Solid knives

In the picture slide you can see three Victorinox 111mm knives.
On the top is the New Soldier 2008, next the Dual Pro and then the Hunter XT.

The last years evolution of the Ibach factory follow up the services tools or
professional knives.
One of my interests is the safety knives, by this a knife with belt cutter, serrations and wood saw. This knife must also have a second blade with normal edge. The Hunter XT  was made for Hunters. The saw can be used on bone for the dressing of animals. This is also a wood saw.
One get a keyring, easy to see color, two locking one hand opening blades. This knife is one of the best i have seen.

It also got the dual density scales or two component handles, more slip resistant.

Dual Pro

About the 111mm liner locking category.

There is really no need to write to much words on these knives, they are very well made and used by services over the world. The quality on them is world class.

The development of the Victorinox belt cutter, on the Dual Pro we get the most developed belt cutter. It now got a locking mechanism, this will make sure that the blade does not accidental close.

We see on the tip on belt cutters that it is round! This is a very important part, it will not cut yourself or another person when using it. For services it is not fully developed for today.

If you see the RescueTool 2007 it got a very developed belt cutter, one of the best.  Here you can  open the blade with one hand by using the tip part. This is not always so easy. One can secure so that the blade will not fold in with your thumb. Not fully developed for today.

So then we see the Dual Pro, it got a curved shape to get behind a belt, a rounded tip for safety. It also got like the other a curved wavy edge for better /faster cutting of belt and ropes.  It got a one hand opening blade and safe locking.

Victorinox 111mm

I will discuss today the 111mm liner-locking type models and category.

The development of this category is very interesting and they are fun to use. You can read around sakhome.com about knife development and why they are made. The interesting part for me is that this rather new category got influenced by many of the other category knives made by Victorinox.

When I study these knives I can see the company values incorporated into them. It is a very interesting category because it borrows some functions and with the different functions it can become a special purpose or a personalized knife. This category of knives got some sub categories to them but in general they are knives that are developed to fit the more modern demanding public.

For me this 111mm category is even more special when it comes to how it is looked upon by people. We know from history the one development on the Soldiers knives and the one for the Officers knives.  Both of these are very well known today and are the reason for the famous products.  The 111mm is a bit different because of the philosophy on how it is made. It is obvious it is more a tool and lean towards the Soldier side. This we know because of the services and Soldier 111mm knives.

To me it seems like the market and services understand the very high quality product. The Victorinox name is today an entity of its own.  The civilian market today is special because there are so many competitors in the world that make products for professional use. In the services and the professional use the quality is important because people understand and obviously want a quality product. This is safe and it is common sense.

The civilian market today is divided and some only want to buy a very low cost product and they are happy with that. It is understandable but not always the safest products to use. The other part goes into the category that wants a quality product and wants a product designed for such tasks. This is the safest philosophy. It is much safer with a large quality professional product.

The modern world developed to have the need for a locking multifunction product designed for professional use. In many cases the fixed blade knife is pushed away because the modern development and world fit much better a multifunction product than a fixed blade knife. This is obvious because we live in a technological world that requires such functions on a large scale. This is interesting because it does fit my impression and philosophy very well that the functions made on any Swiss Army Knife usually are made for use. It is here that the 111mm category really fit extra well in! Here we have a tool for the modern world for outdoors activity, sports, hunting, services and any professional philosophy. The 111mm liner-lock knife is also a completely new design but it borrows from other categories.

The modern knife got these factors:

-          Ergonomic

-          Locking blade or functions

-          Professional use

-          Quality

-          Compact

-          Lightweight

-          Adaptability

-          Slip resistant

-          Carry options

-          Easy maintenance

-          Functionality

-          Comfortable

-          Safe

I recommend for people to read my pages: Victorinox Fireman and Rescue blades

It is a very safe and smart philosophy to carry a fixed blade knife side by side with a multifunction tool. The fixed blade knife can be a very useful tool!

If we look upon the philosophy on Swiss Army Knives then it is clear and documented that the locking functions are there to prevent accidental closing. It is a safety feature on a knife that got a lock as a safety feature for normal use.  

There is a big difference between a fixed blade knife and a Swiss Army Knife when it comes to the philosophy of use. A fixed blade may have the option as a better weapon for fighting or even defense against animals. A folding type knife or a SAK would fit much better as a tool to make a combat weapon made of for example wood. All together a SAK is very different.

Update

My interest never includes a knife as a stabbing weapon and even a fixed blade for me and the philosophy of use is completely opposite of such negative factors. A combat weapon is extremely easy in philosophy and less smart. I do not like knife violence because it disrupts the positive modern development of knives for the civilian and private market. Combat weapons however are collectable by people and this is important.

