important design

Here is an interesting detail on an 85mm Wenger Pen blade. I will explain and back up everything I have written on the picture. It is not easy to picture this curve because it will show as a shadow and so on. On SAKhome.com I have discussed and looked for interesting and important evolution factors on Wenger knives. Some time ago I wrote some and discussed how this Company all the way in history changes some details on the design that can be for the evolution, running change, modern design and safety factors to protect the products they make.  Some details are so small that many have a hard time to distinguish them.

All the way during the Wenger history we see changes in the products for the development of the knives and because of new production methods. On Wenger Swiss Army Knives the emblem and tang stamp is very important. I mentioned how the grind sometimes in history got a more even line towards the stamp and some got the abrupt hard angle. On this it got an angle that get bigger towards the back of the blade and it is also curved nicely. This is a very deliberate design on purpose.

Next in the history of this Brand the grind from the blade towards this angle and tang design got several variations in history. On this there is something to make a mark in the evolution on. The grind is very nicely curved or rounded and it starts very early. On many knives this is faint or small. On this it seems it is made effort to show this on the face of the knife. It is a very deliberate design factor. It is also the evidence about my research that these two areas on the blades are used for something extra. The blade design and edge itself also got its own evolution changes all the way in history.

Basically this early curve meets the angle on the tang towards the stamp to change the appearance of the product. It is polished nicely. I have used a magnifier to see if anyone has tampered with this blade. It would not be easy to tamper in such a fashion.

I have noticed that on some products Wenger actually did use 85mm blades that are a bit specially designed for the precision towards other functions depending on how many functions it got. This can be on 2-5 layers SAKs.

I hope my information makes sense and I do not sound like a fruitcake.

What is age of this knife? It seems to me to be mid-1980s

I do not know what the professional words for these design factors are so I called what I feel is the best.

I looked over the surface again to see if this blade has been changed or tampered with. On the picture to the right is the blade again. It is not easy to see in such light. The difference however is significant and compared to others it is distinct. It got an exaggerated curve compared to others and that both curves are so distinct makes it extra interesting. In a production it is unavoidable that you will find production variations that I have mentioned many times before. It this case it is not production variation.

In the production it is unavoidable that new production methods influence the design. With Wenger it is sometimes ahead of this and actually they actually just waited for new technological innovations could arrive so they could put their plans ahead.

If you look on the top picture on this page then it is unavoidable to see that this design is not usual. It has been grinded and polished with precision for the appearance of the design and product. That part is in my opinion just as important as the tang stamp. I would not be surprised if they are very much related. These + the stamp itself and the emblem are important.

I got my eyes on this little design difference and I will not make anything out of chance. When I use a magnifier I look for difference in the surface and if people tamper or polish then this would show as a difference in the surface. It is polished with great skill and it must be original.

I use a digital caliper to see if there is something unusual with the blade thickness. The tang part got the same thickness as usual at this time window. From before I know that you can find a few small differences from batch to batch. This blade got a small extra thickness at some parts of the blade and this may influence the grind as well. This SAK is probably not any more valuable with money. For me it is super valuable for research. There is something with this blade and have a wonderful time for my hobby with this.

If you look on the other side of the 85mm blade towards the shank or tang you can see the backside grind is different from the main side. This is because the grind and tang stamp with the emblem is the face outwards on of the knives.

Also the backside grind got variations…

11:20

On my knife it is just the main side two curves that are different; the backside grind is more traditionally but not completely either.

It seems that Wenger change the appearance on a regular basis. It does not go too many years before you will find grind differences and changes in the emblem. From before I have researched the tang stamp itself with the obvious differences in the crossbow. The placing and depth of the complete stamp must also be into consideration.

Every few years Wenger changes important design factors. I noticed that the tang stamp could go unchanged for a long time until I used a magnifier to see that the modules were absolutely not the same. It may look the same and they are original but different.

11:50

I would also like to mention that there must not be any doubt that Wenger changed the appearance on a regular basis. The evolution on Swiss Army Knives is seriously a factor that this Company implemented.

Production variations can sometimes be so that where the stamp is placed and minor grind differences can be because of the production only. The tang stamp may sometimes be placed different just because of more random production. There are an enormous amount of blades made.

It must also be seriously taken into consideration that Swiss icons and symbols are protected by law and the Factory implements safety precautions for this.

I can guarantee that there is a code sometimes.

The knife I have shown on the pictures got so different grind and details that it is important to research fully.

