If, like me, you struggle to think of original ideas for presents for the men in your life, then why not take a trip down to the Victorinox Brand Store & Museum in the town of Brunnen (about a 30 minutes drive south of Luzern) where you can assemble your own Swiss Pocket Knife?
Under expert supervision you can make up the popular ‘Spartan’ model which has 11 tools (including corkscrew, can and bottle openers and 2 blades) and comprises 27 separate parts. After you have finished assembling your knife you can then have it engraved making it a truly unique gift. The process takes around 15 minutes and costs just CHF30.
I visited the centre last week with my two daughters as wanted to find a special gift for my father-in-law’s 70th birthday. Adults and children over 6 are allowed to assemble the knives which meant that my eldest daughter of 7 was able to make up the knife on her own (under supervision of course!). The man who helped us spoke great English and was brilliant with children – he even allowed my 5 year old to assist with the less tricky parts! Both girls were delighted with the final product and so pleased with themselves for having taken part. I hope their grandpa is equally as pleased when he opens his present!
[Top tip, make sure you bring your camera to keep a record of the assembly so you can show the recipient the effort that went into their gift!]
You need to contact the centre ahead of your visit to make a reservation for knife assembly – further information including contact details can be found on the Swiss Knife Valley website.
Many Thanks to Susan Williamson for this post!
