Any love for Wenger?

[ICanFixThat]

My guess is the 1920's.  Wenger used this same shield on their carbon-steel knives that had fiber handles, which would be before 1921 or so and the new stainless steel with a metal shield with crossbow and caplifter with scraper - as shown by photo in the sequence on page 43 of the SAK Owner's Manual.  The Wenger history is always a bit mysterious.
It is interesting that Wenger had a caplifter on their screwdriver in the carbon steel days (yours appears stainless) - long before Victorinox had a caplifter on their 'driver.

I was thinking it was maybe a bit newer than that given the rivet style, high polish, and great condition.  It might be fairly early in the life of the Tahara brand as I have to think the red enamel sheild (I think it's enamel) is quite fancy and they wanted to show this as a premium model.  I'm not sure if when they started the Tahara brand for SAKs if they were still making the Tahara polishing machines or if that was history.  It would be good to know when Tahara really got started as a SAK brand.

[J Mackrel Jones]

Could be the Tahara name on SAKs came before the Tahara machines for the tumble-polishing of silverware which were sold to cruise lines in the 1920s and '30s - "the last machine sold to the Hotel Schweitzerhof in Bern in 1942."  Lisa Wenger suggested the name in 1910.  But when did Tahara actually first appear on the tang of a knife; and when did Wenger stop using this tang stamp?
An ad from around 1950 describes their Staff Officer’s Knife (2 blades, 2 openers, scissors, saw, reamer, corkscrew, toothpick & tweezers, bail) of “finest Swedish Tahara Stainless
Steel” priced at $13.50.

[ICanFixThat]

Could be the Tahara name on SAKs came before the Tahara machines for the tumble-polishing of silverware which were sold to cruise lines in the 1920s and '30s - "the last machine sold to the Hotel Schweitzerhof in Bern in 1942."  ....

Yes, it could be, and seems like it probably was.  I just checked information published by Wenger and the name was trademarked in 1910, and as you say the last machine was sold in Bern in 1942.  It would seem that it would have appeared on a pocket knife before the polishers based on the trademark date, or at least before the sales of the polishers were completed. It was probably used on tableware first given the trademark date.  I'm not sure, but I think Wenger is saying the Red Crossbow w/SUISSE logo is only preceeded by the very similar crossbow logo without SUISSE (and of course no logo on the scales), and then followed by the metal variations. 

[ICanFixThat]

This Wenger was sold by L.L.Bean as the Swiss Outdoorsman around 1991 it looks like.  Anyone have any more information on it, like another name or Wenger identifier?

[ColoSwiss]

Wenger Computer Wiz (#16952), with T-10 Torx screwdriver.

Came across this while trying to come up with some info on the Swiss Outdoorsman (no other info, but nice find  ), and figured I'd throw it in.

[enki_ck]

Wow, I love this one, was it a special run for somebody? I wish it was a T8 though. Great find

[ColoSwiss]

Wow, I love this one, was it a special run for somebody? I wish it was a T8 though. Great find

It was listed in their standard catalog back in the 1990s, but apparently didn't stay around long.

Karl

[ICanFixThat]

Wenger Computer Wiz (#16952), with T-10 Torx screwdriver.

Came across this while trying to come up with some info on the Swiss Outdoorsman (no other info, but nice find  ), and figured I'd throw it in.

Nice!  I've been hoping to find one of those.

[kmanct3]

Always been partial to Vic, just cant get myself to have a SAK without a small blade.

[ICanFixThat]

We don't see as many Wenger customs as we do Victorinox so I though I'd show this standard Wenger Backpacker (nailfile/corkscrew) with custom deer antler scales.  Pretty nice job here, the material used was very good, the builder missed a little with one of the cout outs for a nail nick, but it works just fine.  Really nice color and feel to these handles.

[GigaHz]

Any idea on how old this is or the model?

[enki_ck]

That's one of my favourite models of the Wengerinox. I'd say about mid '50s.

Edit: they seem to have used the crossbow logo throughout the '40s

1940s Logo crossbow

1949 Geneva convention : to copy a Swiss Cross is forbidden.

1950 A patent application seem to contain Wengerinox in crossbow symbol

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=37957.0

[ICanFixThat]

Wenger Passports

[basilio]

Here is a model you don't usually see very often.
A Wenger Left Hand Skier! 
Model is n. 1 34 103

[ICanFixThat]

Wow, that is a pretty rare bird.  Do you happen to be left handed?

