SAK Can-Openers - military issues

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UnknownVT

Joined
Feb 15, 2003
Messages
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Here are the two Swiss military standard issue knives:

Wenger Standard Issue
i590097sq01.jpg


Victorinox Soldier:
0-8610-26.jpg


Look at the can-openers - they look the same -
- yet we know the Wengers normally have this can-opener
Wenger Commander
2409661.jpg


whereas the can-opener on the military issues both look like the regular Victorinox type:
Victorinox Spartan
1-3603.jpg


Also on the large screwdriver/bottle-opener tool - I think again this may be the Victorinox style
- since all Wenger SAKs have a locking screwdriver
and the Wenger Standard Issue does not seem to -
or does it?
 
I read once where they are provided the same specs, and the locking screwdriver isn't part of those specs. I have both soldiers and they don't seem to be locking. I don't think that the actual issue wenger has that lanyard either.
 
Originally posted by markd1
I read once where they are provided the same specs, and the locking screwdriver isn't part of those specs. I have both soldiers and they don't seem to be locking.
Click to expand...

Thanks markd1.

So it appears that the Swiss military adopted the Victorinox design -
and Wenger I guess has to make the tools specially for their military issue.

I guess there's some sense to Victorinox calling themselves the "Original" SAK -
just as Wenger call themselves the "Genuine" SAK
(but to a Victorinox design? :D :D :p )
 
Personally I prefer the Wenger can Opener.

One of my EDC's is a Wenger made SwissBuck, and that can opener works better than any of the Victorinox SAK's I've had.
 
Originally posted by etp777
One of my EDC's is a Wenger made SwissBuck, and that can opener works better than any of the Victorinox SAK's I've had.
Click to expand...

Yep,

Often this is just down to personal preference -

Check out this thread about SAK can-openers (linked) -

My EDC Story - Victorinox Combo Tool Story

you'll find 3 people with 3 different preferences
and one person guilty of being inconsistent (me :D :o )
which led me to think there isn't that much difference between them,

I personally wouldn't use any of the SAK can-openers if a regular turn-the-handle kitchen opener were available -
would anyone? - really?

But if no can-opener were available, any of these SAK can-openers is going to be better than other alternative, like abusing one's knife blade ......

But it is interesting that the Swiss military opted for the Victorinox design -
it would seem that perhaps they prefer the Victorinox design?
 
Originally posted by UnknownVT
But it is interesting that the Swiss military opted for the Victorinox design -
it would seem that perhaps they prefer the Victorinox design?
Click to expand...
Maybe they thought the little screwdriver was an important feature. Or they need it to service a piece of equipment?
 
As far as I know, there isn't any specific weapon or other piece of equipment that this woul be the proper size screwdriver for(ie, don't think ti's specifcially for any of the Schmidt Rubins or STg rifles, but I could be wrong.)

But ehre's the place to ask, Swissrifles.com's Forums: http://pub18.ezboard.com/btheswissriflesdotcommessageboard

Check out the Wenger in one of threads there, which has tools specifically for adjusting sites on current issue rifle.
 
Originally posted by etp777
Check out the Wenger in one of threads there, which has tools specifically for adjusting sites on current issue rifle.
Click to expand...
Cool. It looks like it also has Wenger's version of the combo tool.
 
Originally posted by Frank
Maybe they thought the little screwdriver was an important feature. Or they need it to service a piece of equipment?
Click to expand...

Victorinox's own description is:
"tin-opener with small screwdriver (also suitable for Phillips 1–2)"

So as some already know the small screwdriver on the can-opener is also suitable for some Phillips screws - this is a pretty useful feature - as lots of things do use Phillips screws (one of the reasons why I picked my EDC to have a Phillips driver).
 
speaking of these, Ive always been sad that victorinox dropped the hollow rivet years ago. It really was good for a lantyard, much better than nothing, now of course thats been gone (for a good many years now). At least the wenger ones still have a bail.
 
Originally posted by rev_jch
Ive always been sad that victorinox dropped the hollow rivet years ago. It really was good for a lantyard
Click to expand...

I agree with you Rev.

Hint - if one needs to tie a string to the knife (to use as a plumb-line for example) - one can use one of the blunt tools - like the cap-lifter or the awl to clamp the string down.
 
I preffer my Wenger soldier over the Vic because of the bail.

Another interesting thing, the Wenger in the picture has a sharpened section inside the curve of the bottle opener underneath the screwdriver as for wire stripping, my old Wenger soldier has it but my newer one doesn´t, and neither do my Vic soldiers (or any other SAK I´ve seen).
 
