For more than a century, the Swiss army knife has been an essential piece of kit for everyone from picnickers and equestrians, to golfers and astronauts. Under UK law, a person can only carry a knife in public if it has a folding blade that is less than 3in (7.62cm) long. One MP even asked: “Will the famous Swiss army knife be forbidden?” The proposed amendment was dropped. The Swiss army knife was first developed in Ibach, Switzerland, in 1891 and was orginally referred to as an Offiziersmesser, or officer’s knife, as the company had a contract to supply knives to the army. The product was given the name Swiss army knife six years later.

Source: The Guardian May 07, 2024 17:14 UTC