I need as much information as possible on all alox SAK's

[Gadget Guy]

I've really gone alox SAK crazy the past few months and I enjoy them more then just about any other knives I own. I need as much info as possible on the different alox models, vintage alox SAK's, etc... I would appreciate if everyone could post as much info as possible in this thread with pictures, links, stories, and any other helpful information. 

Basically I want to know everything there is to know about alox SAK's. Anyone have any pix of the really early shield? 

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's a lot of ground to cover.... did you check www.SAKWiki.com for information?

Here are a few basics:

Victorinox and Wenger list ALOX models as 91mm, despite them actually being 93mm

ALOX models first appeared in 1961 to replace the old fiber handled military issue models

ALOX is short for ALuminum OXide

ALOX models are built to a heavier standard than cellidor models as they are actually issued to soldiers, while the cellidor models are more refined for Officer Use.

Victorinox discontinued hollow rivets in 1994

When you throw an ALOX model out of a plane, nine times out of ten it hits the ground or the water

Colored ALOX is pretty when it's new, respectable when it's old, but you'll tear your hair out over every scratch in between

84mm ALOX models are built using the same implements as 84mm cellidor models

There are three ALOX models from the factory with three layers- the Pioneer Harvester, Electrician Plus and Farmer

Soldier blades from both companies are date stamped.  These blades occasionally show up in other Vic models

The Standard Issue is the only ALOX model from Wenger

The Standard Issue is continuing, despite cellidor models being replaced by the OHT as the new issue knife

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head.  There's lots more, but that's a good starting place! 

Def

[Pacu]

When you throw an ALOX model out of a plane, nine times out of ten it hits the ground or the water

that made me laugh


Good info as i got the alox bug now too

[american lockpicker]

Warning once you get a Alox you never go back to cellidor.

[stressmaster5000]

Wow, Def really made a big dent in this thread with that beginning! I think I will just throw in a couple of scans or photos I have collected while on my alox SAK journey. These 2 scans of older Victorinox Catalog pages with Alox models on them show a large variety of models that were available at one time. Now they are mostly hard to find collectibles.
All sorts of Alox

Mainly Pioneer series

I do not have the originals to these scans so do not ask. What you see is the best you can get from me.

[Poncho65]

  Great bit of info on the Alox models and the pics are nice as well

[bingofuel]

The Standard Issue is the only ALOX model from Wenger

Wenger still makes the Patriot and Esquire alox models, no?

[stressmaster5000]

The Standard Issue is the only ALOX model from Wenger

Wenger still makes the Patriot and Esquire alox models, no?

Yes, both the "Patriot" or as it is now known the "Eloxy" and the alox money clip are still currently produced by Wenger. There is also the occasionally available Wenger Watch Case Knife;
and there are a couple of other Aluminum scaled Wenger models from the "Metal" series;

[american lockpicker]

I really like that last one, is it still being made?

[bingofuel]

I really like that last one, is it still being made?

AFAIK the "metal" series is Euro-only.  http://www.wenger.ch/scripts/Modules/Products/listOne.aspx?idProducts=96&idn=89

Many websites list the handles as stainless steel though, although the Wenger website doesn't specifically say.  My understanding that "eloxy" was just the Euro term for alox, and since the metal series is its own category, they're made of something other than aluminum.  I could be wrong though.

[AndyTiedye]

Wenger makes the alox Patriot in 3 different colors (Felinevet has them) and a money clip.
My money clip came with sheepcows.


Wenger's Dynasty series also had alox scales:

[bren10man]

You missed out  on the recent store-cleaning of the NIB First Mate I found at a South Korean Vic store....dude had close to 30 NIB of these discontinued at least 20+ years ago items.  I bought them all and sent them all to Felinevet for "disposal"....

I think Felinevet has like 1 or 2 left over.....BETTER HURRY!!!   





Wenger and Vic SI and Soldier compared to First Mate:

[duder]

Hello,

this is my first post here. I`ve been collecting alox knives for some time. Here are some things I found out:

The first Victorinox alox knives were made in 1957. In 1961 the first alox soldier knife came out.
But there was never a difference between soldiers and officers. They all got the same (alox) knife. The cellidor knives were never issued to officers (that was the intention of Karl Elsener in the beginning, that`s where the name came from).

There are more than three 3-layer models. There were some with sackingneedle and also some with long screwdriver instead of the canopener.

The first alox knives (from 1957 to 1961) had an old style awl with a cut-out in the scale, like the older soldier knives from 1951.

