Swiss Army knife edge. The blades are then checked with a laser reflecting goniometer to verify the angle of the cutting edges. Finally scales are applied. Slightly undersized holes incorporated into the inner surface enclose the bushings, which have truncated cone cross-section and are slightly undercut, forming a one-way interference fit when pressed into the generally softer and more elastic scale material. The result is a tight adhesive-free connection that nonetheless permits new identical-pattern scales to be quickly and easily applied. Victorinox models are available in , , , , , , and lengths when closed. The thickness of the knives varies depending
Swiss Army knife 1891. In 1891, Karl Elsener, then owner of a company that made surgical equipment, set out to manufacture the knives in Switzerland itself. At the end of 1891 Elsener began production of the "Modell 1890" knives, in direct competition with the Solingen company. He incurred financial losses doing so, as Wester & Co was able to produced the knives at lower cost. Elsener was on the verge of bankruptcy when, in 1896, he developed an improved knife, intended for the use by officers, with tools attached on both sides of the handle using a special spring mechanism, allowing him to