Victorinox Vs. Wenger

Does not really matter. Wenger is owned by Victorinox. We can pick what ever model floats our boat. The green ends up at the same place.
 
lol "FIGHT"...I like that.
Ok I say victorinox for no other reason than the fact that I like the look of their shield logo better.
 
I'm with Otis, I have both and carry both. My edc is a Vic classic on my keyring, but when it looks like I'll need something a bit heavier duty than the classic or my Case peanut, my old Wenger SI goes in my pocket. I've used a Wenger patriot and a Vic popular and noticed no difference.

Carl.
 
I've always liked Wenger for the serrated scissors. They last forever! I own the Victorinox Swiss Tool x 3 different models. Love it! But when it comes to the little pocket knives with the scissors? I've owned probably half a dozen or so of the Vic and the Leatherman Micra which all were great until the scissors dulled. Tried sharpening. Worked for a while but never the same as when new. I put up with that a while and eventually the scissors drive me to dump the folder. The Wenger in the mean time keeps cutting and cutting and cutting never once being sharpened in any way in over 20 years now since buying it in 92. Yeah its not as clean a cut as the Vic when they are new. The advantage is the life time to me as I've never had zip for luck sharpening scissors on these things after a certain point. Not to my satisfaction anyway.
 
With the exception of the previous generation Soldier model, Victorinoxes were always built better.

I bought a Wenger version of a Spartan, just to confirm it to myself.

  • The Wenger has no substrate for the scales; just the plastic handles, and they get chipped up at the edges more easily as a result if dropped. The scales also feel a little sharp on the hand as a result.
  • The Wenger implements are thinner. As a result, the knife blade is easier to get to a razor edge, but tends not to hold that edge as well, and chips or dings easier. Also as a result, the other tools aren't as durable.
  • The Wenger can opener is vastly inferior to Vic.
  • The particular Wenger I had didn't have a toothpick or tweezers.
  • Wenger springs are not as strong, and as the knife picks up pocket lint, they don't work as well.

As mentioned earlier, Victorinox bought Wenger recently. It wasn't always this way. They used to be competing companies. I feel like Victorinox bought Wenger just so all the Wenger people didn't lose their jobs, or so Vic didn't have to fight to regain the market share that Wenger formerly had.

The one advantage I can see to Wenger is just that they have some different designs than Victorinox had, and some folks really liked those designs.
 
Adding:
  • The Wenger main blade is situated leftish/rightish while victorinox mainblade is mostly centered
  • Wenger main blade is harder to sharpen as it misses that "triangle-nick" between blade and handle
  • Wenger is not all that compact compared to victorinox

Also this:
Smaug said:
  • The Wenger can opener is vastly inferior to Vic.
Click to expand...
... Quoted for every bit of truth in that sentence.
 
Victorinox all the way.

They're cheaper, have a better can opener and you get the small-blade in most models.

I'd have to give Wenger a better tool selection and more configurations available, though.
 
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Victorinox. I really don't know why. I have several Wengers, and for some reason they all end up in the box of gadgets which I almost never use.
 
While I don't have enough experience to say which company actually makes a better quality product, I usually carry a Wenger 85mm due to the locking main blade and compression lock on the bottle lifter/screwdriver. These two features alone make it much more appealing to me. I also prefer the blade shape of the Wengers' main blade with more belly.
 
My testimony: Back in the Pleistocene era, I purchased my first SAK, a Wenger. All I knew at the time was that the box stated "Genuine Swiss Army," so that was good enough for me. Actually, coming off a Kamp King, I thought it was a pretty good knife. Eventually, though, while shopping for a SAK as a birthday gift for my then future wife, I came across a Victorinox model roughly equivalent to my Wenger. Comparing it with mine, the Vic was obviously better designed and made, although not hugely enough for me to want one as a replacement. But after only a few years more, the Wenger was clearly the worse for wear, scales broken, implements loose. I replaced it with a Vic which decades later shows plenty of use, but still tight and right as ever. My wife still has her gift Vic, has no interest in upgrading to anything else.

Maybe Wenger quality has improved in the meanwhile, but it's hard to shake first impressions.
 
I own and like both, but I've got far more Victorinox's than Wengers. That's mostly a matter of preference and being used to the Victorinox style. Their can opener for example, I prefer the Victorinox style over the Wenger style. Also Victorinox has the alox models that I want.
 
It's hard to beat a Vic Trekker. Plus they made a one handed opening. Perfection!
 
I like my Vics.I don't have any experienc with Wenger,so cannot comment on them.I bought my first Victorinox(Champ)in 82 or 83 while in the Marines.I have a dozen Vics of different variations and have been pleased with all of them.Their quality is excellent for the dinero you pay.
 
Smaug said:
With the exception of the previous generation Soldier model, Victorinoxes were always built better.

I bought a Wenger version of a Spartan, just to confirm it to myself.

  • The Wenger has no substrate for the scales; just the plastic handles, and they get chipped up at the edges more easily as a result if dropped. The scales also feel a little sharp on the hand as a result.
  • The Wenger implements are thinner. As a result, the knife blade is easier to get to a razor edge, but tends not to hold that edge as well, and chips or dings easier. Also as a result, the other tools aren't as durable.
  • The Wenger can opener is vastly inferior to Vic.
  • The particular Wenger I had didn't have a toothpick or tweezers.
  • Wenger springs are not as strong, and as the knife picks up pocket lint, they don't work as well.

As mentioned earlier, Victorinox bought Wenger recently. It wasn't always this way. They used to be competing companies. I feel like Victorinox bought Wenger just so all the Wenger people didn't lose their jobs, or so Vic didn't have to fight to regain the market share that Wenger formerly had.

The one advantage I can see to Wenger is just that they have some different designs than Victorinox had, and some folks really liked those designs.
Click to expand...

Gee, this is kinda like your Buck is better than Case thread over in the Traditional Forum.

Can you give us a picture of the Wenger scale chipping so we can get a better idea of what you're talking about? Hadn't heard that the Wenger blades chip easier than the Victorinox blades. Got any references for that? Pictures.
 
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