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Swiss Army Knife Guide 2023 - know your knives and tools

Gadgets come and go, but the Swiss Army Knife has outlasted them all. For almost 130 years it's been the handy toolbox in every gadget-lover's pocket. The knife's appeal is timeless; its uses are limitless. Wherever you are – at home, at work, in the car, hiking the Himalayas – the Swiss Army Knife solves a zillion of life's little problems.

With hundreds of models to choose from, it can be hard to figure out which Swiss Army Knife to buy. Our handy guide helps you choose.

What sizes do Swiss Army Knives come in?

Swiss Army Knives come in seven sizes: mini (58mm, 74mm), medium (84mm, 91mm, 93mm), and large (111mm, 130mm), plus a credit-card size version. The measurements relate to the length of the handle when all the tools are folded away.

The small and medium knives are the most popular. Of the two, the 91mm medium knife is the one that most people think of as the ‘standard size’ Swiss Army Knife. Its non-locking large blade is 2.5 inches (60mm) long and is ideal for general everyday use. The 58mm mini knife is the one that people like to put on a keyring.

The blade on the 111mm large knife is better for heavier work. Since this blade is more than 3 inches long and locks into place, so you cannot legally carry it around with you – although you can of course use it legally at home.

Finally there's the Victorinox SwissCard, the credit-card size knife and toolkit, that won a Red Dot Design Award for its clever design. It's a fantastically practical gift for people who wouldn’t usually carry a Swiss Army Knife.

What tools does the Swiss Army Knife have?

From wood saws to pliers to magnifying glasses, a Swiss Army Knife gives you plenty of tools to choose from. We'll help you pick the model that's bristling with the tools you can't bear to be without.

To keep things simple we'll stick with the standard size – the popular 91mm Swiss Army Knife. If we start with the two basic models – the Victorinox Spartan and the Victorinox Tinker – the format is easy to understand because all other models build on the tools contained with the Spartan or the Tinker.

The two basic models: Spartan and Tinker

The Spartan and Tinker are almost identical. Both have two blades (one small blade and one large blade), a bottle opener, a can opener, medium and large screwdrivers, a reamer, a removable toothpick, and removable tweezers. The vital difference is that the Spartan has a corkscrew and the Tinker has a Phillips screwdriver. The picture below shows both models side by side.

The Spartan and Tinker set the pattern for the rest of the range. As you add more tools, you get models of Swiss Army Knife with a corkscrew or with a Philips screwdriver – but not both.

(Of course there's an exception to this rule. The Explorer and the SwissChamp are the two Swiss Army Knives that have both a corkscrew and a Phillips screwdriver. If you love wine as much as you love tinkering, these are the models for you.)

Now that we've got the two basic models, we can start adding tools to give you the knife that does exactly what you want.

Spartan or Tinker + wood saw: Camper or Hiker

Adding a wood saw to the Spartan gives you the Camper. Adding a wood saw to the Tinker turns it into the Hiker.

Spartan or Tinker + scissors + hook: Climber or Super Tinker

Adding scissors and a hook to the Spartan creates the Climber. Adding scissors and a hook to the Tinker upgrades it to the Super Tinker.

Spartan or Tinker + wood saw + scissors + hook: Huntsman or Fieldmaster

Adding the wood saw, scissors, and hook to the Spartan gives you the Huntsman. Adding them to the Tinker produces the Fieldmaster.

Spartan or Tinker + fish scaler + scissors or pliers: Angler or Fisherman

There are two models for people who love fishing: the Angler and the Fisherman. Both have two more tools than the basic models.

Adding pliers and a fish scaler to the Spartan creates the Angler. Adding scissors, a fish scaler, and a hook to the Tinker gives you the Fisherman.

The fish scaler is a multitool in its own right. It has a hook disgorger at the top and a ruler on the side marked in inches and centimetres.

Tinker + scissors + hook + pliers: Deluxe Tinker

The pliers on a Swiss Army Knife are incredibly handy for everything from pulling splinters to fixing plugs. With a built-in wire cutter and wire crimper, they bend, cut, and crimp wire to shape. (Note that these pliers are not for heavy-duty work. For that you need one of the plier-centric SwissTool multitools.)

If you want the pliers but not the fish scaler, the Deluxe Tinker is the model for you. The Deluxe Tinker is the Tinker with scissors, a pair of pliers and a hook. It's a fantastic little toolbox in the palm of your hand.

Spartan + scissors + hook + metal saw: Mountaineer

Yes, this metal saw really does saw through metal. A customer recently told us about a time they lost the keys to a padlock. He reached for his Swiss Army Knife and managed to saw through it in five minutes!

The metal saw also has a metal file running along both sides of it (in case you're wondering, yes you can use it as a nail file)

Adding a scissors, a hook and a metal saw to the Spartan gives you the Mountaineer.

Spartan + scissors + magnifying glass + Phillips screwdriver: Explorer

Adding a Phillips screwdriver and a magnifying glass to the Climber creates the Explorer.

The Explorer, as we said earlier, is one of the two models with a corkscrew and a Phillips screwdriver (the other is the SwissChamp). The thing to note is the placement of the Phillips screwdriver. On most Swiss Army Knives, it folds out from the centre of the handle; on the Explorer and SwissChamp it folds from the end, which gives you much more control and allows you to put more pressure when opening or closing tougher screws.

Spartan + scissors + wood saw + metal saw + chisel + fine screwdriver: Ranger

We're now getting towards the top of the range, and to Swiss Army Knives for the go-anywhere enthusiast. Adding seven extra tools – scissors, a hook, a wood saw, metal saw, chisel, and fine screwdriver to the Spartan gives you the Ranger.

Spartan + scissors + wood saw + metal saw + chisel + fine screwdriver + pliers: Handyman

Adding pliers (with built-in wire cutter and wire crimper to the Ranger creates the Handyman.

Spartan + all of the above + more: SwissChamp

And then you have the SwissChamp, Victorinox’s flagship model and an engineering masterpiece that everyone from your children to your granny will marvel at.

The SwissChamp has everything – all the tools we've encountered so far, plus a few more. For the ultimate in outdoor life and everyday DIY, you can't beat the SwissChamp. It gives you the wood and metal saws, the scissors, pliers, magnifying glass, chisel, hook, reamer, three sizes of flat screwdriver, corkscrew, can opener and bottle opener, plus the fish scaler, hook disgorger and ruler. And don't forget that awesome end-mounted Philips screwdriver.

The SwissChamp also has five removable tools: the toothpick and tweezers (standard on all models), a ballpoint pen, a stainless-steel pin, and a mini screwdriver. The mini screwdriver is for the tiny screws you find on the back of remotes, on watch cases, and on the hinges of your glasses.

Any model + personalisation: your own one-of-a-kind Swiss Army Knife

Whichever model you choose, there's one extra feature that turns a handy, ready-for-anything tool into an unforgettable gift: personalisation. It's your chance to add something unique that makes your gift more precious than any other on the planet.

Still need help?

If you’re still not sure which is the right knife for you, please get in touch. We're more than happy to help.