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Victorinox Kantonsmesser Series



The Kantonsmesser Series by Victorinox is dedicated to the Swiss Cantons, the constituent states of the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland).
It consists of twenty-six models, one for each of the Cantons. The first model was released in 1998 and the final one in 2018.


Main Features

Each edition comes in a beautiful rosewood box.
A certificate, signed by Carl Elsener and the designer of each edition, guarantees the limited quantity.

All of the models are Climbers and bear rosewood scales.
However, due to the wooden scales, they do not include the tweezers, toothpick, or keyring, which are standard on the regular Climber.

Front Side
Front Side
Reverse Side
Reverse Side

Each edition is limited to one hundred pieces and has a serial number stamped on the liner behind the corkscrew in the n/100 format.

Serial Number
Serial Number
Tang Stamp
Tang Stamp

1998 – 2003 Editions

All of these editions carry an etching on the blade’s front. The etching consists of an entwined pattern with the canton’s coat of arms in the middle. The blade’s reverse side is not etched.
A family shot of some blades is here.

Etching on the Front of the Blade
Etching on the Front of the Blade
Blank Reverse-side of the blade
Blank Reverse-side of the blade

The rosewood front scale bears a stunning, delicate, coloured wood marquetry inlaid pattern. On some of the editions the reverse scales also carry the same marquetry. The Victorinox logo is printed on editions that do not have the reverse marquetry.
A family shot of some of the early marquetry models is here.

Kantonsmesser Zürich: Front Scale
Kantonsmesser Zürich: Front Scale
Kantonsmesser Zürich: Back Scale
Kantonsmesser Zürich: Back Scale

2006 – 2018 Editions

The etched entwined pattern is replaced with a laser cut completely through the blade and therefore the pattern is also visible on blade’s reverse side. The canton’s coat of arms is still etched on the front of the blade and the Victorinox logo is etched on the reverse.

Post 2006 Laser-cut Blade
Post 2006 Laser-cut Blade
Reverse Side of the Blade
Reverse Side of the Blade

The rosewood scales have a coloured print, replacing the marquetry.
The print is usually only on the front scale, with the exception of Basel Land and Staadt in 2007.

Kantonsmesser Schaffhausen: Front Scale
Kantonsmesser Schaffhausen: Front Scale
Kantonsmesser Basel Stadt: Front Scale
Kantonsmesser Basel Stadt: Front Scale

2006 Schaffhausen Edition

The Victorinox logo is missing on the blade’s reverse side and the space is blank. Possibly a manufacturing or design error, or omission?

Kantonsmesser Schaffhausen: Reverse Side of Blade
Kantonsmesser Schaffhausen: Reverse Side of Blade
Kantonsmesser: New Style Blade - Reverse Side
Kantonsmesser: New Style Blade - Reverse Side

2014 (Vaud) - 2018

The canton’s coat of arms is etched on both sides of the blade. The laser cutting of the rounded lines is a tiny bit wider; the cutting of the cross and arrow shapes are a tiny bit narrower. This results in a more balanced overall look.

Kantonsmesser Waadt: Reverse Side of Blade
Kantonsmesser Waadt: Reverse Side of Blade
Blade Laser Cutting Comparison
Blade Laser Cutting Comparison

Images of all the Canton Editions

The edition order is the order in which the Cantons joined the Swiss Confederation. Joining year is written in brackets.

For the blade diagrams: To see a photographic image of the blade - Click on the diagram image. For all images - Click to enlarge the image

Issue
Year
Model Number
Kanton
1
1998
1.1998.SZ
Schwyz (1291)
2
1999
1.1998.UR
Uri (1291)
3
1999
1.1998.OW
Obwalden (1291)
4
2000
1.1998.NW
Nidwalden (1291)
5
2000
1.1998.LU
Luzern (1332)
6
2000
1.1998.ZH
Zürich (1351)
7
2000
1.1998.ZG
Zug (1352)
8
2001
1.1998.GL
Glarus (1352)
9
2001
1.1998.BE
Berne (1353)
10
2002
1.1998.SO
Solothurn (1481)
11
2003
1.1998.FR
Fribourg / Freiburg (1481)
12
2006
1.1998.SH
Schaffhausen (1501)
13
2007
1.1998.BS
Basel Stadt (1501)
14
2007
1.1998.BL
Basel Land (1501)
15
2009
1.1998.AI
Appenzell Innerrhoden (1513)
16
2010
1.1998.AR
Appenzell Ausserrhoden (1513)
17
2011
1.1998.TI
Ticino (1803)
18
2011
1.1998.GR
Grigioni (1803)
19
2013
1.1998.SG
St. Gallen (1803)
20
2013
1.1998.AG
Aargau (1803)
21
2014
1.1998.TG
Thurgau (1803)
22
2014
1.1998.VD
Vaud (Waadt) (1803)
23
2015
1.1998.VS
Valais (Wallis) (1815)
Pictures by Victor7000.
Pictures by Victor7000.
Pictures by Victor7000.
Pictures by Victor7000.
24
2016
1.1998.GE
Genève (1815)
25
2017
1.1998.NE
Neuchâtel (Neuenburg) (1815)
26
2018
1.1998.JU
Jura (1979)


With thanks to Marsax from http://www.swissknives.info for most of the images and text on this page.
Also to the SAKWiki editorial team and MultiTool.org members who created and assisted with this page.


Created by enki_ck. Last Modification: Wednesday 17 of January, 2024 16:19:03 CET by Huntsman.

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