Any love for Wenger?

[Etherealicer]

...
Being Swiss and having friends in Delemont, I think it is at least parts Röstigraben (imaginary line between French and German speaking Switzerland).

Ach ! The röstigraben !!! Yes of course ! So swiss LOL !
But I'm not sure it's the only reason.
Wenger is still strong but for watches, backpacks... Not for Wenger knives production.

I visited the Wenger factory in December 2013... All employees were very sad. the Wenger brand was like a flag for them, they had shared so many woes and joys together... It was like a defeated army, a tragedy. And it was also a tragedy for collectors of Wenger knives !

Wenger Factory in December 2013 and August 2014...

(Image removed from quote.)

Kinda my point...
Wenger goes bankrup, Vic takes over and gives Wenger and its employees an extremely sweet deal... still everybody is complaining

I understand what you mean but... Human is human, not robot...

Wenger goes bankrup, that's OK in 2005.
Vic takes over and gives Wenger and its employees an extremely sweet deal, that's OK between 2005 and 2013.
Between 2005 and 2013, it was a good wedding : Wenger grows up and makes money with the Wenger Brand, Wenger knives, Wenger expertise, Wenger innovation, etc. Victorinox also won money with Wenger and Victorinox grows up too. In fact it was a good deal for everybody a "win-win" deal.

But... At the end of 2013 Vic changed the rules and killed the brand Wenger, killed the boss and other people of management team, killed the production of knives... It was an error. It was an error in human strategy...
The only rule to apply in that case is : "No change in a rugby team when the team wins".
My idea is Vic said at the end of 2013 : "I am the boss and I do all I want because I have the juridical right to do it" Yes of course !!! But... It doesn't work in all cases even with the juridical right ! And the "röstigraben" is there !
Nobody can make a "revolution" in a 120 years old factory without having human problems...
Americans investors or chinese investors buy luxury hotels in Paris or Bordeaux vineyard but without making "revolution" and it works !

I'm sorry but what is the result now ? Victorinox spent money to absorb a competitor and an other new competitor born ! It's not a win strategy...

PMed you a more detailed answer, this is after all the "Love Wenger" thread so only this:

Wenger was not a winning team... bankruptcy is not a victory.

[jcfiguet]

...
Being Swiss and having friends in Delemont, I think it is at least parts Röstigraben (imaginary line between French and German speaking Switzerland).

Ach ! The röstigraben !!! Yes of course ! So swiss LOL !
But I'm not sure it's the only reason.
Wenger is still strong but for watches, backpacks... Not for Wenger knives production.

I visited the Wenger factory in December 2013... All employees were very sad. the Wenger brand was like a flag for them, they had shared so many woes and joys together... It was like a defeated army, a tragedy. And it was also a tragedy for collectors of Wenger knives !

Wenger Factory in December 2013 and August 2014...

(Image removed from quote.)

Kinda my point...
Wenger goes bankrup, Vic takes over and gives Wenger and its employees an extremely sweet deal... still everybody is complaining

I understand what you mean but... Human is human, not robot...

Wenger goes bankrup, that's OK in 2005.
Vic takes over and gives Wenger and its employees an extremely sweet deal, that's OK between 2005 and 2013.
Between 2005 and 2013, it was a good wedding : Wenger grows up and makes money with the Wenger Brand, Wenger knives, Wenger expertise, Wenger innovation, etc. Victorinox also won money with Wenger and Victorinox grows up too. In fact it was a good deal for everybody a "win-win" deal.

But... At the end of 2013 Vic changed the rules and killed the brand Wenger, killed the boss and other people of management team, killed the production of knives... It was an error. It was an error in human strategy...
The only rule to apply in that case is : "No change in a rugby team when the team wins".
My idea is Vic said at the end of 2013 : "I am the boss and I do all I want because I have the juridical right to do it" Yes of course !!! But... It doesn't work in all cases even with the juridical right ! And the "röstigraben" is there !
Nobody can make a "revolution" in a 120 years old factory without having human problems...
Americans investors or chinese investors buy luxury hotels in Paris or Bordeaux vineyard but without making "revolution" and it works !

I'm sorry but what is the result now ? Victorinox spent money to absorb a competitor and an other new competitor born ! It's not a win strategy...

PMed you a more detailed answer, this is after all the "Love Wenger" thread so only this:

Wenger was not a winning team... bankruptcy is not a victory.

