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The Tang Stamp Code

Each unique tang stamp is identified by a unique tang stamp code, typically in the format XXXX/YYYY where XXXX represents the facing (obverse) stamp, and YYYY represent the stamp on the reverse side of the tang, while the number of capital letters in each group indicates the number of lines of text on that side of the tang. Each letter is associated with one or more words used in the stamp, for example, S can represent Schwyz, Suisse, Stainless, Switzerland or Swiss Made.

Each letter in the code assumes its correct association when part of a specific tang stamp code. A lower case w is used to indicate a wide variation of the word associated with the preceding letter and an underlined letter indicates the first letter of the associated word is larger that the rest of the word, or in the case of E it indicates the entire tang stamp is a larger variation. Less common coding includes the plus (+) sign, used to signify the Swiss cross when used next to Armée Suisse and Va used to signify Victoria separately from Victorinox. A blank tang is indicated with a hyphen (-). Addtional letters for other markings, such as the Crossbow, are unnecessary, as the codes for tangs with Crossbows are already unique.

Using this coding system, exact tang stamps can be easily described, for example, the simple five-letter code VSS/OS describes the following tang; Victorinox with a large V, Swiss Made and Stainless on front of tang, with Officier Suisse on reverse of tang.

Date Ranges

The date ranges listed on this page are based on many years of research and discussion on the multitool.org forum, and represent the broadly agreed dates for each tang stamp.
Where a date is not clearly defined, either through uncertainty or a period of transition, the date is preceded with c. (circa), to indicate this estimation.

Sometimes, example tang stamps can be found that fall outside an agreed date range. These cannot be assumed to be only Victorinox repairs or custom made knives, as the factory has also been known to produce "Monday stamps". This was when a production line restart happened using the wrong tooling, resulting in a short production run with unique tang stamps. As these were technically not faulty knives, they often found their way into customers' hands.

91mm

Main Line

Built on the legacy of the original 1897 Officers' Knife, and set at a family length of 91mm from the early 1950s, the 91mm Main Line is today the largest category of Swiss Army Knives.

Tang: Obverse | Reverse	Date Range	Notes
	c. 1947	ESS/I Elsener Schwyz Swiss Made/Inoxyd with Crossbow
	c. 1947 - 1952	+AS/VaSS Armée Suisse with Swiss Cross/Victoria Switzerland Stainless
	c. 1952	VaSS/- Victoria Switzerland Stainless/blank reverse
	1952 - 1957	VSS/VaO Victorinox Switzerland Stainless/Victoria Officier Crossbow. Note: There are at least three variants in this date range, (1) sans-serif VSS font and wide-spacing between Victoria and Officier that causes the bottom edge of Officier to be obscured, (2) from c. 1953, sans-serif VSS font with normal spacing between Victoria and Officier and (3) serif VSS font with normal spacing between Victoria and Officier, as per example left.
	1957 - late 1973	VSSR/VaOS Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei/Victoria Officier Suisse Crossbow
	late 1973 - early 1976	VSSR/- Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei/blank reverse
	early 1976 - 1986	VSSR/OS Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei/Officier Suisse Crossbow with Swiss Cross
	1986 - 1992	VSSR/OS Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei/Officier Suisse Crossbow with Swiss Cross The V in Victorinox is larger
	1992 - 2005	VSSR/OS Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei/Officier Suisse Crossbow with Swiss Cross that does not touch Crossbow or Officier
	2005 - 2009	VSS/OS Victorinox Swiss Made Stainless/Officier Suisse
	2009 - 2011	VSwS/OS Victorinox Swiss Made Stainless/Officier Suisse. Swiss Made almost as wide as Victorinox
	2011 - current	VSwS/OS Victorinox Swiss Made Stainless/Officier Suisse. Swiss Made almost as wide as Victorinox The V in Victorinox is back to the same size as the other letters
Note: V indicates large V in Victorinox

Economy Line

The 91mm Economy Line (known later as EcoLine) started with the Elinox range in 1957 and were typically differentiated from the Main Line by their scale material, scale emblem, lack of scale tools or packaging. From 1980, the tang stamp of The Economy Line adopted those used for the Main Line family, so only the tang stamps unique to the Economy Line are shown below.

Tang: Obverse | Reverse	Date Range	Notes
	c. 1957 - 1965	E/VSSR Elinox with Crossbow/Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei. Note: E - The Elinox, crossbow and stamp on reverse are all larger than the 1965 - 1973 version
	1965 - 1973	E/VSSR Elinox with Crossbow/Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei
	c. 1973	RIS/- Rostfrei Inoxydable Stainless/Blank
	1973 - c. 1977	ESSR/- Elinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei (right aligned)/blank reverse
	c.1977	ESSR/VSSR Elinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei (right aligned)/Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei
	c. 1977 - 1980	VSSR/Eco Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei/Economy

Hoffritz

Hoffritz was a significant importer and reseller of Victorinox Swiss Army Knives in the USA, with SAK models uniquely branded for Hoffritz, including a variety of different blade tangs between 1951 and 1982. The Hoffritz models continued for some time after 1982, but had regular Victorinox tang stamps, eventually the brand folded - See linked page for a few more details.

Tang: Obverse | Reverse	Date Range	Notes
	1951 - 1952	+AS/HSS Armée Suisse with Swiss Cross/Hoffritz Switzerland Stainless
	1952 - 1957	HSS/VaO Hoffritz Switzerland Stainless/Victoria Officier with Crossbow
	1957 - 1973	HSS/VaOS Hoffritz Switzerland Stainless/Victoria Officier Suisse with Crossbow
	1973 - 1976	H/VSSR Hoffritz/Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei
	1976 - 1982	H/SSR Hoffritz/Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei