Swiss Army Knife

Who doesn’t love these red, multi-function knifes? The Swiss Army knife originated in Switzerland in 1897 by Wenger and Victorinox who were suppliers of knife to the Swiss Army. The original name of the knife was “Offiziersmesser”, however, American soldiers during World War II could not pronounce the name and instead called it the Swiss Army Knife.

The knife handle was originally made out of wood and included a cutting blade, screwdriver, can opener and a punch. In 1896, blades were added on both sides of the knife using a spring mechanism. Also added was a corkscrew. Today, you can buy a Swiss Army Knife with a laser pointer and a USB flash drive.

The character MacGyver (on the show by the same name) was always able to get out of difficult situations using just his Swiss Army Knife and a few items on hand!