An early Officer Knife with wood saw and corkscrew
Introduction
The Victorinox Camper is one of the earliest outdoor-oriented models in the 91 mm Officer Knife range.
Appearing very early in the early 1900s, it expands the original Officer Knife concept by combining blades and openers with a wood saw and corkscrew, making it suitable for both outdoor and everyday use.
Built on the same foundational platform as the Standard, the Camper shows that Victorinox explored outdoor functionality from the very beginning, not as a later development.
I. Technical overview — A foundational platform with outdoor capability
Core configuration (Camper)
- Closed length: 91 mm
- Category: Officer Knife
- Architecture: three main tool layers
Main tools (by functional groups)
- Large blade + Small blade
- Can opener with small screwdriver + Bottle opener with flat screwdriver & wire stripper
- Wood saw
Back tools
- Corkscrew
- Reamer / awl
Toothpick and tweezers
- Early and mid-period versions: generally without toothpick and tweezers
- Widespread adoption: mainly from the 1970s–1980s onward
Model references
- Early reference: 237
- Known variants include 237a, 237U, and 237aU
- Modern Victorinox reference: 1.3613
II. Historical evolution — An early outdoor Officer Knife
1. Early appearance and pre-war models (early 1900s–1930s)
The Camper appears very early in Victorinox history, shortly after the Officer Knife format itself.
1930's
Key traits
- Blades, openers, wood saw, and corkscrew
- No toothpick or tweezers
- Early tool geometries and springs
- Intended for outdoor, travel, and general utility use
These early Campers demonstrate that outdoor functionality was part of the original vision.
2. Stabilization and international diffusion (1930s–1950s)
During the interwar and post-war decades, the Camper becomes a stable and recognizable configuration.
From 1940's Catalogue
Notable characteristics
- Progressive standardization of the wood saw
- Consistent corkscrew and opener design
- Broad international distribution
The Camper establishes itself as a practical alternative to thicker multi-layer models.
3. Elinox positioning and Economy logic (1960s–1970s)
During the 1960s and early 1970s, Elinox plays a role in the positioning of simpler Officer Knife configurations.
Camper Elinox 1957-1961
Camper Elinox 1960's
In this period:
- Camper models without toothpick and tweezers increasingly align with Elinox or Economy positioning
- The focus is on durability, simplicity, and cost control for export markets
- Feature-rich configurations remain limited on models without scissors
As with the Standard, Elinox does not represent a different tool layout, but rather a branding and market strategy applied to otherwise conventional models.
Camper Victoria 1957-1961
Camper Victoria 1960's
4. The Camper as a specialised model — Camping metal inlay (1970s–1990s)
Camper 1973 Victoria
From the 1970s through the 1980s and into the 1990s, the Camper is mainly found with the Camping metal inlay.
These versions should not be understood as decorative variants, but as specialised models, where the metal inlay visually expresses the knife’s intended use and identity.
During this period, Victorinox increasingly relies on metal inlays to signal function and lifestyle, particularly on outdoor-oriented knives.
The Camping metal inlay reinforces the Camper’s role as a practical knife for leisure, travel, and outdoor activities, while remaining technically identical to standard production models.
1980's
The presence of the Camping metal inlay across several decades reflects both the long-term popularity of the Camper and the durability of this usage-based identification system within the Victorinox range.
For a deeper exploration of metal inlays as specialised, use-driven models, see the dedicated thematic archive:
👉📘 Victorinox Metal Inlays — SAKnife Archives
5. Modernization and feature adoption (1970s–1980s)
As Victorinox modernizes its range, the Camper follows the broader evolutionary pattern seen across the 91 mm lineup.
Key developments:
- Toothpick and tweezers become more common, mainly from the 1970s–1980s
- Visual standardization of red scales
- Continued parallel production of simpler and less equipped variants under Elinox then Economy brands
Camper 'Scout' Elinox 1973-1977
Changes occur through overlap rather than replacement.
6. The modern Camper (1980s–present)
By the 1980s, the Camper reaches a fully stabilized form.
Camper 1990's with Camping 🏕️ printed
Characteristics
- Three-layer architecture unchanged in principle
- Wood saw and corkscrew retained
- Toothpick and tweezers systematic
- Modern Victorinox tang stamps
- Continuous production to the present day
The Camper remains a core outdoor-oriented Officer Knife.
Collector perspective and significance
An early and purposeful design
The Camper is not a derivative model, but an early and intentional outdoor configuration within the Officer Knife range.
Collector interest
- Very early pre-war Campers
- Models without toothpick and tweezers, especially pre-1970s
- Elinox-positioned Campers from the 1960s–1970s
-
Camping metal inlay variants from the 1970s–1990s
Camper with Hoffritz metal inlay - Variations in saw geometry, corkscrew form, and tang stamps
Related models within the 91 mm range
The Camper sits naturally alongside closely related outdoor-oriented Officer models such as:
These models share a common design philosophy while addressing different usage profiles.
Conclusion
The Victorinox Camper shows that Victorinox’s outdoor-oriented thinking dates back to the earliest days of the Officer Knife.
Introduced in the early 1900s and refined through continuity rather than redesign, the Camper combines essential everyday tools with genuine outdoor capability. Its long production span, Economy positioning through Elinox, late adoption of toothpick and tweezers on simpler configurations, and use-driven identification through the Camping metal inlay make it a particularly rich and instructive model for collectors.
This article is part of the SAKnife Archives, an independent collector-driven project dedicated to documenting Victorinox Swiss Army Knives. All photographs shown come from the SAKnife private collection unless otherwise noted. The historical and technical information presented here is based on existing data shared by recognized collector communities, forums, and expert collector databases. Additional period examples and variants will be added over time as the archive continues to grow.
Explore the evolution of Victorinox 91 mm Swiss Army Knives and discover related model profiles in the pillar page below:
👉📘 Victorinox History & Catalogue – 91 mm Models Evolution
Explore how Victorinox 91 mm toolsets evolved over time:
👉 🛠️ Victorinox Tools & Structure — 91 mm Swiss Army Knife Evolution
