Explorer: A History

Explorer · **on:** July 09, 2021, 01:25:12 AM

I’ve been doing some research into the history of the Explorer model because I recently acquired an older Explorer- older than any other I’ve previously owned- and it has led me to some questions which I’m thinking the experts here could possibly answer.

From my own research- which admittedly is not that in-depth- this is what I’ve determined so far.

From best I can tell- the Magnifying glass was first introduced in 1973. I wasn’t able to find anything saying precisely the first year that the Explorer model came out but to me it makes logical sense that it would’ve been during or after 1973

I personally have never seen a Victorinox Explorer model that had a clip point small blade or a five turn corkscrew both to my knowledge were dropped in 1973. I’m very curious to know if anyone has ever seen an older Explorer with a five turn corkscrew or a clip point small blade.

Finding this- presumably early- model of the explorer has sparked an interest in trying to find an even older one.
Perhaps the first model ever made?

Hey a guy can dream.

I have not cleaned it up at all- it was in this amazing condition when I received it. It appears to have the factory edges on the blades I don’t think the small blade or several other tools were ever even used. I did not pay very much for this knife so this is a very exciting find!

See Pictures:

No hole in the Remer Punch so older than 1985

four turn fluted corkscrew so made after 1973

The scissors look like the 1975-1990 era

It has the aluminum tipped tweezers and those were dropped in 1978 so made before 1978

So I ended up determining this knife to be roughly between 1975-1978

That was about everything that I could figure out for this 1970s era explorer. Perhaps there is something I missed?
I’m super grateful to anyone who can help me shed any more light on the exact dating of this SAK.
Do you have an older model explorer as well? I’d love to see a pic!
Thank you-

Jay

jnoxyd · **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2021, 12:21:26 PM

Nice dream, Explorer! I'm sure you'll find one 73 Explorer finally (Victoria stamped blade, clip point small blade, 5 loop corkscrew, pre c.76 style scissors). It looks like they actually made in 1973 Champion, Modeler, Passenger and Explorer, we discussed 1973 Modelers and Champions in Vintage SAK Owners Club

Explorer · **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2021, 03:04:16 PM

Quote from: jnoxyd on July 09, 2021, 12:21:26 PM

Nice dream, Explorer! I'm sure you'll find one 73 Explorer finally (Victoria stamped blade, clip point small blade, 5 loop corkscrew, pre c.76 style scissors). It looks like they actually made in 1973 Champion, Modeler, Passenger and Explorer, we discussed 1973 Modelers and Champions in Vintage SAK Owners Club
(Image removed from quote.)

So cool! And great pictures! Love seeing these older models with the magnifying glass.
May I ask where are you getting this information about when the explorer was first made?
I’d love to do some more digging but I don’t know where to look other than SAKwiki.
Thanks

jnoxyd · **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2021, 03:13:28 PM

You should join Vintage SAK Owners Club.
Jazzbass said he seen Victoria era Explorers so I believe they started together with Champion in 1973.

Explorer · **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2021, 04:21:06 PM

Quote from: jnoxyd on July 09, 2021, 03:13:28 PM

You should join Vintage SAK Owners Club.
Jazzbass said he seen Victoria era Explorers so I believe they started together with Champion in 1973.(Image removed from quote.)

I’ll definitely check that out! Its so much fun learning about the history of my favorite model

Thanks man

GrouchoM · **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2021, 01:11:45 AM

Where did you find that treasure and how much did it cost?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Explorer · **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2021, 07:12:30 PM

Quote from: GrouchoM on July 10, 2021, 01:11:45 AM

Where did you find that treasure and how much did it cost?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Picked it up at an estate sale for a cool five dollars

GrouchoM · **Reply #7 on:** July 11, 2021, 12:41:17 AM

Quote from: Explorer on July 10, 2021, 07:12:30 PM

Picked it up at an estate sale for a cool five dollars

Is it a sin to covet thy neighbor's SAK?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Huntsman · **Reply #8 on:** July 11, 2021, 01:24:53 AM

Quote from: Explorer on July 09, 2021, 03:04:16 PM

I’d love to do some more digging but I don’t know where to look other than SAKwiki.

Better??

Unfortunately the Wiki is not great on dates generally - So thanks so much for initiating this thread and the infornmation JNOXYD

SteveP · **Reply #9 on:** July 11, 2021, 03:17:01 AM

Quote from: Explorer on July 10, 2021, 07:12:30 PM

Picked it up at an estate sale for a cool five dollars

Score!

Beats the mid-'80s Explorer I got at an estate sale for $8.

Explorer · **Reply #10 on:** July 12, 2021, 02:59:13 PM

Quote from: Huntsman on July 11, 2021, 01:24:53 AM

Better??

Unfortunately the Wiki is not great on dates generally - So thanks so much for initiating this thread and the infornmation JNOXYD

It’s an amazing resource that I really appreciate and enjoy reading sir!!

Thank you for all of your hard work!

Explorer · **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2021, 03:00:10 PM

Quote from: SteveP on July 11, 2021, 03:17:01 AM

Score!

Beats the mid-'80s Explorer I got at an estate sale for $8.