Wenger's bankruptcy was the result of two main reasons:
1) The Business Tool with its expensive engineering and its small sales, although it is a good product.
2) September 11, 2001 and the fall sales of knives in airports (-20% of sales !)
Wenger represented only 10% of Victorinox, Victorinox has resisted, not Wenger ...
But no disgrace !

You said "röstigraben"... So Wenger is the "bad boy" ? I don't think it's the truth.
The History is always written by the victors... The real victory is always the generosity of the winner...

[Pile Driver]

Anyone have any knowledge of this knife? Tang stamp "Wenger & CIE Delemont with nothing on the reverse, if I had to say, either carbon steel or very crude/early stainless experimental. Metallic scales.

 

[jcfiguet]

Anyone have any knowledge of this knife? Tang stamp "Wenger & CIE Delemont with nothing on the reverse, if I had to say, either carbon steel or very crude/early stainless experimental. Metallic scales.

Yes !

I suppose blades are carbon steel ? This knife is probably  a "Model 504 A" (A = aluminium) or a similar model, it's a rare knife... :



I restored this one last year (I suppose its date of manufacture is between 1916 and 1919):

Before restoration...


After restoration (broken small blade changed)...


I think it was a ancestor of the "Cascade" :



More photos of this restoration :







How to make new rivets...

[Pile Driver]

Very cool! So I have the first Alox? My tang stamp is different than the one you restored?

[jcfiguet]

Very cool! So I have the first Alox? My tang stamp is different than the one you restored?

Hello,

I think your knife is earliest than mine, probably before 1910's, because of the tang stamp and the screwdriver.

You are very, very lucky !!!

I only see this kind of knife 3 times :

1°) on the Wenger catalog 1908-1922 (only 1 copy at the Wenger Factory)
2°) my knife
3°) your knife

 

[firiki]

   So that's one ultra rare SAK, then? Congrats to both, gentlemen.

[ColoSwiss]

Here's another one. Main blade's been sharpened a bit, but still a neat knife. Thanks for the info on model number and approximate dates.

[firiki]

So, this is essentially the proto-Farmer?

[ColoSwiss]

So, this is essentially the proto-Farmer?

Except that Farmer is a Victorinox, and this is a Wenger.

[firiki]

So, this is essentially the proto-Farmer?

Except that Farmer is a Victorinox, and this is a Wenger.

I know that but I'm not sure when did Vic first make Alox hence my question

[jcfiguet]

So, this is essentially the proto-Farmer?

Except that Farmer is a Victorinox, and this is a Wenger.

I know that but I'm not sure when did Vic first make Alox hence my question

Vic made first Aluminium scales (not alox) like Wenger in 1910's, but I don't know who was the first (Vic or Wenger) ! LOL

[enki_ck]

So, this is essentially the proto-Farmer?

Except that Farmer is a Victorinox, and this is a Wenger.

I know that but I'm not sure when did Vic first make Alox hence my question

Proto-Farmer would be the farmer line of knives with wooden scales Victorinox used to make. We have that catalog in the wiki. And Vic used aluminium scales earlier than those models shown here. Jazzbass has an Officer's knife that's older.

[enki_ck]

Jazzbass's SAK from 1903
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=51070.0

[firiki]

So, this is essentially the proto-Farmer?

Except that Farmer is a Victorinox, and this is a Wenger.

I know that but I'm not sure when did Vic first make Alox hence my question

Vic made first Aluminium scales (not alox) like Wenger in 1910's, but I don't know who was the first (Vic or Wenger) ! LOL

Merci bien, Monsieur

[firiki]

Jazzbass's SAK from 1903
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=51070.0

Riiiight, the 100mm Officer's SAK! 

Thanks, enki.

[enki_ck]

And farm/work knives gallery that look much like the ALOX models of later years.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=116

[firiki]

And farm/work knives gallery that look much like the ALOX models of later years.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=116

I'm still drooling about using one of those

[jcfiguet]

Hello all !

Some body knows the reference or the mame of the 2nd Ranger (at right) ?



It seems these knives are not in the Wiki, or I didn't find them...

[Caranthanus]

Hello all !

Some body knows the reference or the mame of the 2nd Ranger (at right) ?

(Image removed from quote.)

It seems these knives are not in the Wiki, or I didn't find them...

It's hard to find it on net as well 

[jcfiguet]

Hello all !

Some body knows the reference or the mame of the 2nd Ranger (at right) ?

(Image removed from quote.)

