Swiss Army Cadet: Updated Style on a Classic Design

The Swiss Army knife has been a staple in the knife community for over 100 years. Most people think of red plastic, a corkscrew, tweezers, toothpick, a blade and some other tools. The Victorinox Swiss Army Cadet breaks the typical plastic handled mold with an all textured aluminum handle. The Cadet doesn’t include tweezers, toothpick, or corkscrew; but does include everything you need for everyday tasks.

First and foremost, this is a Swiss Army knife, the primary tool is the large single blade. The 2.5 inch blade is well suited for daily tasks including impromptu food prep. The other tools include a nail file, can opener, small screwdriver, bottle opener, large screwdriver, and wire stripper. All of these tools are tightly packed into the small size of the Cadet, which has an overall length of just 3.25” and weighs less than 2 ounces.

With the small size this knife can be easily carried several ways. My preferred method is in the 5th/key pocket in a pair of jeans, but it can also be attached to a set of keys with the included key ring, or loosely in a pocket. I’ve never thought of carrying a Swiss Army knife, until I received one as a gift, but it was much more useful than I thought it would be.

For not much more than a basic Swiss Army Classic, the Cadet is a good choice for an everyday carry multi-tool. One added bonus of the aluminum scales is the addition of an engraving panel on the back of the knife. Aluminum engraves to a brilliant white color on any of the multiple color choices that the Cadet is available in. This makes it a great gift for groomsmen, graduate, or the boy / girl scout in your life.