Tell me about SwissBianco knives

austin83 · **on:** June 20, 2012, 02:42:28 AM

I have been unable to find much information on SwissBianco on the web or their site. I understand they get permission from Victorinox, but do they build the SAKs on their own? Does Victorinox supply them with the blades, parts, etc? Are they constructed identical to your typical Victorinox knife? any information is greatly appreciated.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2012, 02:54:50 AM

As far as I know, SwissBianco knives are actually manufactured by Victorinox. He commissions them then resells them for the most part. Some, like his splash series, he gets the raw scales, splash anodizes them then sends them back to Victorinox for assembly.

Def

Ashley · **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2012, 04:55:21 AM

Overpriced! That about explains it, I believe.

Sent from Ash forum mobile

Syph007 · **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2012, 04:58:42 AM

Kind of like factory approved mods. They still have a warranty since Vic assembles them.

austin83 · **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2012, 06:02:09 AM

They are kinda pricey, but they have the discontinued knives that people want.

Ashley · **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2012, 06:09:32 AM

I am not a fan of him so I'm bias I guess. When I ask how much to ship a scale and am told $10 I run! He's overpriced and

don't get me started!

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bushidomosquito · **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2012, 10:20:28 PM

He's your man if you want a SAK with a tiny imperceptible tritium vial, scales that look like you spilled paint on them, a $200 damascus blade that doesn't perform any better than the stock blade or a firesteel attached to the knife so you still have to find a separate piece of steel to strike it.

Spork, Lord of Lime Jello! · **Reply #7 on:** June 20, 2012, 10:35:48 PM

Quote from: bushidomosquito on June 20, 2012, 10:20:28 PM

....or a firesteel attached to the knife so you still have to find a separate piece of steel to strike it.

Huh? The only one I'm aware of is the carbon steel flint striker used with flint (the rock)...you're saying there's one with a ferrrocerium rod attached? I missed that one...do you have a link?

bushidomosquito · **Reply #8 on:** June 20, 2012, 10:49:00 PM

Quote from: Spork, Lord of Lime Jello! on June 20, 2012, 10:35:48 PM

Quote from: bushidomosquito on June 20, 2012, 10:20:28 PM
....or a firesteel attached to the knife so you still have to find a separate piece of steel to strike it.
Huh? The only one I'm aware of is the carbon steel flint striker used with flint (the rock)...you're saying there's one with a ferrrocerium rod attached? I missed that one...do you have a link?

I was talking about the one with the whatever pinned to the back with the fish on it. I thought it was ferrocerium which would make more sense. So you have to have a flint rock instead of a separate steel striker? I'd rather just have one thing I could pull out and strike a spark with. http://countycomm.com/brassflint.html

ICanFixThat · **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2012, 10:53:02 PM

1. He has several products, and resells a few others.

2. Most people here are interested in his special runs of Victorinox knives, many of which have some unique aspect to their configuration.
a. These are mostly special orders that are assembled in Switzerland and have a lifetime warranty like other Victorinox knives.
b. He occasionally has some hand assembled knives. Not sure of the warranty on these.
c. He has had some very nice knives for sale.
d. Splash anodizing, the Lumberjack, the YeomanX, Alox Rambler, and the Bushcrafter, are just a few of he current recuring themes.

3. He often locates old stock of discontinued Victorinox knives as sells them through his newsletter or otherwise.

4. He designs his own knives which are manufactured and sold by a few other companies.

5. He sometimes sells his knives through other dealers when he has a fair number of a given model. So you see them sometimes available from dealers like felinevet.

6. Sometimes dealing with him directly can be a stressful experience.

7. He can't name knives any better than Victorinox, and he's not shy about naming them anyway he wants regardless of the taste or ethics.

8. We are fortunate that we can sometimes buy his knives through other people.

9. He goes on about being "Swiss Cheese"; or somthing like that.

10. His dealer Swiss Bianco Canada is good to deal with if you can't get a hold of Roger.

11. He knows nothing about packaging and shipping, but that's not to say he has not improved.

Spork, Lord of Lime Jello! · **Reply #10 on:** June 20, 2012, 11:17:31 PM

Quote from: bushidomosquito on June 20, 2012, 10:49:00 PM

Quote from: Spork, Lord of Lime Jello! on June 20, 2012, 10:35:48 PM
Quote from: bushidomosquito on June 20, 2012, 10:20:28 PM
....or a firesteel attached to the knife so you still have to find a separate piece of steel to strike it.
Huh? The only one I'm aware of is the carbon steel flint striker used with flint (the rock)...you're saying there's one with a ferrrocerium rod attached? I missed that one...do you have a link?

I was talking about the one with the whatever pinned to the back with the fish on it. I thought it was ferrocerium which would make more sense. So you have to have a flint rock instead of a separate steel striker? I'd rather just have one thing I could pull out and strike a spark with. http://countycomm.com/brassflint.html

The knife was originally commissioned by Horst Brunner as a modern Feuerschlagmesser - Photo of some old ones - Brunner was a collector and expert of them and other old firemaking devices. He wrote a book titled Feuer und Feuerschlagmesser

tattoosteve99 · **Reply #11 on:** June 20, 2012, 11:26:16 PM

I've only dealt with him twice and SB Canada a few times. I've never had a problem???

Syph007 · **Reply #12 on:** June 20, 2012, 11:38:29 PM

Quote from: Spork, Lord of Lime Jello! on June 20, 2012, 11:17:31 PM

Quote from: bushidomosquito on June 20, 2012, 10:49:00 PM
Quote from: Spork, Lord of Lime Jello! on June 20, 2012, 10:35:48 PM
Quote from: bushidomosquito on June 20, 2012, 10:20:28 PM
....or a firesteel attached to the knife so you still have to find a separate piece of steel to strike it.
Huh? The only one I'm aware of is the carbon steel flint striker used with flint (the rock)...you're saying there's one with a ferrrocerium rod attached? I missed that one...do you have a link?

I was talking about the one with the whatever pinned to the back with the fish on it. I thought it was ferrocerium which would make more sense. So you have to have a flint rock instead of a separate steel striker? I'd rather just have one thing I could pull out and strike a spark with. http://countycomm.com/brassflint.html

The knife was originally commissioned by Horst Brunner as a modern Feuerschlagmesser - Photo of some old ones - Brunner was a collector and expert of them and other old firemaking devices. He wrote a book titled Feuer und Feuerschlagmesser

So its essentially one of these old fashion metal strikers in SAK form?

I had assumed it was fero too, that really is pointless for a modern bushcrafter when flint and steel are not the most popular or logical options.

Marius · **Reply #13 on:** June 21, 2012, 12:43:05 AM

I bought several times from SwissBianco Canada (because I am in Canada) and I only have good words to say about the experience.

In my opinion:

There are several SAK models I love that without SwissBianco most likely won’t exist.

Speaking about prices, I personally find the alox (because this is what interests me) SAK prices most times on par and sometimes better compared with other limited series SAKs. And again, there are unique and interesting models. For their exclusive SAKs I yet have to find another source with better prices than SwissBianco themselves.

I sometimes laugh at some of the chosen SAK names but really, who does really care about these names over the actual SAKs?

We are here a community of SAK fans and collectors, why to be against this one source of interesting and unique SAKs, not saying also fellow SAK fans and collectors?

At this time when Victorinox discontinues more and more alox models for one I am thankful that SwissBianco exists and that I can purchase their SAKs, their own models or old discontinued models they sometimes have.

I too do not like everything that SwissBianco sells and in some cases I do not like the prices but: 1) I do not have to like everything and 2) I simply do not buy what I do not like.

Just my 2c