Here you see the backside on my knife and it is traditionally different from the main side. Only a small unusual difference on it. It got some spots and substances on that i will try to remove gently.

I would also like to mention that the shank/tang construction at the contact part vs. the slip-joint spring is polished more round. This is normal to see on Wenger knives and also this got several variations in history.

Did you know that the Vikings loved colors? The answer to this is yes!

Hope you like my picture today and I really hope you are safe in these troubled times. Hope you can find the time to look around my pages and get pause in the mind. Perhaps give some joy to the senses and get some inspiration for the synapses.

You can find many evolution factors for the blade used on the former Wenger knives and tools. Today the legacy of Wenger is continued by Victorinox.

Swiza is a Company that continued the Swiss functionality with some changes. They all share the continuation of the Swiss knife! It is a Company that got much of the experience and knowledge from the Wenger base.

What you can learn from looking at the design and details on the functions can be much. It is very interesting to investigate production details and changes. It is not only the tang stamps that changes.

Polypore’s been used in history for coloring. I have been interested in them for a good time. I recommend some study and you will discover natural antibiotics, other medicinal abilities and coloring. The abilities are many, you will be surprised. Most of you are familiar with tinder fungus but for sure they all got some use in history besides tinder. It is not just the Amazon rainforest that contains medical abilities from plants and growth.

This is an interesting 85mm Wenger SAK in nice condition. The configuration is the Traveler but without (Bail, keyring, chain) tweezers or toothpick. Sometimes I find knives that are very directed into a specific time window. It is interesting with the former Wenger knives how changes to the functions, changing side and such can represent changes to the spring construction too. For example in the early 1990s and on this you have the springs almost side to side with the edges of the scales.  This knife is much older than the 1990s because this is probably 1975. It got the new nail file from the early 1970s, it got the modern scissors from 1975 but without serrations at this time. It is also got a function that has received unnecessary bad reputation. It is actually a very functional can opener. This got the V-shape or as some refers it to be the dog leg shape. My former research also says that this shape of can opener was changed to the more familiar Wenger type 1973-1976. It does not look like it stopped momentarily. In the early 1970s Wenger changed many things and during the 1970s we can see many changes. I do not have to go into detail because this is obvious information. The flat screwdriver is without the notch. Basically in the +-1975 we see so many changes which make this time window extra important in the evolution. Somehow this knife directs me for a pin pointed 1975 made Wenger SAK. There are several other details on it that guides me so. At this time in history you had extra hand operations obviously. 

can opener V-shape/dog leg

On older Wenger knives you can see the grind on the main blade vs. the nail-file for precision. There are probably 20 factors on this knife that is different compared to the late 1970s models. There is also the interesting emblem on this that is an inlay as most Wenger emblems. It is metal inlay with an enamel paint that got a red color that is close to the scales color. The handle scales are attached with the three slots you see from inside the side-liners which I had/have to be 1976. I am not 100% sure yet on that date because they used variations on that too.  Anyhow I have placed this SAK to be 1975 for now. The first time I found the scissors with integrated spring/lever is 1971/1973. According to my research the serrations could have been tested before 1975 too. My research says 1975 for the modern 85mm scissors with integrated lever/spring.  The best is to have it mind that serrations can occur early that is all. It is very normal to find mid to second half 1970s Wenger scissors without serrations. This I have seen on 65mm and 85mm SAKs. It is very important to remember with Wenger and the evolution that they were known for having a lot of variations. It is one of the things that make it extra fun to research them.  It must be a bit demanding to be fun. One thing that may have caused some confusion on the serrated scissors and scissors in general is the way the edges look. On some of them it is sharpened and made by Wenger in a way that they got very tiny micro serrations but it is not. There is for sure some evolution on everything. When you get a Wenger scissors with serrated scissors this is easy to feel and to see. On this there are no serrations.

Here you can see the nail-file and a nice folder from Brusletto called Reisa with ceramic ball bearings, 9cr18mov steel that is very sharp. 

It is difficult to tell exactly what metal is used on the inlay. It looks like aluminum under the scope. It is a shade difference between the plastic scales and then red for the emblem. It looks like a type of enamel paint. It does not look like plastic coat. What is 100% sure is the fact I mentioned with Wenger that you can be very sure there variations and materials. Wenger used hand steps in the production all the way until 2013. In the mid-1970s there were many hand steps still. Because of modern production the number of individual differences becomes less which is obvious.  This concludes this page. Good luck.