Relative Cost of Victorinox Compact

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buckthorn

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Mar 20, 2006
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Does anyone understand why the cost of the Victorinox Compact is high relative to other models with the same number of, or even more, tools?

Am I correct in making this observation or am I missing something? Thanks.
 
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You are correct in your observation. I recently came to the same conclusion while searching for a new SAK for my wife. Unfortunately I don't have an answer as to why, be curious to find out though.
 
Yes. a compact would cost higher than climber, supertinker or even huntsman...

the compact is for those people who needs full size knife and full size scissor and a essential tools and refuse to and any layar or extra weight for tools they might not use often or can be covers with the smart combo tools... for 2 layer, you got a full size knife and scissor, combo tools with flat screwdriver head, corkscrew that hold a small glasses screwdriver, T&T, pin, multipurpose hook with nailfile, and a presurized pen...

for me, the curent price is still a bargain if you compare it to any SAKs competitor... got a couple Compact and i actually think its a great looking SAK thats well designed, very comfortable to hold and use and very light and pocketable... i love mines..:thumbup:
 
Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I agree that the Compact offers a particularly useful kit of tools in a thin package and that Victorinox models offer very good quality at reasonable prices. I just can't understand why this model is priced high relative to several other Victorinox models of similar, or even greater, complexity.
 
I know that plus scales usually add a couple of dollars to the cost. Could also be that they don't make as many Compacts so the dealers sell them at a slightly higher price.
 
I think it's just supply and demand. It's a popular model and therefore can command a higher price.
 
Well, Supply And Demand Has Something To Do With It.
But If You Notice, Even Though It Has Some Less Tools, It Has More Tools That Aren't Seen On A Whole Bunch Of SAK's.
Like:
Straight Pin
Ball Point Pen
Multi-Purpose Hook W/ Nail File
Mini Screw Driver

True, There Are Other SAK's That Have Those Tools, But Usually Not All Of Them In One Knife, Or If You Do Find Them All In One Knife, It's Usually The Same Cost Or Even More.
 
It could be that the demand is higher than the supply. Here in the Netherlands the Executive is more expensive than for example the Huntsman, which is larger and has more tools. On the other hand I think the Classic is still the most popular SAK, but their prices are low. Perhaps that's because they are made in huge amounts.
 
There is an associated cost with producing a pressurized pen, I am sure. Also, the pin should have little to do with it since many other full sized SAKs have holes beneath the corkscrew that would easily hold a small pin. I would wager the cost of producing the pen would have something to do with it.
 
Actually, if you get a Climber and then change the scales and add the ball-point pen, small screwdriver and the small pin, the total cost would be less than the one of the Compact.

You'll get a bigger knife, though.
 
Dregging up an old thread. IMO there are 2 basic Victorinox knife categories for social occasions:

Personal Grooming/Office/Daytime Knife

The 58mm Classic can clean your nails, clip your nails, file your nails, pick your teeth clean and tweeze any unwanted hair. The 74mm Ambassador is a larger Classic, and the 74mm Executive is the high end of the "office" knife with the orange peeler.

Social/Out on the Town/Nightime Knife

The 84mm Waiter is the basic social knife with a corkscrew and bottle opener in addition to main blade, tweezers and tooth pick. The 91mm limited run Waiter Plus added the removable ball point pen and mini-screwdriver (for fixing your glasses) in addition to a straight pin (for resetting electronic devices). The Compact is a Waiter Plus with scissors and a hook that doubles as a nail file/match striker.

If you have an Executive and a Compact, you have just about every social situation covered from grooming to getting a number at a bar to opening the wine/beer by candlelight. In fact, with the nail file and scissors, the Compact is a good substitute for the Executive (in addition to the Compact's bottle opening attributes). The only thing it is missing is the orange peeler. So if someone wants one SAK knife for grooming/social reasons, the Compact is the best choice. This is why I believe it is so highly popular.

Most of the other variations of the SAK knives are "tool" knives for getting work done or are specialized for a particular purpose. IMO the Locksmith and the Rescue Tool cover most of the waterfront for the other useful tools that Victorinox offers.
 
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