German Army Knife (Victorinox) Versus a CLONE!!!

The venerable German Army Knife (GAK) is a classic folding knife that makes an excellent EDC. BUT - You can't get hold of them anymore because they stopped issuing them.
You can, however, get a clone version - But are they any good?
Here I will test the original and a clone side by side.
Here is the link for the clone:
www.survivalaids.com/nato-pen...
Enjoy
Music - “Mockingbird” by David Mumford sourced from the Free Music Archive
Here is the link for Beavercraft’s web page:
For more about Greencraft follow this link:
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[@edpikestone6800]

My mother bought me the Mauser version when I was a teenager in the 80’s. I lost it years ago, but as luck would have it it turned up in a house move. I sent it to Victorninox who completely refurbed it. It is such a sentimental item I dare not use it - silly I known. Great knife.

[@swiggy03]

My mum brought me one back from Switzerland 1981 , it stays in my bed side draw , reminds me of my Old Mum

[@keithorbell8946]

They are worth a lot to collectors now, not as much as the unicorn that is the Walther version (exactly the same but with black scales and Walther markings), but still £75 plus depending on condition.

[@ProfessorBushcraft]

@@keithorbell8946 A good condition Mauser is worth at least £130 in the current market, more if in unused condition with original box.

[@keithorbell8946]

@@ProfessorBushcraft I did say depending on condition. I got mine about 5 years ago, with the box, for £45!

[@sosteve9113]

Great little knifes indeed,I have my SAK almost for two decades as a real edc tool

[@bronoun8884]

The mistletoe story had me wondering. Have you got a fat mate called Obelix ? 😂

[@Miclantechupi]

😂 If he grew out the beard I am thinking Getafix.

[@Miclantechupi]

Great content and I love the fact that you still have the original from when you were a kid. I still have my Swiss Army knife from when I was a Cub Scout, so probably around 1981. It is in perfect condition although my name is (really) crudely scratched on the scales with a compass point because people kept on nicking the things on camp. 🤣 I keep on thinking about replacing the scales with a set of titanium ones, but it seems a shame to bugger up originality though. I wouldn't EDC it now though - too afraid of losing a bit of history.

[@BourneOutside]

A great side by side, Neil. Thank you for doing that. Looks a worthy purchase.

[@Mugwumps107]

I gave mine away, regretted it instantly and regretted it even more when the ungrateful twunt I gave it to revealed what a twunt they are. I’d like to get another one.

[@simonh6371]

I like the snippets of you making a brew in a canteen cup with the birdsong in the background, can't beat making a brew in the woods. My first ever Vic was a GAK bought new in an army surplus/gear shop in 1991 in Darlington if I remember rightly, when I was in training in Catterick. Carried it throughout my 2 years posting in Germany and after I left until I lost it in 1996. 3 years ago decided I needed a pocket knife again and found out there weren't any Victorinox ones available new, so I bought a black Mil Tec replica like yours. I tested the saw on a piece of wood and it worked fine, then tried whitlling bits off it and saw black bits of something underneath, they were flakes from the oxide coating on the blade, perhaps 1mm thick, so I chucked it in the bin out of disgust. Then I bought myself a Vic Hiker as it has pretty much the same toolset as the current GAK. After that bought a Farmer, Soldier 08, and a Farmer X, and a number of other SAKs and folders, my latest acquisition being a Swisschamp. A couple of years ago I spotted a GAK replica on Heinnie Haynes for about 24 quid, advertised as a Fox Penknife 1042, and bought it. It isn't Fox knives of Maniago, Italy as it doesn't have their emblem on the blade, and it isn't old new stock i.e. a genuine issue GAK as it doesn't have any of the many Bundeswehr contract manufacturers' names or emblems on the blade tang, just the word Rostfrei. So I'm not sure where it was made or by whom. It may well be MFH (Max Fuchs Handelsgesellschaft, a trading company/importer not a manufacturer) as they call some of their products ''Fox Outdoors'', Fuchs being the German word for fox, but I'm not certain. But although lacking in the fit and finish of Vic and being a bit rough around the edges it is robust, has no blade play, strong back springs, and is up to the jobs my old Vic GAK used to perform. Not as good as a genuine new Vic GAK like the one I had but they are all but impossible to find.

