How to Identify Your Swiss Army Knife for Repairs and Replacement Parts
Many of us have a Swiss Army Knife that was given to us years ago as a gift, or passed down from our parents or grandparents. At Swiss Knife Shop, we often get customer questions about how to identify a knife in order to determine which replacement parts will fit, or just out of curiosity.
As a factory-authorized repair center, Swiss Knife Shop offers replacement handle scales for specific models, as well as replacement parts such as toothpicks, tweezers and scissor springs.
If you are interested in knife repairs, you may call us at 866-438-7947, or complete our Repairs Form and we will reach out to you.
The first step in requesting a repair is to determine the size and brand of your knife.
1. Measure the length of your Swiss Army Knife with all of the tools safely closed.
It is the length of the handles that will determine which replacement parts will fit on your knife - from replacement handle scales to toothpicks and tweezers and everything in between.
2. Determine the brand of your Swiss Army Knife by looking at the logo.
If you have a Swiss Army Knife made prior to 2014, it could be either a Victorinox brand or a Wenger brand knife. If you are looking to replace the toothpick, tweezers or other small parts, it's essential to know which brand you have in your hands.
The easiest way to determine brand is a look at the logo on the front handle of the knife. While both logos prominently feature the iconic Swiss cross, the Victorinox logo is shaped more like a shield, while Wenger's is a square with rounded edges.
Both the Victorinox and the Wenger logos are pictured below to help you identify yours.
If you weren't aware there were two brands of Swiss Army Knife, keep reading for a brief overview of the history of Victorinox Swiss Army and Wenger Swiss Army.
Swiss Army Knife Replacement Parts and Repair Options
Swiss Knife Shop offers replacement scales and parts for certain Victorinox brand Swiss Army knives. Our team is happy to guide you through the repair request process.
Unfortunately, replacement handle scales and replacement parts are no longer made for Wenger-brand knives, and the Victorinox equivalents will not fit in a Wenger knife. The good news, however, is that every Swiss Army Knife is covered by a lifetime warranty, and you can contact Victorinox Swiss Army directly for warranty coverage details and instructions, as Victorinox still owns Wenger.
Our Customer Service team would be happy to help you identify your knife and your repair options. Please contact us at 866-438-7947, or at customer.service@swissknifeshop.com for assistance.
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There are Two Brands of Swiss Army Knives? A Brief History Lesson
Victorinox's Roots
Victorinox was founded in 1884 by Karl Elsener in Ibach, Switzerland. At that time, the company was simply a cutler's workshop. In 1891, Karl created a knife supplied to the Swiss Army for its soldiers, and in 1897, he developed the Swiss Officer's and Sports Knife, the very first model of the now-iconic Swiss Army Knife.
Victorinox is branded as the Original Swiss Army Knife.
Wenger's Roots
What is now Wenger was founded in 1893 by Paul Boechat under the name of Cutlery Works. It quickly changed hands in 1895, and again in 1898 when Theo Wenger took charge and moved the company to Delemont, Switzerland. Theo purchased the now-famous company in 1907 to save it from its financial troubles, and in 1908, Wenger manufactured their first Swiss Soldier Knife for the Swiss Army.
Wenger is branded as the Genuine Swiss Army Knife.
Victorinox Bought Wenger in 2005
Victorinox Swiss Army and Wenger Swiss Army operated simultaneously for many years. In 2005, however, Wenger was purchased by its competitor, Victorinox. Victorinox continued Wenger operations independently until April of 2014, still producing Wenger-branded Swiss Army knives at the original Delemont, Switzerland factory. (While Victorinox carried on their Swiss Army knife manufacturing in Ibach, Switzerland.)
In 2014, Victorinox dissolved the Wenger line of Swiss Army knives, bringing some of the Wenger models and innovations into the Victorinox line with a Victorinox logo, and discontinuing the rest. Today, the Wenger brand name is still owned by Victorinox, and is only applied to watches and travel gear.
