Victorinox vs. Wenger

G

garythenuke

Joined
Jun 16, 2005
Messages
72
Can anyone tell me the difference between these two manufacturers? I have seen SAK's by both, and they look the same to me. Is one better than the other? What gives?

Thank you very much.
 
There seems to be a great bias in favor of Vics over Wenger.
I don't sww it!
I like the scissors on the Wenger much better than vic.
I hate the pick and tweezer of the Wenger...Dumbest damn design ever...tuff to remove the damn things....

Wenger is bought by Vic.
The blade is stubbier on the big Wengers....I kinda like that....
The classic is bigger on the Wenger by a bit. But it's very noticeable in hand. Longer more useable blade and scissors.....

The springs are different in the two...
I've seen broken springs on both...
Vic has all the cool stuff like the lited classics...

I'm hoping that some of the SAK gurus will chime in as I don't see the differences to make vic the overwhelming favorite in America.
 
Nearly everyone prefers Victorinox to Wenger, but both companies make very good knives. Wenger tends to be more innovative in their designs. Victorinox seems to have tighter quality control over their steel treatment and general assembly.

The only functional difference that comes up regularly is that Wenger's backsprings sometimes weaken with time and use while Vic's don't.

--Bob Q
 
Rocinante said:
I'm sure I read somewhere that Victorinox OWNS Wenger.
Click to expand...

Literally, yes.

Vic "saved" Wenger from bankruptcy because of the effects of 9/11 on knife sales.
 
I vastly prefer Victorinox, but Wenger has a better scissor design. Victorirnox is better at everything else.
 
i've got a big Wenger, and after some years (5 to be honest), the lock button was very hard to use, resulting in blade always open...
A bit problematic !
I own now a Vic trailmaster, and i am quite happy with it.
Also, i do find that i never optain "razor sharpness" with my Wenger, at the contrary of the Vic..
 
From (I guess) reading that I have done in various places.....I have always considered Victorinox to be the "REAL" SAK and Wenger to be a cheaper imitation.

I would never have purchased a Wenger due to that impression.

Then, I recently heard that Victorinox had purchased Wenger and was keeping it as a lower cost "competitor."

Sort of like Ford is similar to a Mercury, owned by the Ford Motor Company, but made to be a less-expensive alternative.

I assume this means that Wenger is still made a little bit cheaper and is not quite as good (while still being a good knife).

But this is just my impression of the situation.....so, anyhow, my take on it is why buy a Wenger when you can afford a similar Vic?

The difference in price is not going to break you.
 
Rocinante said:
I assume this means that Wenger is still made a little bit cheaper and is not quite as good (while still being a good knife).
Click to expand...
In general, you're right. There's a notable exception, though: the Wenger Standard Issue is just as well-made as the Victorinox Soldier. In fact, they're nearly indistinguishable other than the Swiss cross marking, and if you miss the older hollow-rivet for tying a lanyard, the Wenger still has it.
 
Wenger market themselves as the "Genuine Swiss Army Knife" and Victorinox as the "Original Swiss Army Knife". I believe the Swiss Army actually purchase 50% Wenger, 50% Victorinox (irrespective of recent change of ownership). Personally I have had my Victorinox over 20 years with no problems, corrosion or breakages whatsoever. Hope this helps.
 
It comes down to which one you like best. As far as standard models like Tinker, Spartan and such both have similar models with different names.

As for slight differences there are advantages to both. Take the scissors, the Wenger spring is definately more sturdy and less prone to breaking than the little Vic scissor spring. On the other hand it you break the Vic spring you can replace it or just discard it for the moment, if you manage to break the Wenger spring then your just kind of stuck.

Personally I feel Vic has the edge in fit and finish and overall feel of quality, but Wenger is a good knife and will probably serve you as well as any Vic...get whichever you like better and rest assured both are quality knives.
 
Differences? Try edge holding for one. Dunno why, but the Vic seems to last a bit longer. Maybe its because both use different stainless steels sourced from their respective suppliers? Its true, the quality control is better on a Victorinox SAK. I have noticed the spine(back of the blade) of the main blade on the Victorinox to be ground slightly off center in order to fit in the toolblade beside it. The Wenger ground on the other hand, is perfectly on either side of the main blade. Which by the way has a pronounced spear point with belly. The awl/leather punch is designed differently for both makes. The Victorinox has more utility in that the awl "cuts" on the twist. The Wenger only has a piercing point. All Wengers come with a chain attached split ring. Always found it annoying! The good thing about Wenger SAKs is that the scissor and mini pliers have no need for spring replacements. The large screwdriver locks in on a downward push. Just be aware that the can openers are different to. Thing to watch out for on Wengers is the backspring dying on you. That's my take on the subject. Hope this helps.
 
I agree with what Girlymann says about the differences between the two, although I prefer Wenger. I have a left-handed Wenger climber, which is an exact mirror image of the standard one. AFAIK Vic don't make a left-handed version. Admittedly, using a standard knife isn't a huge inconvenience for us southpaws, but it's nice to have one built for us. :D

The nearest equivalent Vic is also called a climber, but the Wenger is 6mm shorter. The other notable difference is that the Vic boasts a hook, although I have no idea what you'd use it for.

<edit> Forgot to mention that one of the things I like about the Wenger is that it's more compact.

Chris
 
Chris, the MULTI PURPOSE HOOK was originally meant to aid overburden ladies with long finger nails and delicate hands. It's purpose is as a T-shaped handle to attach on the thin string handles of their shopping bags. Ever wondered why they are never found on the smaller models on which a lady ought to normally carry? I figured it made the perfect excuse for their rather "forgetful" men to buy yet another LARGE Victorinox (with a hook of course) everytime they go out shopping togather. Need proof of this? Watch the malls this Chrismas. Cheers!
 
Hmmm, 10 out of 10 for imagination, but... ;)

It's still a mystery to me. I've often thought "I wish I had a knife / screwdriver / scissors" but never "Dammit! I need a small hook for this job..."

Chris
 
one word comes to mind----SOG---

the knives have thier place--undeniably--collectors--seen a beautiful excelcior grade pearl handled super tinker in 1990 i wishida bought---but in a survival situation you need the best tools that will do the job that you can carry---all things being considered equal--size etc---one look at a pair of sak pliers vs sog multitool---

and then equality hits---sog shoulda putta better KNIFE blade on the carnsarndit thing:confused:
 
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