Boker Arbolito 'El Gigante' Bowie knife added to my collection... I'm impressed!

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
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I'm one who collects all sorts of "things" as a hobby. It's an eclectic collection that ranges from the items being of current day manufacture, to vintage, to being antique.
That said, traditional knives still do make up the bulk of my hobby.
Well, while I was perusing some online knife sites, I stumbled upon this Boker Arbolito 'El Gigante' model bowie knife, (made in Argentina).
It caught my eye so much, that my desire to have it came almost instantly. So, I did the impulse buying thing, placing my order for it a few days ago and receiving it today.
Here's the product information that was on the dealer's website...

*9-3/8" blade.

*Bohler N690 stainless steel. (I believe this is an upgrade from the previous N695 steel they were using for this model).

*Hardness 57-59 Rc.

*Stainless Steel Guard.

*Red Deer Stag handle scales from the Red Deer Antlers imported into Argentina from Europe.

*Red fiber liners that separate the scales from the tang.

*14-3/4" overall length.

*1 lb. 0.4 oz. weight.

I love this new acquisition!
Zero regrets on this impulse buy.

I hadn't realized that Boker was producing knives in Argentina with such impressive execution!

While I'm truly impressed with this knife's styling and overall build quality, it's the tapered full tang that I feel really gives it that extra final touch 👍😊👍








In recent times, when coming across Boker knives online, it seemed confusing as to what was a true Boker made knife, and what was a contracted out product for them.
Before buying this knife, I finally did a search engine look up on what the deal was with knives sold by Boker.
Well, it's not as complicated as I first thought. Boker owns/runs two knife manufacturing facilities. These two facilities are located in two places, one being in Solingen, Germany, with the other being in Buenos Aires, Argentina (which is their Arbolito branch.
All other Boker knives that are made elsewhere, are contracted out to other manufacturers in different places worldwide.
The quality of the contracted out knives run the gamut of being anywhere from being pretty budget type, to quite expensive high quality items.
So, the knives made in the Buenos Aires, Agentina 'Arbolito' facility are actually Boker made knives, just not being their Soligen, Germany made knives.
I guess that explains a lot on why my new Boker Arbolito knife seems so impressively executed to me, and that's because it actually is a Boker made product 👍
 
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One of the things I enjoy about my collecting hobby, is learning all sorts of facts and/or history about any given object.

Well, I did some poking around online to see what I may uncover about my recently acquired Boker Arbolito model 'El Gigante'.
My search included not only landing on the Boker USA and German websites, but also lead me to checking out Boker's Arbolito branch website in Argentina itself, (where the 'El Gigante' is produced).
While checking out an online 2018 catalog that they allow access to on their site, the first thing I Iearned was that they do not call this model the 'El Gigante' in their own catalog, instead they call it their model 'Toro' (translates to 'Bull').
The other thing I read in their catalog, was their sharing the same basic story about how this model and AG Russell had some history.
The story is that they at Boker Arbolito had designed the knife and made a Prototype. They showed the prototype to AG Russell, and he apparently loved the idea, but that he injected some of his own ideas that he thought would really improve the package. The Arbolito website only states that AG Russell recommended lengthening the blade by an inch, (which they did).
On the other hand, the AG Russell website states that he only recommended that Arbolito offer it with Stag handle scales, (which they did).

So, it seems that the 'El Gigante' having a 9+ inch blade, and being offered in Stag, can be traced back to AG Russell' input.

I found it pretty cool that they acknowledged the contribution made by AG Russel in their catalog.





And, yes, it is obviously written in Spanish because that is the main language in Argentina. So, you just got to trust me that they do indeed mention the AG Russell tidbit in their catalog, (I'm bilingual, English/Spanish).

www.bokerarbolito.com.ar

Böker Arbolito Catálogo 2018

Böker Arbolito Catálogo 2018
www.bokerarbolito.com.ar www.bokerarbolito.com.ar

There is no mention as to why they call it the 'Toro' over there, and why it's the 'El Gigante' over here.
I know similar things happen with car models, where the same car may be named differently in different markets that they are sold in. That said, I have no clue why this knife is named differently in the two countries.
One thing would have needed to be changed if they had stuck with 'Bull' as it's model designation over here, they would have at least needed to add the word "The" to it. I mean just using the name 'Bull' wouldn't have sounded right in English for naming a knife... But, designating it as 'The Bull", now that would have worked out just fine 😊

Btw, something else that I noticed when searching out sellers offering the 'El Gigante' knife... It seems that only AG Russell has them with the Stag/N690 stainless steel combo. All others I have seen have been with the N695 stainless steel.


