Wenger & Swiss Army

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Oct 19, 2004
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Is Wenger the original Siss Army knife or not. My brother in law has a watch that says Wenger, and has a symbol very similar to the Swiss Army brand symbol. Wenger advertises "the original Swiss Army knife." On the Swiss Army website they advertise, "if it doesn't say Swiss Army, it's not a real Swiss Army knife." Are the two related, or is Wenger just making imitaions and fooling people into buy "the real Swiss Army knife?"
 
The Swiss government buys knives for its army from two companies, Victorinox and Wenger. They supply practically identical basic models for the army, each getting half the annual contract. They each compete on the civilian market worldwide with many other comparable models.

Only these two companies are authorized by their government to make "Swiss Army Knives" although there are many clones and some similar products which do not pretend to be SAKs, like the knives Aitor makes for the Spanish army, or the many common Boy Scout camping knives.
 
Actually, it's Victorinox that says "The original Swiss Army Knife", and Wenger says "The Genuine Swiss Army Knife".

Both are correct. V'nox was the first. Wenger produced them too shortly after. Currently, both are official suppliers of knives to the Swiss Army. That's why V'nox's "Solder" model and Wegner's "Soldat" (German for soldier), the issue to the Swiss Army, look nearly identical.

EDIT: Dang Esav, you be fast.
 
ChuckBuck said:
Is Wenger the original Siss Army knife or not. My brother in law has a watch that says Wenger, and has a symbol very similar to the Swiss Army brand symbol. Wenger advertises "the original Swiss Army knife." On the Swiss Army website they advertise, "if it doesn't say Swiss Army, it's not a real Swiss Army knife." Are the two related, or is Wenger just making imitaions and fooling people into buy "the real Swiss Army knife?"


Wenger is one of the only two companies that make real Swiss Army Knives (SAK).

By trade agreement
Wenger call themselves the "Genuine Swiss Army Knife",
and Victorinox the "Original Swiss Army Knife".
They are separate companies.

Both Victorinox and Wenger are official suppliers to the Swiss military.

Wenger Standard Issue:
16520.jpg


Victorinox Soldier
53929_l.jpg


Every new recruit is issued one of these knives.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
 
You can notice that on both the Soldier and the Soldat they have identical shield logos. But both use different "Swiss Cross" logos on all their other products.

logo_wenger.gif


klogo.gif
 
victorinox was first, then wenger. By gentlemans agreement. victorinox uses the term "original", wenger, "genuine".

Both companies split the swiss govt. contract.
 
I've never heard the Wenger Standard Issue called a "Soldat", where did you guys hear it being called that?

Allen.
 
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