Outdoors

Victorinox brings Swiss Army multitool magic to fixed-blade knife

Victorinox brings Swiss Army multitool magic to fixed-blade knife
Strap the Venture Pro knife to your belt or pack strap with the included holder, and you have a fire-starting fixed-blade multitool set at the ready
Strap the Venture Pro knife to your belt or pack strap with the included holder, and you have a fire-starting fixed-blade multitool set at the ready
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The Venture Pro hex hole at the base of the handle works with a lanyard or the available flat drill bit
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The Venture Pro hex hole at the base of the handle works with a lanyard or the available flat drill bit
The Victorinox Venture Pro comes with a black non-slip handle and a divot in the middle for use with a bow drill
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The Victorinox Venture Pro comes with a black non-slip handle and a divot in the middle for use with a bow drill
Available separately from the Venture Pro knife set, the Venture Pro Kit includes a pouch, two sharpening stones and a flat drill
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Available separately from the Venture Pro knife set, the Venture Pro Kit includes a pouch, two sharpening stones and a flat drill
Components of the $50 Venture Pro Kit, an add-on for the Pro knife
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Components of the $50 Venture Pro Kit, an add-on for the Pro knife
The full Venture collection includes the standard Venture knife, the Venture Pro knife, and the Venture Pro Kit
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The full Venture collection includes the standard Venture knife, the Venture Pro knife, and the Venture Pro Kit
Strapped up and ready to explore the wild
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Strapped up and ready to explore the wild
Strap the Venture Pro knife to your belt or pack strap with the included holder, and you have a fire-starting fixed-blade multitool set at the ready
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Strap the Venture Pro knife to your belt or pack strap with the included holder, and you have a fire-starting fixed-blade multitool set at the ready
Using the Venture Pro as part of a bow drill is one way the knife set starts a fire
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Using the Venture Pro as part of a bow drill is one way the knife set starts a fire
Venture Pro with available flat drill
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Venture Pro with available flat drill
Drilling wide holes with the Victorinox Venture Pro
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Drilling wide holes with the Victorinox Venture Pro
The Pro Kit sharpeners secure to the carry holder for sharpening the blade
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The Pro Kit sharpeners secure to the carry holder for sharpening the blade
The complete Venture Pro: knife, sheath/blow tube, belt loop holder, tweezers, fire steel and pressurized ballpoint pen
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The complete Venture Pro: knife, sheath/blow tube, belt loop holder, tweezers, fire steel and pressurized ballpoint pen
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The small blade on a Swiss Army knife can never replace a full-size fixed blade for critical tasks in the wild. On the other hand, a fixed-blade knife isn't the tool for starting a fire on its own or delicately removing a tick embedded in your neck. Official Swiss Army maker Victorinox uses its unparalleled multitool mastery to add that multifunctional capability to the new fixed-blade Venture Pro knife. Instead of integrating extra implements in the handle, the way it would a classic Swiss Army knife, it rolls fire-starting tools and other features into the carry system, maintaining a clean, smooth knife grip while adding a few functions that could save your life ... or just help you play Man vs. Wild.

Victorinox introduced a full Venture collection over the summer. Designed and developed in Switzerland, the new series aims to put more bushcraft capability into the hands of owners by pairing knives with some bonus features.

The highlight of the Venture Collection, in our humble opinion, the Venture Pro knife comes packaged with a carrying system comprising a sheath and a MOLLE-compatible belt carry holder. While it might seem a little bulky for those who prefer to carry the knife in just a sheath, the belt holder also houses neatly integrated tools: a fire steel, a pair of tweezers and a pressurized ballpoint pen.

The complete Venture Pro: knife, sheath/blow tube, belt loop holder, tweezers, fire steel and pressurized ballpoint pen
The complete Venture Pro: knife, sheath/blow tube, belt loop holder, tweezers, fire steel and pressurized ballpoint pen

The Pro's fire-making prowess continues with the 4.1-in (10.5-cm) bladed full-tang knife itself, on the handle of which users will find a divot designed to work with a bow drill as a second alternative for creating fire. Once that fire sparks, the sheath doubles as a blow tube to help nurture it into a full flame, then crackling blaze.

The tang end protruding out of the base of the Venture Pro's knife handle features a hex hole good for a lanyard, perhaps one made from fire-starting paracord to further streamline the fire-making process. The hole also works with the flat drill bit available as part of the add-on Venture Pro Kit, turning the knife into an effective hand drill.

Drilling wide holes with the Victorinox Venture Pro
Drilling wide holes with the Victorinox Venture Pro

The Venture Pro may not have all the bells and whistles of a true Swiss Army knife, but it is a nice way to squeeze a few extra functions out of the fixed-blade knife you're carrying anyway. It retails for $115 with the sheath, belt holder, fire steel, tweezers and ballpoint pen, and the Venture Pro Kit costs $50, adding two sharpening stones, the flat drill bit and a storage pouch.

Source: Victorinox

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2 comments
2 comments
mediabeing
I'll wait for the next version with the scissors in it; pliers would be even better.
Uncle Anonymous
I already have a good outdoors bushcraft knife in the guise of a Bark River Bravo 1. Why would I buy one of these when they don't even publish what type of steel the blade is made of? And as for the drill bit, seriously? Using that bit is going to take a lot more effort than I want to put into drilling a hole in a log or tree.