On the picture you can see Wenger 85mm knives from the early 1980s until approximately the year 2000. The use of hot stamp or embossed emblem on economy or budget knives with silver
color was used in the 1980s and also on some later dates as well. On the picture is a mix of budget, advertising and main category knives. You will find embossed emblem on budget knives and advertising knives. We have the same with Wenger as Victorinox. Some
categories are made with some less expensive production methods. You will find advertising knives that are regular and economy made. There is a mix of everything with Wenger depending on requests. The use of a Pad Print type emblem you can find from the early
1980s and on different years as well depending on category. I have also found some knives with advertisings that are interesting for collectors and should be worth knowing.
If you want to date the year of a knife then many use the push lock screwdriver as a certain guide. I have found Wenger knives with Pad Print and no push lock screwdriver that I suspect are made in the late 80s; these are economy made knives I believe. I see signs that we have some of the issue with Victorinox dates that are the main line VS economy made knives. The use of different Pad Print advertisings
can be found from the 1980s and up usually and in the 1990s it is common. There are many variations in the dates and knives. The regular or main line from Wenger usually has an inlay type emblem that identifies it as the main line or regular. The type on the
top is an inlay type and also these got an evolution. The inlay emblem identifies together with the tang stamp. This was so extra important as well when Wenger did the large change in the early 2000s and up. The evolution and the Classic Range got special
inlay emblems.
The quality on the Wenger budget knives is well and they are made for use. Usually there are more cost effective steps in the production and details that are the only
difference. They are genuine Wenger SAKs. In some cases it is also the blister type or front display card package that can identify it as a Budget knife. The name Basic is also a category used on the 85mm knives by Wenger and these are basic made and therefor
it is a type of Budget or economy made knife as well. basic can also be the use of basic functions and a category made in that sense.
Also have in mind the use of different colors on the
knives. This is also depending on the time in history. In some later dates some colors like blue can be used on some advertising knives in an economy sence. At some times in history it was completely different because different colors was very expencive.