Wenger vs. Victorinox

cmdr249

cmdr249

Joined
Dec 29, 2007
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I have quite a few Victorinox SAKs but haven't handled any of the Wenger knives.

How many of you have or have used the Wenger knives and what are your impressions of them? Especially comparisons to the Victorinox.

Thanks in advance for the opinions and feedback.
 
I prefer Vic, but there's nothing wrong with Wenger. The only Wenger I have is an alox SI, which has become one of my favorites.
 
IINM, Victorinox now owns Wenger. Having said that, I much prefer the Victorinox, although, truthfully, I couldn't tell you why. :confused:

Doc
 
Victorinox all the way! Wengers are good but not as good as the Vic's. ,,,VWB.
 
I've used the 'Waiter' version of both and the Wenger broke on me, so I'd go with Victorinox.
 
I wish I could find one of each in similar blades to test out and see what I truly like...
 
I definitely feel it - I love the Victorinox as well...I'm addicted.

But what is it about the Wenger - I honestly don't want to just buy one to see what is so different.

Is it the fit/finish, quality, steel, or something that's hard to describe?

I truly figured most everyone would be on board with Vic SAKs, I carry one (or two) daily, but I was trying to get it figured out.

Keep the info coming! Thanks to all.
 
no its not the fit nor finish. wengers are as well crafted as vics but i have had several and their back springs get weak over time. i have never had this happen any vic and i own probably around 50 or so.,,,VWB.
 
I do not understand why Vic is preferred over Wen as both appear similar in quality to me. Vic does have more models, but when it comes to scissors or pliers and such, Wen is superior. It's the spring! LOL. :thumbup: Goes to prove people have a mind set.:confused:
 
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the most common difference i hear is that wenger's springs aren't quite as strong as vic, but vic can have some pretty tough springs...

i would say check one out at a local shop if you can, the local Dick's has a couple under the counter for handling, and a pile in blister packs hanging...to tell the truth i haven't yet handled one. every time i'm in there i forget, even when i'm handling other knives...i will try one someday though.

vic bought wenger in 2004 i think, but it seems to me as though vic is letting wenger keep running as a seperate entity, as shown in the more inovative and modern things that wenger has been putting out, like the nailclipper tools and the "evo" handle scales...and they have alot of neat tool combos that i'd be interested in trying out. i wish they had the can opener/screwdriver that the vics use, but its not a huge deal. i don't deal with screws that much anyways...
 
Every Wenger I've checked out had some chronic issue with side-to-side blade play.

They just never felt sturdy, so I'll "stick with Vic"... ( I should copywrite that...LOL)
 
I have 50-ish SAK's. Only three of them are Wengers.
I prefer Victorinox but Wengers are.....ok.
The Wenger just seem a little lighter and less sturdy than the Vics.
The Wenger scissors are decent cutters however i have seen a few older Wenger scissors and they all seem to get loose/wobbly and lose their "ooomph" as they age.
With the Vics you can always put in a new spring fairly easily, you can't do that with the Wengers.

I bought a Wenger Ranger (2 layered model 61?) about 6 months ago.
Nice ergonomics but its very thick. the two layer Ranger is actually thicker than the 3 layered Vic OH Trekker.
I'm really glad i didn't buy a thicker (2+ layers) Ranger, the two layered Ranger is more than thick enough.
Warning if you are a leftie the Rangers can-opener "blade" blocks off access to the opening hole in the blade.
I'm ambidextrous but if i'm using the ranger lefthanded i have to use my left forefinger to open the Ranger blade or just switch it to my right hand to open it.
The Ranger blade length is longer than the OHT but the actual cutting edge length is almost exactly the same.
IMO the Vic OH Trekker beats the Ranger hands down.
 
thatmguy said:
Every Wenger I've checked out had some chronic issue with side-to-side blade play.

They just never felt sturdy, so I'll "stick with Vic"... ( I should copywrite that...LOL)
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Same here! Wenger is a a good knife..but IMHO Victorinox is superior, have a look and the pins on a Vic and a Wenger (maybe not the newest models of Wenger..I don't know) Wenger has domed pins right against the liners. Victorinox has large bushings-washers that the scales attach to..that IMO give Vic's a lot more side to side strength...not to mention the better springs and generally better tools...In my humble opinion :D Some people like the scissors better on Wenger...serrated and uses the back spring open them up..I prefer the Vics...I can sharpen them easily..they're much sturdier and stay put when I use'em lol ;)
 
I prefer Victorinox but I think that is just a familiarity thing. I think I'd probably build a preference between Forschner and Swibo in the kitchen too, based on nothing more rational than mere exposure.