[@broadlander1398]

Great video and a lovely story from way back when! It brings back memories of how as a youngster in the ‘70s we had to work, scrimp and save for Christmas and birthdays. I used to cut neighbours grass to get some pennies. Regards Broadlander

[@farquharwilson2523]

Great video, loved the wee story about your youth. I've had one of these knives for a while , they are good wee tools and decent value for money.

[@RicArmstrong]

Loved the video. I just ordered the locking version. I'm a truck driver here in America and a knife comes in handy on the road.

[@commonsense953]

There is another version of this knife. The one I have was bought in 1991 and is labelled “Mauser”. It is wider than the German army knife to incorporate a second large blade. This second blade is more pointed than the other main blade that is standard on victorinox knives. Other than that … it includes everything else that is an the German Army knife.

[@tonynapoli5549]

Mistletoe what a great story

[@garyrodriguez7078]

I loved the story. Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@denisoleary5302]

Hi, I managed to buy two of these a couple of years ago. What you forgot to point out, under UK law, apart from a locking blade,the blade is too long, so to comply I ground the blade down to just under 3 inch.

[@keithorbell8946]

I thought it was the cutting edge which was important, over 3 inches is against the Law. I just checked the length of the cutting edge on my Safari Trooper (civi version of GAK) an it’s 2 and 7/8 inches long, so it’s legal. Although I wouldn’t argue the toss with PC plod about it.

[@clivedunning4317]

​@@keithorbell8946The problem is a change in the way the law interprets the actual wording of the legislation. Until relatively recently only the cutting edge was to be measured for the "3inch rule". However, this has changed to include the entire blade and this means the bit at the bottom comes into the calculation. The blackbelt barrister has several posts on Utube concerning this subject if you'd like to find out more.

[@denisoleary5302]

@@keithorbell8946 Sorry, but I checked this last week, and it is the whole blade not just the cutting edge. I forget what case it was, but a Judge ruled this some time ago

[@keithorbell8946]

@@denisoleary5302 thank you for the clarification and I bow to you superior knowledge. In that case the blade is just over 3 1/4 inches and as you quite rightly say it is not legal to carry in the UK.

[@marksadventures3889]

Nice one Neil - interesting stuff - will check the link.

[@silvafox8371]

Another good review and video , and for a tenner can't go wrong - I'm after a M32 when the pocket money allows lol, take care & be safe

[@gwpattrick]

Yup, I had an Old Timer Knife. When I was a kid. Lost that, though. Had a couple of cheap knock off victorinox though the years but never worked good. Finally I bought a one handed trekker and the ranger grip 78. Love both knifes.

[@jelkeljelkel]

Have a Victorinox version, a B&H version and a Mil Tec version but in green with no coating. The B&H version is a bit rubbish, it looks like the company had an existing blade hanging around and just wedged it into the GAK even though it doesn't fit totally correctly. There were many companies that filled these government orders back in the day after Victorinox, not all did a good job. My Mil Tec is fine, doesn't keep an edge as long as the Victorinox but still a good little worker knife.

[@Pyjamarama11]

I have had the German Officers pocket knife in my EDC for years (single hand opening version) and it has never let me down.

[@justicar5]

Site claims it is 3cr13 which is low end knife stainless, not great, not terrible. Victorinox apparently uses X55CrMo14 which is tougher, but on a knife blade that size, how much that matters is up to you.

[@drivin69]

cool video wow thank you brother great kit cook kit as well cheers

[@BlackthornBushcraft]

I have a German Army clone, i bought the green/steel version my reamer is very sharp and pointy. Couple of minutes with a file and it was edc legal, why rish it for a cm or two? Great little knives for the price.

[@perebird]

A fine Victorinox investment very cheap from Endicotts at the WG a few years ago…as you advocated a while ago, I converted the blade shape to a lambs foot as a squaddie had chipped the end of the blade. It’s a firm favourite now 👍

[@exn207]

I always wonder that this knive has it's popularity outside Germany. We call it "Bw dull" (Bundeswehr dull) because so much of these knives were in a poor condition. A lot of service members used their own knives, the "dull" was used to open beer and wine bottles and spent most of it's time in your locker. Background: The knive is designed by Victorinox but a lot of other german producers made too. (With around 450.000 acitve service members and around 500.000 reserves in the 1980s you need a much bigger amount of these knives.) So a conscript for example entering service in 1988 had to deal with a 10 year old knive which has not the Victorinox quality and was used by 7-9 comrades before. In a setting where maintaining or sharpening was not provided. The German forces never used gear for maintaining the pocket knives. When your knive was finally out of service you brought it to the storage to get a better one. And perhaps they gave your out of service knive to a new guy entering service the next month.

