VINTAGE SWISS ARMY KNIFE DATED 1945 (Swiss Army Knife Vintage Dated 1945)

	Item #: HW0188-935 VINTAGE SWISS ARMY KNIFE DATED 1945 By Swiss Army Knife Vintage Dated 1945 Price: $295.00 Add to wish list Click Here For Related Selections
Detailed Product Description
The Swiss nation of 9,000,000 has an elite army of 100,000 now, but a few decades ago it was 400,000, and during WW2 it was 800,000. The citizen soldiers kept their guns and ammo at home, plus their Swiss Army Knife which has always had a can opener plus the main blade. They have issued knives to their soldiers since 1891. Commercial sales started in 1897, and went big time after WW2, possibly because American soldiers, hikers and visitors liked them and bought them. The makers still sell 50,000 knives to the Swiss Army every year. (Photo of 21st century knife below). I have owned this knife for about 20 years. I bought it in Switzerland from a supplier from whom I was buying old ice axes, nailed boots and manila climbing ropes. He had several examples of this knife, and I thought about buying more to sell, but for some reason I did not. Possibly I was using caution that the $10,000 check for ice axes I just gave him would clear. The maker is stamped on the base of the main blade, it is ELSENER SCHWYZ who later changed their name to Victorinox, and who still makes the knives today for the Swizz Army and the entire world. Some US SAK knives may be made in Connecticut. The blade on this knife is stamped with a 45, which is the year this was made, which you can read on the closeups below. The 45 means this knife was made in 1945. The Swiss did quite well financially supplying themselves and the Germans during the war. Above: Elsener was the company name when they started making Swiss Army Knives. This image is of the knife that the Swiss issue to their army today. It is based on the design that they have been making for the German army. It is available commerically and includes the toothpick and tweezers. We do not have examples of this knife to sell, but copies are readily available online.
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