What's it got?
Take a deep breath: large blade, small blade, can opener, bottle opener, wire stripper, scissors, pliers, saw, fish scaler with hook disgorger, file, magnifying glass, reamer with sewing eye, corkscrew, chisel, screwdrivers, hook, ball point pen, toothpick and tweezers. That's the four-inch, top-of-the-range Swiss Champ. Or you can have the Bijou: half the length, five things.

No hoof pick, then?
Only on The Equestrian. You also get a divot fixer on the Golfer, a very nice gutting blade on the Hunter, and 13 different screwdriver heads on the the new Cybertool. One model has a watch, but none has a cuckoo clock.

Who owns one?
Each recruit to the Swiss Army since 1891, for a start. Nearly everyone else, as well: 65,000 are made every day. George Bush has several, as does top Swiss climber Jean Troillet. German astronaut Ulf Merbold took one on the Space Shuttle.

But is it really useful?
Well, a doctor used one for an emergency windpipe incision on a flight to Bangalore, and a man in New Zealand used one to prise open a car door and save a child from drowning. Photographers like the teeny-weeny tools. Women like them because they're natty. But wine drinkers say the corkscrew's not strong enough.

Who makes them?
Victorinox makes the "original Swiss Army knife", while Wenger makes "the genuine Swss knife". The Swiss Army buys from both, and there's a gentleman's agreement over healthy competition: very rational, very Swiss. Beware cunning imitations from China.

What's it cost?
Victorinox models range from £9.95 for the Classic to £49.95 for the Swiss Champ. Call 0116 2344644 for nearest stockist.

Wenger models from £8.95 for the Basic Picnic to £69.95 for the Wengergrip, UK dstributors: 01539 721032.