Dating Wengers by the Bottle Opener Stamps
As a tool-centric SAK collector, Crumby collects what? That's right, tools. But all the time he has been hoovering up the various tools, he has also fretted over the age of the knives where within those tools resided. In particular, he fretted over his Wengers. forlorn orphans of a deceased parent company. Should not these miserable Wengers know, at the least, how old they are, approximately? So Crumby set about aging the Wengers, the first losers of the SAK universe. (Obviously, Crumby would never have taken the trouble if he didn't actually like Wengers best).
By far the best clue Crumby found pertinent to dating Wengers was the Orienteering Tool entry at Sakwiki. According to the credits, Basilio, Northman and jcfiguet are the sources for the information regarding the Wenger exclusive Orienteering Tool. Without their information, Crumby would have never figured this out.
Alas, the Multitool forum should also receive recognition. Mercy though. One needs wade through near insufferable silliness, "I am playing with my Wenger" to get at anything interesting from that site.
OK. Let's begin.
Here are a passel of Wengers. The most elderly are to the right The whipper snappers are on the left. You will need to click on the picture to magnify the image to see the patent tangs. On the far right is the oldest knife in the bunch, probably. It is a Champ model. It has no patent on the bottle opener. The probable date is 1983-1986. Don't ask how Crumby knows.
Next to the right are two knives with very faint patent tangs. One of these contains a metallic button compass. These knives are from the mid 1980s. The same patent probably applies through 1990.
Moving slightly further to the left, we espy two knives representing the 1991-1995 cadre. That's why the can opener is featured. Note that the new can opener blade is longer than the old can opener blade and the nail nicks are way different. The patents on the bottle openers are slightly beefier too.
The next group to the left features EP Patent on the bottle openers. These are on 1996-2001 Wengers, approximately.
Next are the bunch with heavy Patent letters. These date from 2002-2006 or so. Note that Crumby's Matterhorn is included here. The Matterhorn is a SAK marketed to the ladies, on account of its excellent whistle.
Finally, the last knife on the left is 2007+. The bottle opener has no patent tang. So despite the seemingly linear progression, we have come, Full Circle. Like Druids should.
Oh! Crumby almost forgot. A helpful cross-reference is the tangs on, or not on, the main blades.
By far the best clue Crumby found pertinent to dating Wengers was the Orienteering Tool entry at Sakwiki. According to the credits, Basilio, Northman and jcfiguet are the sources for the information regarding the Wenger exclusive Orienteering Tool. Without their information, Crumby would have never figured this out.
Alas, the Multitool forum should also receive recognition. Mercy though. One needs wade through near insufferable silliness, "I am playing with my Wenger" to get at anything interesting from that site.
OK. Let's begin.
Here are a passel of Wengers. The most elderly are to the right The whipper snappers are on the left. You will need to click on the picture to magnify the image to see the patent tangs. On the far right is the oldest knife in the bunch, probably. It is a Champ model. It has no patent on the bottle opener. The probable date is 1983-1986. Don't ask how Crumby knows.
Next to the right are two knives with very faint patent tangs. One of these contains a metallic button compass. These knives are from the mid 1980s. The same patent probably applies through 1990.
Moving slightly further to the left, we espy two knives representing the 1991-1995 cadre. That's why the can opener is featured. Note that the new can opener blade is longer than the old can opener blade and the nail nicks are way different. The patents on the bottle openers are slightly beefier too.
The next group to the left features EP Patent on the bottle openers. These are on 1996-2001 Wengers, approximately.
Next are the bunch with heavy Patent letters. These date from 2002-2006 or so. Note that Crumby's Matterhorn is included here. The Matterhorn is a SAK marketed to the ladies, on account of its excellent whistle.
Finally, the last knife on the left is 2007+. The bottle opener has no patent tang. So despite the seemingly linear progression, we have come, Full Circle. Like Druids should.
Oh! Crumby almost forgot. A helpful cross-reference is the tangs on, or not on, the main blades.
posted by ray pistrum at Sunday, November 16, 2014
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