Swiss Army knife turns 125 years old

It's known by different names and its dozens of gadgets can be configured in myriad ways. One will help you escape a caved-in car and another will prune your roses. There's a do-it-yourself special and another for data lovers.

And chances are very good that, standing with a group of your friends, at least several of them carry one in pocket or purse. It's standard equipment on the space shuttle.

The Swiss Army knife hits a major milestone this year — 125 years since creator Karl Elsener opened a cutlery shop in Ibach, Switzerland, to supply area butcher shops with high-quality knives and cleavers. He was stunned to learn that the tool issued to his country's soldiers was made by Germans. And his company would earn enduring fame and extend its reach worldwide with his version of a soldier's knife with tools for cutting and opening cans and punching holes in leather straps. His company still supplies Swiss soldiers, although they must always compete for the contract.

To celebrate the anniversary, maker Victorinox has teamed up with AirStream to take the whole thing on the road in a traveling exhibit that this week is catching eyes at the Outdoor Retailer convention at the Salt Palace. They're showcasing the many iterations of the Swiss Army knife, including a 31/2-inch square version with 80 tools, from a ruler to a timepiece to a borer and a small saw.

The "soldier's knife" was popular with American soldiers who purchased it at the PX and brought it home from Europe after World War II, earning it the moniker "Swiss Army knife." Outside the U.S., it's known by its brand name, Victorinox. Elsener came up with that name to honor his by-then-deceased mom, Victoria, and the rust-proof properties of the material he used, described as inoxable.

His descendants still own the company and manufacture in the original location. But they've expanded the offerings considerably, say company spokesmen Renee Hourigan and Daniel Carpenter.

Victorinox sells timepieces (from high-end luxury to super-durable), cutlery (mostly commercial, but making inroads into at-home kitchen knife blocks) and the pocket knives. They have also teamed with others for an extensive line of clothing (from visored golf caps to swimsuits and ski coats, polo shirts to slacks), travel gear (think rolling luggage and carry-on bags) and a fragrance (said to evoke outdoor Switzerland) — all sold with the distinctive Swiss Army cross logo.

And for the 125th year, they've have commemorative items, including an ebony-inlaid replica of the original soldier's knife, limited to 1,884 numbered copies (the year Elsener set up shop) in an ebony box for $495.

The historical journey and the extensive catalog of products are online at 125years.swissarmy.com.

e-mail: lois@desnews.com