What’s Happened to Victorinox? (SAK)

As I write this comment it is just short of 24hrs since I posted this video. I didn't really expect to get many views for this content and even less in the way of feedback and comments as I felt this was perhaps a bit of a niche subject, and I really just wanted to get some Victorinox concerns off my chest. I have though to say I have been totally blown away by the reaction to the video with over 1,000 comments within the first 24hrs from over 60,000 views. It would appear I am not alone in my thoughts about the brand we love - the sentiment is overwhelming. I truly hope Victorinox look at all of these comments from you all as they make a compelling case and offer real insight from a loyal and passionate worldwide community and I want to personally thank you for taking the time and making the effort to feedback with your views. JG

Imagine a "design your own" concept, where you customize the tools and number of layers you want.

I sent my approx 40 years old Swiss Army Knife to the factory in Switzerland for service, two years ago. They provided excellent service! I could not have been more impressed. About ten parts exchanged. They phoned me to ask if it would be okay to charge me 3 (yes, three) Euros for shipping. Incredible! They told me they appreciate keeping the «old ones» going. Top marks for customer service

The corkscrew is probably the main reason I have Victorinox knives, but then I'm French :D

My daughter was born prematurely 20 years ago and she was put on a special diet. It was an absolute nightmare to open her food packaging. Very stressful, especially when we were out & about with no knife or scissors at hand and she was crying unconsolably. I bought two of the small Victorinox pocket knifes, one for me and one for my wife, which you can attach to your keyring. It was a complete life changer and I've been carrying one ever since. I've never been without one apart from two occasions, when it was taken away from me by the airport security because I had forgotten to take it off my keyring and pop it in my suitcase before I checked in. Once, at Frankfurt airport they put it in a bubble envelope and posted it back to me for 3 euros, which was a very nice gesture. I bought so many of these over the last 20 years I lost count, because I was in the habit of giving them to friends and family as a 'new-born' present, mostly engraved too. Apart from the practicality, every time I take my keys out of my pocket the pocket knife reminds me of my daughter, who in the meantime turned into a very nice young woman.

As a Swiss I 200% agree with your complaint! VICTORINOX you are loosing it if you don‘t find back to your roots‼️

I am a pipe smoker and pipe collector. Same thing happened to my favorite brand Dunhill. They moved from making the greatest pipes, lighters and pipe tobacco into a lifestyle brand. They don’t associate anymore with anything that made them great anymore.

As a Swiss with Victorinox in his blood, it hurts to see how the brand's DNA is being eroded. Great video, accurate assessment. My compliments. I hope Victorinox remembers its values.

I give my best to keep the Swiss Army Knives exciting and useful for the loyal SAK community ... at least in the Outdoor community.

It’s rare for a youtuber to criticise a brande as a fear of losing sponsors but i think you made it right as a appeal for Victorinox to reply and innovate again. I’m sure they will see the video and hope they will reach out

The only constant in my life for the past 42 years. I didn’t realise how much it meant to me until I watched this video. Thanks for making it

Having owned my SwissChamp for 32 years I remember the feeling of excitement the one time I got to use the parcel hook. It was truly glorious.

I'm a woman who's always loved Victorinox multitools. When I went off to university in the early 80's I took a Victorinox with me and used it for all sorts of tasks and emergencies. I met my future husband there and we both laughed when we found out that he'd brought the exact same Victorinox with him as well. 40 years later and I still carry a Victorinox only now it's a mini one and again I use it daily for all sorts of tasks. I love the red scales on the knife, people don't find it unfeminine and if anything it raises a knowing smile when people see it. Don't throw your legacy away on primping a product that's super reliable, cheap and perfect for any eventuality Victorinox, you are the best, let's keep it that way!

This is a phenomenal video..this is exactly the discussion we need.

Hi, my name is Mashal. I’m from Kuwait. Thank you for making this video. Your video explains why i moved away from Victorinox. However, I believe the company got a serious hit due to new restrictions on traveling with blades onboard airplanes. They were unable to sell at airports. Thus they were forced to focus on other products. However, this does not justify creating product not focusing on the old men and woman!

I had no idea that you owned the gadget shops. They were my favourite places from 10 to 20 years old. From toys and gadgets to straight razors and lighters. Fantastic video too. 👍🏼

In 1990 I was on leave from the Army and I turned 23 that year. For my birthday my best friend gave me a SAK Tinker. I carried that knife every day until 2020. 30 years of daily use. I had sharpened the blade so much I had worn it half away. So in 2020 I decided to buy a SAK Compact model, after watching your reviews on it. So I retired my 30 year old Tinker and now carry a Compact in black. I've been a loyal SAK owner all these years. I hope Victorinox remembers the customers who made them what they are. Ty from Ohio.

Not to mention the discontinuation of a bunch of really useful and meaningful models (RIP Manager 😢). Victorinox's R&D budget seems to have all gone to marketing 😕

Great video...and you are spot on with your thoughts on the brand. I still have the first Victorinox my Dad gave me for my birthday back around 1972, including the box. This brand has been a part of my life, and it would be a shame to have it all fade away due to more inventive competitors. Many years ago, I purchased one of the company's smaller models for my proudly Irish father. It was green and had a shamrock on it, in place of the Victorinox cross. To my complete delight, he was enthralled with it and carried it everywhere he went. I lost my Dad in 2017...and miss him horribly. His green knife is now one of my prized possessions.

I’m moving house tomorrow and I found my first SAK in a box that I haven’t seen for decades just the other day! It’s about 49 years old now, and desperately needs some TLC. I have a mixture of multi tools for a variety of requirements, Victorinox, Leatherman, and Gerber all feature. I especially love my Gerber Dime Minitool as it was the first small tool that I found with a box opener and this is the most frequently used gadget in my house!! It’s nice to see Victorinox add one to their range at last. A bit of competition is necessary to make relevant improvements and innovations, and Maglite are a key example of what not to do. But do I miss Maglite - hell no! Torches now are stunning, and I changed my loyalty over to Fenix many years ago and they deserve that loyalty at the moment. But I don’t expect them to stay at the top forever, likewise for Victorinox unless they stay ahead. Quality over brand loyalty, that’s always a tricky one for some.