Red Alox

[1jump2many]

Elsener/Victorinox red alox Soldier years;
1962,63,64,65,66,67,68,70,75
Wenger red alox SI years;
1963,64,65

Why didn't they produce it in 1969?  And then bring it back in 1975?  Thanks for the information.  I got my info from SAKWiki.  It mentions, "The Soldier model was redesigned in 1961 resulting in the familiar 93mm Alox handled knife. These new knives were produced with Red Alox scales from 1961 to 1964, after which they changed to Silver Alox."  It seems the article needs a bit updating.  I think he should take a nice picture of it and send it to SAKWiki so they can show it.  They are obviously rare.   

[stressmaster5000]

Elsener/Victorinox red alox Soldier years;
1962,63,64,65,66,67,68,70,75
Wenger red alox SI years;
1963,64,65

Why didn't they produce it in 1969?  And then bring it back in 1975?  Thanks for the information.  I got my info from SAKWiki.  It mentions, "The Soldier model was redesigned in 1961 resulting in the familiar 93mm Alox handled knife. These new knives were produced with Red Alox scales from 1961 to 1964, after which they changed to Silver Alox."  It seems the article needs a bit updating.  I think he should take a nice picture of it and send it to SAKWiki so they can show it.  They are obviously rare.   

Well, everything you read in the SAKWicki is not always entirely correct. Errors can be made by anyone. If you continue to check the SAKWicki webpage for the Victorinox Soldier you will see a box or table indicating years that NO Soldiers were made and 1961 is one of them. Somehow that info escapes most folks attention and they just see the "1961" year and assume there was such a knife made.

I too wonder why a few years were missed by either Elsener/Victorinox or Wenger in the production of the Soldier or SI knives.

[1jump2many]

Elsener/Victorinox red alox Soldier years;
1962,63,64,65,66,67,68,70,75
Wenger red alox SI years;
1963,64,65

Why didn't they produce it in 1969?  And then bring it back in 1975?  Thanks for the information.  I got my info from SAKWiki.  It mentions, "The Soldier model was redesigned in 1961 resulting in the familiar 93mm Alox handled knife. These new knives were produced with Red Alox scales from 1961 to 1964, after which they changed to Silver Alox."  It seems the article needs a bit updating.  I think he should take a nice picture of it and send it to SAKWiki so they can show it.  They are obviously rare.   

Well, everything you read in the SAKWicki is not always entirely correct. Errors can be made by anyone. If you continue to check the SAKWicki webpage for the Victorinox Soldier you will see a box or table indicating years that NO Soldiers were made and 1961 is one of them. Somehow that info escapes most folks attention and they just see the "1961" year and assume there was such a knife made.

I too wonder why a few years were missed by either Elsener/Victorinox or Wenger in the production of the Soldier or SI knives.

Is the year date stamped on the tang on those early red alox Soldier's? 

[stressmaster5000]

Elsener/Victorinox red alox Soldier years;
1962,63,64,65,66,67,68,70,75
Wenger red alox SI years;
1963,64,65

Why didn't they produce it in 1969?  And then bring it back in 1975?  Thanks for the information.  I got my info from SAKWiki.  It mentions, "The Soldier model was redesigned in 1961 resulting in the familiar 93mm Alox handled knife. These new knives were produced with Red Alox scales from 1961 to 1964, after which they changed to Silver Alox."  It seems the article needs a bit updating.  I think he should take a nice picture of it and send it to SAKWiki so they can show it.  They are obviously rare.   

Well, everything you read in the SAKWicki is not always entirely correct. Errors can be made by anyone. If you continue to check the SAKWicki webpage for the Victorinox Soldier you will see a box or table indicating years that NO Soldiers were made and 1961 is one of them. Somehow that info escapes most folks attention and they just see the "1961" year and assume there was such a knife made.

I too wonder why a few years were missed by either Elsener/Victorinox or Wenger in the production of the Soldier or SI knives.

Is the year date stamped on the tang on those early red alox Soldier's? 

Yes, as always the actual Swiss Soldier or Standard Issue will have the 2-digit year date stamp on the rear tang. Any you find with no date stamps that look similar will probably be from the Pioneer series of knives.

[shadeone]

when i get access to my better camera, ill send in a nice shot... and yes the sakwiki needs a bit of updating.... i am currently in the process of doing some REALLY heavy research on the soldier and pioneer series alox knives and will do my best to update the wiki when i complete all of it...

by research i mean going through just about every post on sosaks forums that has ANYTHING to do with alox knives, all the way back to the beginning of the message board... its taken me weeks so far and ive got all the posts bookmarked and half of them scoured for information, just a little bit more to go, then its on to organizing my copy and pasted notes! Ill let you guys know when this is all finished! i may even just start my own "SAK Alox Reference/Research Archive" webpage or something!.... SAKARA(?)  hahah

shade

[1jump2many]

when i get access to my better camera, ill send in a nice shot... and yes the sakwiki needs a bit of updating.... i am currently in the process of doing some REALLY heavy research on the soldier and pioneer series alox knives and will do my best to update the wiki when i complete all of it...

by research i mean going through just about every post on sosaks forums that has ANYTHING to do with alox knives, all the way back to the beginning of the message board... its taken me weeks so far and ive got all the posts bookmarked and half of them scoured for information, just a little bit more to go, then its on to organizing my copy and pasted notes! Ill let you guys know when this is all finished! i may even just start my own "SAK Alox Reference/Research Archive" webpage or something!.... SAKARA(?)  hahah

shade

That sounds like a major endeavor.  Do you have any idea why Vic didn't make a Red Alox Soldier in 1969 but then made them again in 1970, and then stopped again and them made it one last year in 1975?  I wonder how hard the 1975 model is to get, being that any year is hard to get.

