Karl Elsener (inventor)

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Karl Elsener
Karl Elsener.jpg
Karl Elsener
Born(1860-10-09)9 October 1860
Died26 December 1918(1918-12-26) (aged 58)
Occupation(s)Knife cutler and entrepreneur
Children1

Karl Elsener (9 October 1860 - 26 December 1918) was a Swiss cutler, inventor and entrepreneur. [1]

Contents

Karl Elsener completed an apprenticeship as a knife maker in Zug. After some journeyman years he opened a factory in Ibach, Switzerland [2] in 1884 for the manufacture of knives and surgical instruments. [3] He started production of the Swiss army knife in Switzerland in 1891 and developed his knife manufacturing company into what has become Victorinox. [4]

From 1912 to 1918 Elsener was a member of the cantonal parliament of the Canton of Schwyz. He was married three times.

After him his son, Carl Elsener (1886-1950), and his grandson Carl Elsener senior (1922-2013) and his great-grandson Carl Elsener Jr. (born 1958) led the Victorinox company.

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References

  1. 19th-Century Alpine Origins Encyclopedia.com
  2. "Carl Elsener". The Telegraph. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  3. "The Swiss Army Knife is Headed For the U.S. Army". Warfare History. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  4. Prestes a fazer 130 anos, canivete suíço abre vinhos, salva vidas e ajuda no parto de jumentas Jornal Folha de SP

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