It seems these knives are not in the Wiki, or I didn't find them...

It's hard to find it on net as well 

On the net it's not possible but if somebody has the guenuine box with the good reference, it will be fabulous !

[Etherealicer]

Hello all !

Some body knows the reference or the mame of the 2nd Ranger (at right) ?

(Image removed from quote.)

It seems these knives are not in the Wiki, or I didn't find them...

It's hard to find it on net as well 

On the net it's not possible but if somebody has the guenuine box with the good reference, it will be fabulous !

There is nothing I loath more than a brand like that. Has nothing to do with Switzerland or Mountaineering, they also place a genuine Wenger among junk, label it "made in Switzerland" so people believe everything is made in Switzerland...

Nevertheless, the knife in question is still available:
http://www.swissma.de/en/web/index.php?id=1678&s=alpine_club_-_ranger_knife
Maybe they can give you the answers.

[jcfiguet]

Hello all !

I don't want advertising to make money, but I know that some of you might be interested in this new limited series of SWIZA...

Some of you remember the "Bye Bye Wenger" (the last Wenger limited series in 2013 for FCS) 





Currently being manufactured in Swiza factory, the "Hello SWIZA Knives" (the first Swiza limited series in 2015 for "Les Couteaux du Soldat de l'Armée Suisse")

[basilio]

Hello all !

Some body knows the reference or the mame of the 2nd Ranger (at right) ?

(Image removed from quote.)

It seems these knives are not in the Wiki, or I didn't find them...

The only reference I have is the name written on the same image you posted.
AC/KNI.1.
I have also saved a picture of the AC/KNI.3, which is different as well (see attachment).
I saw it listed somewhere some time ago, did try to buy it but never got any answer.

Currently being manufactured in Swiza factory, the "Hello SWIZA Knives" (the first Swiza limited series in 2015 for "Les Couteaux du Soldat de l'Armée Suisse")

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

It is very nice.
I found a Swiza in a cutlery shop in Munich some weeks ago and I bought it.
I'm really impressed buy the knife. I like it

[jcfiguet]

Hello all !

Some body knows the reference or the mame of the 2nd Ranger (at right) ?

(Image removed from quote.)

It seems these knives are not in the Wiki, or I didn't find them...

The only reference I have is the name written on the same image you posted.
AC/KNI.1.
I have also saved a picture of the AC/KNI.3, which is different as well (see attachment).
I saw it listed somewhere some time ago, did try to buy it but never got any answer.

This one is a Ranger 198 with alpine club reference AC/SMK1 (Black) and AC/SMK2 (Yellow)

An similar knife (non one-hand blade) exists : Ranger 162 with alpine club reference AC/KNI.1  (Black) this reference was given by Coloswiss

Here my personal Wiki for Ranger knives 130 mm:

excel file to download last update 11/17/2015

[basilio]

This one is a Ranger 198 with alpine club reference AC/SMK1 (Black) and AC/SMK2 (Yellow)

An similar knife (non one-hand blade) exists : Ranger 162 with alpine club reference AC/KNI.1  (Black) this reference was given by Coloswiss

Here my personal Wiki for Ranger knives 130 mm:

excel file to download last update 11/17/2015

No Jean Claude,
it is not.
if you look closely you'll see that the knife I posted is missing the saw, the openers and reamer on back.

[jcfiguet]

This one is a Ranger 198 with alpine club reference AC/SMK1 (Black) and AC/SMK2 (Yellow)

An similar knife (non one-hand blade) exists : Ranger 162 with alpine club reference AC/KNI.1  (Black) this reference was given by Coloswiss

Here my personal Wiki for Ranger knives 130 mm:

excel file to download last update 11/17/2015

No Jean Claude,
it is not.
if you look closely you'll see that the knife I posted is missing the saw, the openers and reamer on back.

(Image removed from quote.)

OK ! I didn't see the missing saw... Do you have the Webger reference of this knife ?

[Barry Rowland]

My son and I just got Highlanders, and I'm impressed with them.  I like the size, and they seem like first class knives to me.  I've always carried Vic's, and when he got his, I liked it enough I ordered one myself.

[Pile Driver]

Two similar knives, the one on the left is stamped Wenger Delemont and is carbon steel, the one on the right is stamped Wenger Tahara and is stainless.

Approximate age for the two? Are these made for civilians?

[Barry Rowland]

I don't know the answer, but I'd love to hear the stories those two knives would tell.