[stressmaster5000]

when i get access to my better camera, ill send in a nice shot... and yes the sakwiki needs a bit of updating.... i am currently in the process of doing some REALLY heavy research on the soldier and pioneer series alox knives and will do my best to update the wiki when i complete all of it...

by research i mean going through just about every post on sosaks forums that has ANYTHING to do with alox knives, all the way back to the beginning of the message board... its taken me weeks so far and ive got all the posts bookmarked and half of them scoured for information, just a little bit more to go, then its on to organizing my copy and pasted notes! Ill let you guys know when this is all finished! i may even just start my own "SAK Alox Reference/Research Archive" webpage or something!.... SAKARA(?)  hahah

shade

That sounds like a major endeavor.  Do you have any idea why Vic didn't make a Red Alox Soldier in 1969 but then made them again in 1970, and then stopped again and them made it one last year in 1975?  I wonder how hard the 1975 model is to get, being that any year is hard to get.

Perhaps more important would be a production count for each year if known.

[1jump2many]

when i get access to my better camera, ill send in a nice shot... and yes the sakwiki needs a bit of updating.... i am currently in the process of doing some REALLY heavy research on the soldier and pioneer series alox knives and will do my best to update the wiki when i complete all of it...

by research i mean going through just about every post on sosaks forums that has ANYTHING to do with alox knives, all the way back to the beginning of the message board... its taken me weeks so far and ive got all the posts bookmarked and half of them scoured for information, just a little bit more to go, then its on to organizing my copy and pasted notes! Ill let you guys know when this is all finished! i may even just start my own "SAK Alox Reference/Research Archive" webpage or something!.... SAKARA(?)  hahah

shade

That sounds like a major endeavor.  Do you have any idea why Vic didn't make a Red Alox Soldier in 1969 but then made them again in 1970, and then stopped again and them made it one last year in 1975?  I wonder how hard the 1975 model is to get, being that any year is hard to get.

Perhaps more important would be a production count for each year if known.

You would think Victorinox and Wenger kept those type of records.  The question is, will they release the numbers?  We need a person on the inside.   
 

[Gareth]

when i get access to my better camera, ill send in a nice shot... and yes the sakwiki needs a bit of updating.... i am currently in the process of doing some REALLY heavy research on the soldier and pioneer series alox knives and will do my best to update the wiki when i complete all of it...

by research i mean going through just about every post on sosaks forums that has ANYTHING to do with alox knives, all the way back to the beginning of the message board... its taken me weeks so far and ive got all the posts bookmarked and half of them scoured for information, just a little bit more to go, then its on to organizing my copy and pasted notes! Ill let you guys know when this is all finished! i may even just start my own "SAK Alox Reference/Research Archive" webpage or something!.... SAKARA(?)  hahah

shade

That sounds like a major endeavor.  Do you have any idea why Vic didn't make a Red Alox Soldier in 1969 but then made them again in 1970, and then stopped again and them made it one last year in 1975?  I wonder how hard the 1975 model is to get, being that any year is hard to get.

Perhaps more important would be a production count for each year if known.

You would think Victorinox and Wenger kept those type of records.  The question is, will they release the numbers?  We need a person on the inside.   
 

Well I know Wenger won't know as they lost all their records in a big fire.  I can't remember exactly when but some time in the 1980's IIRC, someone will know better I'm sure.

[shadeone]

when i get access to my better camera, ill send in a nice shot... and yes the sakwiki needs a bit of updating.... i am currently in the process of doing some REALLY heavy research on the soldier and pioneer series alox knives and will do my best to update the wiki when i complete all of it...

by research i mean going through just about every post on sosaks forums that has ANYTHING to do with alox knives, all the way back to the beginning of the message board... its taken me weeks so far and ive got all the posts bookmarked and half of them scoured for information, just a little bit more to go, then its on to organizing my copy and pasted notes! Ill let you guys know when this is all finished! i may even just start my own "SAK Alox Reference/Research Archive" webpage or something!.... SAKARA(?)  hahah

shade

That sounds like a major endeavor.  Do you have any idea why Vic didn't make a Red Alox Soldier in 1969 but then made them again in 1970, and then stopped again and them made it one last year in 1975?  I wonder how hard the 1975 model is to get, being that any year is hard to get.

strange about the 1975 one... they must have done two runs that year because i have a silver 1975 one on the way to me right now... does anyone have any pictures/evidence of the red 75?