[J-sews]

Hello,

this is my first post here. I`ve been collecting alox knives for some time. Here are some things I found out:

The first Victorinox alox knives were made in 1957. In 1961 the first alox soldier knife came out.
But there was never a difference between soldiers and officers. They all got the same (alox) knife. The cellidor knives were never issued to officers (that was the intention of Karl Elsener in the beginning, that`s where the name came from).

There are more than three 3-layer models. There were some with sackingneedle and also some with long screwdriver instead of the canopener.

The first alox knives (from 1957 to 1961) had an old style awl with a cut-out in the scale, like the older soldier knives from 1951.

Wow, thanks for the info Duder!   What more can you tell us?

[duder]

I must correct myself: The early alox knives had the old awl between 1957 and 1960 (not 1961).

From 1957 to 1974 the alox knives (pioneer line) were stamped "Elinox".
The Elinox knives were the predecessor to the Ecomony knives (later Eco-line).
(the name Elinox comes from "Elsener" plus "inox")
From about 1975 the pioneer knives were stamped with "Victorinox".

I`ll try to attach a foto of an older knife, but I`m not sure if it will work. At least I don`t see the foto in the preview...

[J-sews]

I must correct myself: The early alox knives had the old awl between 1957 and 1960 (not 1961).

From 1957 to 1974 the alox knives (pioneer line) were stamped "Elinox".
The Elinox knives were the predecessor to the Ecomony knives (later Eco-line).
(the name Elinox comes from "Elsener" plus "inox")
From about 1975 the pioneer knives were stamped with "Victorinox".

I`ll try to attach a foto of an older knife, but I`m not sure if it will work. At least I don`t see the foto in the preview...

(Image removed from quote.)

Yep, photo came through loud and clear

What is the cutout section on the back handle scale for?  Does that somehow allow the awl to fit?

[cliosguy]

what a cooooooool threat ive learn a lot so far, thanks guys

[Neil]

There's some great information in this thread    I have a few alox knives but they're only the tip of the iceberg compared to what's been available over the years 

Neil

[duder]

Here is a foto of another old alox knife. As you can see (if it works again to attach it) there was a cutout section for the old style awl, just like the older soldier knives.
It`s similar to the cutout-scales of the First Mate.

I have the original scans of the catalog pages that were posted in this thread, but they are too big to attach them here. In fact the fotos of these catalog pages also came from me. I had posted them a while ago in another forum.

I have been in contact with Victorinox to get more information about older alox knives. They said it would take a while to find and copy the infos (old catalogs and stuff..). I hope I`ll hear from them soon.

[american lockpicker]

Have you heard of Erinox before?

[duder]

Erinox ? No, never heard of.

[Benner]

Welcome Duder. 

Some cracking info in here. 

[american lockpicker]

Erinox ? No, never heard of.

Its a Swiss company that used to produce swiss army knives. Its no longer in business. Not much is known about it.

[ufox9al]

I have the original scans of the catalog pages that were posted in this thread, but they are too big to attach them here. In fact the fotos of these catalog pages also came from me. I had posted them a while ago in another forum.

Welcome to the forum and many thanks for the information. I have never seen the early verison of alox SAK with the awl cut-out.
Would you mind e-mailing the catalogue page scans you have to Grant so that he can include them in his catalogue repository on SOSAKOnline?
Thanks again!

[max6166]

Great posts, Duder! Thanks for the rare info. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Great pics Duder!

That helps me date this old Fischer stamped Vic I came across some time ago:



http://www.sosakonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=287&Itemid=35

And, I would be happy to add any extra info you have available to SOSAKOnline or www.sakwiki.com for everyone's benefit!

Def

[duder]

You`re welcome !

Did you get the scans I`ve sent you ?
I used the email-address I found on sosakonline.

[Gadget Guy]

Wow, thanks for all of the great info, pictures, links, etc....    That is exactly what I was looking for in this thread. Please keep it coming. 

[duder]

Do you already know the silver First Mates (available from swissbianco) ? They are probably some of the rarest alox knives at all, at least some of the rarest alox knives with a sackingneedle/marlinspike. And the only marlinspike-knives in silver I`ve ever seen.

[Gadget Guy]

Do you already know the silver First Mates (available from swissbianco) ? They are probably some of the rarest alox knives at all, at least some of the rarest alox knives with a sackingneedle/marlinspike. And the only marlinspike-knives in silver I`ve ever seen.

Wow, that is a real beauty!