Skip to main content

Growing up with a Swiss Army Knife

Like many other Swiss adults, I grew up not only with the songs of Mani Matter but also with my very own Swiss Army pocket knife. I remember my dad teaching me and my siblings to carve a branch of a tree into a beautiful walking stick or create a bow with a flexible but strong branch.

Although I haven't carved a wooden stick with a knife in a very long time, having done it many times as a child definitely enriched my childhood. The sweat and blood - and sometimes tears - shed to create a work of art with a simple knife were definitely well spent.

Yes, I must have cut myself several times, slipping the blade off the branch and into my finger, arm or leg. Luckily, the memory of those cuts has disappeared into a foggy cloud labeled 'childhood forgettables'. Is that a uniquely Swiss childhood memory? Probably not. However, there is a definite connection between good pocket knives and Switzerland.

Switzerland and Army Knives

I believe the Swiss Army Knife is be the most famous pocket knife in the world. Most people in Switzerland own or have owned a Swiss Army Knife at some point in their life. But why are these useful pocket knives called Swiss Army Knives? What makes them so uniquely Swiss? I've heard several stories over the years but here is what I found after some research.
Swiss Army Knife - wrw  / pixelio.de


Short History of Swiss Army Knives

The first Swiss Army Knife was produced for the Swiss Army in the 1880ies. It was small compared to todays versions and contained a knife, can opener, screw driver and a bodkin. Also, it was black and not yet its typical red. Even today, every Swiss soldier receives a Swiss Army Knife as part of his/her basic equipment. Sadly, the new knives are not red anymore but in good old boring army green.

The first Swiss Army Knives were actually produced in Germany. The Swiss company Karl Elsener (who later became Victorinox) started producing it in 1891. Wenger started producing two years later in 1893.

How Swiss are Swiss Army Knives?

In regards to the 'Swiss-ness' of the Swiss Army Knives, I only could come up with a theory: The obvious reason for the knives to be called 'Swiss' is that they were originally manufactured only for the Swiss Army. However, I believe the knives' characteristics match the traits of the average Swiss citizen in many ways: orderly, practical thinking, compactness and a great sense of design.

If you want to buy your own Swiss Army Knife and take it on adventures around the globe or your backyard I have to following tips for you:
  1. Never carry it in your hand luggage while traveling by plane. It definitely will be confiscated.
  2. Never try to close the blade from its sharp side. I've seen and done that and it's not pleasant!
  3. Always keep it clean. It is rust resistant and dish washer safe! 
You can order your knife - be at a Victorinox or Wenger Swiss Army Knife - online at Amazon or buy one at the local retailer or airport.





Source:
Schweizer Taschenmesser - Swiss Army Knives


© 2011 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Schätzli, SchnĂ¼ggel and MĂ¼Ă¼sli - Terms of Endearment in Swiss German

Kiss -  Oliver Haja  / pixelio.de If you've ever been invited to the home of a Swiss couple, you are probably familiar with the most popular Swiss German term of endearment "Schätzli" ('little treasure') or one of it's many varieties like e.g. "Schatz" or "Schätzeli" . Obviously, this is not the only pet name used by Swiss couples (or parents for that matter). Like many other languages, Swiss German offers a wide variety of words and phrases that you can use to address your loved one. Swiss German Terms of Endearment What most of these pet names have in common is the ending "-li" which basically turns the thing or person a word refers to into something small or cute. For example "Haus" means house and "HĂ¼Ă¼s li " means small house. Plus, this ending "-li" can also be added to first names as a means of endearment, e.g. Benjamin li , Esther li or Fabienne li . I tried to come up with a colle

How to Say 'I Love You' in Swiss German

To be completely honest, I'm not very fond of hallmark holidays and Valentine's Day is probably the mothership of them all. In my home there will be no cheesy cards or flowers on that day and, personally, I'm happy about it. However, I know that there are many people who like to celebrate Valentine's Day and take it as an opportunity to show their love and appreciation to their loves. Even in Switzerland, there are plenty of people celebrating it nowadays. If you're short on ideas for this years Valentine's Day in Switzerland you might find some inspiration here: Valentine's Day in Switzerland . If you're already set and have the perfect date ready, how about surprising your loved one with a few romantic Swiss German phrases? You should know that the expression "I love you" has only recently made its way into Swiss German from the High German "Ich liebe dich". Swiss people used to simply say "I like you" or "I like

Panache, a Swiss Mixed Beer

Next to our daily coffee fix , we Swiss really enjoy our ' Feierabendbier '. This literally means 'quitting time beer' and refers to a beer drunk in the after-work hours. Maybe we're not quite like the Irish who are said to go straight to the pub after work but many of us still like to enjoy a good cold beer when we get home. Much like with coffee , where people usually like it either strong or not, there are Swiss people who don't like their beers to be strong. Especially so after a long day of work. This is when we usually opt for a typical Swiss mixed beer called ' Panache '. Panache Beer - KFM  / pixelio.de Mixed beers or beer drinks are a great alternative to 'real' beers. I'm not talking about pre-mixed beer that is sold in supermarkets. Those suck! Good mixed beer is made on the spot with beer and a soft drink, syrup, liquor or other interesting ingredients. The most famous of all Swiss mixed beers is the Panache, pronounce