Wenger Ranger introduced?

[North Man]

Hi

I have a question on the old Ranger knives, from my information it was around 1991 the 120mm was first introduced.
It was around this time the SwissBucks was talked about also, i have searched a huge deal of scanned books and articles with very litt info before 1991 on the Rangers,  am not totaly convinced could be earlier, Victorinox started with the 111mm from 1985 and up around there. What was Wengers answer to them? not before 1991? The 120mm got clip blade, this may not be so Swiss...
Anyway please let me know if you got any info.

NM

[ICanFixThat]

I think one of our Russian readers should be able to give a pretty definitive answer to this question.

Just as an a-side, don't you think the grey scales with their straight design look Russian, or of Russian influence?  I wonder where this design came from.  I didn't care for them originally, but they have started to grow on me.  Still looking for that Ranger 13, love the scissors/shears but the New Rangers are too wide.

[North Man]

The design is very special,.
This sound exciting....

[North Man]

Took some fast pictures, i got this just a week ago, Ranger Mountaineer that should be from 1993, on the box there is a label 1893-1993,100 year anniversary  maybe they used this label for a longer period than 1993...
I am impressed with this knife!

[North Man]

HI

I am not ready to let this go just yet , somehow i doubt it is russian influence, if i am proven wrong so... i would be glad
I was wondering if you folks have any new information on the 120mm Mountaineer Ranger? it seems this came around 1990-1991, lovely tool! Was mentioned Russian influence and i have seen a old Russian foldingknife one time that looks very similar, however i know that it was around 1992 the SwissBucks was introduced and i am not sure about the timeline of the large SwissMate Swissbuck, it seems to be same size, same locking mechanism just different scales? Please just let your information rain if not Maybe the Mountaineer Ranger was first? Anyhow if a Buck alternative was already available it is not so strange it never got so much imported to America..

I got say that this is maybe just a European alternative..........And i am not surpriced if was designed in the 80s..

[North Man]

A new picture must follow also, even if no influence i took with in the picture two matchboxes, i got one of them from a friend its from Moskow and shows an alarm tower? Nabatnaia

[Bladester]

According to "The Working Folding Knife," by Steven Dick (1998), the SwissBucks were made for Buck by Wenger.  I haven't ever heard of any Russian influence.  The clip point blade is identified more as an American style.  BTW, I have a Mike Horn and RangerGrip 178, and just got a RangerGrip 179.  These newer models all have a button lock for the main blade.  I really like them; they are on the large size but are excellent outdoor knives, if slipped into an outside jacket pocket or a sheath.  Or, if you have really big pockets.

--Larry

[North Man]

Yes, SwissBucks was made by Wenger for Buck, and i agree clip point is usually an American style, what i ment with a SwissBuck alternative available is that if the only difference is the scales it is not so strange that the  Mountaineer was not imported so much. Then i do not know, what was first.

[North Man]

I can also add that already early 1991 there was talk on SwissBucks....The first models that i could find was smaller than 120mm, around 1967 Wenger entered the US marked,
In 1986 the factory in Delemont was modernized after fire and i got some info that says after 1986 and 1987 the Wenger factory was running like a super modern factory.. so if They entered the US marked early as 1967 it is the Swiss Army Knife 85mm people really wanted... so i am not sure if larger knives was on their mind until the 80s when Victorinox started with lockblades on the 111mm knives around 1985, so here is the fire, it must have taken some time until the production and planning of new products and patents started maybe, so from 1987 until 1990 there must have been much new stuff on their mind and it seem so. It is my belief that this is a respons to the lockblades. At the end of the 80s and beginning and early 90s Forschner(Victorinox)and Precise(Wenger) raged a fashion fight on scoring the fashion markeds and the Signature and Pastels. In 1988 Wengers US marked was 10% in 1992 35% or less..End of the cold war also, so i do not know if Wenger made a knife to honour this new peacetime...Then maybe another new marked arrives!
Turbulent times in the early with Forschner and Precise around 1992.

[North Man]

P.S
I should also inform you that Wengers packlock on 85mm knives is from alittle before 1979, maybe 1982 has some meaning not sure......
Interlock was also mentioned on Viceroy as early as 1981..

[ICanFixThat]

I sent a message to the Eastern Europe member that has been documenting and digging out information on the original Ranger series.

I will mention that in another thread it was pointed out that Wenger has had so many hundred year anniversaries that when you see that you don't really kniw what they are talking about without additional documentation.

Lately it seems that Wenger is clearing out a closet of old Rangers, but many models are still very hard to get over here.  There was a nice used Everest on ebay, have to check what it sold for yesterday as it didn't seem to be getting a lot of attention, and I had already paid quite a bit (overpaid) for one in vg-ex shape. 

It's possible the year of introduction was different for different markets maybe because of production capabilities or simply market demand or distribution networks.

The discovery of the great clip on the Century w/Woodsaw Advantage Timber version has kept my interest in digging out more information on these.  I did have a link to an old catalog, but it seems to have dried up.  I'll see if I can check on that.

