What was your first victorinox ?

My first Victorinox SAK was the Marlboro Adventure Team Victorinox SAK. It was featured in Marlboro's original Marlboro Miles catalog. My dad bought this for me with Marlboro Miles. It is basically a Spartan without the toothpick and tweezer.
 
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I think it was a recruit or spartan . This was late 70's so Im foggy . When I carry an sak these days , I carry a recruit . Its a great pocket knife . Its the only one I buy for myself if I lose one .I dont like too much stuff on an SAK , so something with a short list of things is what I enjoy and those two arent over the top
 
ruffinogold said:
I think it was a recruit or spartan . This was late 70's so Im foggy . When I carry an sak these days , I carry a recruit . Its a great pocket knife . Its the only one I buy for myself if I lose one .I dont like too much stuff on an SAK , so something with a short list of things is what I enjoy and those two arent over the top
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This thread had been dormant for almost 9 years before your reply! That said, I'm glad you bumped it. Definitely a great question has been posed.

Mine was a red Spartan. That thing had gone to hell and back with me for over half my life until I lost it on a cross-country road trip. That one still hurts...
 
It was 1971 when I paid for a knife with my own money. Prior to that my Grandpa bought me a new camp knife but I don’t think it was a Victorinox.

The first Victorinox I remember owning is a Deluxe Tinker that I bought in 2006. My wife asked for a SAK for Christmas. I bought 2 SAKs for her. She wanted the Classic and I kept the Deluxe Tinker.

Shopping for my wife’s SAK is what got me back into knives after an almost 25 year hiatus.
 
My mum took me to the World Expo in 1988. In the Swiss pavilion we were looking at the knives for sale. The lady in front of us ran her finger down the saw blade of a Camper to see how sharp it was...understandably it cut her finger to the bone. I said to mum thats the knife i want, she reluctantly bought it for me. After 37 years and literally 100s of swiss army knives I still have it and its my favourite knife.

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A second highlight of expo 88 was sitting in KITT. I loved watching Knight Rider.
Dan 🦘 🇦🇺
 
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el gigantor said:
This thread had been dormant for almost 9 years before your reply! That said, I'm glad you bumped it. Definitely a great question has been posed.

Mine was a red Spartan. That thing had gone to hell and back with me for over half my life until I lost it on a cross-country road trip. That one still hurts...
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I don't even remember starting it.
 
Victorinox Climber at age maybe 11 or 12? Constant companion until I got lost in a move. Great knife, and I have several copies scatterer about my house now. It's a toss up between Climber and Swisschamp for my favorite SAK model overall. Climber is a good balance of the stuff you don't get with a trad pocket knife, without much more bulk/size/weight than most pocket knives already have.
 
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My first SAK was a Wenger I bought in Basel, Switzerland in 1995. At the time I didn’t know that different companies made them, I just wanted a cool souvenir. It was a strange model called the Skier, but I liked the inline Philips and corkscrew. After 30 years it’s seen better days, so I picked up a Buck trapper a few weeks ago and started carrying it. I like the look and feel of the trapper, but I can think of at least 3 times in the last week when I needed a screwdriver and I had to get my Wenger. Maybe it’s time for another SAK.
 
Fieldmaster.(Sadly,in 2024.)

Now, I have 13,and counting. (Champion C,SwissChamp,Executive,SwissTool X,Explorer,and a upcoming Classic SD, a pair of Climbers..now a Compact.)

Oh God,they're multiplying.

They keep multiplying..a 80s Golfer,40s Huntsman,a new WorkChamp,and a brand new Huntsman Walnut have arrived since my last update.
 
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1972'ish in a bait and tackle store in Crystal River, Fl for a fishing/camping weekend. I was 9 years old and begged my Dad to buy that red handled SAK I saw on the counter display. I "think?" it was my first pocket knife. I had a small Kabar or Case fixed blade since I was 7, but that red handle just got to me! I carried it everyday until I lost it somewhere. I think I dropped it off the dock at my Uncle Walters house. I really can't remember. I loved that pocket knife. I did not get another until around 2012.
 
I have no clue🫤 I know I was give half a dozen as a kid. Mostly knock offs my grandma found at a yard sale.

The first one I remember going out and purchasing was in my early 20s. I was working at Target in college and they were selling the old Alox Soldier model in a clam packaging for a reasonable amount. I bought it as a work knife since I misplaced my Leatherman Wave (left it on a shelf and it walked off) and it wouldn't raise any eyebrows and gave me a few tools to have at my disposal. It was back when they marked the year on it. Mine was from 2003, I think.

The next one I remember was a Swiss Champion discontinued at Walmart for like $19 in 2003-2004. I still have it somewhere. It was my introduction to the mega tool set Vics. While I don't carry anything that bulky often, if I didn't carry a Leatherman, I wouldn't feel completely ill prepared going off into parts unknown with one of those.
 
Swiss Champion my parents gave me on my 30th birthday in 1989 at the Jade Palace Chinese restaurant in Indialantic beach Florida in the Publix shopping mall. I had the Pork in Garlic sauce and two egg rolls. It was warm for January.
The knife like me is retired now. I get it out from time to time.
 
I got one in the late 70's from my parents. It was a red mini with a file and scissors and a small tweezer. Loved that little thing. Wish I still had it!
 
Vic Champ…about 1983, bought from a school classmate for $11….somebody left it at his parent’s house during a party he had…it’s about 1-1/4” thick, magnifier, fish scaler, saw, in-line Phillips, both spear blades, scissors, can opener, cap lifter, cork screw, awl, small flat screw driver on back near awl, tweezers and tooth pick….it was about new looking then, still pretty good shape because it’s a bit thick for my daily pocketing…I think it would be better without the fish scaler as that would thin it up a bit more like a ranger model I have which is actually a bit thick too for everyday but great for a pack or lanyard when hiking. I like to carry an EVO cadet for size and comfort at home…I usually carry a case jack or medium stockman and keep another Vic hiker and classic, Leatherman wave and Buck 426/110 in my backpack in the work truck….that was probably more info than needed lol-cheers.
 
runninmike said:
Vic Champ…about 1983, bought from a school classmate for $11….somebody left it at his parent’s house during a party he had…it’s about 1-1/4” thick, magnifier, fish scaler, saw, in-line Phillips, both spear blades, scissors, can opener, cap lifter, cork screw, awl, small flat screw driver on back near awl, tweezers and tooth pick….it was about new looking then, still pretty good shape because it’s a bit thick for my daily pocketing…I think it would be better without the fish scaler as that would thin it up a bit more like a ranger model I have which is actually a bit thick too for everyday but great for a pack or lanyard when hiking. I like to carry an EVO cadet for size and comfort at home…I usually carry a case jack or medium stockman and keep another Vic hiker and classic, Leatherman wave and Buck 426/110 in my backpack in the work truck….that was probably more info than needed lol-cheers.
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I’m really enjoying reading the stories in this thread but I have to ask, do you remember why the number was $11? That seems like such a strange amount of money. Why not $10? Why not $15? I’m curious!
 
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