Swiss Army Knife now available without the knife

Swiss Army Knife now available without the knife

The Swiss Army Knife, the iconic, more than century-old fold-up tool used by whittlers, soldiers and even astronauts, will soon be available without a blade.

Victorinox, the company behind the quintessentially Swiss product, is responding to tighter regulations around weapons around the world, Chief Executive Officer Carl Elsener told the Blick newspaper on Monday. Instead, it plans to add tools for cyclists and other functions to a gadget that usually also features scissors and a corkscrew.

"We are concerned about the increasing regulation of knives due to the violence in the world," Elsener said, citing laws in the UK and in Asian countries that permit knife-carrying only for work or outdoor activities. "In some markets, the blade creates an image of a weapon."

Last year, a man with a Victorinox knife in his pocket was fined in Osaka, Japan for carrying a dangerous object, Swissinfo reported in December. In Switzerland, a proposed minor revision to the weapons ordinance in 2016 prompted a member of parliament to ask, "Will the famous Swiss Army knife be banned?," according to the report.

"The increasing regulation of knives in various countries represents a major challenge for the company," a company spokesman told Bloomberg News, confirming the Blick report.

Victorinox's pocketknives became famous when American soldiers brought them home as souvenirs after World War II. The company has been producing in Switzerland since 1897, supplying gadgets to the Swiss army as well as NASA.

Victorinox exports about 80% of its Swiss-produced knives and watches. In response to the Swiss franc, it increased prices 9% and plans to rely more on automation in the future, the CEO said.