Swiss Army Knife without a blade in the works

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It was never really about the blade.

If a grizzly bear lumbers toward you in the wild, a collapsible Swiss Army Knife blade would probably be about as useful as, well, the tweezers or the reusable toothpick.

What makes the glossy red instrument so cool is how the folks at Victorinox — the famous knife's manufacturer — somehow manage to cram in so many tools, on the odd chance that you might one day need a miniature magnifying glass, a sewing "awl" or perhaps a hook “disgorger.”

But now comes word that Victorinox is working on a device without any sort of blade at all — a bit like a a cheese sandwich without the cheese or an Oreo cookie without the white filling.

'We're concerned about the increasing regulation of knives due to the violence in the world," Victorinox CEO Carl Elsener said last week in an interview with the Swiss outlet Blick.

"In England or certain Asian countries, you are sometimes only allowed to carry a knife if you need it to do your job or go outdoors," NPR quoted Elsener as saying. "In the city, however, when you go to school, to the cinema, go shopping, carrying pocket knives is severely restricted."

Victorinox told NPR in a statement that the new blade-less instruments — still in the works — wouldn't replace its current selection of Swiss Army Knives. Instead, the new tools would "ensure you are best prepared through smart and masterful solutions for any life situation."

Karl Elsener patented the first "Original Swiss Officer's and Sports Knife" back in 1897 in Switzerland. By 2017, the company had produced its 500 millionth Swiss Army Knife, according to the company's website. The company also makes watches, travel gear and fragrances.