[ColoSwiss]

Left-hand Cyclist.

Wenger did a series of a half-dozen Left-handed (Main Gauche) knives. Not only were the notches on the blades reversed; the entire blade sequence was reversed.

[J Mackrel Jones]

Even the corkscrew goes the other direction.   

[jerseydevil]

Does Wenger still make any of these lefty models?  I gotta get my hands on one! 

[enki_ck]

Left-hand Cyclist.

Wenger did a series of a half-dozen Left-handed (Main Gauche) knives. Not only were the notches on the blades reversed; the entire blade sequence was reversed.

Is that technically still a Cyclist? I mean that one has a small blade instaid of the nail file.

[AimlessWanderer]

Left-hand Cyclist.

Wenger did a series of a half-dozen Left-handed (Main Gauche) knives. Not only were the notches on the blades reversed; the entire blade sequence was reversed.

Is that technically still a Cyclist? I mean that one has a small blade instaid of the nail file.

Yeah, but the main blade has a REALLY big nail file on the other side ... 

Southpaws ... 






 

[ColoSwiss]

Left-hand Cyclist.

Wenger did a series of a half-dozen Left-handed (Main Gauche) knives. Not only were the notches on the blades reversed; the entire blade sequence was reversed.

Is that technically still a Cyclist? I mean that one has a small blade instaid of the nail file.

That's what the catalog calls it. Here's a page with most of the left-handed models; doesn't include the Skier. Also no guarantee there aren't others.

http://www.e-webtechnologies.com/sak/Wenger_Left-handed_Models.pdf

[ColoSwiss]

The 1992-1995 Wenger French catalog on SAKwiki also has info; page 2, the last two sheets.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=97&offset=60

[JNieporte]

I like Wenger SAKs. The bottle opener / screwdriver has a detent that makes the tool unable to close when under pressure. That's great. I also prefer the Wenger can opener to the Victorinox, although it does give up the small screwdriver. I prefer the Wenger Standard Issue to the Victorinox Soldier.

[basilio]

Wow, that is a pretty rare bird.  Do you happen to be left handed?

Thanks!
No, I'm not left handed, but I love this set (the one from the 90's period) and I think it is too unique to pass by.
At the moment I have 4 of the 6 models made.
Hopefully I should be able to post a picture of the complete set soon.

Left-hand Cyclist.

Wenger did a series of a half-dozen Left-handed (Main Gauche) knives. Not only were the notches on the blades reversed; the entire blade sequence was reversed.

Yes, but with a great exception for the wax scraper tool in the skier model, which is not reversed (I compared it myself with a standard model I have).

Does Wenger still make any of these lefty models?  I gotta get my hands on one! 

I believe the left hand models are not made anymore.
I found that Wenger later changed the design of the "left hand man" on the scales, as seen on the following picture (pointed line around the figure)


Some of the later models can still be found.
Have a look here
http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/acatalog/pocket_knives.html

[North Man]

ooh i just bought this, Handyman

woodsaw, metalfile and plier,bits and much more

[AimlessWanderer]

I got one of those too. What's your thoughts on it?

[North Man]

i really like this, it is a great multitool, i also really enjoy to study the mechanisms

[AimlessWanderer]

Agreed. It's probably not one for the "plierphiles"  who need the biggest possible pliers at all times. As a knife-centric tool though, it's an impressive bit of kit for the right person/scenario.

I do wish those scales were a little slimmer though 

[crackout]

Back to my old S18, still waiting for parts of my Vic mods.



Love it!

[North Man]

Agreed. It's probably not one for the "plierphiles"  who need the biggest possible pliers at all times. As a knife-centric tool though, it's an impressive bit of kit for the right person/scenario.

I do wish those scales were a little slimmer though 

some thoughts:
yes it is on the larger side, also the "plierphiles" looking for the biggest plier is true, however Wenger 120mm or more correct 130mm got so many larger size functions is handy, many multitools today got ok size on the functions too but many also got so small functions that it would make them difficult to use, the saw on the Rangers is enough to cut thick wood, with the bits one get great momentum and one can custom make your tool for many tasks, the plier is in my opinion medium size and enough for much, knifeblade is there very good also, i feel the Wenger multitools fills a gap that many do not have and it is like you say people looking for the best plier and the multitool become much like just a plier many times.....