New camper pattern? You can find a Vic Recruit for $15 or less after taxes (in most states) from wallyworld. Knowing that, why would anyone even try to compete against the consistent quality and value for money Vic offers?
That is why I don't think anyone would attempt it. For one, as a pocket knife pattern in the 21st century, the scout knife is a thing of the past. Even when I was in the scouts, I very very rarely saw an adult with a scout knife. Even when they had to resort to carrying keychain screw drivers and such, the scout knife was considered a "boy scout knife" for the boys in scouting. Grown up men carried jacks of some sort or another.
Then Buck came out with the 110, and the whole knife world turned upside down.
Almost overnight, the large single blade lock back took over the knife market. Buck's were seen on the belts of every construction worker, hunter, truck driver, soldier, and biker. Imitation Buck's came from all over the map. But through it all, the Swiss Army KNife held onto a niche market of back packers and hikers. When back packing got to be a minor religion in the 60's and 70's, and Colin Fletcher became a guru of sorts, the SAK became an icon, and the company Victorinox grew humongous. Vic gained market shares of their side of the cutlery industry, and then they even had a TV show with the good guy doing all kinds of things with a SAK. By the end of the 20th century, they were the largest knife company on earth, and the most mechanized. Tim Leatherman is responsible.
When Tim Leatherman came out with his tool, the rulers at the Vicytorinox kingdom knew they had to act. Carl Eisner held a meeting of the board, and they decieded to invest an unprecedented amount of company profit back into the company in the best, high speed CNC machining centers that were available. The result was extremely high speed production, and unforeseen quality control in the end product from having extremely high precision parts to assemble. Nobody can compete with Vic in this slot. Even the boy scout knife is now a SAK. Look at the modern scout, and a red handle Swiss product will be hanging from his belt. The SAK is now the official boy scout knife, so now you have a whole new generation, or two, that will grow up associating boy scout knife with the red handle and silver cross. I believe that Vic even has some models with the scout logo on the scale.
So what company is going to even think of trying to go against this? At the price point they sell the recruit at, there's just no way to compete. For the low sum of 14.95, a bit less on sale, you get a good quality basic knife, with a screw driver and cap lifter tossed in. And they are kid proof. With an unconditional life time warrantee, you just send it in, and they fix or replace it free. Victorinox stands behind thier products like I wouldn't have believed. Watches, luggage, pens. Karen had a Vic rolling suitcase that she traveled with. Put a lot of miles on it traveling back to Texas and Goerga to see family. She must have had 100K on it. One of the wheels broke, and she sent it back. They put all new wheels on it, reconditioned it, including a new zipper that Karen had not complained about, it was just a bit finicky. Now Karen is a Victorinox fan for life. She won't leave the house without her little classic on her keys. She became a Vic fan for life.
How is another company going to fight that? Can't be done. It's like the old VW bug of the 60's that became one of the most popullar selling cars in the country. Every other drive way had a beatle in it. They gave you a good product, for a good price, and people loved it. Some people, like my own father, never warmed up to them, calling it a nazi taxi. But it remains a historical car because of the numbers sold. Heck, I was a bug fan for 30 years. A SAK is like that. An icon that will not be replaced because too many people love them. On international market surveys, the SAK logo is right up there with Coke and Bic. But it's a tight world market now, and they can't keep both Vic and Wenger. LIke GM had to sacrifice Pontiac to save Chevy, Wenger has to go to the chopping block. Too bad, Wenger had a lot going for them. I love my old SI. But it's a tough market now. Nothing remains the same.
Carl.
IF they are down to 50% I'll probably grab a couple of each and I'll do a giveaway.