[@keithorbell8946]

I collect Victorinox pocket knives, and I have a couple of GAK’s, plus the civilian version the Safari Trooper which has red scales. I bought one at the Bushcraft Show in 2021 from one of the Army Surplus stalls off the owner’s father for £25, it’s a cracking example, but the tip is a little bent.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

Don't try to straighten it, too much carbon, it'll snap...

[@keithorbell8946]

@@edwardfletcher7790 I don’t intend to

[@edwardfletcher7790]

@@keithorbell8946 Ask me how I know. My Swiss Champ has a tanto blade now ☹️

[@keithorbell8946]

@@edwardfletcher7790 oops

[@lumenzilla]

I couldn't afford the original Victorinox back then when I was kid. Even if I had the money, there's no single store selling original Victorinox at my hometown. After collecting enough money, I bought a clone from local supermarket and it did the job well during my Boy Scout time. Build quality was of course can't compete with the original.

[@inregionecaecorum]

I made the mistake some years ago of buying a Miltec GAK thinking it was the genuine article, really poorly put together, way too much lateral play in the blades. My goto knife nowadays is the victorinox farmer X.

[@nm-ge4tb]

yep totally agree

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

I received a virtually unused victorinox with saw cover from Varusteleka. This is one corkscrew That handily opens wine bottles. The rest is first rate. I have a serious lanyard of. Reflecting paracord, never lend it and use daily. The bottle opener held belly up is handy for lifting hot bale handles.

[@mwe1337]

I can't seem to go a week without using my leatherman witch has all these tools and but more..great video, all the best from Australia.

[@Mat-kr1nf]

I used to use my Leatherman Wave as my EDC, then our wonderful “caring” govt decided to ban locking knives and sheath knives in public, basically because it makes better newspaper lines and is far, far cheaper than actually spending money on youth clubs and providing positive role models to our kitchen knife wielding youth!🧐😩🤷‍♂️

[@mwe1337]

@@Mat-kr1nf pretty much the same out here too mate.

[@kenlang6672]

As you say the Mil Tech is budget friendly. An alternative might be the Victorinox camper at twice the price, $32 US. I own a Victorinox farmer but I wouldn't at today's $50 price tag. Great vid!

[@easygroove]

Victorinox, Switzerland, Stainless, Rostfrei is what is stamped into the blade ofmine - which ist an original one not braggin - providing reference ;-) best regards

[@JeanMartin-ks1yx]

Nice video. For 10 bucks, it's okay, although there are better options : you can always find a second-hand Victorinox Camper (has similiar features) for a few bucks more. I have the mil-tec version of the US army pocket knife and yes, you get what you pay for. Cheap but not great.

[@arthurlambart7115]

I bought mine at a gun show in Texas 40 + years ago.

[@tonyjedioftheforest1364]

I bought a version made by Aitor about 20 years ago used from an army surplus shop and still use it. The awl is very handy and the saw still razor sharp. Never measured the blade length but reading other comments it would appear that the total length is over 3 inches so I am going to check it. If it is then I will swap it out for a legal Swiss Army knife.

[@LAG3]

Now that gave me deja vu! I remember the local Army Surplus store carried all kinds of knives. I would spend hours in there as a kid. I completely forgot about Aitor knives. I'm off to use The Google!

[@John-wo5bp]

Neil interesting I prefure my swiss army knife with exellent saw on I use mire the small blade for carving tasks and such the main blade I modified to a sheep foot blade can't fault victorinox 👍🇬🇧🐾🦊

[@leeendley8009]

As you said Neil, no idea what the steel is, whereas Victorinox steel while not the best is pretty decent and tried and tested. I would say try and find an original genuine surplus one, if not get an SAK something like a Camper for 22 quid. That being said, people might like the look of it better than an SAK, and it's less than half the price, so for somebody on a tight budget, or somebody who is going to leave it in a toolbox or glovebox for rare occasional use, it probably serves a purpose. A lot is said about cheap chinese made knives, I've bought a couple in the past, and while clearly the quality isn't as good and the steel isn't as good, they can serve a purpose. I bought a Ganzo clone of a Spyderco Paramilitary 2, although they managed to add Benchmade's axis lock to it. It was about 15 quid and wasn't that bad, clearly nowhere near as good as a genuine PM2 , but the genuine one sells for over 10 times the price for 180 quid. So I think knives like this can serve a purpose and offer decent value.

[@lonewandererbushcraftwildc6822]

The originals are good & i have a Mauser but i use it quite often despite how rare they are. But i didnt want to just put it in a draw to gather dust its a working knife so should be used as such. But i wished it was a uk legal carry or i would carry it everydsy lol

[@TheDavewatts]

I did buy one of them when they were being sold as a German army pocket knife and not style pocket knife, I found it to be awful, loads of side to side movement to the blade. I do have an original German army pocket knife and there is a massive difference in strength and build quality. I can't speak about the NATO style one you own.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

The saw on the copy looks really crap. The angle of the teeth is wrong....

[@wallywo7392]

A good video, thanks for that. Unfortunately I can't bring myself to buy a penknife with a corkscrew on it, it's just a redundant tool for me that serves no other purpose.Shame it's not UK compliant, thanks for your hard. Enjoying the channel and these reviews. Is that a Casio G-Shock, if so do you rate it?

[@greencraft4783]

I tend to use the corkscrew for unjamming knots.

[@greencraft4783]

It's not a g-shock, it's a casio tough solar

[@wallywo7392]

@@greencraft4783 they're damn nice watches, built to last.

[@wallywo7392]

@@greencraft4783 never thought of that, that's a good idea, maybe I'll treat myself. Looking forward to the next video. Cheers

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

8.95 is a bargain even if it isn't as good as the original.

[@misolgit69]

being sold by Mil Tec it's highly likely it's made in China here's a bit of a silly fact Mil Tec are selling a direct copy, again from China, of the 60s West German Army 3 piece mess (the one based on the wartime M31 German kit)

[@mattyd9479]

3cr13 is the steel

[@kernowcrowuk192]

On hinine Haynes if you look up fox knives there’s a inox German style knife at a good price! I can’t find much online about them tho? 👍

[@simonh6371]

I don't think it's Fox Knives of Maniago, as it doesn't have their emblem on the tang/blade. It may well be from the ''Fox Outdoors'' range of MFH - Max Fuchs Handelsgesellschaft, an importer/trader, not a manufacturer. Fuchs is the German for fox.

[@simonh6371]

Anyway I bought one a couple of years ago. It's way better than the Mil Tec copies, I bought one in black like this a couple of years back and chucked it in the bin after black flakes started coming off the blade coating, like about 1mm thick! The Fox one is not as well finished as a Victorinox but it's rugged, no blade play, strong backsprings, and does the same jobs my old Vic GAK used to do before I lost it.

[@edpikestone6800]

Btw, Soldier of Fortune (UK) are selling the original pocket knife for £14.99. I just bagged one!

[@unpeeledbeetle210]

That’s a mil-tec clone.

[@TheDavewatts]

I was about to comment the same, I made a comment above about a copy version I just didn't name the brand, but it was mil Tec. I have an Alder Messer version. This is one of the companies who I believe took over making them in the mid 80s victorianox just supplied the parts. A much more solid knife.

[@richrichy7558]

Where’s it made?

[@stuartb9194]

No thoughts on intellectual property theft?

[@maxboonkittypoison]

Normally i'd like a good replica. But "almost as good" i'm not gonna bother. Also i don't like ww2 German army stuf. I have a nice Zwiss pocket knife black original and it did cost me 30 Euro and had to come and get it my self. But it is worth every bit. It is strong and it stays sharp. So i could newer go back to a rip off made in China. Would they make a better one then yes. No compromise on my part hahahahaha. Thanks for sharing a story. That is a nice thumbnail picture :)

[@simonh6371]

It's not a WW2 design, it's from the early 80s when the West German army started using them, until 2004 when they replaced it for the Soldier 08.

[@user-di1ub8ux6t]

I have mil-tec army knife but yours knife is bigger

[@kennethwilson8633]

Nice comparison but that’s not a knife…. Just kidding have fun stay safe.

[@user-nv8pq7zr8q]

Verbose

[@greencraft4783]

Yep 😃

[@paulbaumer8210]

I've got a couple of Victorinox versions and the Miltec. The Miltec is fine apart from a tiny amount of blade play which is only noticeable if you waggle the blade. I'd say the steel is as good as the Victorinox - but I suppose it varies from batch to batch.