No. 242 k

history

Victorinox developed the model no. 242 k in the late 1930s/early 1940s. It was one of the few models of army knife without tools on the back. This was a major difference to the "ordinary" soldier's knives.

From 1957 the rivets disappeared under the scale, while at the same time aluminum was used as the liner material and nickel silver for the intermediate layers.

Victorinox produced the model no. 242 k in small numbers until the 1970s and then discontinued production. Similar pocket knives remained in production. Possibly the demand for this model with 2 cutting blades without a corkscrew or screwdriver was too low to continue production.

functional parts

The model no. 242 k had a large and a small cutting blade. The model never came with a toothpick/tweezers, but with or without a bail/ring.

material thickness

Large cutting blade: 2.5 mm; small cutting blade: 1.75/1.5 mm; Rivets: 2.2mm

construction

A hidden center rivet holds the back spring in place, while the two tools are attached with a head and foot rivet respectively. An intermediate layer serves as an impact point for the large cutting blade.

In early models, the material thickness of the small cutting blade and intermediate layer (together approx. 3.2 mm) was greater than that of the large cutting blade (2.5 mm). This led to an adapted back spring, which decreased in material thickness from the pocket knife foot (3.2 mm) to the pocket knife head (2.5 mm). This was later corrected by significantly narrowing the liner.

scale material

Celluloid/ Cellidor in red was used as the scale material, possibly also in other colors.

circuit liners/interlayer

The liners, liners and rivets were all originally made of brass. Later, intermediate layers made of German silver and aluminum liners were used.