Soon to be found on a shelf near you: the Swiss Army All-Kinds-of-Cool-Things-but-Don’t-You-Dare-Call-It-a-Knife.
Victorinox, maker of the famous Swiss Army Knife, said in an email to CBS News that it is in the “early stages of developing new pocket tools without blades.”
The Swiss company said it is not eliminating its current product line but adding to it, according to the report Wednesday.
Traditional Swiss Army Knives have at least one blade along with other tools, such as a screwdriver, scissors, a can opener and a corkscrew.
It’s time for a break. And you’re ready because you’re always best prepared, that’s why you have a Swiss Army Knife. It’s the well-thought-out solution for every day. Get yours now: https://t.co/yGiHkuNuNA#MyVictorinox #MadeToBePrepared pic.twitter.com/0QHWURKOLF
— Victorinox (@Victorinox) March 6, 2024
Victorinox did not offer a timeline for the knifeless line but sang the wonders of multi-tool gizmos that would allow customers to be “best-prepared through smart and masterful solutions for any life situation.”
“An example of this is a possible tool for cyclists who may require a tool without a blade,” a company spokeswoman said.
The evolution of the knife into a tool came after CEO Carl Elsener Jr. considered the growing restrictions on knives, CNN reported, citing comments made to Swiss media outlet Blick.
Do you carry a pocketknife?
“In England or certain Asian countries, you are sometimes only allowed to carry a knife if you need to have it to do your job or operate outdoors,” Elsener said.
“In the city, however, when you go to school, to the cinema, or to go shopping, carrying pocketknives is severely restricted” now that a knife – no matter what its intended purpose – is often classified as a weapon, he said.
“I have a cool tool for cyclists in mind. We already have a tool specifically for golfers in our range,” Elsener said. “Cyclists probably need special tools, but not necessarily a blade.”
A representative of the company said it was simply adapting to a changing world.
“With innovation at the core of our brand, we are constantly listening to our consumers and their needs; and acknowledge that there is an appetite for the functionality, versatility, and craftsmanship the Swiss Army Knife is known for in more specialized fields and situations,” the representative said.
However, many on social media questioned the move.
A Swiss Army knife without a knife is a glorified can opener
— Kit Katalina (@kitkatuhlina) May 12, 2024
so they can’t call it the swiss army knife anymore – did they just end the life of their product?
— MarkWayUp (@MarkWayUp) May 12, 2024
Go WOKE, Go BROKE!
There are so many makers of this type of contraption fold-out knife that “Swiss” will just make themselves irrelevant eventually. People can’t cut their apples with the screwdriver without making a horrific mess. Goodbye stupid “Swiss” Army Knife has-beens! 🤣— BukaTV (@Buka_Bazooka) May 12, 2024
According to the New York Post, Elsesner said the next step is a continuation of his realization that “we must not become dependent on a single business area.”
He noted that after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, bans on knives proliferated, leading to a 30 percent drop in sales.
