Pen Knife
Pen Knife
A Short History of the Swiss Army Knife
The story begins in 1891 with Karl Elsener, owner of a company that made surgical equipment. He founded the Association of Swiss Master Cutlers, to supply pocket knives to the Swiss army, who at this time were using German-made ones. It took Elsener five years to come up with what he called the "Soldier's knife" (known today in Switzerland as the "Offiziersmesser"). With suggestions from an engineer friend, Jeannine Keller, the original model had a wooden handle, and came with a blade, screwdriver, can opener, and a punch. It was actually made available to the army before 1896, but Elsener was not happy with the device, and eventually was able to put blades on both sides by using a special mechanism using a single spring for both blades. This allowed him to also add a corkscrew.
Elsener's company, Victorinox, was the single supplier of multi-function pocketknives until 1893. A company in the French-speaking area of Switzerland called Paul Boechat & Cie began to market a similar product. The company was later bought by its general manager, Theodore Wenger, and the company name changed to Wenger. By 1908, the Swiss government decided to split the contract for knives between the two companies, partly to appease German and French-speaking factions in the country, and partly to stimulate competition (and lower the prices of the knives). The two companies came to an agreement over marketing, with Victorinox using the phrase "The Original Swiss Army Knife" and Wenger using "The Genuine Swiss Army Knife". The following year (1909), the Swiss army began decorating the knives with the Swiss national symbol (a white cross). Victorinox uses a shield with bilateral symmetry around the cross, while Wenger uses a slightly rounded square with quadrilateral symmetry. The Swiss army uses knives with a simpler bilaterally-symmetric shield.
Victorinox switched to stainless steel blades and tools in 1921. It is believed Wenger did so as well around the same time, but company sources are inconclusive about the exact date. The knives were sold in PX stores on US army bases from 1945 to 1949. In fact it is believed that the term "Swiss Army Knife" was coined in English by American G.I.s during World War II, because they couldn't pronounce the Swiss name "Offiziersmesser".
Today, Swiss army knives contain a multitude of tools, including: several blades, a bottle-opener/screwdriver/wire stripper, can opener/small screwdriver, tweezers, toothpick, corkscrew, phillips-head screwdriver, nail file, scissors, saw, hook, magnifying glass, ballpoint pen, fish scaler, pliers, keychain, USB flash memory, digital clock, digital altimeter, LED light, laser pointer mp3 player, and a brass spacer in the official army model, which allows assembly of the SIG 550 and SIG 510 assault rifles (with the screwdriver and reamer extended, the knife becomes a restraint to the firing pin during the lock assembly). Wenger has a special model which contains all the tools they make. The device is nearly twice as wide as it is long, and retails for around $1,200.
The knives are also available in many other colors besides the traditional red. Black, blue, white, pink, camouflage, phosphorescent yellow and many others, in both opaque or transparent. Also metal and wood cladding. The model actually used by the Swiss army is in fact aluminum, and not red at all.
On April 26, 2005, Victorinox acquired the Wenger company, becoming again the single supplier of knives to the Swiss army. The company intends to keep the Wenger brand alive for knives sold to consumers.
The Knife - Like a Pen
 RARE MINIATURE ANTIQUE AMES CUTLER COOLD BONE EQUAL END TUXEDO POCKET PEN KNIFE  US $51.00
|
 New 1GB 1G Knife USB 20 Flash Memory Drive Fold Pen Blue US $2.99
|
 BOKER TREE BRAND GENUINE STAG PEN EISENHOWER KNIFE OLD KNIFE DONT KNOW DATE US $20.05
|
 RARE MINIATURE KETCHAM McDOUGALL MOTHER OF PEARL POCKET PEN KNIFE W CHAIN PIN US $16.39
|
 Miniature Bronze HEART KEY CHAIN 15 inches Penknife US $.01
|