Keep digging, and always retune the SAK detector so you're not missing the deep targets.

[North Man]

Super!

I do not think this will be a sticky topic, anyhow i took apicture of the knife with a fantastic USA product.

[Katran73]

Hi, ICanFixThat!

Thanks for your invitation. Sorry, I seldom come at multitool.org. It's better e-mail to me.

First:

...Victorinox started with the 111mm from 1985 and up around there....

The dates of Victorinox (from here):
1986 - patent of "Victorinox Slide-lock system"
1986/87 - start producing 111 mm series with slide-lock
1993 - start producing "Liner-lock" 111 mm series (including, this is the official answer from Victorinox - see at talks.guns.ru)

About Wenger Rangers:
I guess the beginning of their year of production - 1990.
I send a question to the official representative of Wenger. Once the answer will come - I'll write here.

The first appearance of 120 mm series in the catalogs - 1991. (Look there.)

Almost a full range of Wenger Rangers available at rusknife.com (see link, in Russian).
By the way, there is a catalog page (which is completely I still can't get) with Wenger Sabla (SAfety BLAde) - this is the year 1993.

More photos and comments - in the that topic entirely (in Russian).

Sorry, bad English.

[North Man]

Hi

Thank you!
Yes i believe these dates to be correct, i have some information from several places about slide-lock 1985-1986 also a Patent application from 1985 by Victorinox.

The liner-lock 1993 is also correct from information several places, also a Patent application by Victorinox in 1993 with double lock for blade and big screwdriver, some say it was the DAK Dutch Army Knife that was first.

Also i believe you to be correct about Wenger Mountaineer Ranger 1990, i can not see any advertising or picture of any kind before 1991, hopefully somebody out there got a catalogue from the 80s? To Confirm

Best wish
NM

[Katran73]

...hopefully somebody out there got a catalogue from the 80s? To Confirm

I hope also, but IMHO this is unlikely. We'll wait for a response from Wenger.

Best regards.

[North Man]

Let us hope for a good answer

Are the 120mm Ranger knives very popular i Russia?

[Katran73]

I just guess Old Rangers sold and still for sale in the East more than in the West.

Difficult to say about the "very". No more than Vics, but yes - in Russia (and CIS countries) are popular and recognized better than similar NewRangers.

[Katran73]

Hi, all!

I sent a request to the official representative of Wenger in Russia, he forwards the request to Switzerland.
The answer came pretty quickly.
I was not expecting such a response:

"Answer from Switzeland:

We started producing the Ranger line in 1993.

Best regards,
Andrey Egoshin.
Brand manager
Galser LLC
verybest.ru
wenger.ru"

The first appearance of the Rangers in Catalogs found in the Catalog of 1991.

Catalogue can be found at the following addresses:
(All catalogs here: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,20524.0.html)

1991, pdf: e-webtechnologies.com/sak/Wenger_1991_Catalog.pdf (2,5 MB) 
Scan, jpg: sakwiki.com/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=17
(writes me - "Sorry, you are not allowed to post external links." Add "http" and "www" itself. )

It's the same catalog. Neither page of brochure have not the year, except the third (in order) - 1991 written in pencil.

What is it? Error dating the Catalog? Or an accident of Wenger history?  

Andrey sent another request to Wenger Switzerland with the request for clarification of this.

We'll wait again.

[North Man]

Hi Katran73!

Thank you for the work Spasiba..

[Bladester]

Seems like advertizing/prototypes of new knives or firearms are frequently seen several years before a production version is actually available for sale.  Early announcements could start some buzz and anticipation, but perhaps there are later production difficulties or delays.  It's possible that Wenger catalog date (1991) and the quoted production date could both be correct (1993).

--Larry

[Katran73]

Received a reply from Switzerland. However nothing is explained.

"After asking again, I was told that the Ranger knives were launched in the United States and Canada first. That's why you can see these knives in this catalogue which is from our Distributor in Canada.

Best regards,
Andrey Egoshin.
Brand manager
Galser LLC"

What to believe? Let's consider, what the beginning of producing of Rangers - 1993?

I express gratitude to Andrey Egoshin for the help.

[North Man]

Hi

I believe we then must say that the Rangers was introduced around 1991-1993,
Spasiba!

[North Man]

Hi again

I managed to get some information from Wenger, they was kind to look up some questions of mine. Questions was forwarded to Mr Hug CEO.
This is some for this topic and alittle other aswell:
The Old Ranger has been introduced in 1991.
We don't know anything about the Mountaineer Ranger( what they mean with this is that there is no more info about it)


Wenger did not develop a knife for the Eastern market. Russian people loved Ranger and New Ranger knives so it was not necessary

The knives in Evolution series were not developed on the platform of the old Rangers. We developed them from A to Z. We kept the corkscrew, the can opener.... We developed a different safety lock system.
Ranger = lock blade with release by pushing the Emblem button, Evolution = lock blade with release by pushing the button on the side of the knife.

Here is some of the other:
The pliers with integrated spring have been developed in 1986, this must be so since it fits my research aswell.

[J-sews]

Thanks for all the research data guys!