Wiki Tang Stamp Page Project

[kamakiri]

That’s a bit busy an tedious with all the added lg sm cb.

I suggest VSMS for the latter SWISS MADE
Maybe VSMSw for the ‘wide’ version

The whole point of using the specific and acronym is both brevity and accuracy. Every line needs a short, but exclusive ‘code’ or acronym.

VSSR/OS already implies CB. 

Large and Small don’t have to be part of the ‘code’ and just use the whole word in front of it, not in caps or bolded.

Say: small E/VSSR

people can specify small sm lg as they like as needed.

[Max Stone]

This does look better - does everyone agree? 

Can someone propose dates for VaSS/- and VSS/VaO?

We don't have a description of what "Economy Line" is. Maybe we should add a short intro before each table? e.g.:

Main Line [link: Victorinox 91mm page]
Built on the legacy of the original 1897 Officers' Knife, and set at a family length of 91mm from the early 1950s, the 91mm Main Line is today the largest category of Swiss Army Knives.
...table...

Economy Line
The 91mm Economy Line (known later as EcoLine) started with the Elinox range in 1957 and were typically differentiated from the Main Line by their scale material, scale emblem, lack of scale tools or packaging. From 1980, the tang stamp of The Economy Line adopted those used for the Main Line family, so only the tang stamps unique to the Economy Line are shown below.
...table...

 
Hoffritz [link: Hoffritz page]
Hoffritz was a significant importer and reseller of Victorinox Swiss Army Knives in the USA, with the product uniquely branded for Hoffritz, including a variety of different blade tangs between 1951 and 1982.
...table...

[Myron]

I like both the simplifications and I also agree with the quick summary of the three different lines. 

This is going to be such a great resource.  Thanks again to everyone who is contributing their time and talents to this project.

[Max Stone]

Thanks Myron, I've added the short summaries so this can be discussed/adjusted as needed. 

[Huntsman]

Like the short summary  / introductions   

In my dating spreadsheet i just put a * by the tang stamps that have a big V and a small key/note to this affect by the table
Might make it a bit more concise?      Just a suggestion

[Max Stone]

Thanks Huntsman.

I do agree we should be aiming for conciseness, so I have set the 'codes' as monospaced, which frames them nicely, added the asterisk for the large V (with table footnote), and removed the 'large/small' in each row, as this is now defined.

Only ones I'm stuck with are the large and small variants of the Elinox tangs. I've tried the caret and inverted caret as an idea. Not sure it works... 

[kamakiri]

This does look better - does everyone agree? 

  Better!

Can someone propose dates for VaSS/- and VSS/VaO?

One thing I would simplify is VaO -> VO. Because there is no VxO to differentiate against.

Perhaps an underline would work to indicate caps or the larger V. So VSSR?

Just a suggestion on the early-mid dates since nobody else has yet:

+AS/VaSS — c.’47 to ‘52
VaSS/blank — c.’52

(Large) VSS/VO — c.’52-c.’53
(Small) VSS/VO — 53 -’57
OR
VSS/VO c.’52-‘57 (if the two aren’t given separate lines and just mention the larger earlier version in text.)

jazzbass has identified (at least) 3 different combos for VSS/VO. Here Large, small I and small II. I think his small II is actually in the middle with a worn early VSS, and the newer small VO. Just what I think as I don’t have a firm opinion on it. IMO—Just 4 stamps in different combos not 5 or 6 per jazzbass.

We don't have a description of what "Economy Line" is. Maybe we should add a short intro before each table? e.g.:

Main Line [link: Victorinox 91mm page]
Built on the legacy of the original 1897 Officers' Knife, and set at a family length of 91mm from the early 1950s, the 91mm Main Line is today the largest category of Swiss Army Knives.
...table...

Economy Line
The 91mm Economy Line (known later as EcoLine) started with the Elinox range in 1957 and were typically differentiated from the Main Line by their scale material, scale emblem, lack of scale tools or packaging. From 1980, the tang stamp of The Economy Line adopted those used for the Main Line family, so only the tang stamps unique to the Economy Line are shown below.
...table...

