Of course, the real uses pertain more to lectures and business meetings than to woodscraft, but with this handy pocket knife available, anything within 70 feet is in peril of being marked with a glowing red dot, even if just for fun. The knife also includes nail clipper scissors, a nail file with a squared point that doubles as a screwdriver, a retractable ball point pen, key ring, and of course a small penknife blade of high carbon stainless steel.

Other perks include a much better night-time range of up to 300 feet and pressurized ink in the ball point pen, which makes the knife write in any position. Electronic power-saving circuitry behind the ruby-red handle conserves the charge of the tiny battery cell that powers the laser beam. Only 2.5 inches long, the most useful thing in the knife is still the fine-edged knife blade, but the laser pointer is simply irresistible. You'll be pointing out things you never even noticed before.

All Swiss Army knives from Victorinox carry a lifetime guarantee. Even the smallest versions like the Signature Laser are built with precision and qualify as reliable tools.

See the Swiss Army Memory Stick Knife for another classic pocket knife with very modern potentials.

Find this Swiss Army Laser Pocketknife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this pocketknife on eBay:

Victorinox Swiss Army Laser Pointer Knife 59590 US $45.00   Auction Ends: 25d 23h 8m

Victorinox Swiss Army LASER POINTER MINICHAMP Silver US $56.95   Auction Ends: 3d 3h 14m

Four-and-3/8 inches long when folded, this is a full-sized and full-featured knife large enough to handle the primitive skills and construction problems of any scout troop. The Adventurer's main blade locks back for greater safety, and the liner lock mechanism releases with fingertip pressure. The assortment of tools is smaller than some Swiss Army designs, but that limited number of blades makes the knife less bulky and easier to handle.

The sturdy red handle slabs cover stainless steel liners and high carbon stainless steel blades, durable and easily maintained. Choose between can opener and bottle opener when it's time to fix a meal, or use the same blades for tightening slotted screws or stripping wire. The single Phillips screwdriver blade will take some practice but works if you're careful. The knife's reaming awl with sewing eye could make that moccasin project go smoothly, and the tweezers and key ring could find occasional important uses as well. By far the busiest tool in my Swiss Army Knife has been that handy plastic toothpick -- a real lifesaver at times, or at least a great comfort.

Chances are very good you'll never need Victorinox's lifetime warranty, but it's standard.

See the Victorinox Hercules Swiss Army Knife for a larger version of this classic pocket knife with a wider assortment of handy tools and blades.

Find this Swiss Army Adventurer BSA Pocketknife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay:

ADVENTURER DARK RED VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY KNIFE 53601 US $29.95   Auction Ends: 25d 51m

Swiss Army knife Marlboro adventure team US $9.99   0 Bid Auction Ends: 4h 59m

In the Swiss Army Electrician, you'll find several handy tools. The Silver Alox design eliminates some of the bulk of the company's multi-blade knives by combining handle slab and liner. Brass bushings compensate for the loss of the usual stainless steel liners, and the result is a slimline version of the bulkier classic build. With a folded length of 3-1/2 inches, the Electrician is a convenient size for the pocket and wields a stout main spear point blade of high carbon stainless steel. Other options include an electrician's blade with wire scraper notch, bottle opener blade with wire stripper notch and flat head screwdriver tip, and a reamer.

Professional electricians will recognize the shortcomings. Special tools are required to do high quality electrical work, and a pocket knife doesn't measure up to that standard. The Electrician provides a few useful options for emergency work which a standard pocket knife does not, but the array of stainless steel blades won't be first line choices for the tradesman.

Everybody needs a pocket knife, though, and whether you work in residential construction or work for the power company, the Electrician will serve well in those important but ordinary situations. Now and then, the simple tools it provides could construct a temporary solution to more technical wiring challenges. Just remember to go back later and do it right.

For a more versatile multi-tool from Victorinox, see the SwissTool X.

Find this Swiss Army Electrician Pocket Knife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay:

NEW Victorinox Electrician Swiss Army Knife 53781 US $23.98   Auction Ends: 22d 22h 38m

Victorinox Swiss Army Electrician Multi Tool Pocket Knife in Silver Alox 53781 US $20.50   8 Bids Auction Ends: 18h 40m

Everything in this good knife works. It's not the best choice for everybody, but it does carry a miniature version of many handy emergency tools. Using them could be frustrating if you depend on them often. In the Craftsman, none of the blades lock in the open position, and that does make the use of screwdriver bits difficult. The small pliers don't offer enough handle leverage to lock onto small hex nuts securely, although a loose fitting might be temporarily wrestled into place again. Some of these tool blades are compromises between having the right tools for the job and having nothing. If you need the knife for an occasional problem, you'll be thrilled to have the help.

