New Alox MiniChamp

[Etherealicer]

I just returned from my trip to Ibach / Brunnen and got a brand new Alox MiniChamp.
The sales lady didn't know much about it, only that it had arrived in the Victorinox Factory Store this week.
They are available in silver, red and black.
Unlike the SwissBianco they have Victorinox written on the back.
Price is 41 CHF (~45 USD), the regular was priced at 37 CHF (~40.5 USD)
According to my recite the product number is 0.6381.20

[enki_ck]

Nice.

You didn't happen to see any ALOX Ramblers too while you were there?

[CanadianLMfan]

They really need alox Minichamps at this price in Canada.

[Sazabi]

Does that mean they'll be a regular production item?

[jrp316]

That's a sweet little MiniChamp there. I wish they would expand the 58mm alox line for colors and models. I'd love to see those Danish alox models, the black alox and red shield. I'd also love to see the Drifter become a regular production item.

[Etherealicer]

They really need alox Minichamps at this price in Canada.

I especially put the price of the regular one in, so you can figure out at what price you will probably get them. Its about 10% more expensive than the regular one.

Does that mean they'll be a regular production item?

Thats how I understood it (and this is supported by the fact that they have their own product code). Also they had lots of them in the shop (that is the factory shop, in the brand store they didn't know about this  ).

Nice.

You didn't happen to see any ALOX Ramblers too while you were there?

No, no Ramblers. But if you buy many, many then maybe they realize how much we love Alox and start to produce more lines with Alox scales 

[HankSolon]

For such a price I couldn't even mod a regular mini champ to an alox mini champ. So another knife I could recommend before offering a mod.

I really wished Vic would give some tools for cheap so that I could create more mods... but I understand they won't do it.

However: Those red scales I have seen on some alox classics. My girlfriend has such a vagabond and I have a red alox mate since half a year now. These red scales seem more durable than the black ones.

[Etherealicer]

For such a price I couldn't even mod a regular mini champ to an alox mini champ. So another knife I could recommend before offering a mod.

I really wished Vic would give some tools for cheap so that I could create more mods... but I understand they won't do it.

However: Those red scales I have seen on some alox classics. My girlfriend has such a vagabond and I have a red alox mate since half a year now. These red scales seem more durable than the black ones.

Actually at ~45 USD it is cheap considering that alot of the work is done in Switzerland. A cashier in Aldi (grocery store) earns a minimum wage of 4.4k USD / month (from 1st dec 2013*). Another comparison is that its about the same price you pay for a plastic iPhone case .

So yes, it would be great if it would be even cheaper, but that can only work if they shift production to China.

* I'm not certain of the workload but presume its 42 hours (its certainly between 40 and 44 hours).

[Sazabi]

For such a price I couldn't even mod a regular mini champ to an alox mini champ. So another knife I could recommend before offering a mod.

I really wished Vic would give some tools for cheap so that I could create more mods... but I understand they won't do it.

However: Those red scales I have seen on some alox classics. My girlfriend has such a vagabond and I have a red alox mate since half a year now. These red scales seem more durable than the black ones.

Actually at ~45 USD it is cheap considering that alot of the work is done in Switzerland. A cashier in Aldi (grocery store) earns a minimum wage of 4.4k USD / month (from 1st dec 2013*). Another comparison is that its about the same price you pay for a plastic iPhone case .

So yes, it would be great if it would be even cheaper, but that can only work if they shift production to China.

* I'm not certain of the workload but presume its 42 hours (its certainly between 40 and 44 hours).

Unless the cost of living is more than 4 times what it is here in NC, that's 4 times more than what I make per month after taxes, insurance, 401k, and stock options. >.>

[captain spaulding]

For such a price I couldn't even mod a regular mini champ to an alox mini champ. So another knife I could recommend before offering a mod.

I really wished Vic would give some tools for cheap so that I could create more mods... but I understand they won't do it.

However: Those red scales I have seen on some alox classics. My girlfriend has such a vagabond and I have a red alox mate since half a year now. These red scales seem more durable than the black ones.

Actually at ~45 USD it is cheap considering that alot of the work is done in Switzerland. A cashier in Aldi (grocery store) earns a minimum wage of 4.4k USD / month (from 1st dec 2013*). Another comparison is that its about the same price you pay for a plastic iPhone case .

So yes, it would be great if it would be even cheaper, but that can only work if they shift production to China.

* I'm not certain of the workload but presume its 42 hours (its certainly between 40 and 44 hours).

Unless the cost of living is more than 4 times what it is here in NC, that's 4 times more than what I make per month after taxes, insurance, 401k, and stock options. >.>

$4,400 USD a month as a Cashier! That's $1,100 USD a week!      That's huge for a Cashiers job.

[Thunderpants]

$4,400 USD a month as a Cashier! That's $1,100 USD a week!      That's huge for a Cashiers job.

Downside is a box of cornflakes costs $478...

I dig that alox Minichamp... I think people who make good products should earn good money.

[Syph007]

For such a price I couldn't even mod a regular mini champ to an alox mini champ. So another knife I could recommend before offering a mod.

I really wished Vic would give some tools for cheap so that I could create more mods... but I understand they won't do it.

However: Those red scales I have seen on some alox classics. My girlfriend has such a vagabond and I have a red alox mate since half a year now. These red scales seem more durable than the black ones.

Actually at ~45 USD it is cheap considering that alot of the work is done in Switzerland. A cashier in Aldi (grocery store) earns a minimum wage of 4.4k USD / month (from 1st dec 2013*). Another comparison is that its about the same price you pay for a plastic iPhone case .