Here is a link to a video done by 'WeAllJuggleKnives' in which he gives a little overview of the 'El Gigante'. His shown in the video had not yet been made with the N690 steel, but rather with the N695 steel. His sheath is a wee bit different as well. These are obviously small changes that are sometimes made with production knives...

 
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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
One of the things I enjoy about my collecting hobby, is learning all sorts of facts and/or history about any given object.

Well, I did some poking around online to see what I may uncover about my recently acquired Boker Arbolito model 'El Gigante'.
My search included not only landing on the Boker USA and German websites, but also lead me to checking out Boker's Arbolito branch website in Argentina itself, (where the 'El Gigante' is produced).
While checking out an online 2018 catalog that they allow access to on their site, the first thing I Iearned was that they do not call this model the 'El Gigante' in their own catalog, instead they call it their model 'Toro' (translates to 'Bull').
The other thing I read in their catalog, was their sharing the same basic story about how this model and AG Russell had some history.
The story is that they at Boker Arbolito had designed the knife and made a Prototype. They showed the prototype to AG Russell, and he apparently loved the idea, but that he injected some of his own ideas that he thought would really improve the package. The Arbolito website only states that AG Russell recommended lengthening the blade by an inch, (which they did).
On the other hand, the AG Russell website states that he only recommended that Arbolito offer it with Stag handle scales, (which the did).

So, it seems that the 'El Gigante' having a 9+ inch blade, and being offered in Stag, can be traced back to AG Russell' input.

I found it pretty cool that they acknowledged the contribution made by AG Russel in their catalog.






And, yes, it is obviously written in Spanish because that is the main language in Argentina. So, you just got to trust me that they do indeed mention the AG Russell tidbit in their catalog, (I'm bilingual, English/Spanish).

There is no mention as to why they call it the 'Toro' over there, and why it's the 'El Gigante' over here.
I know similar things happen with car models, where the same car may be named differently in different markets that they are sold in. That said, I have no clue why this knife is named differently in the two countries.
One thing would have needed to be changed if they had stuck with 'Bull' as it's model designation over here, they would have at least needed to add "the" to it. I mean just 'Bull' does not sound right in English for naming a knife... But, designating it as 'The Bull", now that would have worked out just fine 😊
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Thanks for the great info - I have been looking at this knife for some time now - maybe one day I will pull the trigger. Also concerning Boker - Boker Plus is their Premium line. Boker Magnum is of a lesser quality by far. Just an FYI - the Chevy Nova did not sell well in Mexico back in the day : )
 
Your Name Goes Here said:
Thanks for the great info - I have been looking at this knife for some time now - maybe one day I will pull the trigger. Also concerning Boker - Boker Plus is their Premium line. Boker Magnum is of a lesser quality by far. Just an FYI - the Chevy Nova did not sell well in Mexico back in the day : )
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From what I gathered watching their videos and reading info on various websites, Boker only runs two factories. Therefore, only the factories that they run, make the true Boker made knives. The two facilities they own and run are in Germany and Argentina.
All their other lines are contracted out to other manufacturers around the globe, including in places like Italy and China.
These contracted out knives run the gamut, from very basic lower end, to very high quality, (like some of the models they have made by Fox of Italy).