In emergencies, the Craftsman offers useful choices of metal file, metal saw, wire stripper, wood saw, and scissors as well as the always important can and bottle opener, tweezers, and toothpick. This Swiss Army knife holds two knife blades in large and small sizes plus a reamer and Phillips-head screwdriver. The only blade new owners may find mysterious would be the hook, which unfolds from the center of the handle's spine. Nearly a relic, this old standby once was used to hook the cord which bound paper-wrapped parcels together. The knife then became a handy carrying handle for shoppers and tradesmen. Unfortunately, the Post Office banned parcel string years ago, and the knife isn't quite strong enough for hauling hay bales.

For a multi-tool you'd be able to use on a more regular basis, try the SOG Power Assist Multi-tool.

Find this Swiss Army Craftsman:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this pocketknife on eBay:

RED CRAFTSMAN 91 mm 358 in TOOL VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY 53721 US $50.95   Auction Ends: 21d 2h 8m

New Victorinox Swiss Army Knife RUBY CRAFTSMAN PLUS 26 Features 53721 R US $54.00   Auction Ends: 50m

Swiss Army's Classic knife may be only 2-1/4 inches long when folded, but this red-handled high carbon stainless steel tool set packs a small and very serviceable plain-edged, spear point knife blade. Not only that, there's a file good enough for fingernails, or a little emergency metal working, and a pair of small shears. I prefer the blade for most things, but the shears have come in handy for tidying up smaller medical emergencies like blisters or torn finger and toe nails. The tiny pair of tweezers in one of the handle slots has pulled out many thorns and splinters, and the plastic toothpick is surprisingly durable and useful. The Classic's small size makes it acceptable in many places where my favorite Buck 101 would raise eyebrows.

The companion piece is one of Victorinox's new LED emergency flashlights. This lightweight model runs for more than 3 -1/2 hours on two AAA batteries and beams a light ten times brighter than the old incandescent bulb lamps. The light illuminates objects in detail up to 125 feet away, and if you need an emergency beacon, the light is easily visible as far as a mile and a half in good viewing conditions. The red rubber coating on the lamp's case gives you a solid grip you won't lose in the dark and the cold. The set of lamp and knife comes in a pre-packaged gift tin.

If you don't need the flashlight, the Swiss Army Classic pocket knife is a great choice for countryside or city and is available separately.

Find this Swiss Army Classic Pocket Knife Set:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this set on eBay:

Victorinox Red Classic Knife Flashlight Swiss Army NU US $18.95   Auction Ends: 26d 4h 11m

The Swiss Army Centurion -- 4-3/8 inches long when closed -- offers a high carbon stainless set of tools including a plain-edged spear point knife blade and large and small flat head screwdriver blades that double as bottle opener, wire stripper, and can opener. Other tools include an awl/reamer and Phillips screwdriver, key ring, tweezers, and toothpick. The Centurion's contoured plastic and aluminum grip offers enough handhold for comfortable use and high torque, but still isn't too heavy for the pocket. Slip a wrist lanyard onto the key ring and it's safe and secure for travel in the wilderness.

What you might not expect is a secure liner lock -- a great feature for a main blade but one that hasn't always been standard issue with Swiss Army. Not only that, the larger of the two screwdriver blades also locks open. We can be trained not to use that main blade unsafely, but if you're working on a stubborn slot-head screw, you need extra pressure. Folding up the bottle opener on your finger doesn't do as much damage as the knife blade would, but it's still a problem we'd rather not have. The more liner locks, the better.

For a similar Swiss Army lockback with an alternate set of tools, see the Swiss Army Forester.

Find this Swiss Army Centurion Pocketknife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this pocket knife on eBay:

Victorinox CENTURION LOCKBLADE Authentic Swiss Army Knife 54824 NEW US $28.99   Auction Ends: 29d 7h 58m

Victorinox 4 3 8 Centurion Black Swiss Army Knife US $37.95   Auction Ends: 28d 3h 16m

The 3-1/4-inch-long Silver Alox Cadet saves on weight and space by combining the function of liners and handle slabs. The silver alox ribbed panels serve both purposes and greatly streamline the package. The knife will ride in a pants pocket without the usual lumpy silhouette.

In addition to the high carbon stainless steel spear point blade, the Silver Alox Cadet knife holds separate bottle and can opener blades and a nail file. A notch on the bottle opener blade strips electrical insulation from small wires, and the blade's tip works well as a flathead screwdriver for large screws. The tip of the can opener blade will handle the smaller ones. The Cadet's key ring works equally well for holding the car keys or a lanyard. If you equip it with a lanyard, you'll find it more easily in either pocket or purse.

