Swiss Army Knives

From childhood, I have been intrigued with multifunctional, Swiss Army style knives. The first one that I ever owned was a Japanese knockoff that was acquired at a flea market at about the time that I was a Cub Scout. While not of exceptional quality, it was functional and included a hobo tool that certainly boosted its "cool factor", even though I do not recall ever eating with it. Since then, I have tried to keep a knife of this style handy because its compact, no nonsense functionality makes it a dependable tool of preparedness that is used almost every day.

The original Swiss Army Knife, the Model 1890, was produced by Wester & Co. in Solingen, Germany. This knife, which was somewhat bulky, contained a blade, reamer, can opener, and a screwdriver. Towards the end of 1891, Karl Elsner began producing the Model 1890 knife and in 1896, he designed a new one, the “Schweizer Offiziers und Sportsmesser” (the Swiss Officers and Sports Knife) which had a new spring mechanism that facilitated the addition of a smaller blade and corkscrew. Elsner's company ultimately became Victorinox, which still produces the iconic Swiss Army Knife.

When I was in high school, I can recall arguing with a buddy as to which of us had a "real" Swiss Army Knife. I had a Victorinox and he had a Wenger and each of us vociferously contended that our respective knives were bona fide. As it turns out, we were both right. In 1893, Paul Boéchat & Cie, which was acquired by Theodore Wenger and renamed the Wenger Company, began selling a similar knife and in 1908, the government contract for Swiss Army Knives was split between the two companies.

Over the years, many companies have produced knives of the Swiss Army style and pattern which have ranged from poor to excellent in quality. The general purpose pocket knife that served the US military for generations, the MIL-K 818, is an example of an excellent Swiss Army style knife as are many vintage Boy Scout knives which are built along this pattern. My father's Boy Scout Knife, which was made by Kutmaster and is pictured above, beneath a Victorinox Super Tinker, shows the wear of approximately fifty years of regular, utilitarian service. Of course, only Swiss Army knives produced by Victorinox (The Master Craftsman and the Astronaut models) have the distinction of being officially issued by NASA and used in space.

A Swiss Army Knife or a quality imitation is imminently useful and it fills the niche between between a simple pocket knife and bulky multi-tool that requires a sheath. How many times have you wished that you had tweezers or a toothpick at hand? Have you become spoiled by the twist caps of domestic beers only to be defeated by the traditional cap of a quality micro brew or import? Have you ever needed to adjust the windage on your adjustable rear sight but had no small screw driver available? Have you ever broken a can opener in the midst of preparing dinner?

Such petty inconveniences are easily overcome with a Swiss Army Knife and while amusing, they provide a point of reflection upon the utility and flexibility that such a compact and easily carried tool can provide in an emergency or survival situation. Moreover, the more basic models are no more expensive than other quality pocket knives and are periodically offered at a bargain. The Victorinox Super Tinker, pictured above, was recently acquired from a Wal-Mart clearance rack for $17 which makes it a practical and cost effective addition to any preparedness inventory.

The Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader for Defense and Survival

Hurricane Katrina provided a glaring example of the jeopardy that can become present when typical municipal services are disrupted by a natural disaster. A successful terrorist attack could cause a man-made disaster of greater proportions, resulting in even lengthier disruptions of services. Current economic turmoil and political tension present realistic concerns regarding civil unrest and images of the mayhem of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992 easily come to mind. In such situations, a reliable and effective firearm could be invaluable to the preservation of self and family. Those who have not included a firearm in their emergency or “survival” preparations due to tight, recessionary budgets should consider the Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader.

Introduced in 1961, the Mossberg 500 has proven itself to be a reliable pump action shotgun that remains popular with hunters and law enforcement agencies alike. With the addition of a metal safety, metal trigger guard, and bayonet lug, the Mossberg 500 became the 590A1 which is used by the U.S Military. In its Special Purpose Persuader form, the Mossberg 500 provides a proven, no nonsense, defense ready 12 gauge platform with an 18 inch cylinder bore barrel, three inch chamber, five shot magazine (with 2 and ¾ inch shells), and a bead front sight that can occasionally be purchased new for under $300 and for substantially less when found used. This is quite a bargain, considering the well regarded effectiveness of the twelve gauge shotgun as a short range defensive weapon (about twenty-five yards with buckshot and about forty yards with rifled slugs shot with a bead sight).

While primarily configured for defense, (i.e. as a “riot gun”) the Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader does have the flexibility to take a variety of game from squirrels to deer with proper ammunition within the modest effective ranges provided by its cylinder bore and bead sight. Some, who interpret survival as foraging for food and living off of the land, may criticize these limitations. However, for most, survival will mean either weathering the storm until services are restored or evacuating to a safer location, perhaps to the homes of friends or relatives, as quickly as possible. In either instance, taking game will be happenstance at best, dictated by opportunity, circumstance, and individual hunting skills (or lack thereof). Thus, while the option to collect game could be valuable, the primary purpose of a firearm that is incorporated into emergency preparations (especially if only one firearm is available) should be defense and the Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader is well suited for this role.

Sometimes, the Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader comes with a pistol grip that can be optionally installed in place of the butt in order to convert it to the more compact, Cruiser version. Some will be tempted by this because it looks “cool”, allows the shotgun to be stored in a tight space, and perhaps even carried in some duffel bags or backpacks. Unfortunately, this greatly compromises the effectiveness and utility of the shotgun by rendering it awkward and best suited for extremely close ranges. A better solution which provides a compact package without sacrificing serviceability is a folding or collapsible stock as manufactured by Knoxx SpecOps and ATI, respectively.

Shotguns are occasionally recommended for the unskilled and chosen for defensive applications with the erroneous belief that all that is necessary is to point one in the general direction of the target, pull the trigger, and the scattering shot will do the rest. Nothing could be further from the truth and it is quite possible to miss with a shotgun, even at very close range. Shotguns require the same commitment to safety and the acquisition and maintenance of fundamental marksmanship skills that are necessary for the effective use of any firearm. Additionally, if a pump action shotgun such as the Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader is chosen for a defensive application, combat loading from a shell carrier is a skill that must be learned and practiced so that the shotgun can be kept in action in the event that the magazine runs dry.

The Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader is a proven design that is reliable yet inexpensive enough to be acquired despite the constraints of a lean budget. It offers the flexibility necessary to provide for both opportune foraging and effective self defense in emergency situations, provided one develops the skills necessary to effectively use it. The Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader should not be overlooked as a viable tool for self defense and survival, especially if one is limited to just a single firearm.