Real Or Fake Swiss Army Knife: Focus On These 4 Differences

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The Swiss Army Knife is an iconic pocket knife that many people recognize by sight. This pocket knife has become so popular that it has spawned an almost cult following of knife-owners worldwide. The popularity of this pocket knife has seen a plethora of fake products being sold as genuine articles. How do you tell a genuine Swiss Army Knife from a fake?

The 4 main ways to tell if a Swiss Army Knife is real or fake are as follows.

There is no Victorinox Swiss Made Delemont stamp on the base of the large blade.
The logo on the scales does not look correct.
The supplier is from China.
The price is unusually low.

There are many fake Swiss army knives on the market, trying to capitalize on these knives’ good name and popularity. We have some insight that will help you establish the authenticity of a Swiss Army Knife to make sure you are purchasing the real deal!

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How To Tell If A Swiss Army Knife Is Real

A Swiss Army Knife is a sought-after pocket knife, recognized as a quality knife or mini-multitool. Several fakes have become available on the market to con unwary buyers to purchase a sub-standard product that looks similar to the real product.

You may think you are getting a great price on a good knife, only to be disappointed when the package arrives, and the knife does not live up to its reputation.

So, how can you be sure you are buying a real Swiss Army Knife instead of a fraudulent copy? There are a few signs and features you can look for to differentiate the fake from the real knife.

Is Victorinox The Original Swiss Army Knife

There is a little-known fact about the Swiss Army Knife that can cause some confusion in prospective buyers of this knife. There are, in fact, two suppliers of original Swiss Army Knives, and the knives from both manufacturers are considered genuine Swiss Army Knives.

Victorinox is the original company that produced the first Swiss Army Knife under contract to the Switzerland Defense Force. Victorinox was awarded the contract in 1891 when the first knives were produced. In 1893, they lost the contract in favor of knife manufacturer Wenger SA until 1908.

In 1908, the contract was split, and both companies produced Swiss Army Knives for the Swiss defense Force. Since this date, both companies had produced genuine Swiss Army Knives until 2005, when Victorinox purchased their long-time rival, and Wenger was incorporated into Victorinox.

Our recommendation: My brother and I got the first real Victorinox Swiss army knives when we were little boys. Since then, we have always taken the Victorinox knife with us, especially during trips to nature.

Currently, our most popular pocket knife is the Victorinox Swiss Army Rangergrip 78 Multi-Tool Pocket Knife with a 130-millimeter (5.1 inches) blade. If you are interested in this knife, you can look at it here (Amazon link)

Is The Swiss Army Knife From Switzerland

Victorinox originally manufactured the Swiss Army Knife in Ibach, Switzerland. The second supplier, Wenger, was also a Swiss company that operated from Delemont in Switzerland.

The Swiss Army Knife is from Switzerland. It was originally supplied to the soldiers of the Switzerland Defense Force in 1891 by the Swiss company Victorinox and then by Wenger, also a Swiss company. Both companies produced the knife in Switzerland.

Various models of Swiss Army Knives with different features were issued to the troops over the years. After World War II, the knife became popular around the world when Allied troops brought some of these knives home.

TIP: Pocket knives consist of more parts than any other knife type. Do you know them all? Find out the explanation for all parts of the pocket knife in the article below:
What Are Parts of Pocket Knife Called? ALL Parts Explained

How To Spot Fake Swiss Army Knife

As with most successful and popular products, unscrupulous suppliers always attempt to take advantage of unwary buyers and sell an inferior product at a higher price.

Has this happened with Swiss Army Knives, and are there fakes of these iconic pocket knives being sold to unsuspecting customers?

Are There Fake Swiss Army Knives?

Swiss Army Knives are no exception when it comes to low-quality fake products or copies being sold under the guise of genuine products.

The majority of fake Swiss Army Knives are produced in China, where the use of official trademarks and logos is not deemed to be fraudulent. Some other countries also produce fake knives, so the buyer should beware if a deal seems too good to be true.

If you are looking to purchase a real Swiss Army Knife, there are some features you can look out for to establish the authenticity of the product you are buying.

Are Swiss Army (Victorinox) Knives Made In China?

The Victorinox company sells products other than knives, and some of these products are made in China or have components made in China. But what about the Swiss Army Knives themselves? Are these knives made in China or Switzerland?

Swiss Army Knives are made in Switzerland and are not outsourced for manufacture in China. The manufacture and assembly take place in Switzerland. As legislated by the Swiss government, the Victorinox and Wenger knives are the only knives allowed to bear the name Swiss Army Knife.

So, how can you tell if your pocket knife is a genuine Swiss Army Knife or a fake?

TIP: If you are the owner of a Victorinox Swiss army knife, you not only need to keep it sharp but also keep it well-maintained! Check out the best tips on how to care about Victorinox knives in the article below:
6 Care Tips on How To Keep A Victorinox Knife Sharp

Real or Fake Swiss Army Knife: Differences

The proliferation of fake Swiss Army Knives on the market has made people hesitant to buy these knives, particularly from online sources.

You can look out for several features on the knives that will indicate whether the product is real or fake. The supplier and the price will also indicate the genuineness of the product.

The stamp on the blade. All new models of Swiss Army Knives have the words “VICTORINOX SWISS MADE DELEMONT” stamped at the base of the large blade on the pocket knife. Older knives from 2005 to 2014 will have the words “VICTORINOX SWISS MADE STAINLESS” stamped at the base of the blade.
The shield logo. The Victorinox shield and cross logo or the Wenger cross-version will be on the handle scales of all genuine knives. The combination of an accurate logo representation and a stamped large blade are good indicators of a genuine product.
Buy from a reputable supplier. Victorinox has an online presence in the USA where you can order genuine Swiss Army Knives online. Certain outdoor shops will also stock these knives, and it will be a simple matter to establish authenticity if you can hold the knife in your hand and feel the quality. If the supplier is from China, the knife is likely a fake.
Price. If the knife you are being offered is at a very low price, the product is likely a fake. Research the same knife on other suppliers’ sites and compare the pricing.

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Conclusion

Wisdom is required when purchasing a Swiss Army Knife, especially when purchasing online. Fakes are being supplied to the market that look close enough to the original that the buyer can be duped into buying what looks like an original.

Some fake online suppliers even use photos of genuine products, but the product delivered will not be a genuine Swiss Army Knife. The best way to ensure you purchase a real original knife is to buy from an authorized reseller or directly from Victorinox.

TIP: A handy sharpening tool for your pocket knife would be a good investment to keep your EDC knife sharp. Check out the best knife sharpeners for pocket knives in the article below:
The 4 Best Knife Sharpeners For Pocket Knives