 
Hoffritz [link: Hoffritz page]
Hoffritz was a significant importer and reseller of Victorinox Swiss Army Knives in the USA, with the product uniquely branded for Hoffritz, including a variety of different blade tangs between 1951 and 1982.
...table...

I like the descriptions.

[kamakiri]

ESSM? / IC? c.’38?? to c.’47?
 

[Max Stone]

One thing I would simplify is VaO -> VO. Because there is no VxO to differentiate against.

...this is a difficult one. We'd have VSSR/VOS with both Victorinox and Victoria versions, and if we start putting 'x' in everywhere, it may get a bit messy. What do people think?

Perhaps an underline would work to indicate caps or the larger V. So VSSR?

...Tiki does not allow mixing of styles, so cannot do underlined and bold ;-(

Just a suggestion on the early-mid dates since nobody else has yet:

+AS/VaSS — c.’47 to ‘52
VaSS/blank — c.’52

(Large) VSS/VO — c.’52-c.’53
(Small) VSS/VO — 53 -’57
OR
VSS/VO c.’52-‘57 (if the two aren’t given separate lines and just mention the larger earlier version in text.)

jazzbass has identified (at least) 3 different combos for VSS/VO. Large, small I and small II. I think his small II is actually in the middle with a worn early VSS, and the newer small VO. Just what I think as I don’t have a firm opinion on it. IMO—Just 4 stamps in different combos not 5 or 6 per jazzbass.

Will update...

[rookie]

Hi all together
I have noticed that a stamp is missing on the Economy range. This is the ESSR-VSSR. According to sakhome.com this stamp was only available in 1975.
I have a standard (Spartan) with this stamp.
Probably the handles of my knife were changed sometime.

[rookie]

Sorry for the bad photos. I am not a good photographer.

[Max Stone]

Sorry for the bad photos. I am not a good photographer.

Thanks for pointing out this gap - yes, we need to add this in, so we'll put a placeholder in for the moment. It can be difficult to get a suitable pic. Best to try with natural light, and put a vertical piece of white cardboard next to the SAK to get the white reflection on the tang. Zoom in a little and fill the frame. The examples that kamakiri list on the page are excellent, but don't stress if you battle.

[kamakiri]

...this is a difficult one. We'd have VSSR/VOS with both Victorinox and Victoria versions, and if we start putting 'x' in everywhere, it may get a bit messy. What do people think?

I don’t want to add the x anywhere, just remove the redundant a in VaO and I think VaOS. I’m saying because there are no Vx ones that exist that I know of.

...Tiki does not allow mixing of styles, so cannot do underlined and bold ;-(

  oh, well.

[kamakiri]

Hi all together
I have noticed that a stamp is missing on the Economy range. This is the ESSR-VSSR. According to sakhome.com this stamp was only available in 1975.
I have a standard (Spartan) with this stamp.
Probably the handles of my knife were changed sometime.

Can you show the bottom of the knife showing the closed awl? I might be able to confirm the production date. That corkscrew does not look like most of the ‘smooth’ cheap metal ones that I have or seen from the ‘70s.

Max-
There is also the c.’73 RIS/Blank in the Economy line. Will post pic shortly.

[Reinier]

...Tiki does not allow mixing of styles, so cannot do underlined and bold ;-(

I'm quite sure that's possible. Which syntax did you use exactly?

__''===bold, italic and underlined===''__

[rookie]

Thanks for pointing out this gap - yes, we need to add this in, so we'll put a placeholder in for the moment. It can be difficult to get a suitable pic. Best to try with natural light, and put a vertical piece of white cardboard next to the SAK to get the white reflection on the tang. Zoom in a little and fill the frame. The examples that kamakiri list on the page are excellent, but don't stress if you battle.

Unfortunately, I can't do better than that, because it's already evening at my place.

[rookie]

Can you show the bottom of the knife showing the closed awl? I might be able to confirm the production date. That corkscrew does not look like most of the ‘smooth’ cheap metal ones that I have or seen from the ‘70s.

Max-
There is also the c.’73 RIS/Blank in the Economy line. Will post pic shortly.

Like this?

[Max Stone]

-+VSSR/OS+-

to make the V bold you cannot nest the bold within the -+ ... +-

[Max Stone]

Unfortunately, I can't do better than that, because it's already evening at my place.

