Origin of the cuticle pusher

[shadowrider]

Hey folks,
I've recently read about the origin of the infamous cuticle pusher tool found on the MiniChamp. Like a couple other unusual 58mm tools, it appears to have originated on "medical" SAKs, where it had a totally different intended use. That is, it was a small doctor's spoon designed to carefully mix powders and medicines. When they stopped making medical SAKs, they added the tool to the MiniChamp, described it as a "cuticle pusher" and called it a day.

Other tools sharing the same fate were the "cut-and-picker blade" (originally designed to open pill bottles), which became an "orange peeler" and the "emergency blade", which became a "letter opener".

You gotta give credit to the Swiss for their ingenuity at "recycling" their tools.
Anyway, while I've seen medical SAKs featuring the cut-and-picker blade and the emergency blade (the Pharmacy Knife and the Physician Knife respectively), I haven't found a medical specific SAK that sports the doctor's spoon/cuticle pusher.
If anyone know of any, speak up!

Pharmacy Knife and Phisycian Knife pages on sakwiki:
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Pharmacy+Knife
http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Physician+Knife

[Ron Who]

It just so happens that jnoxyd posted a pic of his Doctor´s SAK today. With bone saw and powder spoon.

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,21658.msg1703112.html#msg1703112

[shadowrider]

It just so happens that jnoxyd posted a pic of his Doctor´s SAK today. With bone saw and powder spoon.

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,21658.msg1703112.html#msg1703112

Yeah I have seen 91mm medical oriented SAKs with the spatula, but not 58mm ones. That saw though, I guess it's used for... Amputations! Kind of creepy...

[jaya_man]

The cuticle pusher is also known as the pharmaceutical spatula...

[kmanct3]

Thats great info ! 

[kaput]

Not very specific for measuring medicine. Like, at all 

[shadowrider]

Moreover, I found that there are two types of the 58mm spatula: one without engraving, like the one currently used on MiniChamps, and one, which I think was the earlier version, with engravings on the base like on 58mm main blades: VICTORINOX SWITZERLAND STAINLESS ROSTFREI.

This makes me believe there used to be a knife (unlisted at the moment on sakwiki and other sites), directed to the medical market, that featured the spatula (and probably at least one more tool) but no main blade, thus requiring the markings to be on the spatula instead.

If somebody thinks this bit of info could be relevant for sakwiki, feel free to add it.

[Barry Rowland]

Thanks for posting this!  I agree.  Vic sure knows how to creatively reuse their old tool lineup

[VICMAN]

The little curved blade (emergency blade) was originally for performing tracheotomies, and the cuticle pusher was also used for counting pills.

[Don Pablo]

Isn’t that unsanitary?

[Fuzzbucket]

The little curved blade (emergency blade) was originally for performing tracheotomies, and the cuticle pusher was also used for counting pills.

That's very interesting - I've often thought that those implements have a surgical/pharmaceutical quality to them, that little curved blade especially... it reminds me of the scalpel used to dispatch poor*Jane Birkin in Death on the Nile!!! 

* actually, she was sort of asking for it the greedy cow!

[VICMAN]

Here is a section from The Swiss Army Knife Owner's Manual by Michael M. Young on page 79:

"The origin of the MiniChamp is a curious story: Victorinox made a special run of a Classic-size model just for physicians; a worker in the factory ran across parts left from this limited edition and suggested that they could be assembled into a new model, given new functions, and sold in the regular line: The tracheotomy blade became the letter opener, the pill-counting blade was now a cuticle pusher, the tool for cutting the seal around the neck of pill bottles and then picking the cotton out would now be described as an orange peeler."

[Don Pablo]

How do you count/measure medicine with the coke spoon? 

[Fuzzbucket]

Here is a section from The Swiss Army Knife Owner's Manual by Michael M. Young on page 79:

"The origin of the MiniChamp is a curious story: Victorinox made a special run of a Classic-size model just for physicians; a worker in the factory ran across parts left from this limited edition and suggested that they could be assembled into a new model, given new functions, and sold in the regular line: The tracheotomy blade became the letter opener, the pill-counting blade was now a cuticle pusher, the tool for cutting the seal around the neck of pill bottles and then picking the cotton out would now be described as an orange peeler."

Ahhh... it makes sense now!

 

[Fuzzbucket]

How do you count/measure medicine with the coke spoon? 

Very quickly!

