Once upon a time, the Swiss Army, with its band of bicycling volunteers, could rest easy knowing that its reputation as a peace-loving, neutral country meant little chance of attack. There was simply no need for AK-47s and Hueys. Instead, the volunteers could get back to the simple life of banking and cuckoo clocks. There was, however, still paper to cut. Splinters to remove. Wood to fashion into walking sticks. Fire to make. Not to mention the myriad other assorted mundanities of life. It was then that Wenger stepped into the breach by inventing a global best-seller - and created a true icon: the Swiss Army Knife. The Wenger Evolution 81 knife is the latest generation of ergonomically shaped tools, most pleasing on the eye and in the hand. Authentic to the core, it comes with an array of no fewer than six handy implements versatile enough to keep even a Swiss Brigadier happy, including a pen blade, scissors, nail file, toothpick and tweezers. Best of all is its size.

Measuring-up at a compact 2.5 inches (or 6 centimetres, to use the Swiss measure) it's handy enough to pop in your combat trousers, or handbag if you're a lady soldier. Then it's Lausanne here we come for some serious nail-filing action.