Anyone know about this knife?

Chako · **on:** January 09, 2010, 04:02:40 AM

I seem to have a bit of a mystery on my hands. I got this knife tonight. I had to pick it up at the local postal outlet. I slipped it in my jacket pocket and forgot it until just now.

I went for this knife because it was different and it was also Victorinox related. It stuck out from the usually eBay fair.

Now, here is where I am puzzled and need a bit of information.

I have no clue what is on the knife, and when it was made.

I did a bit of online digging, and I figured out that one side of the knife is a place. The Zurich sort of gave that away.

Now when I type the other side into Google, I get some WWII German Luftwaffe stuff. Is it a German inscription?

The knife has Victoria over a crossbow motif on one side of the blade. I did a quick check and it would appear that it was made from 43 onwards...if the info I gleamed was correct. On the obverse side of the main blade, is written "Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei".

Now the brass(?) scales are odd in that each side has “Swiss Made” on one tip and “Huguenin Locle” on the opposite end. When I Googled the name, I came up with a Swiss watch case maker family.

Any info on this interesting knife?

thebullfrog · **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2010, 04:08:43 AM

Wow. Cool.

Black Rose · **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2010, 04:54:42 AM

No idea what it is, but very nice find.

donvito · **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2010, 05:00:31 AM

The small blade has a modern profile to it

, looks very interesting

Chako · **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2010, 06:09:07 AM

I found a German to English online translator. Fur besondere leistungen translates as "For special service". Vorunterricht translates as "Previous Lessons".

Odd that. The knife roughly translates as "For special service...previous lessons Zurich"?

So from what I gather after doing a bit of rudimentary research, this is some sort of award knife issued for some services rendered for the city of Zurich. Is that a possible explanation? Not sure what “previous lessons” refers to, or if the translation is even a good one.

Based on this page...

http://e-webtechnologies.com/sak/Victorinox_Stampings___Trademarks_-_Update_12FEB08.pdf

The knife has the symbols of the 1968-74 era except this knife does not have the Officer Suiss below the Victoria symbol on one side of the blade.

Not sure what to make of that.

Magnus · **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2010, 10:06:25 AM

well, the symbol on one side looks somewhat like an olive branch, so it could be celebrating the end of the war?

Chako · **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2010, 03:33:08 PM

Guess nobody knows much about it then?

thebullfrog · **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2010, 06:14:00 PM

I would really love to find out though, I hope somebody can come up with something.

DaveK · **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2010, 07:48:50 PM

Quote

"For special service...previous lessons Zurich"?

Maybe it's something to do with prostitution?

J-sews · **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2010, 07:59:03 PM

Quote from: DaveK on January 09, 2010, 07:48:50 PM

Quote
"For special service...previous lessons Zurich"?

Maybe it's something to do with prostitution?

Ah yes, the famous Zurich Prostitute Of The Year Award Knife.

Why didn't we realize that earlier?

thebullfrog · **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:01:02 PM

Yep. Much better than the trophies they hand out Kazakstan.

HighlandPark · **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:05:24 PM

"für besondere leistungen" refers to someone having earned some kind of reward for over-average achievement
when i looked up "vorunterricht" i found that this was the name of a swiss army related physical education program. this term was used till 1972 and then replaced by "youth and sports" which was supposed to be less military oriented
german internet page link: http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D8702.php

cheers, marcus

thebullfrog · **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:07:19 PM

Huh. Awesome. So it was probably an award for someone being top of the class in the program. Nifty.

If that's the case, then it's conceivable that that may literally be the ONLY one of those SAKS in the world.

Chako · **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:35:39 PM

Thank you.

A lot more believable then DaveK’s prostitution theory.

thebullfrog · **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:44:54 PM

Do you happen to know how the seller came into possession of the knife?

HighlandPark · **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2010, 08:47:03 PM

Quote from: Chako on January 09, 2010, 08:35:39 PM

Thank you.

A lot more believable then DaveK’s prostitution theory.

... not as funny though ...

DaveK · **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2010, 09:01:44 PM

I admit it was only a guess.

Chako · **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2010, 01:27:49 AM

To be honest...a bit of a let down.

Fisting_Chili · **Reply #18 on:** January 11, 2010, 04:00:09 PM

Quote from: DaveK on January 09, 2010, 07:48:50 PM

Quote
"For special service...previous lessons Zurich"?

Maybe it's something to do with prostitution?

Hahahahahahaha!

Well played!

victor7000 · **Reply #19 on:** January 12, 2010, 09:05:46 PM

Quote from: Chako on January 09, 2010, 04:02:40 AM

...
Now the brass(?) scales are odd in that each side has “Swiss Made” on one tip and “Huguenin Locle” on the opposite end. When I Googled the name, I came up with a Swiss watch case maker family.

Huguenin is a company located in Le Locle, a town in Switzerland, which makes medals, coins, engraving etc. and probably made/engraved the scales of your nice knife.
http://www.faude-huguenin.ch/en/products/medals.html?navigationid=415

AHB · **Reply #20 on:** January 12, 2010, 09:37:09 PM

Quote from: J-sews on January 09, 2010, 07:59:03 PM

Quote from: DaveK on January 09, 2010, 07:48:50 PM
Quote
"For special service...previous lessons Zurich"?

Maybe it's something to do with prostitution?

Ah yes, the famous Zurich Prostitute Of The Year Award Knife. Why didn't we realize that earlier?

DaveK · **Reply #21 on:** January 12, 2010, 10:08:45 PM

Yeah go on - laugh at me.

I can't help it

AHB · **Reply #22 on:** January 12, 2010, 10:50:27 PM

Quote from: DaveK on January 12, 2010, 10:08:45 PM

Yeah go on - laugh at me.

I can't help it

Neil · **Reply #23 on:** January 12, 2010, 11:51:03 PM

I thought Dave had nailed it there

Never mind. Its a very nice knife

SURGE · **Reply #24 on:** December 08, 2010, 11:41:37 AM

HELLO ,I HAVE THE SAME KNIFE IN MY COLLECTION !!! I WAS LOOKING FOR WHAT THE ENGRAVING MEANT ,YOUR ARE VERY HELPFULL,THANXS. I BOUGHT IT FROM A FLEA MARKET IN GREECE..

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