The Swiss Army Knife will be getting rid of its knife for some of its future multitools. Victorinox, the Swiss Army Knife’s creator, said in a statement that it’s in the early stages of developing a version of its flagship product without blades due a growing number of restrictions on knifes around the world.
The move comes after the company’s CEO, Carl Elsener Jr., told the German-language outlet Blick that in countries including England, “you are sometimes only allowed to carry a knife if you need to have it to do your job or operate outdoors.”
“We are in the early stages of developing new pocket tools without blades,” Victorinox public relations manager Taryn Gentile told Fast Company. Gentile clarifies that the new bladeless tools won’t replace the tried-and-true Swiss Army Knife. “We continue to acknowledge our consumers’ need for products that carry the functionality, versatility and the craftsmanship the Swiss Army Knife is known for in specialized fields as well as everyday situations.”
Gentile said one target consumer for the new gadget could be cyclists “who may require a tool without a blade.”
Blades come standard in all 10 Swiss Army Knife models the company currently sells, but versions like its $115 Swiss Champ is packed with other tools, including a corkscrew, screwdriver, can opener, scissors, nail file, wire cutters, fish scalper, toothpick, and bottle opener. The company has branched out into other products as well, like cutlery, watches, wallets, apparel, travel gear, and even fragrances.
In the U.K., knife crimes are on the rise, according to data from the Office for National Statistics, and U.K. law bars knives in public unless it’s less than three inches with a folding blade.
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