The maker of the Swiss Army Knife says is it working on a new model - without a blade.

Carl Elsener, chief executive of Victorinox, said a rise in regulation to tackle knife crime meant the company was developing a new version of its famous pocket tool. In an interview with Swiss newspaper Blick, he said: "We're concerned about the increasing regulation of knives due to the violence in the world.

"We're actually working on pocket tools without blades. For example, I have a cool tool for cyclists in mind.

"We already have a tool specifically for golfers in our range. Cyclists probably need special tools, but not necessarily a blade.

The blade creates a weapon image in some markets." Mr Elsener said Victorinox saw knife sales plummet by more than 30% "overnight" after the September 11 attacks in the US, telling Blick: "9/11 painfully showed us that we must not become dependent on a single business area." The Swiss Army Knife - first patented in 1897 - generally has a main blade plus other types of blades and tools including a screwdriver, a can opener, a saw blade and a pair of scissors. Under UK law, a person can only carry a knife in public if it has a folding blade that is less than three inches long.

Read more:Boeing delays first ever astronaut launchCalls for kebabs to be subsidised in Germany It is illegal to carry most other knives in public without a "good reason.