Victorinox Swiss Army Champion Plus Pocket Knife
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List Price: Our Price: $54.90 You Save: $31.60 (37%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $54.00 (click here) Category: Sports See more product details |
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Description of Victorinox Swiss Army Champion Plus Pocket Knife
From the renowned company that created the Swiss Army Knife a century ago comes the Champion Plus, a complete set of tools for campers, hikers, hunters, fishers, picnic enthusiasts, and people all trades--all neatly contained in a single implement. Measuring just 3-1/2 inches long, the Champion Plus is stylishly cased in the famous red Swiss Army body that's recognized around the world. More importantly, the pocket knife contains 30 stainless-steel tools appropriate for just about any occasion. The standard camping tools include a large blade, a small blade, a corkscrew, a can opener, a bottle opener, a small screwdriver, a large screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, scissors, tweezers, and a toothpick. And that's just the beginning, as the Champion Plus also offers a punch reamer, multipurpose hook, wood saw, fish scaler, and hook disgorger. In short, there's no better accessory for camping, hunting, and fishing trips.Should the basic tools not cut it, the Champion Plus steps up with a host of extras, including a metal file, metal saw, fine screwdriver, mini screwdriver, and chisel scraper. Add in such tools as a ruler, nail file, nail cleaner, magnifying glass, pressurized ball point pen, straight pen, sewing eye, and key ring and you're well equipped for everything from repairing holes in tents to reading the fine print on instructions.
As with all Victorinox items, the Champion Plus is made to exacting standards, with 60-plus individual parts and 450 steps going into its construction. Victorinox attends to every detail, from selecting the finest materials to performing the final inspection. In addition, each individual tool has been hardened in a different way to stand up to its designated use. Such care is unmatched, and is why the Champ series is recognized by such international experts as the New York Museum of Modern Art and the State Museum of Applied Art in Munich, both of which have selected it for their "excellence in design" collections. Outfitted with a nylon handle and an aluminum housing, the Champion Plus carries a lifetime warranty.
 The Champion Plus measures just 3-1/2 inches long and contains 30 useful tools. |
Champion Plus Features:
- Large blade, small blade
- Corkscrew, can opener, bottle opener
- Small screwdriver, large screwdriver
- Reamer, punch
- Key ring, tweezers, toothpick
- Scissors, multi-purpose hook
- Wood saw, fish scaler
- Hook disgorger, ruler
- Nail file, nail cleaner
- Metal file, metal saw
- Fine screwdriver, chisel/scraper
- Phillips screwdriver
- Magnifying glass, straight pen
- Pressurized ball point pen
- Mini screwdriver, sewing eye
About Swiss Army Knives
In 1884, Swiss cutler Karl Elsener set up shop in Ibach-Schwyz, installing a waterwheel in Tobelbach Brook to run his grinding and polishing machines. Thus began what would become the international brand name Victorinox, a combination of Victoria, for Elsener's mother, and "inox," or stainless steel. Today, Victorinox produces watches, luggage, clothing, and, famously, Swiss Army Knives. The original product dates to 1897, when Elsener patented the Swiss Officer's and Sports Knife he supplied to the Swiss Army. Following World War II, American servicemen and women shopping in PX stores shortened the name to Swiss Army Knife, which lives on in English-speaking countries around the world and has become a metaphor for versatility.
Sports reviews of Victorinox Swiss Army Champion Plus Pocket Knife
Customer Review: Another One
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
Just like with tools, guns & flashlights, you can't have just one multi-tool. You've got to have one for every purpose. I have a duty weapon, an off duty weapon, a smaller back-up weapon, a hunting rifle, a camp sidearm, a stainless for when I'm out on the boat, et cetera.
Over the years, I've collected multi-tools from Leatherman, Gerber, and SOG. I've found that they all have a purpose, and I keep different pieces around for different applications. While not exactly the tool that I would reach for if I had a repair to make, the Swiss Army offers unique advantages.
