The next Swiss Army Knife won't have a knife:
The Swiss Army Knife has become such a shorthand for multifunctionality that companies producing does-a-lot-of-stuff wares will often say that their goods are the "Swiss Army Knife" of whatever category they're a part of. You can use the tool to cut stuff, snip stuff, uncork stuff, file stuff, in some cases download stuff.
But Victorinox, the company behind the famous gadget, is working on a Swiss Army Knife without the knife part.
"We are in the early stages of developing pocket tools without blades," a spokesperson for the company told CNN. Though it won't be discontinuing its bladed version, the company has been trying to figure out how to serve customers in places — specifically England and some Asian countries — where knives aren't as welcome a pocket sight than in other markets. The British government, for example, is considering new legislation on carrying blades in public.
The Swiss Army Knife has its roots in 1880s Germany. Then the Swiss Karl Elsener took production over the border. Soon a competitor emerged in the company Wenger, and for a while the Swiss government split its orders for the tools between the two of them. Wenger called its version the "genuine" Swiss Army Knife, and Elsener's Victorinox called its version the "original." The two companies ended up merging in 2005.
(Score: 3, Funny) by krishnoid on Friday May 10 2024, @02:05AM (12 children)
And then they can just call it a knife [youtu.be].
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Friday May 10 2024, @02:27AM (8 children)
The more memorable version of that scene, I think - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSnosk4tWrg [youtube.com]
I just can't imagine carrying around a multi-tool that lacks the tool(s) that I use most often. I don't own a Bowie knife, like old Croc man, but I have knives everywhere. Little fingernail cleaning knives, kitchen knives galore, a machete or three, a genuine M6 bayonet (fits the M14 battle rifle) three or four "survival" knives, and various folding pocket knives. A day doesn't pass that I don't have some use for a knife. I'm not even going to try inventorying all the knives that belong to my kids and grandkids laying around the property.
So, I'm going to buy a toolbox that fits in my pocket, and leave out the tool I use most often? Geez, Louise, that looks like a stupid move to me.
“I have become friends with many school shooters” - Tampon Tim Walz
(Score: 3, Interesting) by fliptop on Friday May 10 2024, @04:01AM
This. I have a folding blade pocket knife that I always carry w/ me. I also have a swiss army locking blade that has just a knife (I know, right?) that I use for hunting b/c it has a partial serrated edge that's perfect for sawing through cartilage and bone. My favorite knife is my Cold Steel [coldsteel.com] that I carry when camping. I've batoned a lot of firewood w/ that.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by SomeRandomGeek on Friday May 10 2024, @03:54PM (6 children)
Huh. I have just the opposite experience. The only knives I use frequently are kitchen knives. And those get cleaned and stored carefully between uses. The idea of cutting my food with with a knife that's been in my pocket all day and used for all kinds of things is frankly disgusting.
So, for me, a tool that has scissors, tweezers, screw driver, etc., but no knife blade seems fine.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by mhajicek on Friday May 10 2024, @05:05PM (5 children)
Do you work with things, or with data? I'm having a hard time imagining a job working with things, that wouldn't require a knife on the regular.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2) by SomeRandomGeek on Friday May 10 2024, @06:53PM (2 children)
I work with data.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by mhajicek on Friday May 10 2024, @10:52PM (1 child)
That's what I expected. For those of us who work with physical objects, a knife is a basic requirement.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 3, Funny) by turgid on Sunday May 12 2024, @10:08AM
For data we use Occam's Razor.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 3, Insightful) by sjames on Saturday May 11 2024, @02:50AM
I always carry a butterfly knife in the data center. Perfect for one handed opening and closing. Because it's always AFTER you finally get the right cable in hand that you discover someone went zip tie happy.
(Score: 3, Funny) by driverless on Monday May 13 2024, @12:22PM
I work with users. Carrying a knife is a must.
Alongside bottles of bleach and black plastic rubbish bags.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 10 2024, @02:40AM (1 child)
Looking forward to seeing this new product. I normally carry a "Mini Champ" which is the same length as the little knife & scissors manicure version, but is thicker with a number of extra tools including flat & Phillips screwdrivers, bottle opener and others.
Of course, I can't carry this on airplanes anymore, so feel a bit naked when traveling. Without the blade (which I don't use all that often), perhaps this new version will be OK with the stupid TSA?
(Score: 2) by Mykl on Sunday May 12 2024, @11:01PM
According to the Magic 8-ball - "Outlook not so good"
(Score: 4, Touché) by sjames on Friday May 10 2024, @03:11AM
Because a spork will hurt more?