93 mm Alox Serie
Victorinox developed the 93 mm Alox pocket knife series in the mid/late 1950s. It all started with model no. 2200, the basic model from which the soldier's knife for the Swiss army was developed from 1961. It had 4 basic functions, a large cutting blade, a can opener, a screwdriver and an awl. The first models still had a solid awl on the outside and the blade was stamped with Victoria and a crossbow. There was this basic model in silver, gold and red.
Other models were added later. The 1959 Victorinox catalog shows 8 models, from 1-layer to 3-layer and with 1 to 5 tools. In the later 1969 catalogue, there were 19 different models.
Victorinox made aluminum scales for this series of pocket knives. These were fluted with a cross pattern and were colored anodized. At the beginning there were briefly the colors red, silver and gold. Later, only the standard colors red and silver were available for a longer period, with most models only being available in one standard colour. Those pocket knives with a cable blade or a narrow screwdriver (so-called "mechanic's knives") were given the color " silver ", all others the color "red". All covers had a white cross.
Victorinox sold this series of pocket knives under the umbrella term "pioneer pocket knives", advertised as "solid working knives for everyone". The term "Bauernmesser"/"farmers knives” is used. These pocket knives were very solidly made. For a long time, the series belonged to the Elinox pocket knives. The tools were designed for tough use, as were the scales. However, the colored anodizing was not very durable, especially at the beginning of production. Scratches quickly appeared and the paint peeled off in some cases. This explains why it is very difficult today to find old pioneer pocket knives with well-preserved scales.
These pioneer pocket knives developed into very popular collector's knives. The production volume was probably not very high overall, and there was repeated speculation among collectors that Victorinox could end production of the entire series. In the meantime, certain models are no longer manufactured, but new models have been added. Various limited editions of special colors and/or tool combinations have come onto the market in recent decades. These were mostly ordered from Victorinox by major distributors or online shops and sold and marketed themselves. These pocket knives were also used extensively for advertising purposes. Victorinox now produces a yearly limited series of 3 Alox pocket knife models.