When camping, hunting, & fishing; this is the one I want in my back pack & tackle box. Can opener, bottle opener, file, saw, fish scaler, & knives are great in the outdoors. I've even used the magnifying glass to start a fire. The screwdrivers are a bit clumsy and awkward. I do like that little one hidden into the corkscrew. And while not suited for daily use, the little pen could do in a pinch for emergencies. The tweezers are great for pulling splinters & plucking eyebrows. I suppose the corkscrew will work if your Girl Scout troop insist upon chardonnay by the campfire.
The Swiss Army is known for the corkscrew, but the corkscrew is also awkward & clumsy. Ever try using one? You screw it into the cork - now what? You try to hold the bottle between your legs as you pull? Do you tell your girlfriend to grab the bottle & hold on tight, as you pull with all your might? A much better tool is now on the market. In my picnic kit, I keep a Leatherman Juice. While not a serious contender in the do-it-yourself & Mr. Fix-It categories, the Leatherman Juice is perfect for opening wine, opening cans, opening bottles, and cutting fruit & cheese. Excellent for the kitchen drawer, picnic basket, and lunch box. Get a real full size multi-tool, like a Gerber, SOG, or Leatherman, for your saddle bag, tool box & glove box. And for serious outdoor enthusiast, get a Swiss Army Knife.
Leatherman XE6 Juice Thunder Purple With Leather Sheath
Leatherman 74204003 Juice CS4
Leatherman 70101003K Juice C2 Pocket Multi-Tool, Inferno Red
Customer Review: Good choice of tools and the usual great Victorinox quality
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
Have had the Explorer model for about 20 years and have been very pleased with it. It has gotten lots of use and still works like new with the exception of a missing toothpick and the scissors spring (replacements are available, but I haven't bothered yet). But I've sometimes lamented the lack of a saw and was therefore attracted to the Champion Plus when Amazon offered it at a reasonable price. In addition to the wood saw, this model also adds a metal saw, files, fish scaler/hook remover/rulers, pen, pin, chisel, small screwdriver, eyeglass screwdriver, and hook to the features I have on my old Explorer.
AFAICT, the quality for which Victorinox is known has remained unchanged. My new Champion Plus works and feels just like my old Explorer but without the little scratches and dings that have accumulated over the years. There have been a few minor design changes over the years:
1) the phillips screwdriver is a tiny bit shorter and it snaps into position more firmly - both fully extended and at the half-way (perpendicular) point
2) the bottle opener/screwdriver now also snaps into place when perpendicular - on my old knife it only snapped into the full extension position
3) the corkscrew no longer has a groove along its edge - not sure if this makes any difference since I haven't had occasion to open any bottles with it yet, but I suspect not
4) the scissors now have a groove on the inside edge to help keep the end of the spring in position
5) the scissors on the old knife were held together with a tiny screw - they are now riveted so there's no screw to loosen and lose
6) the magnifying lens is larger but in the same size holder - a welcome change, but the optical quality seems a bit worse
7) the base of the large blade is labeled "SWISS MADE STAINLESS" instead of "SWITZERLAND STAINLESS ROSTFREI"
The addition of the metal and wood saws plus the fish scaler do add some width and weight to this model compared to the Explorer. But it still feels fine in my pocket and in my hand when in use. In comparison, I've found the SwissChamp model to feel rather unwieldy due to its width (it has the pliers in addition to the tools of the Champion Plus). So for me this model is a good compromise between having enough useful tools while still remaining a convenient and manageable size. The width and height are almost identical on this model - just barely over 1".
