Did Victorinox Ever Have A Bail

O

OTC

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Feb 22, 2015
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I have seen a few Wenger SAK with a bail. They were a Alox style knife. Did Victorinox have any models with a bail?
 
Yes. My very first SAK, bought in about 1968 or 69 was an old huntsman. It had a clip point on the second pen blade, and a bail even though it was a cellidor. I think the bail lasted until the early 1970's when they went to the wimpy keychain ring. I though tit was pretty neat that even the cellidor models had a bail in the old days. I know I'm dating myself but what the h---.
 
I'm looking around for a Wenger with a bail. Here's a Schrade I have now with a bail.
IMG_3105.jpg
 
wonder why they bailed out on the bail (pun intended) they seem like they would be more substantial in keeping a knife secure on a chain.
 
I'm told they stopped using bails because people were complaining that the knife blade would hit the bail if it flipped during use, etc.
Don't know if that's the real reason or not, but it is reasonable.
Rich
 
Rich S said:
I'm told they stopped using bails because people were complaining that the knife blade would hit the bail if it flipped during use, etc.
Don't know if that's the real reason or not, but it is reasonable.
Rich
Click to expand...


I used to carry a bailed Wenger SI and it would happen to me all the time. Pissed me off and all but one of my SI's have chips in the blade where the bail hits.
 
catfish579 said:
wonder why they bailed out on the bail (pun intended) they seem like they would be more substantial in keeping a knife secure on a chain.
Click to expand...

Funny, Victorinox still make a belt to pocket chain; a clip goes on your belt and the chain attaches to your bail.

And certainly, bails are great for jackknives (all blade at one end) but a danger to your blades you have to keep moving out of the way.

They need to make pocket clips for their traditional lines.
 
Those Dutch army knives (DAKs) are basically Victorinox Soldiers/Pioneers with scales modified for the Dutch army. The DAKs have a text engraved on the scales, in this case 'KL 85'. KL is short for Koninklijke Landmacht (Royal Army) and 85 refers to 1985, the year this particular knive was issued. If I remember correctly, these knives were issued from 1983 to 1986. After 1986 the DAKs with bail were replaced by models with the key ring (Pioneers).

The tool set is the same as on the Soldiers and Pioneers.
 
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