Thanks rookie  its in, but if you get a chance, you're welcome to retake when the light's good and you can get a white reflection on the tang. 

[kamakiri]

Like this?

Perfect! 

Looks later to me like c. ‘77, with the possibility of later. Perhaps it is the transition to the Economy stamp.

[rookie]

Thanks rookie  its in, but if you get a chance, you're welcome to retake when the light's good and you can get a white reflection on the tang. 

You're welcome.
I try to make better pics tomorrow.

[Max Stone]

Perfect! 

Looks later to me like c. ‘77, with the possibility of later. Perhaps it is the transition to the Economy stamp.

That would make sense as transitional to the Economy stamp. Lines up nicely in the series now... 

[rookie]

I can't really judge that . I only referred to the sakhome.com site because of the date. According to the site this stamp is from around 1975 and is rather rare.
But I believe you, because you are the experts.

[Reinier]

-+VSSR/OS+-

to make the V bold you cannot nest the bold within the -+ ... +-

OK I'm not sure why it won't work in that table (haven't tried it, another editor is editing the page) but I've tested this on a blank page and all combinations seem to work:

-+__V__SSR/OS+-
-+''V''SSR/OS+-
-+''V''SSR/''__O__''S+-
-+===VS__S__R===/OS+-

Sorry, not trying to be a smartass, just trying to help

[Huntsman]

Oh Boy - This page is looking A--M--A--Z--I--N--G
I love the wee boxes around the tang stamp - Looks really, really good and clear - I never even knew about that syntax.
This is going to be one of the best, and most useful, pages in the Wiki         

Great work chaps!

I think I spotted one small inconsistency in this line: 91mm/Main/2009 - 2011   
The tang stamp says VSSw/OS*   whereas the one above says VSS/OS* for the same text in the stamp - The size difference is explained in the text

One other very minor thing: I would not put the (* indicates large V in Victorinox)  in brackets - as this is an important note and instruction
- Also I usually prefix text like this with a 'Note:' and put it in italics - as it is informs about the page construction as opposed to part of the main text
Something like this:
Note: * Indicates a large V in Victorinox
But this is a very minor point - I'll leave it to you!

[Max Stone]

OK I'm not sure why it won't work in that table (haven't tried it, another editor is editing the page) but I've tested this on a blank page and all combinations seem to work:

-+__V__SSR/OS+-
-+''V''SSR/OS+-
-+''V''SSR/''__O__''S+-
-+===VS__S__R===/OS+-

Sorry, not trying to be a smartass, just trying to help

I don't know what I was doing, but it's working now. I've underlined the V where it's a large V. I think this works? 

[Max Stone]

Oh Boy - This page is looking A--M--A--Z--I--N--G
I love the wee boxes around the tang stamp - Looks really, really good and clear - I never even knew about that syntax.
This is going to be one of the best, and most useful, pages in the Wiki         

Great work chaps!

I think I spotted one small inconsistency in this line: 91mm/Main/2009 - 2011   
The tang stamp says VSSw/OS*   whereas the one above says VSS/OS* for the same text in the stamp - The size difference is explained in the text

One other very minor thing: I would not put the (* indicates large V in Victorinox)  in brackets - as this is an important note and instruction
- Also I usually prefix text like this with a 'Note:' and put it in italics - as it is informs about the page construction as opposed to part of the main text
Something like this:
Note: * Indicates a large V in Victorinox
But this is a very minor point - I'll leave it to you!

Thanks Huntsman, the team is really pulling this one together! 

On the VSSw/OS question, we need to havd a unique code for each type of stamp, hence the unique w being added. I think keeping the number of capitals matching the number of lines makes sense, as it would get messing trying to differentiate between Victoria/Victorinox, Swiss Made/Switzerland, etc. So long as the code is unique, we're golden.

Agreed on the table notes, have changed. Still not convinced about the carets, but not sure how else to differentiate the two...

[Reinier]

Perhaps those notes can be moved to below the tables to avoid text wrapping (I can't get colspan to work with fancytable).
Minor detail.

[jnoxyd]

@kamakiri

[Max Stone]

Perhaps those notes can be moved to below the tables to avoid text wrapping (I can't get colspan to work with fancytable).
Minor detail.

Done