anyways, i think the info that most people get is the official word from victorinox... they claim the 61-64 in red which is probably when they issued them to troops this way, and then silver in 1965... in their official "timeline" i dont think they report things like spare scales found in storage boxes in the attic or special small runs or anything like that on their official public information....

there is also the slight slight chance that the late 60s and early 70s red soldier models that have been seen were actually issue knives from 61-61 that had their blades replaced... then again my rivets onmy 70 look damn near perfect.

shade

[1jump2many]

when i get access to my better camera, ill send in a nice shot... and yes the sakwiki needs a bit of updating.... i am currently in the process of doing some REALLY heavy research on the soldier and pioneer series alox knives and will do my best to update the wiki when i complete all of it...

by research i mean going through just about every post on sosaks forums that has ANYTHING to do with alox knives, all the way back to the beginning of the message board... its taken me weeks so far and ive got all the posts bookmarked and half of them scoured for information, just a little bit more to go, then its on to organizing my copy and pasted notes! Ill let you guys know when this is all finished! i may even just start my own "SAK Alox Reference/Research Archive" webpage or something!.... SAKARA(?)  hahah

shade

That sounds like a major endeavor.  Do you have any idea why Vic didn't make a Red Alox Soldier in 1969 but then made them again in 1970, and then stopped again and them made it one last year in 1975?  I wonder how hard the 1975 model is to get, being that any year is hard to get.

strange about the 1975 one... they must have done two runs that year because i have a silver 1975 one on the way to me right now... does anyone have any pictures/evidence of the red 75?

anyways, i think the info that most people get is the official word from victorinox... they claim the 61-64 in red which is probably when they issued them to troops this way, and then silver in 1965... in their official "timeline" i dont think they report things like spare scales found in storage boxes in the attic or special small runs or anything like that on their official public information....

there is also the slight slight chance that the late 60s and early 70s red soldier models that have been seen were actually issue knives from 61-64 that had their blades replaced... then again my rivets on my 70 look damn near perfect.

shade

I guess it would depend on how rare the one's past 1964 are.  Since they have a lifetime warranty someone could have sent the knife to Ibach and had them replace the blade.  That would explain the rivets looking perfect.  But I can't imagine there would very many in circulation if that were the only case. 

[shadeone]

just a heads up, the 1970 red soldier is on ebay for those who might want a chance to obtain it:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270504390742&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

im still working on my alox guide/article and will keep you guys posted! i do have the table that was posted in an old back issue of the Victorinox Blade newsletter and it does show that there was a red alox soldier in 1970 but it doesnt list 1975 as victorinox having a red soldier available.... im wondering where this info came from (where sakwiki got it from?)

shade

[duder]

In my old newsletter-list the 1975 red alox soldier is listed.

[shadeone]

ha im an idiot. now that im home i looked at it and there it is!

shade

[1jump2many]

It's been a real seller's market on eBay lately.  You should fair very well with all the SAK's you have up for sale, if what I and others have been seeing lately is any indication.  Good luck.

[jazzbass]

I finally pulled the camera out for some WTT pics, and thought I'd contribute to this thread.

1985 Dated Farmer - machined tools, brass liners:




With other dated red alox (l-r: Farmer, Pioneer, Pioneer Settler)

[Benner]

Good year that 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Damn

[1jump2many]

jazz,

Since you have a 99 and an 01, you don't need that old pesky 85.  If you want I'll take it off your hands.   

[jazzbass]

jazz,

Since you have a 99 and an 01, you don't need that old pesky 85.  If you want I'll take it off your hands.   

That's sweet of you to offer, but I may just hang on to it for a bit longer.

Here's one I more found - it's not mint but it is old and (somewhat) unusual. Elinox solo:

[shadeone]

my treasures!!!

mint in box red farmer with brass liners and older machined tool opener layer, and mint in box red pioneer "sturdy boy" with brass liners and older machined tool opener layer:


red pioneer alone:


farmer alone:


brothers:


my attempt at an "artistic" shot:


brass liners!!


shade

[Chako]

Nice collection. 

[Chako]

Some more red Alox goodness.



1. A Popular?
2. A Cadet.
3. Pioneer Pruner.
4. Pioneer Settler.
5. Pioneer.
6. Pioneer Harvester.
7. 97 Pioneer.
8. Pioneer Rancher.
9. Farmer.

[Raukodur]

Very nice collection Chako.

Out of all of those, my favourite would prob be the rancher. If I could find one of those cheap enough I may not be able to resist getting one.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Oh my

[Benner]

I love the oldie Alox brass liners.

[Magic Bus]

A brass linered Farmer is on my most wanted list 

[1jump2many]

Some more red Alox goodness.
(Image removed from quote.)

Chako, what's up with the diecast CAT vehicles in some of your pictures of late? 

[ufox9al]

Chako, what's up with the diecast CAT vehicles in some of your pictures of late? 

Isn't it obvious from the pictures? He needs those to move all the SAKs around!

[1jump2many]

Chako, what's up with the diecast CAT vehicles in some of your pictures of late? 

Isn't it obvious from the pictures? He needs those to move all the SAKs around!

He needs the real things, not diecast models.