[VICMAN]

How do you count/measure medicine with the coke spoon? 

Here is a short video showing how a spatuala ( the cuticle pusher is a small spatula)is used for counting pills.

[Fuzzbucket]

How do you count/measure medicine with the coke spoon? 

Very quickly!

... and while talking loads of bollux... and crashing the stock market...

[Don Pablo]

How do you count/measure medicine with the coke spoon? 

Here is a short video showing how a spatuala ( the cuticle pusher is a small spatula)is used for counting pills.

I see. 

[shadowrider]

Here is a section from The Swiss Army Knife Owner's Manual by Michael M. Young on page 79:

"The origin of the MiniChamp is a curious story: Victorinox made a special run of a Classic-size model just for physicians; a worker in the factory ran across parts left from this limited edition and suggested that they could be assembled into a new model, given new functions, and sold in the regular line: The tracheotomy blade became the letter opener, the pill-counting blade was now a cuticle pusher, the tool for cutting the seal around the neck of pill bottles and then picking the cotton out would now be described as an orange peeler."

Thanks! That explains my theory even further.
Now we just have to find what special-run physician model was the one with the spatula.

[shadowrider]

To add to my previous post about engraving or no engraving on the spatula, thie same applies to the emergency (tracheotomy) blade. I've seen Original (without cap lifter) MiniChamps where this small blade had markings, and others where it didn't.

That is most likely becasue of models (like the Classic or Rambler) with the regular blade replaced by the emergency blade.

[FolderBeholder]

Moreover, I found that there are two types of the 58mm spatula: one without engraving, like the one currently used on MiniChamps, and one, which I think was the earlier version, with engravings on the base like on 58mm main blades: VICTORINOX SWITZERLAND STAINLESS ROSTFREI.

I was just cleaning a MiniChamp (7 blade older one) and it has that engraving on the spatula:

EDIT: I think I was typing while you were typing.  I just rechecked this knife and 3 of the blades have the markings (both blades and the spatula).

[shadowrider]

Moreover, I found that there are two types of the 58mm spatula: one without engraving, like the one currently used on MiniChamps, and one, which I think was the earlier version, with engravings on the base like on 58mm main blades: VICTORINOX SWITZERLAND STAINLESS ROSTFREI.

I was just cleaning a MiniChamp (7 blade older one) and it has that engraving on the spatula:

EDIT: I think I was typing while you were typing.  I just rechecked this knife and 3 of the blades have the markings (both blades and the spatula).
(Image removed from quote.)

Exactly, those were most likely the actual left over pieces from medical SAKs, before they manufactured these tools directly for the MiniChamp and as such there was no need of marking them (as the main blade was marked on MiniChamps). 

[VICMAN]

Here is a section from The Swiss Army Knife Owner's Manual by Michael M. Young on page 79:

"The origin of the MiniChamp is a curious story: Victorinox made a special run of a Classic-size model just for physicians; a worker in the factory ran across parts left from this limited edition and suggested that they could be assembled into a new model, given new functions, and sold in the regular line: The tracheotomy blade became the letter opener, the pill-counting blade was now a cuticle pusher, the tool for cutting the seal around the neck of pill bottles and then picking the cotton out would now be described as an orange peeler."

Thanks! That explains my theory even further.
Now we just have to find what special-run physician model was the one with the spatula.

You are welcome!

You might try post messaging Marduk....I think that is Michael M Young's forum name (The author of  The Swiss Army Knife Owner's Manual)

[FolderBeholder]

Moreover, I found that there are two types of the 58mm spatula: one without engraving, like the one currently used on MiniChamps, and one, which I think was the earlier version, with engravings on the base like on 58mm main blades: VICTORINOX SWITZERLAND STAINLESS ROSTFREI.

I was just cleaning a MiniChamp (7 blade older one) and it has that engraving on the spatula:

EDIT: I think I was typing while you were typing.  I just rechecked this knife and 3 of the blades have the markings (both blades and the spatula).
(Image removed from quote.)

Exactly, those were most likely the actual left over pieces from medical SAKs, before they manufactured these tools directly for the MiniChamp and as such there was no need of marking them (as the main blade was marked on MiniChamps). 

Great info.!  Thank you! 

[twiliter]

Stamp also on the Jetsetter 2. Good to have when you need to count out your pill stash or shovel powder up your nose when you're flying. TSA approved.