Victorinox: A Cut Above the Rest

The Swiss Army Knife

Founded in 1884 in the beautiful Ibach-Schwyz, Switzerland, Victorinox has built a reputation among commercial kitchens for providing high quality knives that are durable and last forever.  As pros here at Tundra, we’ve even performed a helpful test on these amazing knives so you can see for yourself how incredibly durable they are.

When Karl Elsener opened his workshop in 1884 crafting small utility knives, his goal was to not only create a superior stainless steel product, but to also aid the small impoverished town of Ibach-Schwyz by creating jobs and boosting its economy.  A few years later, he started providing a soldier’s knife to the Swiss Army which eventually morphed into (you guessed it) The Swiss Army Knife!  When Karl’s mother, Victoria, passed away the name Victorinox was born from combining her name with “inox,” a shortened version of the French term for stainless steel: acier inoxydable.  I’m sure Karl never imagined that his small company would grow into an international force manufacturing utility knives, watches, luggage, and even fragrances.  But we’re here to talk about our favorite from Victorinox: professional cutlery.

The Cutting Edge

Having the sharpest blade out there is important to all professional and home chefs.  A sharp knife is not only safer to use (your hands have more control of where the blade is going) but it also makes for a better quality cut.  If a blade slices right through an onion, rather than crushing while slicing, you end up with a cleaner slice which leads to even cooking and enhanced flavor.

With so many brands of knives floating around out there, it benefits to know what sets one apart from the other.  All Victorinox knives are made from either stamped or forged high-carbon stainless steel, which won’t rust or corrode.  This keeps the blade’s edge very sharp and also easy to sharpen.  However, Victorinox knives are known for needing less sharpening over time, meaning the blades literally last twice as long as other knives  because you aren’t shaving metal away every few weeks to keep a sharp edge.

Get a Grip

While the sharpness of a knife is the most considered factor, professional chefs don’t ignore the details of the handle either.  Victorinox offers fibrox, rosewood, and several synthetic handle materials:

The fibrox handle is an NSF approved plastic that won’t absorb moisture, inhibiting bacteria growth.  We highly recommend (and so does Cook’s Illustrated) the 8 in Chef Knife with a fibrox handle.  You can’t beat the value of this knife for the price you’ll pay.  Fibrox handles also come in the five colors recognized by HAACP for use with meat (red), fish (blue), produce (green), dairy/flour (white), and poultry (yellow).

The rosewood handle is a great option for those looking for a more traditional and elegant look.  But don’t let the look fool you – these knives are just as sharp and the handle is ergonomic, which allows for a sturdy grip.  This 12 inch Granton Edge Slicer Knife is longer and narrower than most carving knives, making it ideal for quickly slicing large portions of meat.  With the classy rosewood handle, this is the perfect option for a buffet carving station.

Then you’ve got your synthetic handles, mostly made of either Poly Oxy Methylene (POM), Polypropylene, or nylon.  All of these options are NSF approved and won’t absorb moisture.  A POM handle (looks sort of like shiny black wood) offers a slightly updated look with rivets for added durability.  All options offer a non-slip grip which is great for added safety in any kitchen application.

The Rest of the Gang

Victorinox has an amazing history of making innovative cutlery, and has now used that same discipline to make other kitchen tools.  You’ll find the same quality and durability in Victorinox turners, spatulas, carving forks, food prep supplies, and baking tools.  I could talk for days about how the quality and price point of these tools is unbeatable, and it’s easy to explain if you know anything about their knives (have you been paying attention?).  A favorite among our customers is the Victorinox 6 inch Dough Scraper.  You can use this tool for so many other things in the kitchen, but if the dough sticks, the tool is worthless.  This scraper has a larger stainless steel blade, making it durable, and has the perfect edge for cutting dough and scraping it from your work bench.

Fit for a Knight

Last but certainly not least, I want to talk about a recent favorite of ours: the Victorinox stainless steel cut glove.  I know you’ve heard of the cloth cut gloves, and this is the next step up from that.  Made of welded steel rings, this glove is flexible, comfortable to wear, and extremely good at battling against cuts from that sharp Victorinox knife you’re using.  Plus it looks like chain mail, so you know, that’s cool.

More to Love

If you haven’t already decided why to love Victorinox, I should mention that the company also takes its impact on the environment very seriously.  In 2008, Victorinox was awarded by the Swiss Environmental Foundation for its aid in preserving habitats around the world.  This recognition fueled the entire company to start paying more attention to its environmental footprint and reducing manufacturing waste.  Since then, they’ve significantly reduced their footprint in Ibach-Schwyz by recycling their grinding sludge, reusing heat waste to heat their production sites and nearby homes, and overall raising awareness in the area for environmental sustainability.  What’s not to love?