Wenger 16520 Standard Issue Swiss Army Knife

by Wenger

Product Features

• Knife with 5 implements, 9 inch
• 2.75 inch blade, stainless steel
• Screwdriver, cap lifter, can opener, small straight screwdriver
• Reamer, awl, scraper, key ring, with anodized aluminum handles
• Weighs 2.4 oz

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Swiss Army Knife, This is the genuine article, issued to soldiers in the Swiss Army. Manufactured since 1901

Product Description

Designed with 5 implements and 9 functions, the Wenger® Standard Issue knife is ready to handle all your small tasks.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 1 x 1 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0019DV9ZC
• Item model number: 16520
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,026 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A spectacular knife with bombproof desig, May 13, 2008

By 

Getahl (California) - See all my reviews

I bought this knife about six months ago, just before the Christmas holiday. I'd never really had a Wenger swiss army knife before, only Victorinox. I didn't really know what to expect. I'd heard that the build quality wasn't as great. I'd heard that the fit and finish were not up to standard. I'd also heard that the backspring wasn't nearly as strong as a Vic. Rather than steer completely clear of Wengers, I decided to give them a shot. I bought this and an EvoGrip 18.

First, a little background on the knife. It has four tools on it; a knife blade, can opener, cap lifter, and an awl. It's the spitting image of the Vic Soldier, except it has a bail on the end (effectively a D-ring attached through a hollow rivet). The Soldier has nothing to attach it to anything, but it makes it more pocketable. The bail gives the Standard Issue a larger profile as well. Fortunately, I like being able to attach it to a key ring or lanyard, if need be.

First off, the build quality is superb. The fit and finish are every bit as well built as the Soldier, and even offers a few advantages. I came to find out that the profile of the blade was a little different from the Soldier. It's rounder, with a little more belly. I like cutting with it more than I do the other. The awl is pointier too. That might not make much of a difference, but it's made me rely on this knife more than I have most others in my collection.

The cap lifter is great for light prying and opening up a frosty brew. It hasn't loosened at all, and has become one of my favorite tools on the knife. The can opener is the same you'll find on any Vic knife; if you look at Wenger's standard opener, you'll see it's more of a hawkbill shape. While neither are inherently superior for opening tins, this style opener works as a makeshift phillips driver at the drop of a hat. I've used it before, but wasn't thrilled with it for this purpose. It works though.

The silver scales are spectacular as well. Unlike the colored alox on many Vic knives, the silver color will not fade. It's more or less age proof.

I would recommend this knife to everyone who is looking for a reliable, sturdy knife. It may not have one-handed opening and a fool proof lock, but it's a SAK; it's not meant to.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't go without it!, March 15, 2007

By 

Shane Parkey "Road Monkey" (Knoxville, TN United States) - See all my reviews

I bought this knife about 5 years ago. I was carrying a leatherman super tool at the time but felt like i was carrying a lot of useless stuff around when all I used it for was the blades and the screwdriver. (don't get me wrong, the leatherman is an A+ tool, but a bit much for and EDC.) This knife covers all the bases for day to day. The blade stays sharp and has no "wiggle" in it at all, the bottle opener has been used to crack open many a refreshing beverage and the large flat screwdriver works well for large screws and prying things like battery panels or whatever. It also locks in a 90-degree position (swiss army trademark, BTW) for more leverage. I don't really have much use for the can opener, but the small screwdriver located on it comes in handy for small screws and phillips-type screws. The item that I thought was superfluous, but I've found I can't do without is the awl/scraper..it comes in handy for punching holes in leather and such as well as acting as a make-do "drill" when you need to punch a hole in something quick..it's great for making pilot holes for screws. There's also a wire stripper located on the bottle opener, although I never realized what that little notch was for originally. The alox (aluminum) sides are take more punishment than the composite-handled SAKs, those usually fall apart in my pocket. (I could break an anvil with a rubber mallet). I've carried this Knife every day for five years (minus the time I was on a plane!) and it shows no sign of letting up. If you're looking for a no-frills workhorse SAK without all the useless gadgets, flash drives, and corkscrews(the swiss army must like the vino!) This is the knife for you.

The only negative that I can relate is that the bail (the loop on the end of the knife for a key ring or lanyard) may flip up and accidentally get in the way of the main blade when it is closing, resulting in damage to the blade..this has happened to me only once, and after a little work with a sharpening stone and steel, it was good as new and razor sharp. Also, this bail is the ONLY difference between the wenger and victorinox that I can find. They are both quality knives. (I'm sure there may be a few minute differences, but I'm not that picky.)

Also, this knife is the actual knife that is issued to swiss soldiers. The design of the knife allows the blade, bottle opener/screwdriver, and awl to be open all at once so that they can clean and re-adjust their weapons. Now don't go saying you didn't learn anything today. Cheers!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best overall utility knife, February 1, 2008

By 

Mark R. (NJ) - See all my reviews

I purchased this knife on sale (actually 3 of them, 1 I carry, 1 is a spare, and one ended up as a gift) for $15.00 at sports authority several years ago. Being a bit of a pocket knife collector I have carried numerous knives over the years. When I was in the Marine Corps I used all kinds of leathermans, fancy spyderco knives etc. For everyday utilitarian use it is unbeatable. Light and slim enough to fit in everything from jeans to suit pants. The simple spartan design is functional from cutting whatever to making a hasty repair, to opening a beverage. Mine is a Wenger, one of my friends who spent 7 years in the army has the victorinox version (same exact knife with a minor difference). He carries his all the time as well. You cant go wrong with this knife.