The Victorinox Cadet is a popular 84mm 2-layer knife with alox scales.

Using metal scales (handles) and only 2 layers makes the Cadet very slim at only 8.3mm. Adding to its popularity has been its availability in a variety of colors using colored anodizing of the handles.

The original Cadet model had a small blade instead of the nail-file, but this configuration is now referred to as the Cadet II even though it predates the current tool configuration.

Rose Edition Cadet

Layer Tools

• Large blade
• Nail File - includes Nail Cleaner tip; original Cadet had a small-blade instead.
• Cap Lifter a.k.a. Bottle Opener, includes slotted screwdriver, and wire-stripper/wire-bender
• Can Opener - includes small-slotted screwdriver that also works with Phillips drive
• Keyring/Split-ring attachment point

Scales

Typically textured silver alox, however Cadets have been produced, and continue to be produced, in many, many different alox colors, some as limited editions. Victorinox produce their own colours, and their dealers often create their own editions. See Varations below.
Cellidor scaled versions have also been available.

Variations

1. A Copper colored model was available for a short time prior to 2006 and is considered a collector's item.
2. In 2007 a number of different colors were offered; Red, Black, Gunmetal Blue, Autumn Orange, Olive Green. Regular Red and Black anodized Cadets were also produced in 2012 for the US market along side the special 5 Color Series.
3. In 2008 a Hunter Green version was available, perhaps exclusively, from Target stores in the US. These were still available in 2010.
4. In 2007 a European Special Edition Officer's Knife 84mm - Rose Edition, was released with Cellidor translucent rose colored scales that include the tweezers and toothpick tools (See picture above). In North America this model is known as the Cadet Rose Edition, since it has the same tools other than the addition of the toothpick and tweezers in the scales. This Cellidor model contains no backside tools.
5. In 2011 a bright Orange Cadet (53048) started to appear in the US. This model was special-run manufactured specifically for a US reseller. Production was estimated at 300 knives as of Dec. 2011, but may have reached an estimated 500 knives before production ended.
6. In December 2011 a Dark Blue version with a regular silver outlined Victorinox shield/logo was manufactured as part of a special-run of only 50 knives. Each of the knives is numbered on the main blade. This is the first time Blue Anodized scales have appeared on the textured handled Cadet.
7. The Cadet 5 Colors Series was released to 40 select countries world wide including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, UAE, UK, and the US, starting with select European countries in March 2012. The knives in this series have no keyring (weight 45.7g), and come with a light tan leather pouch in special series box packaging.
   This is the first time Victorinox has produced the current Alox Cadet without a keyring in a regular product release. Initially released in Red, Silver, Blue, Orange, and Black. The Silver anodized model features the newer silver shield with gray outline. The Blue anodized model is an uncommon shade for the Cadet that has not been manufactured before except in small quantities; it is similar to that used on some 93mm models. The Orange anodizing is also uncommon outside of the US, where it was used in 2011 for a dealer Special Run of regular Cadets with standard tool configuration.
8. September 2012 a special run of 50 Bright Green Cadets without keyrings was produced, which featured an uncommon anodizing color, that had not been previously used on the Cadet. Each knife is numbered and dated on the reverse of the blade.
9. A special edition of 50 Violet Cadets without keyrings was produced in September 2012 .  Each knife is numbered and dated with the year '2012' engraved on the blade.
10. A special run of only 35 knives in September 2012 produced the Violet Cadet in standard configuration with keyring.  These knives are not numbered or dated.
11. A special order for a Switzerland retailer in 2012 produced two variations of the standard configuration (with keyring) with Gold and Blue anodized scales and matching shield-background colour.
12. In 2013 Victorinox Denmark produced a special order of Cadets in Black and Green anodizing, both featuring a red background shield.  This is the first production of these color combinations for the Cadet.  The inclusion of the red-background shield with colored alox handles is also special, since this was only first done in 2012 for small special runs of collectors models.
    Versions of the Bantam Alox, and Classic SD were also manufactured for Denmark with the same colors.
    From Hanne of Victorinox Denmark....
    The story behind this range of coloured alox models is one of frustration.
    In DK we have a very strict weapon law.  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 are directed towards the big countries/ markets.  Thus a lot of one-hand opening knives (forbidden in DK) and lock blade knives (forbidden in DK) are among the new products launched by Victorinox.
    We got fed up watching articles that could never reach the DK users, so we decided to have Victorinox produce a small range for us in DK.  Being just around 5,5 mill people here, we are painfully aware that Victorinox themselves are never going to develop anything for DK especially.  These models will stay in our DK range, but the packaging will change to that of the 'normal' silver boxing. [...]
13. Blue with Red Shield edition was created for a special run of 50 knives in May, 2013. A numbered and dated special series for collectors and enthusiasts.
14. In 2015 Victorinox stated that they would reduce the number of limited edition (LE) alox Swiss Army Knives, and just issue one limited edition per year. This edition is not limited in number - only by year! Each year a Pioneer, a Cadet and also a Classic SD are released in a matching colours. (Note: Individual dealers still appear to be creating dealer specific colour ranges - eg for the Pioneer X).
    The LE colours were: 2015 - Deep blue; 2016 - Warm orchid; 2017 - Olive-green; 2018 - Berry-red. (See model number format in Identifiers below)

