Because of "weapon image"

Manufacturer wants Swiss Army knife without a blade

A Swiss Army knife made by Victorinox - is it a multifunctional tool or a weapon after all?

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Pavlo Lys)

Nail scissors, screwdriver and bottle opener all in one - the multifunctional Swiss Army knife has delighted generations. Now the Swiss are shaking up an icon.

Everyone knows it - but the "regulation mania" is now apparently bringing the long legendary Swiss Army Knife to its knees. As the traditional company Victorinox announces, its bestseller is to be defused. Developed in the late 19th century for the Swiss Armed Forces, the multifunctional tool went on to triumph around the world. In addition to a blade, the knife has many a practical gadget such as a corkscrew and screwdriver, nail scissors, a bottle and can opener and even tweezers. And this multifunctional tool has inspired generations.

Blade interpreted as a weapon, not a tool 
But one element is now under scrutiny - the small knife blade! As company boss Carl Elsener explained in an interview with the Swiss newspaper "Blick", the tool has long had a "weapon image". In many parts of the world, the Swiss Army Knife is now seen more as a potential weapon than a practical tool. This is why a model without a blade is now being worked on.

A general ban on weapons in public spaces is also currently being discussed in Austria. At the same time, a weapons ban zone was recently imposed at the Reumannplatz hotspot in Vienna-Favoriten: The focus here is on the potential danger of an object. In other words, a Swiss Army knife with or without a blade could be confiscated by the police.