I know Victorinox landed the first contract, but that wasn't by much. I can't give a source but I have it on good authority that the military has subsequently been meticulous in drawing 50% - 50% of its stock between the two companies.

My first SAKs were Victorinox, so I guess they set the template of what a SAK should look like. Then I owned some Wengers. Although the blades were the same on them they had those more kinda burgundy mother-of-toilet-seat looking scales. That was a bit of a turn off I'm guessing a] because they didn't match the template of the first ones, and b] was a colour more akin to that which el cheapo skanky ones come in. In sum; familiarity and guilt by colour association – not a good way for me to evaluate a knife – but a nag none the less.

More reasonably; my first locking SAK was a small Wenger. It was the first locking SAK I'd ever seen. Loved it, toted it a lot.

Just to wind another angle in: I've owned a couple of German Mauser officers knives. They were the first big SAK type things I had. A couple were Victorinox and one of them was an Aitor. I've never held Aitor in high regard but I have to say on those Mauser knives the quality between a Victorinox one and an Aitor one is indistinguishable to me.

For now my favourite SAK happens to be Victorinox, and that is handy because I don't need to check my reasoning circuits for nags and errors. If Wenger builds something I like even better than the Outrider I'll switch.

.....
As we are here it's worth noting that Mauser officers knives turn up in surplus shops usually priced at 2 for the cost of a gallon of gas when the scales are cracked. Under the scales is a very functional little knife if you have the skill to put new scales on, [epoxy and wood, bone, micarta, blah blah – how hard can it be] Look for the ones that also have the pen blade, most have only the spear.
msa_122845220.jpg
 
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I have a Wenger with a saw in my hunting bag, and a Victorinox with pliers usually goes hiking with me. In my house, we have about 12 SAKs. 2 are Wenger, the rest are Victorinox. I have a Vic Pocket Pal that is commonly carried, but my wife likes her Wenger version better because it has aluminum scales and is much thinner, so she doesn't have an unsightly bulge in her jeans. Go figure!

But the one she really carries every day is on her keychain.
 
I have a Wenger EVO-18 and love it. It's about the most compact SAK with a locking knife blade, scissors and saw (about the same size as the Vic Huntsman). I wish the nail file was a regular blade, but the EVO-18 have been a robust little package that has great fit and finish. The scissors rock over Victorinox (not that the Vic scissors are bad at all) and they are slightly serrated. For me the EVO-18 is perfect for a small PSK...it's either that or a Vic Farmer, but I really like the locking blade on the EVO-1.

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ROCK6
 
ROCK6 said:
I have a Wenger EVO-18 and love it. It's about the most compact SAK with a locking knife blade, scissors and saw (about the same size as the Vic Huntsman). I wish the nail file was a regular blade, but the EVO-18 have been a robust little package that has great fit and finish. The scissors rock over Victorinox (not that the Vic scissors are bad at all) and they are slightly serrated. For me the EVO-18 is perfect for a small PSK...it's either that or a Vic Farmer, but I really like the locking blade on the EVO-1.

16961E.jpg


ROCK6
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I've been wanting one of those for a while.
They are the same size as the 84 mm vics.
I've always wanted a Vic 84mm Huntsman but they don't make them anymore just the 91mm Huntsmans.

One of my 84mm Wengers has a locking blade like yours, the lock works pretty good!

Yeah i'm not fond of the nail file either.
With Vics and Wengers i'd take a small blade over a nail file anyday.
I've been tempted to try and mod the nail file into a blade or something useful.
 
From what I've heard and seen, since the buyout of Wenger, the quality has actually gotten better since Victorinox bought them. It's the nature of their original relationship. They actually want another strong company to compete with on a local level, but in the grand scheme it all goes to the same bank account. Wenger has always tried out anything and everything, while Vic only goes with the absolutely proven designs. I'm not much for gimmicks, but Wenger has come up with some decent ideas I'd like if not for the lower quality. Now that Vic is bringing them up to speed, I might just get a Wengar.
 
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