Originally posted by Don Luis
Another interesting thing, the Wenger in the picture has a sharpened section inside the curve of the bottle opener underneath the screwdriver as for wire stripping, my old Wenger soldier has it but my newer one doesn´t, and neither do my Vic soldiers (or any other SAK I´ve seen).
Click to expand...

Many thanks for that Don -
I didn't notice that until you pointed it out.

Do the military issue SAKs have the notch near the base of the cap-lifter/large screwdriver - that's supposed to be a wire-stripper - as on the regular cap-lifter tool on the Victorinox SAKs?

Thanks
 
I had to get home and physically see my knives to be sure, I also checked the year of manufacture in the main blade.

The Wenger soldier 1992 has the sharpened section, no notch.

The Victorinox soldier 1995 and The Wenger soldier 1998 do not have the sharpened section, they do have the notch.
 
I saw a program on TV once where a guy with a Victorinox SAK used his can opener to race an electric can opener peel the lid off the same size can. He beat the electric can opener with seconds to spare.

I live in a little apartment during the week as I work away from home. I forgot to furnish my kitchen with a can opener so I used my "Fieldmaster" can opener for six months. It worked well, but had a tendency to splash a little liquid from the contents (olives, tomato sauce, tuna liquid) on the last cut (I like to completely remove the lid, not just peel it back). ...but for occasional use, and for emergencies, it's just great.

Like rev_jch says, I think Victorinox should have kept the hollow rivet on the Soldier. It was removed in about 1993 as a cost cutting measure -- it was no longer required by the Swiss Army. I have a 1991 model that has the hollow rivet. It is a much more secure place to tie a lanyard than the little key ring or the Wenger bail. I'm sure that after a training exercise in the Swiss Army, they spend a half day combing the mountainsides looking for their pocketknives!

Bruce
 
Bruce,

Do you have a scan of your Soldier with the hollow rivet?

I recently bought a Soldier because it was on sale at Target for $13.77, is a nice knife, and I did not have one. If anyone wants one check the package under one of the scanners. There was not sign or notice that it was on sale.

If it had a hollow rivet, I would have bought more at that price, to give and use with my daughter's Girl Scout troop. Without some way to fasten it I did not feel it might meet all their requirements, even if it might be superior or equal to the "official" Girl Scout knife in other respects.

Most of the time, I admit that I would not probably use the hole, but it is the remaining amount of time that would concern me.

Do you recall where you learned that it was dropped as a cost cutting measure and how much it might have saved?

Does anyone know where the Swiss Army specifications can be found?

I can see a bail may impair general pocket carry, otherwise get in the way, or raise the cost slightly, but unless they had a problem with the hollow rivet, I cannot see why they would drop the useful hollow rivet hole. Did the Victorinox Soldier ever have a bail?

Donald
 
Originally posted by Donald
Did the Victorinox Soldier ever have a bail?
Click to expand...

I don't think the Victorinox Soldier model ever had a bail/shackle - according to this timeline:

fc09e70e.jpg
fc09e70d.jpg


I know the image may be a bit small but the Soldiers' knives 3 through 7 in column one all have hollow rivets.

The Officers' model seemed to have had a shackle between 1961 and 1968.
 
I got the information about the loss of the hollow rivet from a woman who works in marketing for Victorinox in Switzerland -- about 4 years ago. She said the Swiss Army dropped the requirement as cost cutting measure. She didn't say how much it saved but it was the Army's idea, not Victorinox.

I pulled the seven white nylon strands out of a length of 550 parachute cord and fed the OD green nylon sheath through the hollow rivet. It was a tight fit but made it. It's long enough to loop through my belt loop and drop inside my pants. Somneone going through your pockets to disarm you (this was before I retired from the Army) might miss the knife in your pants and you had a start on something to escape and evade with. Got the idea from John Larsen who writes for Tactical Knives magazine.

Bruce
 
Originally posted by bruce
I pulled the seven white nylon strands out of a length of 550 parachute cord and fed the OD green nylon sheath through the hollow rivet. It was a tight fit but made it. It's long enough to loop through my belt loop and drop inside my pants. Somneone going through your pockets to disarm you (this was before I retired from the Army) might miss the knife in your pants and you had a start on something to escape and evade with. Got the idea from John Larsen who writes for Tactical Knives magazine.
Click to expand...

Wasn't it Mae West who said -

Is that a SAK in your pants -
or are you just pleased to see me? :D :D :p

Wouldn't the WorkChamp have worked better? :D :p
 
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