Wenger and Victorinox Swiss Army Knives Evo 17 Ranger Knife

With a range of over 200 models to choose from, the choice of so-called 'Swiss Army' knives is mind-boggling. Some of the larger models are simply too bulky for pocket-carrying and require a belt pouch. The need for a swiss army knife is not as great with the advent of ring pulls on tinned food and screw-top wine bottles. However there is no substitute for the reassuring red handle folding knife.

It is difficult to make a direct comparison between different brands of Swiss Army Knives. Victorinox, and Wenger brands have subtle design differences. Their relative beneifts can only be appreciated after using both knives for a period of time.

Wenger Evolution 17 Knife

The mid-range Evolution 17 is a 3-layer design with scissors, saw, large blade, nail file, bottle opener, can opener, corkscrew, awl, tweezers, toothpick.

The handle is designed with the steel inner handle nested within the plastic outer handle. The outer handle of the 'Evolution' range is also niceley contoured, providing a comfortable grip, with no sharp edges. The fine serrations on the cutting edges of the scissors may improve cutting ability, but also means a higher profile cut.

Victorinox Ranger Knife

Compared to the Evo 17 which has a similar number of blades, the Ranger is slightly less expensive and looks excellent value for money.

The Victorinox brand scissors are surgically sharp and the entire blade is fixed in position when operating the scissors. This is preferrable to the Wenger scissors which tend to move backwards and forwards when using. The weak point of these ultra fine scissors is that the spring may need replacing over time.

The can-opener is a design classic, with its ergonomic half-moon cutting edge. All Victorinox knives feature a large utility blade for general cutting, the small blade may be kept ultra-sharp for more delicate cutting tasks. Generally the Victorinox outclasses the Wenger with outstanding scissors and can-opener designs. However, the Wenger Evolution range has made a mark with innovative handle shapes. Although quality all round is top notch as expected of Swiss products, the Wenger scissors may have the edge in terms of durabilty if not usabilty.