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NEXTSeeking to create a domestic version of the pocketknife carried by German soldiers, Swiss cutlery company Victorinox began manufacturing the Soldier’s Knife in 1891. It had four basic folding tools: a blade, an awl, a can opener and a screwdriver. Six years later, the company created its now-iconic Swiss Army Knife. This larger tool, patented as the Officer’s and Sports Knife, featured a second, smaller blade and a corkscrew. Though the Swiss Army Knife was never manufactured for military use, Victorinox’s Soldier's Knife is still standard issue in the Swiss army.
The 1897 Officer’s and Sports Knife
Photo: Courtesy of Victorinox