So yes, it would be great if it would be even cheaper, but that can only work if they shift production to China.

* I'm not certain of the workload but presume its 42 hours (its certainly between 40 and 44 hours).

Unless the cost of living is more than 4 times what it is here in NC, that's 4 times more than what I make per month after taxes, insurance, 401k, and stock options. >.>

$4,400 USD a month as a Cashier! That's $1,100 USD a week!      That's huge for a Cashiers job.

Wow and that's minimum wage?

[captain spaulding]

$4,400 USD a month as a Cashier! That's $1,100 USD a week!      That's huge for a Cashiers job.

Downside is a box of cornflakes costs $478...

I dig that alox Minichamp... I think people who make good products should earn good money.

That can't be correct.   

[Thunderpants]

Maybe I made that up....never actually been in a Swiss supermarket. Just one or two chalets where the chalet girls took care of the catering. (There's a cool job.. incredibly badly paid though!)

[rickinFL]

I just returned from my trip to Ibach / Brunnen and got a brand new Alox MiniChamp.
The sales lady didn't know much about it, only that it had arrived in the Victorinox Factory Store this week.
They are available in silver, red and black.
Unlike the SwissBianco they have Victorinox written on the back.
Price is 41 CHF (~45 USD), the regular was priced at 37 CHF (~40.5 USD)
According to my recite the product number is 0.6381.20

SwissB did do a special run using these engraved scales.  I learned after the fact that they are simply the same scales that Vic uses on the USB SLIM.

[Syph007]

It looks like most things cost more in Switzerland, but buying power is pretty similar, so I guess thats why wages are higher? 

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Switzerland&country2=United+States&displayCurrency=USD

[enki_ck]

I just returned from my trip to Ibach / Brunnen and got a brand new Alox MiniChamp.
The sales lady didn't know much about it, only that it had arrived in the Victorinox Factory Store this week.
They are available in silver, red and black.
Unlike the SwissBianco they have Victorinox written on the back.
Price is 41 CHF (~45 USD), the regular was priced at 37 CHF (~40.5 USD)
According to my recite the product number is 0.6381.20

SwissB did do a special run using these engraved scales.  I learned after the fact that they are simply the same scales that Vic uses on the USB SLIM.

And Classics too. They have a bigger engraving plate than the non engraved ones if I remember correctly.

[Etherealicer]

It looks like most things cost more in Switzerland, but buying power is pretty similar, so I guess thats why wages are higher? 

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Switzerland&country2=United+States&displayCurrency=USD

Nice link, puts it into better context.

I should also add that this number is before tax and public healthcare.
A very recent study has shown, that a car costs 1.1k USD/month on average (insurance, gas, service, parking, and the car itself).

[Etherealicer]

I just returned from my trip to Ibach / Brunnen and got a brand new Alox MiniChamp.
The sales lady didn't know much about it, only that it had arrived in the Victorinox Factory Store this week.
They are available in silver, red and black.
Unlike the SwissBianco they have Victorinox written on the back.
Price is 41 CHF (~45 USD), the regular was priced at 37 CHF (~40.5 USD)
According to my recite the product number is 0.6381.20

SwissB did do a special run using these engraved scales.  I learned after the fact that they are simply the same scales that Vic uses on the USB SLIM.

And Classics too. They have a bigger engraving plate than the non engraved ones if I remember correctly.

Well, I don't own a SwissBianco, but on the pictures I saw, they never had the Victorinox engraving on the back.
Any SwissBianco owners here, do they come in the sliver grey Victorinox box?
I have to say though, the alox version is not mentioned on the instruction leaflet.

[Thunderpants]

I definitely remember seeing some 58mm Swiss Biancos with "Victorinox" on the engraving plate. The majority, though, including my rambler, have blank plates.

[rickinFL]

[Thunderpants]

rickinFL, is the VICTORINOX only on the 58mms or does it appear on other Swiss Biancos?

[rickinFL]

Dont know.  Here is a USB Slim.

[Thunderpants]

So those USB sticks are real Alox? I read (or misread) somewhere that they were plastic.

I saw some very cheap the other day - 16 euros for 16 GB, 23 euros for 32 GB... I decided against them because I'd rather have USB 3. Had I known they were alox I might have grabbed one.

[rickinFL]

Yes, alox.  I break them down to make ramblers.

[jrp316]

They're pretty much the easiest (and cheapest) avenue to get colored 58mm alox scales. You can never have too many USB drives either, so it's a win-win.

[ulli]

I was today in Ibach at the victorinox store. I saw not only the colored mini champs, but that the silver first mate is again in production, because of the demand what they told me, for CHF 45.80 a piece. I also found some 84 mm golfer with the long nailfile for CHF 57.60 and many different alox companions.

[Etherealicer]

I was today in Ibach at the victorinox store. I saw not only the colored mini champs, but that the silver first mate is again in production, because of the demand what they told me, for CHF 45.80 a piece. I also found some 84 mm golfer with the long nailfile for CHF 57.60 and many different alox companions.

Did you also get a 10% discount on everything?
Loved that shop, much better than the fancy brand-store (though the museum is nice).

[ulli]

Yes 10% on most of the things I bought. The shop is great, much better than the brand-store. The assistant was very kind and knew much about every product. She searched in the backroom for my special wishes, took my phone number to call me to give me more information.

[crackout]

http://www.victorinox.com/ch/product/Schweizer-Taschenmesser/Kategorie/Classic/MiniChamp-Alox/0.6381.20

I guess these are a thing now.