Which Swiss Army Knife Has The Most Tools & How Much Does It Cost?

There are many different kinds of Swiss Army Knife, but a standard model comes with around seven to 12 different functions layered between its two scales. Some have less, like the minimalist Escort, while others have many, many more. Only one Swiss Army Knife can claim to have more tools than any other, though: the Wenger Giant, which comes with a whopping 141 functions. With so many implements, it's not just an all-in-one toolkit that you can hold in your hand — it's an entire hardware store.

Its official name is the "Wenger 16999," but its common moniker "Giant" is more appropriate. It doesn't just have more tools than any other model, it's also the largest of its kind. That makes sense, given how many implements are squeezed in between its two scales, which only come in traditional red. The 141 functions of the SAK come from 87 distinct tools integrated into its design. The Giant is over nine inches wide and weighs more than three pounds, though it's still just a few inches long. The typical handle size of a medium-sized Swiss Army Knife, such as the Spartan or Hiker. This not only makes it very odd-looking, but also not very practical to use as an actual tool.

Wenger knew this when it made the Giant, though, and it was never intended to be as functional as its smaller siblings. Instead, it's considered a collector's item meant to be showcased rather than used. As such, the Giant also comes with an official display case and even a certificate of authenticity from Guinness World Records, which proclaims it as "the most multifunctional penknife." Originally, the Wenger Giant cost around $1,400. However, you likely won't find the multi-tool at that price these days and can expect to pay a lot more.

The Wenger Giant was first sold in 2000, with just 25 units built, though it was produced for the masses in 2007. The Wenger in its name refers to the original company that designed and manufactured the Giant. While there are many multi-tools on the market, only two companies have historically sold the official or genuine Swiss Army Knife — Wenger and Victorinox. Victorinox merged with Wenger in 2005 and Wenger's products were either discontinued or incorporated into Victorinox's roster of SAKs — including the Giant, which ceased production around 2013.

For a while, you could still find it available from some retailers like Amazon and KnifeCenter after it had been discontinued, but eventually that stock dwindled to zero. Today, you can only purchase the Wenger 16999 from more niche sellers, including collectors and secondary marketplaces like eBay. Even at its original list price of $1,400, the Wenger Giant is one of the most expensive Swiss Army Knife products ever made.

Since it's both a collector's and a discontinued item, with no new models being made, its value has gone way up. For example, one eBay listing has it priced at nearly $5,000. A British retailer has another listed for about $7,100. A redditor on r/SwissArmyKnives found one Giant going for $16,800. Since you'd be buying a Wenger Giant for around the same price as you might a used car, you'd likely want to treat it as a collector's item and not use it for everyday tasks or DIY projects. But, if you really wanted to, you'd have no shortage of tools at your disposal.

Wenger would release a slightly updated version of the Giant each year, with the intent of including all tools that could be found across its current SAK models. At one point, it even came with a laser pointer, though this was removed for legal reasons. For the most part, though, its roster of implements stayed roughly the same each year. Its 87 distinct tools are built across 49 different layers stacked alongside each other. Because some tools can be used in multiple ways, the tool has a total of 141 functions. For example, there are at least seven different ways you can use the fish scaler on the Swiss Army Knife and at least six alternative uses for the sewing awl.

The Giant is equipped with 14 different blades. At one point, Wenger stopped sharpening the blades when selling the SAK, since the company meant it to be a collector's item and sought to prevent accidental cuts when people showed off the tool. In addition to the blades, fish scaler, and sewing awl, some of the tools that make up the Wenger Giant include several different-sized flathead and Phillips-head screwdrivers, as well as scissors, needle-nose pliers, an allen wrench, a ruler, a magnifying glass, a telescopic pointer, a tire tread gauge, a compass, a flashlight, and many, many others.

The Giant also includes implements commonly found on standard SAKs, such as tweezers, a toothpick, and a twisty tool that comes in very handy when you need to open a bottle of wine. Of course, given the size of the Giant, if you really want to use these tools practically, you're better off with a more modestly-sized Swiss Army Knife.

While the Wenger Giant has the distinction of having more tools than any other Swiss Army Knife, there are other models with many more implements than a standard SAK. Victorinox gives many of its largest Swiss Army Knives a variation of the name "Champ," such as the SwissChamp XAVT. Like the Giant, the XAVT is now discontinued, but it still holds the record for having more functions than any other Victorinox SAK, with 80 in total built across 15 layers.

The XAVT was succeeded by the Swiss Champ XXL — which was designed with 73 functions — though this tool was also recently discontinued and is currently out of stock on Victorinox's website. The Swiss Champ XXL can still be found at retailers like Amazon, however, and while it's much more expensive than standard SAKs, it has a more reasonable price than the Wenger Giant (around $400).

While the SwissChamp XAVT and XXL can more easily fit in your hand and weigh considerably less than the Giant, they're still pretty cumbersome to use and are seen more as collector's items. If you're looking for a Swiss Army Knife for everyday use that still is jam packed with tools, the Work Champ XL finds a happy medium between functionality and practicality. The Work Champ XL is still in production and measures 4.4 inches long and 1.6 inches thick. It weighs 12 ounces and comes with 31 functions, including a wood saw, hoof cleaner, marlin spike, and combination pliers. While this is still a lot of tools for a Swiss Army Knife, it looks downright minimalist when compared to the Wenger Giant.