The original Victorinox "Officer's Knife"?

[doggyknife]

Anybody know if the original Victorinox 1897 "Officer's Knife" has a modern model equivalent? I know that the SAK's in their current form were referred to as "Officer's Knife's" collectively, but what about very original one?

I recently began collecting SAK's again after a long hiatus, and can't get enough of these little miracle tools.

 

[knifenerd]

I think the closest model would be the one with the aluminium scales and a main blade, driver/cap opener, can opener/small driver and an awl. I don't know the model #.

 

[Cosmic Superchunk]

Knifenerd is correct. The current models issued to Swiss troops are silver aluminium handled models made by both Wenger and Victorinox.

Wenger calls their model the "Standard Issue" and has a shackle ring:

Victorinox calls their model the "Soldier" but does not have the shackle ring.

Check this out..from Swiss Army brands (Victorinox):
http://www.swissarmybrands.com/history.htm

 

[Claus]

Doggyknife,

El Cid is right, but the story is a little bit more complicated:

In 1891 Karl Elsener delivered the first "SOLDIER knives" to the Armoury. This knife was primarily a tool for the new rifle - they needed the screwdriver to strip it down. Second important was the can opener, because tin cans were introduced to the troops. The knife had bulky black wooden scales.
The lawful heir of this famous knife is the model "Soldier" (0.8610.26), because it is still issued to the swiss soldiers at their "Recruit School".

In 1897 Elsener had a new model registered by the patent authorities: The "OFFICERS knife". This was more elegant and not so bulky, had red fibre glass scales and two more items, especially for the officer: A corkscrew (`Hicks´) and a small pen blade. This blade was important for the officers paperwork: to sharpen the pencil and to razor out mistakes.
The model "Spartan" (1.3603) represents this model.

In the course of time there were improvements on the items: So changed the shape of the can opener and of the ahle, the screwdrifer got a caplifter and a wire stripper. And of course material (since 1921 stainless) and s little bit of shape.

Claus