Karl Elsener (inventor) Karl Elsener (inventor) Karl Elsener (9 October 1860 - 26 December 1918) was a Swiss cutler, inventor and entrepreneur. Karl Elsener completed an apprenticeship as a knife maker in Zug. After some journeyman years he opened a factory in Ibach, Switzerland in 1884 for the manufacture of knives and surgical instruments. He invented the Swiss army knife in 1891 and developed his knife manufacturing company into what has become Victorinox. From 1912 to 1918 Elsener was a member of the cantonal parliament of the Canton of Schwyz. He was married three times. After him his son, Carl Elsener (1886-1950), and
Karl Söderman in Russia suggested that Finland shall be treated as foreign country in tariff policy which would mean high toll fees for Finnish products. Finnish engineering companies became concerned and wrote a common letter which Karl Söderman and John Eager, manager of W:m Crichton & C:o delivered together to Vladimir Kovalevsky in Ministry of Finance. Although the meeting was not successful, the Russian government cancelled the plans of extra tariffs at the end of the year. The average annual GVA was under one million marks in period 1892–1894, but in period 1904–1908 it was quadrupled. The top year was in 1905,