Combat knives in use belong with the armies or services. The philosophy of professional SAK made for services are a completely different thing. It is a very positive and helpful development for private people that want extra quality. It is a 100% good development!

The Soldier knife is important because of the heritage and how everything really began.  I have not received or heard any negative about the 2008 type model yet.  On the picture today is the 2016 edition of the New Soldier knife 2008 type.  This type of knife is also a testament of the Swiss engineering and production. On Victorinox products you can see how the Company values are incorporated into the products.

 It is easy to see that this Soldier knife is a tool and everything designed for this. This is not a fighting weapon. It is Swiss! Merry Christmas

The combination edge got the inner section with a chisel type grind and plain edge. A wavy edge or serrated edge is important for the safety and to be able to cut fabric, webbing and belts. It stays sharper longer. The blade got a one hand opening and locking mechanism. This fulfills the safety demands and it will be possible to open it secure with one hand and have a controlled cut. I could talk for hours about this blade....

The combination wood saw and knife blade is formidable. The wood saw can also be used as a serrated blade on extreme rope as well. The inner section of the knife blade is plain for force cut or wood cutting with control. It can be used on other materials too. The wood saw will in combination with the plain edge work very well for maintenance and building with wood material. This saw is large and it can therefor relieve the main blade and it can cut boards in good speed and or larger branches of a tree. This together with a blade will make this 111mm a very good survival tool.

On soldier knives the corkscrew is replaced with a Phillips screwdriver with large size. This can be used on equipment. The awl is a tool with traditions on Soldier knives. This is also a function that could be used in combination with the blade and wood saw. It is a great tool for puncture and to drill with. The awl can be used in combination with the blade because the tip of the combination blade is not very pointy because of the waves.

The large flat screwdriver got a locking mechanism so it got a better safety and control during some force. It can also be used for light bending or prying. It can be used on weapons and equipment. It can be used for engineering and building in the field. The can opener got a small flat screwdriver that also works on Phillips screws. The 111mm Soldier knife 2008 type is a field knife and survival tool. This construction is very strong…

25.12.2016

All use of knives depends on how you carry it. The absolute best with the Soldier knife would be in a pouch. This mean it can be accessible controlled. For Soldiers in the Swiss Army this tool is designed to be a field knife with traditions. One hand opening blades with versatile functions on a tool like this is just as well perfect for outdoors use by the everyday person. I have learned that one hand opening blades with locking mechanisms are very useful.

I mentioned that the Soldier knife is not a fighting weapon. The shape of the blade suggests this. The Soldier knife 2008 type is very dangerous when it comes to being able to do so many different tasks on equipment and safety tasks. In tight compartments and when trapped in a position the one hand opening blade can be reached from the pouch in a hurry with control to free oneself from belts and so on.  

To me one hand opening blades and locking mechanisms for preventing accidental closing represents a very useful knife for people.

I do not like knife abuse in any way. I am fully aware of what folding knives sometimes are practiced with by military and special-forces. These people can use practically anything. I know all about philosophies of fighting with folding knives.  Many folding knives are considered a last resort for military when it comes to fighting with a good reason.

Versatile folding knives are what it is and that is a tool for field chores and maintenance.

Victorinox folding knives in the 111mm services tools liner locking category:

Please take the time to read on sakhome.com about my research on them and for a better understanding about the functionality.

The construction on these knives is a sandwich design with different functions depending on designation. This can be sports, hunting, outdoors or services use knives. It is sometimes misunderstood by people that a knife got the “army” word mentioned. It all began with a knife for the soldiers in the Swiss army and that this should be made in Switzerland. It was the hard work done by The Founder that made this possible. The Swiss Army Knife designation is mainly made from WW2 by American soldiers serving in Europe. This is sometimes mentioned because foreign soldiers had difficulties with with Offiziermesser in German. This is mostly referred to the officer`s knife or Officiers knife category. “Soldat Messer” is the Soldier knife category in Switzerland.  These two categories are clearly divided by the makers in the evolution.  Today it is no problem that collectors and enthusiasts call both categories Swiss Army Knives and even the makers many times call them such. It is also so that the Soldiers knife is an issued knife in Switzerland for the soldiers.

The 111mm knives made by Victorinox are mainly divided into two main categories with the slide lock knives and the liner-locking knives. The last one is the strongest knives because they were developed for services and soldiers. It started with the slide lock category in the 1980s because of the demand for a larger blade with locking mechanism. This category had been made for all users.  In the 1990s we see a new category made by Victorinox with a liner-locking presentation. This was because Victorinox found the slide-lock knives not sturdy enough for services. This is also because of the constant quality development. There are several slide lock 111mm knives and products that continued to be used in different military designations across the world. The liner lock if we could call this lock so is special and not in any way related to the Michael Walker Linerlock. It is a very different type with a main design to prevent accidental closing but much stronger than the slide lock type. Victorinox use a slip joint sandwich design and this is together a very different construction. This they use on both 111mm categories. The spring is there as the traditional knives have for the functionality. It holds the blade in open position and in closed position. In open position it is backed up by the liner lock preventing accidental closing. A folding knife should be used as there is no lock at all and this way you learn correct use. That said the Victorinox lock is very strong made and the liner lock knives are excellent safety knives and takes force. It is very dangerous for belts and webbings + rope, it will without any problems cut tough materials when every seconds count.

In many ways I recommend this services category as EDC or in the outdoors because it is the best developed harder use products made by Victorinox. The edge is usually today around 57HRC or 56-57 to be absolutely correct.  It is enough for what it is made for.

The liner lock by Victorinox is opposite for closing the blade in and that mean for most two hand closing for best safety. With some practice it is one hand closing without any problem. The construction on the 111mm services range is extra interesting because Victorinox has made an engineering marvel by making it lightweight and at the same time very strong. It got precision and polished parts. It is comfortable and especially the dual density handles. This will prevent the handle for slipping on a surface or in the hand, especially with gloves it is very good. One hand opening today is necessary for any safety knife and that it got a lock. Without this it is pointless for services to uphold the highest standards. The advantage with a folding type knife is the possibility to have other functions in the same package and this way one can make any special purpose design or designation. It is lightweight and small. Everything can be carried in a pouch.

It is sad that many misuse one hand opening knives from the world because the real intention is in many cases to make a comfortable EDC knife for people.

One hand opening knives with locking mechanisms are today considered excellent safety knives by the everyday person, extreme sport person or rescue personnel.

The durability on the liner-lock by Victorinox is high. Some wonder about the little play against the lock. This little play got no influence on the quality or functionality and it is because of the construction. The factory got the highest standard with precision and some of them got very little play against the lock. The Victorinox slip joint spring is the most important for this knife and I suspect there must be some play against the lock because of the traditional back spring. This category is a sandwich one with additional functions. It is also a flexible construction still to some degree. There is no change with the play against the lock after years of use. That suggests to me a sturdy design with quality. The durability is there.

Victorinox and Wenger implemented the same standards and tradition on services or special purpose outdoors knives.

To sum up if people wonder about the Army name is that it is mainly a quality designation from a very traditional Company.

The 130mm categories made by Victorinox today must be considered very close to the 111mm in design and construction. The former Wenger knives made by Victorinox today are more a pure outdoors designated category of knives. The design of these knives could have seen service in the Army in Switzerland because the quality was and is there. The New Ranger knives are very high quality knives and can be used for all outdoors needs. It is an excellent safety knife as well.

The other 130mm category by Victorinox is the latest Hunter Pro designation and this is a completely different design and construction with a more traditional lock back type. It is a special purpose knife for Hunters.

14:30

The word official is today misunderstood by some and the Swiss Army Contract is what should be followed. In the Swiss Army many Original and Genuine Wenger + Victorinox knives has seen service.  Some knives are Official at different places there. It is the main military contract that is the key for the official soldier knife.

Really glad for this new edition to my collection. The fit, assembly and precision is perfect!

 My latest 111mm SAK

 For every SAK collector this model is understandably one of the extra important ones in the 111mm history. Well by this I mean the toolset, construction and category. Today it is called the Adventurer and it is related to the Centurion, Garant (Phillips) and DAK (Dutch Army knife).

 Speaking about philosophies you see the Phillips driver on it. Having this function and not the corkscrew then it automatically fits better into the soldier sphere but not always.

On the can opener tip you find a flat screwdriver that can be used for turning Phillips screws. The large extra function you have on the Adventurer will give better control and it will do the tougher tasks better obviously.

 Many of you know the history of the services range and the philosophy behind it. It is the tough category made for services. On SAKhome.com you can find some more information on this. There is an evolution to everything and this includes this construction too with the liner-locking design itself. The Adventurer is compact and lightweight for the hefty construction it got. The plain blade is perhaps the strongest design within the liner-locking category. This is a superb and versatile blade. If you would put on olive drab scales with some military logo on it the impression from it would be a bit different.

I absolutely agree with how Victorinox present this SAK on their website to be a tool for the city or the outdoors still. There is probably some debate about which 111mm liner-lock SAK was first but what is important is the fact behind the philosophy that Victorinox says about the services range. The development and evolution of this category is what you see with this model and a huge number of others.