 FROM BIG ISLAND Hawaiian Curly Koa Wood Lumber Guitar Ukulele Knife Pen K1415 US $91.00
|
 Hideaway Knife Pocket Pen US $15.00
|
 New 2GB 2G Knife USB 20 Flash Memory Drive Fold Pen Blue US $1.99
|
 Gold Tone America USA US Flag Eagle Penknife Knife Stainless Steel Blade US $.01
|
 VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY MULTI TOOL KNIFE W INK PEN TRANS BLUE CLASSIC SD US $4.99
|
 1 AAA Goncalo Alves Wood BIG SOLID Knife Scales Pen Blanks Craft Wood 01 US $10.99
|
 1 AAA Holly Wood BIG SOLID Piece Knife Scales Pen Blanks Craft Wood US $16.99
|
 CASE XX YELLOW PEN KNIFE USA 03244R US $35.00
|
 2 1 2 x 1 1 2 x 36 Red Oak Hardwood Lumber Pen Blanks Knife Making Scales US $.99
|
 2 1 2 x 1 1 2 x 93 Red Oak Hardwood Lumber Pen Blanks Knife Making Scales US $.99
|
 Elvis Presley Penknife 2 Blade USA 1977 6 L open US $8.00
|
 Rostfrei Gentlemens Knife Pen Knife All Stainless 2 1 2 Closed 1 3 4 Blade US $9.99
|
 Miniature RED Penknife KEY CHAIN 15 New US $.01
|
 Foldable POCKET KNIFE PENKNIFE Brown Wood Handle Brass Stainless Steel 65 US $.01
|
 Small POCKET KNIFE PENKNIFE Brown Wood Handle Brass Stainless Steel 5 w Case US $.01
|
 SOUVENIR CANADA PENKNIFE KEY RING CASE FOLDING KNIFE US $.01
|
 Silver Tone Fox Carved Handle Printed Penknife Knife Stainless Steel Blade US $.01
|
 Buckeye Burl Highly Figured Blanks Knife Scales Pen Blanks Pistol Grips BB 2 US $.99
|
 penknife ROSTFREI US $9.99
|
 Spyderco UK PenKnife Maroon Partially Serrated C94PSMR3 US $20.50
|
 VINTAGE IMPERIAL KNIFE AND PEN COMBO POCKET WATCH FOB US $4.25
|
 HAND FORGED KNIFE FROM OLD RAILROAD SPIKE ROUND BUTT STYLE WITH PEN HOLDER US $24.95
|
 PEN KNIFE WITH PLANTERS PEANUTS AND THE IMAGE OF MR PEANUT ON ONE SIDE US $15.00
|
 Metal Figural Pen Knife Hex Head Bolt US $6.95
|
 CASE XX Yellow Synthetic Pen CV Pocket Knife Knives US $17.50
|
 CASE XX USA MOP PEARL PEN KNIFE 1965 1969 NEAR MINT MODEL 079 US $79.00
|
 IMPERIAL PEN KNIFE US $10.00
|
 Queen Cutlery 43 Pen Knife 1960s Winterbottom NICE US $7.22
|
 Old Robeson Shuredge 722 275 Pearl Pen Knife US $65.00
|
 Betty Boop Folding Novelty Pocket Jack Pen Knife US $9.99
|
 Cuban Mahogany Burl slab pen blanks knife scales wood turning gun pistol grips US $20.50
|
 Cuban Mahogany pen blanks ribbon striped figure inlay knife scale Caribbean US $9.95
|
 Imbuya pen blanks Inbuia wood turning knife scales inlay US $9.95
|
 CASE XX 1993 MINI COPPERHEAD 52109X STAG KNIFE WITH PEN BLADE US $35.00
|
 MULTI USE CAMPING POCKET Folding KNIFE PENKNIFE New US $.01
|
 Ranger LB80 USA Bald Eagle Scrimshaw Art Small Lockback Old Vtg Pocket Pen Knife US $9.51
|
 BUCK WHITTAKER 759 Metro Liner Lock Back Keychain Bottle Opener Pocket Pen Knife US $5.00
|
 Vintage Utica Cutlery Pen Pocket Knife Official League Ball Baseball Bat US $19.99
|
 Vintage Miniature Sterling Penknife Tiny 1 Charm US $9.99
|
 VINTAGE USA BOKER TREE BRAND 1428 OLD EQUAL END JIGGED DELRIN POCKET PEN KNIFE US $14.61
|
 Old IMPERIAL Cutlery TRICK KNIFE pocketknife pearl celluloid Vintage Pen Knife US $12.95
|
 Old KENT Cutlery Co2 blade PEN KNIFE pocketknife celluloid Vintage cracked ice US $6.95
|
 Old CAMILLUS Cutlery Co4 line 2 blade PEN KNIFE pocketknife celluloid Vintage US $12.95
|
 old japan pen knife jade handle US $5.00
|
 Rare Georgian Silver Hafted Penknife US $120.00
|
 Brass Key shaped Dad Folding Pocket Pen Knife by Avon Gift Collection US $42.00
|
 Vintage Richard Sheffield Pipe Cigar Multi tool pen knife England US $9.99
|
 VINTAGE PEN KNIFE TRAIN DESIGN TRAVELER INSURANCE CO US $9.99
|
 HUNTING FIXED BLADE KNIFE PENKNIFE W SHEATH US $1.04
|
 Buckeye Burl Highly Figured Blanks Knife Scales Pen Blanks Pistol Grips BB 3 US $.99
|
 6 Aluminum TACTICAL PEN Black Military Police knife Self Defense TC002G US $13.99
|
 Vintage Zippo Advertising Lobster Pen Knife US $2.00
|
 Vintage EKA SWEDEN Pen Knife Silver Blue Enamel Floral US $29.95
|
 VINTAGE KAMP KING old KNIFE 4 BLADE PEN POCKET STEEL SIGNED IMPERIAL PROV RI USA US $.99
|
 Penknife Lovelife short sleeved graphic tshirt Youth Medium US $3.24
|
