Is there something more Swiss than this?

I believe one of the "Swissest" things today is a little (not always little I know) tool that all kids want to have, both boys and girls, specially the ones that like to go camping. It is but a Swiss Army Knife.

Evolution?

Completing 125 years in 2009, Victorinox, their official producer, has reserved some nice exhibitions for this year in Switzerland. Created by Karl Elsener in 1884, he started his own cutlery himself and in 1891 he already supplied the Swiss Army with soldiers' knives.

In 1909, the founder baptized its company Victoria, after his mother who passed away that year. The company's name changed last in 1921 after the invention of stainless steel (also known as inox), by mixing Victoria and Inox together thus they named it Victoriinox, the same up to today.

In 1945, after the Second World War, when the US Army started selling the Swiss Officer's Knife in large quantity for their officers and soldiers who called the knives as "Swiss Army knives" for short.

With time, it developed and become more and more famous. Spreading to all continents. It produces not only to the knives but also house supplies, watches, and even parfums (what is their smell like?stainless steel?). Who used already a Victorinox knife knows how good quality it is. If you have any problem with your pocket knife you can send it back to be fixed to the factory in Switzerland and in its site you can find many histories of how it was useful many times to many people even saving their lives sometimes.

From the very simple...
...to the ones with flash drive and light spot or...



... for stylish people, made of gold and diamonds to ...

... the most useful ever!

In November of 2006, it was created by FieldCom a field advertisement picturing a Gigantic Swiss knife measuring 190 by 177 metres in the field of Erdinger Moos near Munich airport, one of the busiest airports in Europe. The subject of the piece was mapped out on the field using GPS technology and over 700 fixed points define the outline of the VICTORINOX logo and the giant pocket knife.

THE field adverstisement!

However, as well as being the largest field advertisement created by FieldCom, it is also the first ever field advertisement to be completed using plants and, to a large extent, entirely natural, milk-based colourings. These colourings were a completely natural product and contained no preservatives or any other artificial additives. Following its completion, the 33,650 m2 large "billboard" also required regular upkeep work on the ground. The grass needed to be carefully mown on a regular basis and the colouring touched up as and when necessary.

In February 2009, Victorinox produced a brand new soldier's pocket knife model for the Swiss Army as their requirements increased during the last century.
The old Swiss Army model in use since 1961 ...


... and the new one from 2009.

Also this year till October a Swiss Army Knife exhibition will take place in Schwyz, where you even have the chance to make your own knife! The exhibition will be on shown at the Swiss National Museum - Château de Prangins (www.chateaudeprangins.ch) from 20 November 2009 to 25 April 2010.

So, enjoy your knife if you have one, and sure, take care when you fly with it, because after 2006-2007 new traveling policies for airplane safety they are not allowed on board anymore. Since then, several knives have been seen in the trashes right besides the security check in airports.

sources: www.victorinox.ch, wikipedia