And, yes, the Chevy 'Nova' had a terrible name for marketing in Spanish speaking nations. Why, some may ask? Well, 'no-va' means 'won't-go' or 'no-go' in Spanish... Just not a model designation you want on your car, lol! 😉
 
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What have you used the bowie for so far? Does it handle well? Good edge geometry and durability? I have a big german bowie made for Gutman that I use for breaking up wood chunks for the grill and on thick weeds.
 

brownshoe said:
What have you used the bowie for so far? Does it handle well? Good edge geometry and durability? I have a big german bowie made for Gutman that I use for breaking up wood chunks for the grill and on thick weeds.
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My purchase of this knife is like most of my other knife purchases... Just another addition to my collection.
There are some reviews on youtube concerning this knife, and it seems that the consensus is that it is a solid user, but not as heavy duty, (in blade thickness or in forward weight), to make for the best choice in the chopping and battoning arena. I think the Cold Steel Trailmaster, (although, like the El Gigante, has a full flat grind), would be the much better choice for those duties if they are to be commonplace for the knife's chores. The Trailmaster will have more blade forward weight to help in chopping, and a thicker blade for a better wedge in battoning.
Anyhow, I can vouch for the El Gigante's final fit & finish execution, (based on my own specimen), and the 'Wealljuggleknives' video I shared above, does the same.
As for it's performance as a user, there are some videos of it on youtube, which I do recommend looking up and watching. I myself watched a few of them, and it does seem to be a well received big outdoor knife.
 
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Hi PocketKnifejim , Must admit I really like the Arbolito Toro or El Gigante and its smaller brother the Esculta . In the future I am considering buying one or the other but when looking on a British sellers site I noticed he is selling it as the Toro and has a picture of the model No2 onthat page which shows a smooth Guayacan wood handle which I like . Ive tried to get this particular model up on youtube but without success ,
 
bigeard09 said:
Hi PocketKnifejim , Must admit I really like the Arbolito Toro or El Gigante and its smaller brother the Esculta . In the future I am considering buying one or the other but when looking on a British sellers site I noticed he is selling it as the Toro and has a picture of the model No2 onthat page which shows a smooth Guayacan wood handle which I like . Ive tried to get this particular model up on youtube but without success ,
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I think the Arbolito knives are found in micarta (or maybe they're actually G10?), and in the wood, more often than the stag handled versions. I believe it was A.G. Russell that persuaded Boker to offer them in stag, but they are nice in any handle flavor.
👍🙂👍
 
This is a bit of a late reply. I generally don't own things "too pretty to use." That said, one of the few things I have bought purely as an objet d'art, with virtually no intent whatsoever to use it, is this very knife. Not only is it well made, but it has soooo much character.

The shape of the blade:
Not having an over the top upswept point
The beautifully executed flat grind (no hollow grind here!)
The very slight, but present, recurved edge that "flows with" the downturned handle
The tapered tang that PKJimmy has noted
The looooong swedge
The very present ricasso.

The simple, but thick, solid guard. (no sheet metal here.)

The stag on most examples is nice.

And is has a nice sheath to boot.

It is elegant. It does not scream for attention like "fantasy knife", but it catches the eye (at least mine and PKJimmy's.) It looks good sitting on the desk, just temping one to pick it up and unsheath it. (I don't think I could display mine behind glass such that I couldn't handle it.)

Yes PKJimmy, after I spotted it in the A. G. Russell catalog, I resisted much longer than you, a few years in fact, saying I really had no use for it. But eventually, I too succumbed. That said, I will someday at least carve a turkey, a roast, or something.

Gun Doc out.
 
Beautiful knife! Not a big fan of recurves, but I've always thought it looks pretty sexy on this model. Beautiful sheath too.
 
Trubetzkoy, in general, I too am not a fan of recurves. It works on this knife because it is a very subtle recurve and because it flows with the downturned handle. If you look at the knife and imagine a straight handle, the recurve would seem out of place. If you imagine no recurve with the current handle, the knife wouldn't be as attractive. I believe this was intentional on Boker's part, because there is even a bit of recurve in the sheath.

Edit to add that the knife also feels good in the hand, at least my hand.
 
BTW, since my last post I have discovered that as best as I can ascertain, this knife is no longer in production with a stag handle. However, there is a 2.0 version that has what appears to be a brass guard with a different shape, and a different arrangement of attaching the stag slabs to the handle. I do not like the looks of the new one compared to the old, but that's just me. I do believe one can still get the original guard with other handle materials.
 
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