backpacker II

Journeyman

Cigar knife