Backside Phillips Question

[cody6268]

The thread on which tools Victorinox should retire got me thinking.  I only use the corkscrew for carrying the eyeglass screwdriver and as a marlinspike.  The Officer was the first civilian SAK, and came with a backside corkscrew.  Only a small minority of my SAKs have corkscrews (Three or four, out of about 10 84mm and above SAKs have them in my collection).

I've seen SAKs from the '40s with a backside Phillips, so when was this tool introduced?

[gene stoner]

Cork screw on SAK's came out in 1897.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Officers+Knife

[Thunderpants]

Of course, many officers in the Swiss Army boycotted this newfangled implement as it failed to address the age-old question of how to transport a parcel wrapped in string to the post-office without tarnishing ones buckskin gloves. Development of the top-secret "parcel hook" pre-occupied Swiss generals for the next century, to the extent that two World Wars were fought without them noticing. Only in 1991 was the parcel hook unleashed on an unsuspecting world, propelling land-locked Helvetia to super-power status.

[twiliter]

Thanks TP, nice to wander in on a Friday and read this bit of entertaining history! 

[strmliner]

       

[Huntsman]

Well I much prefer the other answers - But isn't this question about the back spring Phillips??

In which case it was 1952.

http://www.e-webtechnologies.com/sak/Victorinox_SAK_History_Urs_Wyss_-_Updated_12_FEB_08.pdf

You might also find this useful:
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,51872.msg1214377.html#msg1214377

[Toolslinger]

Of course, many officers in the Swiss Army boycotted this newfangled implement as it failed to address the age-old question of how to transport a parcel wrapped in string to the post-office without tarnishing ones buckskin gloves. Development of the top-secret "parcel hook" pre-occupied Swiss generals for the next century, to the extent that two World Wars were fought without them noticing. Only in 1991 was the parcel hook unleashed on an unsuspecting world, propelling land-locked Helvetia to super-power status.

Modern History according to SAKs.