The Victorinox and Wenger 1996 Soldier Swiss Army knives are a 93mm / 3 1/2" ribbed alox knife, with a 1996 date on the blade tang. This model was standard issue for the Swiss army during 1996. Knife features transitioned to the final form that they would keep until 2008, when Victorinox switched from sharp-edged openers to more rounded ones. '96 knives are otherwise similar to the prior 1995 Soldier, and the succeeding 1997 Soldier.