My First Wenger Swiss Army Knife (Not MacGyver's Victorinox)

Speaking of the first knife in my life, it was a multi-tool I received decades ago during elementary school. My motivation was much like that of countless other young boys: we were utterly enchanted by the hit TV series MacGyver, admiring his quick-witted resourcefulness and the miraculous Swiss pocket knife in his hand that seemed capable of resolving any crisis.

For elementary school kids back then, the undisputed highlight of every week was that 30-minute MacGyver broadcast on weekend evenings. Naturally, every kid yearned for a dashing Swiss Army knife of their own.

During one outing with my mother through Taipei’s bustling Shilin Night Market, I unleashed a child’s greatest superpower: pleading and whining with all my might in hopes that she would buy me the multi-tool I had coveted for so long. For reasons unknown, luck was entirely on my side that evening: my mother agreed without the slightest hesitation, which nearly startled me out of my wits.

And just like that, my very first folding pocket knife came home with me.

It was only many years later after growing up that I realized the multi-tool bought that evening was actually made by Wenger, rather than MacGyver’s famed Victorinox. Nevertheless, both Swiss brands produce legendary, world-class knives.

Because I was still far too young at the time, practical everyday opportunities to use it were sparse—to say nothing of the sheer trouble carrying a knife to elementary school would have caused. Consequently, that multi-tool remained safely tucked away in my desk drawer for years.

It wasn’t until I attended Hsinpu Junior College of Technology (today’s St. John’s University) studying electronic engineering that the knife finally saw the light of day. Between campus student activities and demanding laboratory workshops, I constantly needed various hand tools.

Carrying around a heavy tool pouch all day was cumbersome, which jogged my memory about that multi-tool stashed away long ago. I rummaged through old storage boxes and brought it back into active service.

From that moment forward, it rarely left my pocket whenever I ventured out. It was ridiculously practical: compact and discreet, yet packed with versatile utility. Tucked inside a pocket, nobody suspected you were carrying a veritable portable toolbox.

That said, childhood greed had led me to choose the hefty 30-function behemoth. Packing so many tools meant several specialized implements went largely untouched, making it slightly excessive and undeniably heavy.

Nowadays, across countless tasks—tearing down computer cases, stripping electrical wires, removing fishhooks, or crafting small wooden artifacts—I can reliably get the job done with a Swiss Army knife. I once crossed paths with a fellow enthusiast, and we hit it off immediately, discussing the finer points of Swiss blades. That, I believe, is the enduring charm of the Swiss Army knife: elegant, functional, and universally beloved.

• Product Reference: Swiss Army Knife / Folding Pocket Knife
• Original Draft Written: September 28, 2002 @ 12:35