A Knife-Free MacGyver Knife Is Coming... Here's Why

MacGyver Knife Swiss Army Knife
Introducing Knife-Free Products Due to Global Weapon Regulations

Swiss Army Knife product image
[Photo by Victorinox]

The Swiss army knife, known as the "MacGyver knife" and synonymous with a versatile knife, will be released without a blade. MacGyver is an American TV drama popular worldwide in the 1980s and 1990s, featuring the protagonist MacGyver who overcomes crises by using his surroundings. The protagonist’s use of the Swiss-made multi-tool knife left a strong impression, leading to it being called the "MacGyver knife" globally.

It actually became famous after World War II when U.S. soldiers brought it back as a souvenir. Depending on the model, the multi-tool knife includes a blade as a basic feature, along with scissors, bottle and cork openers, saws, awls, screwdrivers, can openers, and more, with some products having over 40 functions. However, future new products will no longer include a blade.

Products with 39 functions (left) and 49 functions among Swiss Army knives are sold for 250,000 KRW and 410,000 KRW, respectively.
[Photo by Victorinox]

On the 6th, foreign media including Bloomberg reported an interview given by Victorinox CEO Carl Eisner to the Swiss media outlet Blick on the 5th. Eisner explained that the reason for releasing a blade-free MacGyver knife is due to increasingly strict global weapon regulations. He cited laws from the UK and Asian countries that only allow carrying knives at workplaces or during outdoor activities.

In December 2023, Swiss public broadcaster Swissinfo reported that a man in Osaka, Japan, was fined for carrying a Victorinox knife in his pocket, deemed a dangerous item. In South Korea, knives with blades longer than 6 cm generally require a permit, and even stationery cutters are classified as weapons. Instead, Victorinox plans to include scissors and cork openers as standard, along with tools for cyclists and other additional functions.