You don’t need to be a Scout to get daily use out of your Swiss Army Knife. And if yours has been collecting dust, consider turning to the iconic gadget for help around the house. The handy, multipurpose tool was designed to aid in a slew of chores in addition to all those hiking, camping and outdoor tasks.
“Blending expert artisanship with intelligent functionality, the Swiss-made knives offer up to 73 functions and provide smart solutions to master everyday life situations,” says Franziska Hoffmann-Fröde, head of the product category at Victorinox, the product’s primary manufacturer.
If you’ve acquired your very own Swiss Army knife — or a comparable small multitool — and are searching for inspiration, look no further than these eight tips to take full advantage of your purchase. It may even replace some of your go-to cooking gadgets or household tools.
1. Peeling fruits and vegetables
Your Swiss Army Knife is a capable vegetable peeler.
Avocado-cutting hand injuries, be gone! Many knives and multitools contain both small and large blades to safely peel fruits and veggies. The small blade is ideal for peeling practically any type of produce while the large blade is “precise and handy” for other tasks such as slicing apples and bananas, Hoffmann-Fröde says.
2. Scaling fish
Whether you’re enjoying the fruits of your fishing trip or preparing a fresh cut from the supermarket, a fish scaler works astonishingly well at — you guessed it — scaling fish. Now your filets will be free of the scales and skin that can overpower a dish.
3. Pruning plants and flowers
The small utility blade is great for cleaning grime out of small grooves and other tight spots.
The flathead screwdriver can also assist with kitchen clean-up in hard-to-reach places, especially in the space between your countertop and stove. “Gently push or scrape to dislodge crumbs, grease or other sticky substances,” says Hoffmann-Fröde.
6. Deciphering fine print
Labels, expiration dates and cookbook text can be aggravatingly tiny and challenging to read. Luckily, your Swiss Army knife has a magnifying glass to make out the fine print and ensure that you use the right amount of (unexpired!) ingredients.
7. Cutting seals and opening wine
The fish scaler tool is the piece with the jagged edge on a Swiss Army knife.
Before you partake in the aforementioned kitchen activities, becoming more familiar with the Swiss Army knife’s features is important. The standard Huntsman model from Victorinox touts a whopping 15 tools, including large and small blades, corkscrew, reamer, punch and sewing awl, scissors, wood saw, multipurpose hook, key ring, tweezers, toothpick, can opener, bottle opener, wire stripper and two screwdrivers.