Wow well $8 ain’t bad either my friend!

pitquim · **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2021, 04:44:52 PM

kamakiri uploaded this picture in february 2019 in replay #841 of "Appreciation for the Explorer" https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,42876.840.html
Hope it helps

kamakiri · **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2021, 08:44:50 PM

The OP’s knife is late ‘76 or so. I could use more pics and different views to confirm/revise or refine a production date estimate.

c.’73+ copies are out there. I have not found or seen any that are or look ‘72 or earlier. The one above is also Hoffritz.

pitquim · **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2021, 08:53:46 AM

I've found this knive in an auction: 2005 blade with grey frame MG, supposedly disappeared in 2004. Seen another one like this in eBay recently.
Just for the record.

Explorer · **Reply #15 on:** July 13, 2021, 03:10:41 PM

Quote from: pitquim on July 12, 2021, 04:44:52 PM

kamakiri uploaded this picture in february 2019 in replay #841 of "Appreciation for the Explorer" https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,42876.840.html
Hope it helps

Thanks for posting these- very cool! That Hoffritz Explorer is a real beauty.
Somehow I missed that appreciation for the explorer thread.
Yeah that 2005 Explorer that you have there is a mystery for sure.
Cheers!

bismouth · **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2021, 08:37:25 AM

To complete the history, I've made a topic about the different layer order that I've found on two of my explorers

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,87018.msg2226307.html#msg2226307

Mark A · **Reply #17 on:** September 10, 2024, 10:55:13 AM

I know this post has been open for some time. I’ve been collecting SAKs for a few years , and I’ve just started to try and date a few of them .
Turns out this one is a 1973 explorer , that has a 5 twist corkscrew and the Victoria tang stamp .
So im guessing this is from the first run of the explorer
I was confused over the screwdriver as it looks to have the stripper , and the excel sheet I was using says the last year for that was 1971 .

z1913 · **Reply #18 on:** September 10, 2024, 12:24:44 PM

It has a metal saw/file so it seems to be a Modeller, not an Explorer. But super cool anyway!

IMR4198 · **Reply #19 on:** September 10, 2024, 01:01:48 PM

Victorinox didn't got through the factory on December 31 and throw out all the older model tools, so they could start over with the newer types on January 1. The workers used up the older types. So, you see earlier things like the wire stripping edge on the cap lifter on later assembled SAKs. Changeover dates on tools are more of a general guide than something with a strict cutoff date. Best wishes. G

Mark A · **Reply #20 on:** September 10, 2024, 02:52:08 PM

Quote from: z1913 on September 10, 2024, 12:24:44 PM

It has a metal saw/file so it seems to be a Modeller, not an Explorer. But super cool anyway!

Really appreciate that , so it’s a modeller / modeler , but it’s still a 1973 model based on the other observations

Huntsman · **Reply #21 on:** September 11, 2024, 02:56:54 AM

IMR is spot on - Dates are just guidelines
And we always see anomalies - especially in less common, economy and custom models.

Couple of other things for you:
Your model has the black scissor spring - Which was only around for a couple of years around 1973.
Also check the tang stamps. See this Wiki page - It says the VaOS stamp finished in 1973.

Is this the spreadsheet to which your are referring?

.... It's pretty handy -
Actually it can't be as that spreadsheet says the last year for the stripper was 1975 (which as been changed to 1974 in a later, as yet unpublished, version !)

So yes 1973 - Looks spot on

Mark A · **Reply #22 on:** September 11, 2024, 09:43:10 AM

Quote from: Huntsman on September 11, 2024, 02:56:54 AM

IMR is spot on - Dates are just guidelines
And we always see anomalies - especially in less common, economy and custom models.

Couple of other things for you:
Your model has the black scissor spring - Which was only around for a couple of years around 1973.
Also check the tang stamps. See this Wiki page - It says the VaOS stamp finished in 1973.

Is this the spreadsheet to which your are referring? .... It's pretty handy -
Actually it can't be as that spreadsheet says the last year for the stripper was 1975 (which as been changed to 1974 in a later, as yet unpublished, version !)

So yes 1973 - Looks spot on

I Appreciate that .
I haven’t yet found a source for production years , and it’s not easy finding much about the modeler , it doesn’t seem to appear in most of those catalog scans .
Was year one for the modeler 1973 like the Explorer ?

I appreciate the extra info about the spring ,
I’ve been buying a few SAKs for fun over the years from antique fairs/shops mainly , without knowing a lot about the model names or when they were made .
Although I bought my first SAK , a brand new Swisschamp SOS kit in the 1980s when I was working in Germany , which sparked the interest.

I downloaded one tool spreadsheet from the Elsinox site , is there a more up to date one available ?

Huntsman · **Reply #23 on:** September 11, 2024, 05:55:46 PM

Click on the 'this' link in my message above to take you to the MTo dating spreadsheet

marlowe221 · **Reply #24 on:** September 11, 2024, 11:44:03 PM

As a fan of the Explorer (it was my first SAK!), I would be happy to contribute to this thread in some way.

Probably the best I can do is post some detailed pictures of my first SAK, which was an Explorer from some time in 1995 - 1997 (unfortunately, I don't remember the exact year I got it). There's nothing very remarkable about it, other than being in very good condition for its age, but I would be happy to take some pictures and post them in this thread as reference material.