History

Early model Cadets have a horizontal 'ribbed' or straight line styling on the exterior of the alox scales (see picture below). They came in both red and silver alox, the emblem was red and looked similar to a Swiss shield. The original Cadets had a small blade instead of the nail-file. This configuration was later referred to as the Cadet II - even though it is really the original tool configuration!
In 2018 Victorinox changed the design of the working surface of the 84mm model nail-file - ie for the Cadet and Sportsman models. Previously it resembled the 'textured surface' nail-file on the Classic, following the change it reassembled earlier 'grooved/cut' nail-files.

Physical Specifications

Original Ribbed Alox Cadet

Evolution of the Cadet's nail-file

• Length: 84mm
• Width: 8.3mm
• Weight: 46.8g

Identifiers

• 0.2601.26: Regular silver Alox Cadet
• 0.2601.L18: Liimited Edition Cadet 2018 – Berry red
• 0.2600.L1221: Red, no-keyring, 2012 Limited Edition
• 0.2600.L1222: Blue, no-keyring, 2012 Limited Edition
• 0.2600.L1223: Black, no-keyring, 2012 Limited Edition
• 0.2600.L1226: Silver, grey shield, no-keyring, 2012 Limited Edition
• 0.2600.L1229: Orange, no-keyring, 2012 Limited Edition
• 0.2602.T5: Officer's Knife 84mm — Rose Edition (a.k.a. Rose Edition Cadet)

US Model Numbers:

• 53042: Cadet Alox Silver
• 53043: Cadet Alox Red
• 53044: Cadet Alox Black
• 53045: Cadet Alox Gunmetal Blue
• 53046: Cadet Alox Autumn Orange
• 53047: Cadet Alox Olive Drab Green
• 53048: Cadet Alox Orange
• 54042: Cadet Alox Copper (boxed packaging)
• nnnnn: Cadet Alox Hunter Green (Flash/Blister Pack) (yr 2008)

Related Knives

• Cadet II - Replaces the nail-file with a small blade
• Recruit - Cellidor scales replace alox; replaces the nail-file with a small blade; adds toothpick and tweezers
• Sportsman - Cellidor scales, adds the toothpick and tweezers, backside reamer and corkscrew
• Alox Bantam - Minimalist 84mm also in Alox, no nail file, and a combo tool replaces the opener layer
• Pioneer - The Cadet's 93mm big brother, a similar SAK, but with sturdier tools, and the awl replacing the the nail file

• Apprentice - A similar Wenger model with Cellidor scales