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Bantam

White Bantam with toothpick, tweezers and keyring 
Original image by meanx The Bantam and Bantam Alox are slim 84mm Swiss Army Knives with just a single tool layer and no backside tools.


The Bantam has Cellidor scales and the Bantam Alox has Alox scales. They are available with or without the keyring. The Alox model is extremely slim at just 6mm.


Name Disambiguation:  An older Alox model featuring a regular cap-lifter tool rather than a combo-tool was known at the time as the 'Waiter ', however the name was later reused for the current Waiter - This older knife more closely resembling the current Alox Bantam.
Logo on Danish Bantam
Logo on Danish Bantam

Layer Tools

Economy/Ecoline Bantam with no Toothpick or Tweezers
Economy/Ecoline Bantam with no Toothpick or Tweezers

Scale Tools

Only on Cellidor (not Alox) scaled models:

Scales

Red Cellidor, or silver textured Alox
Black or other Cellidor colours are uncommon but available, or have been previously available, at different times.

Variations

  1. The Bantam is available in both Cellidor and Alox scaled versions.
  2. Cellidor versions of knife with the regular cap-lifter instead of modern combo-tool are also known.
  3. As part of the Victorinox Ecoline, Cellidor versions were produced with a hot-stamped shield logo, as well as without toothpick, tweezers, or keyring. Current Ecoline models have Nylon scales.
  4. The Zebra is an Ecoline variation of 2.2303.07[.R??] that has white nylon scales with a zebra print on the top scale, and a red shield printed on the bottom. This model was available in the South African market.
  5. The South Africa Tribe Series are Ecoline models with white nylon scales with a colorful print on the top scale of a member of the tribe or racial group, and a red Victorinox shield printed on the bottom. This model was available in the South African market. Note: The use of the term tribe for the groups of people in South Africa is considered by some to be very incorrect, because groups may not fit the standard definition of a tribe.
  6. in 2013 Victorinox Denmark made a special order of colored Alox models in black and green, both featuring a red background shield. These are the first known colored checker-textured Alox Bantams. The inclusion of the red-background shield with colored Alox handles is also special, since this had only previously been done in 2012 for small special collector runs of other models. These versions do not include a keyring.
    From Hanne of Victorinox Denmark....
    The story behind this range of coloured alox models is one of frustration.
    In Denmark we have a very strict weapon laws. The maximum size of knife that one is allowed to carry is a 91mm SAK without a locking blade. Many of the Victorinox new or special knives have one-hand opening knives and/or locking blades, both of which are forbidden in Denmark. So they are directed towards the big countries/markets.
    We got fed up watching products that could never reach the Danish users, so we decided to have Victorinox produce a small range for us in Denmark. Being just around 5,5 mill people here, we are painfully aware that Victorinox themselves are never going to develop anything especially for Denmark. These models will stay in our Denmark range, but the packaging will change to that of the 'normal' silver boxing. ...

History

Early Alox scaled models (see 2230xx Identifiers below) featured a regular cap-lifter, rather than the combo-tool opener, and had horizontally ribbed scales. These models were known as the Waiter at the time, but more closely resemble the current Alox Bantam.
Early Cellidor Bantams were equipped with the cap-lifter instead of the combo-tool.
The original (Cellidor) Bantams were constructed with only three rivets, two containing scale attachment 'bushings'. This characteristic is due to the fact that there are no backside tools, making the extra rivet superfluous. The fourth rivet on a Cellidor model, when present, gives the knife more stability and provides a third attachment point for the scales. However recent Cellidor Bantams are now also made with four rivets, with three scale attachment bushings - in line with most other Swiss Army Knives, and making the scale attachment more secure.
The Alox Bantam had a period of limited availability in 2009/10/11, and it appeared that it may be withdrawn, however it is a currently available model (2019).

This model is also currently known as the Beer Waiter!!

Different Bantam Scales and Versions
Different Bantam Scales and Versions

Physical Specifications

  • Length: 84mm

Cellidor Model:

  • Width: 11.3mm
  • Weight: 32.7g

Alox Model:

  • Width: 6mm
  • Weight: 29g

Identifiers

  • 2230r+: Early red Alox Waiter model with cap-lifter
  • 2230s+: Early silver Alox Waiter model with cap-lifter
  • 0.2300.26: Silver Alox, no toothpick, tweezers or keyring   (53949)
  • 0.2301.26: Silver Alox, includes keyring
  • 0.2303: Standard red Cellidor version includes keyring   (53941)
  • 0.2303.ZEB: Red Cellidor, with keyring/toothpick/tweezers, zebra etching on main blade. Available in the South African market
  • 0.2303.GIR: Red Cellidor, with keyring/toothpick/tweezers, giraffe etching on main blade. Available in the South African market
  • 0.2303.LEOP: Red Cellidor, with keyring/toothpick/tweezers, leopard etching on main blade. Available in the South African market
  • 2.0500: Early ‘Economy’ version, silvered hot-stamped Elinox style shield, no toothpick, tweezers or keyring
  • 2.2300: Red Cellidor, vintage, Ecoline no toothpick, tweezers or keyring
  • 2.2300.23G: Denmark special run - Black Alox with red shield, no keyring
  • 2.2300.24G: Denmark special run - Green Alox with red shield, no keyring
  • 2.2302: Red Nylon, Ecoline no-keyring
  • 2.2303: Red Nylon, Ecoline
  • 2.2303.07: White Nylon, Ecoline, red screen print shield

US Model numbers in brackets (5394x)

South African Tribe Bantam Series – All white Nylon with a colourful print of an African tribe on the top scale

Early Ribbed Alox Bantam
Original Ribbed Alox Bantam
  • 2.2303.103: Xhosa
  • 2.2303.104: Swazi
  • 2.2303.105: Bushmen/KhoiSan
  • 2.2303.106: Venda
  • 2.2303.108: Basotho
  • 2.2303.109: Ndebele

Related Models

Wenger

  • Premier - A unique Wenger branded model, but manufactured by Victorinox, with the equivalent (Victorinox) toolset to the Bantam

Created by ICanFixThat. Last Modification: Monday 08 of February, 2021 04:41:21 CET by Huntsman.

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