Victorinox Quality Situation

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I think Jack knife and SG have said it all. I have received more then a few 2015 and 2016 production models this year and have noticed absolutely no deviation in fit and finish.
 
For reputable makers it's a tough call whether to gather up the cash windfall and 'ride on the reputation' while the quality slides, or to stay the course and try to remain competitive. Many wonderful companies have been bought out by unscrupulous interests and have become mere shells of their former selves. Victorinox has so far stayed the course, and then some. They even rescued Wenger (their old nemesis) from possible take-over and shift of manufacture to China.
If Victorinox quality starts to slip they will definitely hear from me. I've been confidently using their knives for 50 years. Problem is I only ever lose or wear one out on average every 1/2 decade.
 
There's probably some truth in eveything thats been said,and a little extra to put a final spin-I really do hope the financial problems are just part of the spin,they have such awesome products ,I just recently started collecting some of their models and now I have to figure out which day of the week to carry which model.Hope the best for Victorinox
 
Don't believe anything about Vic having financial problems. They're sitting on a lot of cash in the bank and can absorb a bad economy very well. They're quality isn't going down and won't. When you look up how they handled their situation after 9/11, when they could've rolled up in a ball but instead attacked the situation and came out stronger and larger than before. SwissBianco is butthurt and counting on peoples ignorance to build doubt in Vic, that's all.
 
His news letter shows what sort of man he is :jerkit:

SB is just a blood sucking leech the big dog has finally had enough of

Sour grapes!
 
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I've owed hundreds of Vic's over the past 30 plus years. I've never had a lemon. As many knives as they crank out daily, they still have a fabulous quality control protocol. I'm not concerned about a decrease in quality. I think Vic is too good for that.
 
Don't know if it's limited to just the one model but there does seem to be a documented problem with the Pioneer X having bent center pins. It was discussed on another well-known forum in a thread entitled "Pioneer X problems" and includes photos. Hopefully, it's just an anomaly and is restricted to that model. I'd hate to think Vic's legendary quality is slipping.
 
Of the 30 or so SAKs I own the only issue i could note (and its a small one) is that the edges of some Alox model scales seem a little rough. Like the anodizing missed a few spots.
 
No drop in quality at all here. I bought an Alox Electrician a few months ago and have never seen a better knife from any manufacturer. I don't do custom because they are too expensive and don't give me anything I can't already get. I don't deal with SB and can't say good/bad about him.
 
I just got a new Walker in yesterday and it's as good as any I've got in the past...and better than some.

As for the content of that newsletter, I call BS.
 
Some updates from Europe since I can testify: within the past year I bought around a dozen of SAKs varying from 58mm to alox and 111mm.
They were bought from different retailers and different times of the year.

Everything was flawless and as consistent as it can be.

Just like JackKnife mentioned I would blindly order from them and not worry about what will I get.
Pretty much the only company I can trust that much.
 
wire edge said:
I've owed hundreds of Vic's over the past 30 plus years. I've never had a lemon. As many knives as they crank out daily, they still have a fabulous quality control protocol. I'm not concerned about a decrease in quality. I think Vic is too good for that.
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Same here. My first knife was a Vic I have owned many others for a lifetime of years and never had a problem. They replaced a tool once under warranty that had simply worn out from use. Superb customer service.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for +Bianco. The one time I ordered from him, the tool that arrived was not as described or pictured and had to be returned. It then took months of being ignored and eventually threats of legal action to eventually get a refund.

I know which company I trust with my custom.
 
I can one up you on the warranty service. I broke off the tip of the main blade using it to pry off the lid of an underground fuel tank at a c-store I was working at. The gap was too thin to get the screwdriver in. Anyway by any measure it was pure abuse. I sent it in asking for the blade to be replaced, telling them what I did to break it and letting them know I'd understand if they didn't fix it. What did Victorinox do?, they sent me a brand new knife back. Same model, forgot what it was called, but it was a 3 layer with scissors. This was 20 years or so ago. Of course I ended up losing that one. I was already loyal to Victorinox before and that loyalty just shot up after that.
 
I would like to ask again whether Victorinox quality has become less consistent, or is it still safe to order Vics sight-unseen with the expectation that the knife will arrive without defects?
 
buckthorn said:
I would like to ask again whether Victorinox quality has become less consistent, or is it still safe to order Vics sight-unseen with the expectation that the knife will arrive without defects?
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What kind of defects are you talking about?

You might get nail files that rub and scratch the blade next to them, or the occasional loose tool or inconsistent spring tension. But you won't ever get something more serious than that, and everything will still be functional.
 
I quickly checked the statistics, and they seem solid as ever.
I found a report on statista saying in 2023 they were the company with the second best reputation in Switzerland.

If there would be an uptick in QC issues, it would be all over the place.
 
buckthorn said:
I would like to ask again whether Victorinox quality has become less consistent, or is it still safe to order Vics sight-unseen with the expectation that the knife will arrive without defects?
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Yes, it's still safe to order Vics sight-unseen.
 
buckthorn said:
I feel a bit uncomfortable about posting the text of the newsletter here but it can readily be found by going to the SwissBianco Facebook page. I'm hoping that what is being reported is an isolated incident. It would be sad if one of the few knife manufacturers whose strong quality control could automatically be assumed is having difficulties in that area. IF the report is accurate I wonder what is the length of the supply chain so that any reduction in quality would be apparent to us when we make new purchases.
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Not everybody here uses FB. You feel uncomfortable directly quoting SwissBianco's FB page, but comfortable with your OP ? I don't understand.
 
Thanks to all who have confirmed that it's generally safe to continue to use mail order to purchase Vics with the expectation that fit and finish will be as good as they have been during the previous years (or decades!)

 
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