One side panel of the Silver Cadet from Victorinox includes a polished engraving panel 1/4-inch by 3/4-inch long, in case you'd like to personalize the Cadet -- a nice touch to complement a nice gift.

For a larger version of this excellent knife with a slightly different assortment of tools, see the Swiss Army Soldier -- still the Swiss Army's official pocketknife.

Find this Swiss Army Cadet Pocketknife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay:

Victorinox Swiss Army 53042 Cadet Multi tool Knife US $19.29   Auction Ends: 18d 5h 4m

NTSA LOTof 2 SWISS ARMY VICTORINOX ALOX CADET CLASSIC US $7.73   5 Bids Auction Ends: 1d 19h 12m

The main blade of high carbon stainless steel does all the cutting with a general purpose plain edge and spear point that fit nearly any everyday task you come across. The second multi-purpose blade could be either bottle opener or can opener, depending on your need. The tip works as a flat blade screwdriver, and the notch at the blade's base effectively strips insulation from small electrical wires. The silver alox version of the bantam weighs less and has a thinner profile than the equivalent knife with red cellidor scales. The slimmer build also leaves out the key ring, tweezers and toothpick of the red Bantam.

Victorinox's Silver Alox Bantam slips inconspicuously into a trouser pocket with a barely visible outline. The sleek look and ribbed aluminum scales give it a civilized appearance, but it holds up to work as well as any of Victorinox's other blades.

Only a few Swiss Army Knives are simpler than the Bantam -- but if all you want is a blade, see the Swiss Army Solo, a dependable knife without the extras.

Find this Swiss Army Bantam Alox Pocketknife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay:

Victorinox Swiss Army Bantam Knife Silver Alox 53949 US $20.00   Auction Ends: 13d 16h 22m

282 Victorinox Swiss Army Alox Bantam Barely Used US $3.25   3 Bids Auction Ends: 2d 2h 42m

With an attractive red and black Cellidor handle 4-3/8 inches long, this Swiss Army multitool manages to offer nine good tool choices and still fit in the pocket. The weight saving choices make the difference, since the Nomad focuses heavily on the Swiss Army multi-purpose blades.

First, you get a large spear point plain-edged knife blade of high carbon stainless steel. This main blade locks in the open position with a stainless steel liner lock mechanism. That's enough tool to handle many jobs by itself. Backing that up, you'll find a large flat screwdriver blade which also opens bottle caps and strips wire; a small flat screwdriver blade with a can opener option; finally, a reamer, corkscrew, and key ring. Some owners prefer to use the key ring to attach a wrist lanyard.

The Swiss Army Nomad offers the most popular blades for the everyday user without the awkward and heavy assortment of tools knife fanciers love to collect but seldom use.

For the knife which inspired the Nomad and gave rise to the entire Swiss Army series, see the 125th Anniversary Heritage edition of the Swiss Army Soldier.

Find this Swiss Army Grip Nomad Knife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this pocketknife on eBay:

NEW Victorinox Swiss Army Grip Series Nomad Knife 54835 US $27.98   Auction Ends: 18d 5h 5m

Today, you'd be hard pressed to find a knife like the Soldier anywhere but on a collector's shelf, since all tools were built for the challenges of the 18th century. The strong reamer was meant for repairs on horse's harnesses, and the flat screwdriver blade fit breakdown screws on Swiss Army rifles. The style of the can opener blade obviously was built to handle something much tougher than modern food tins. The spear point knife blade is the only thing that hasn't changed much. The Heritage uses the same styling as the original Soldier, including handle slabs of polished African ebony hardwood. All blades, however, are made from modern high carbon stainless steel.

Victorinox produced only 1,884 of these Heritage knives. Each one ships in a handsome black hardwood presentation case. The cover of the case is inlaid with a metal replica of the Victorinox emblem, the cross and shield. Four inches long when closed, the Swiss Army Heritage carries the same lifetime warranty as other versions of the still-famous Swiss Army Knife. The 125th Anniversary Heritage is just like the old Soldier, except that modern materials and methods make it better.

Collectors of fine limited edition knives will also find the Lamborghini Extrema Ratio Reventon Folder of interest.

Find this Victorinox Heritage Pocket Knife:

• Click here to find this product at Amazon.com

Find this knife on eBay:

Victorinox 51884 Heritage Swiss Army Knife Black US $495.00   Auction Ends: 28d 5h 54m

Victorinox Swiss Army Heritage Pocket Knife 125 Anniv US $495.00   Auction Ends: 26d 17h 14m