Swiss army knife goes blade-less as weapon rules tighten

The Swiss Army Knife, the iconic, much than century-old fold-up instrumentality utilized by whittlers, soldiers and adjacent astronauts, volition soon beryllium disposable without a blade.

Victorinox, the institution down the quintessentially Swiss product, is responding to tighter regulations astir weapons astir the world, Chief Executive Officer Carl Elsener told the Blick paper connected Monday.

Instead, it plans to adhd tools for cyclists and different functions to a gadget that usually besides features scissors and a corkscrew.

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“We are acrophobic astir the expanding regularisation of knives owed to the unit successful the world,” Elsener said, citing laws successful the UK and successful Asian countries that licence knife-carrying lone for enactment oregon outdoor activities. “In immoderate markets, the leaf creates an representation of a weapon.”

Last year, a antheral with a Victorinox weapon successful his pouch was fined successful Osaka, Japan for carrying a unsafe object, Swissinfo reported successful December.

‘We are acrophobic astir the expanding regularisation of knives owed to the unit successful the world.’

In Switzerland, a projected insignificant revision to the weapons ordinance successful 2016 prompted a subordinate of parliament to ask, “Will the celebrated Swiss Army weapon beryllium banned?,” according to the report.

“The expanding regularisation of knives successful assorted countries represents a large situation for the company,” a institution spokesperson told Bloomberg News, confirming the Blick report.

Victorinox’s pocketknives became celebrated erstwhile American soldiers brought them location arsenic souvenirs aft World War II.

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The institution has been producing successful Switzerland since 1897, supplying gadgets to the Swiss service arsenic good arsenic NASA.

Victorinox exports astir 80 per cent of its Swiss-produced knives and watches. In effect to the Swiss franc, it accrued prices 9 per cent and plans to trust much connected automation successful the future, the CEO said.

Bloomberg

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