Customer Review: The Flagship Model
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
The Victorinox Swiss Army pocket knives are in a class by themselves. This model no man nor woman should be without. This is not just a camping knife. It is the knife you take with you on every trip, even to the wilds of an urban office. I keep my Champion model in a place that I can reach day or night. Of course some of the more exotic features are not needed on a regular basis, but even the magnifying lens comes in handy. The knife blades are all of superb quality and should be maintained as one would maintain any fine tool. I would recommend only using the ink pen, located in the knife's handle, for emergencies since there is not that much ink in it and it cannot be refilled to my knowledge. The tweezers are only marginal (too wide) but can be used to take out larger splinters with the help of the magnifying lens. The scissors are the knife's weakest section. The spring action tends to decay over time and can bend out of shape easily. Use this function with caution. I have only had to use the can opener function once and it did open the can but the entire knife had to be washed afterward. To guard against loss, I would recommend attaching a secure chain to the attach loop. Also, if you can micro-engrave your data on to the large blade, there is a slight chance that the knife would be returned to you if it becomes lost. The engraving will not change the integrity of the blade. There used to be a very durable leather case that was available for this knife that included a plastic ruler with attached compass for topographic maps, a sharpening stone, an emergency mirror coated cardboard reflector and other useful items. Try to locate this type of case if you plan on using this knife for real camping. All in all, I would highly recommend this knife for the person of serious mind who wants to be prepared for life's little emergencies that can be resolved with the tools on this very well built knife, a knife that you will pass down to the next generation if you just give it normal care.Customer Review: Great knife! Just watch out for Amazon's Customer Service...
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I'd had a Swiss Army knife for years that stupid me forgot to remove from my baggage, and was confiscated at the airport a year ago. So, in shopping for a new one, I found this beauty on Amazon.com.
But what an ordeal it was to finally get it from them!
Buyer beware: Amazon.com has great prices and shipping rates, but you may want to plan to purchase your items at any time but the height of gift-buying or gift-giving season. Between this item and the other two that I ordered simultaneously, I've ended up having to send Amazon ten emails, and place eighteen calls. So I've had to contact Amazon TWENTY EIGHT TIMES to get everything processed properly! This included one call in which I spent, literally, fifteen minutes calmly trying to convince an agent in India that I needed to speak to a supervisor for further assistance (and the supervisor DID turn out to give me the help I'd needed), and another call where, in the midst of calmly explaining everything that had happened so far with my order, another supervisor in India simply hung up on me. I know the difference between calmly, and angrily, explaining something. I've found that normally, "calmly" is the way to go, but I guess some times nothing will help, if the customer service department simply doesn't have it together...
When I finally received the knife, I noticed that it must've come to me as a return, since one of the plastic casing sides had a few abraded areas, which wouldn't be the case with a brand new item...
Either way, it's a GREAT knife, and worth every penny that you might spend on it! If you're thinking about a fully loaded Swiss Army knife, and really have no use for those pliers (as I don't), don't think twice! Just buy it!
Customer Review: This Gift Was a Hit.
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I purchased this as a birthday present for my husband. Frankly, I was stumped on what to get him, and it seemed like something a guy would enjoy. Still, I was worried about how it would go over.
He loves it! He uses it nearly every day. (Until today, it had been every day, but he informs me he didn't have a reason for the first time ever. Way to ruin a recommendation, dude.) Once I asked him to, "whip it out and give it to me," and after he realized what I meant and swallowed his disappointment, he handed me the knife. This thing has a ton of attachments that makes it something worth carrying around. I buy a fair amount of items from Amazon, I don't know if anyone has noticed this, and find myself constantly grabbing something to open the boxes, but now I put my husband to work. Admittedly, it can be put to silly use too -- like when you're looking at the magnifying glass, and the dog wants to know what you're doing, and suddenly you have a close-up of her nose. Or if you want to play Inspector Gadget.
It helps him with his train layouts, and he said something about stripping wires -- I wasn't really listening. ;) It has a corkscrew too. I remember one time we walked to the convenience store to get one, which was INconvenient, because the two others had disappeared. Now we have this, which IS convenient. Problem solved.
What was an impromptu guess of a gift turned out to be something my husband really loves. (Almost as much as me.)