Boker "Che" initial impressions

[tipoc]

I picked up one of these recently and thought I'd post some early impressions of the knife.

The technical specs can be seen here...

http://www.onlyknives.com/boker-che-plate-folder-knife-double-lockback-stainless-w-clip/

and here...

http://www.pocketknivesmall.com/product/B-110940

You can also learn more about Steirer Eisen here...

http://www.steirereisen.com/

The knife is named for the revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. The name, which appears nowhere on the knife itself, is meant to draw attention to the locking system so I'll start by looking at that.

The knife has two locks, a primary and a secondary. The primary is a variation of a lockback design but is towards the front of the handle rather than the center or the rear and operates a bit differently than the conventional lock back. The secondary lock is a tab which slides forward to securely lock the blade in either the open or closed position.

In the pic below you can see both locks.

In this picture (above) the blade is locked in the open position by the primary lock which is seen on the back of the handle. The secondary lock is seen as the sliding tab which is forward in the locked position as further insurance that the blade is locked. When the tab is in the forward position the blade cannot be unlocked until it is retracted.

In this pic (below) the secondary lock is disengaged and the primary lock is raised to allow the blade to be closed.

When the blade is closed the primary lock alone holds it shut. At this point the knife can be opened one of two ways. One; the lock can be raised and the blade opened with a flick of the wrist or with the opposite hand. Two; the thumb stud can be used to overcome the resistance of the primary lock and the blade opened that way. If the secondary lock is engaged though the blade cannot be opened until it is disengaged. It is important to note that when the blade is open the primary lock alone will prevent the blade from accidental closure. When open the secondary lock adds security though.

I notice that when the knife is open the blade moves a bit, side to side, in the handle. Just a small amount. Pressure downward on the primary lock mechanism on the rear of the handle when I hold the knife eliminates the wobble. This wobble is a result of the design of the lock. I do not know if all Ches' are like this.

The rear of the knife is fully enclosed which is needed for the lock but also protects the blade.

On the ergonomics of the knife:

Both locks are small. Releasing the main lock requires some small direct attention for one handed operation. Using the thumb stud is easier. Activating the secondary lock also requires direct attention. The edges of both are a little sharp. They are ambidextrous, which is a plus.

While the knife has no burrs or edges that can cut the radius on the handle edges are so small that the feel is sharp.

The knife feels slick in the hand. This is not a good thing on a knife that you will use for any length of time or at any hard task. Due to the slippery, smooth feel of the knife in the hand the tendency is to grip it harder to hold it stable.

The shape of the handle combined with the slickness of the smooth stainless steel scales of the handle, are not conducive to a good grip. A knife should be wider towards the end of the handle to help keep it in the hand. This handle narrows towards the end. This knife feels as if it would slip out of the hand rather easily if the blade was caught on something or momentarily stuck. Pulling it would cause it not to come unstuck but to slip out of the hand. The tendency is to grip it tighter but the hand tires more then.

Note the better ergonomics of the handles below...

Note the location and orientation of the pocket clip (seen in the first pic above). It cannot be moved. It can be removed.

This is a good looking knife. The design of the blade is good and the steel strong. I believe the lock is also strong. Or at least strong enough. The slickness of the handle and the shape of the grip make it is not so useful for any hard work. It would not be my choice for defensive carry. In a sense this blade is a light to medium duty knife that is a jewelery knife of sorts. Useful on a pic-nic, for slicing an apple, cutting the end off a cigar, a conversation piece, etc. A touch of class knife. There is nothing wrong with that.

Doesn't remind me of Che though.

tipoc

 

[Marketing]

CHE = revolutionary

This is definitely a great knife, use it in good health

 

[forcedestrike]

A very interesting design, can you manipulate the lock one handed?

 

[tipoc]

Yes. The knife can be opened and closed one handed.

tipoc

 

[philwar]

Indeed a very goodlooking knife, but the metal handle is a showstopper for me. I would definitely be in the market for this knife otherwise.
Thx for a nice and wellrounded review. :thumbup:

 

[LX_Emergency]

I actually like the metal handle. However the pocketclip that can't be moved to the other side is a showstopper for me.

I liked it from the moment I saw it in the catalogue.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

"Che". . .

What's next, the Pol Pot?

 

[kdstrick]

Nice review. Thanks.

Perhaps a better name could have been chosen. Unless Boker plans on marketing to socialists and communists.

Che was personally responsible for hundreds of murders. He was a devout Stalinist communist who despised the United States and individual rights. He vociferously opposed freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, protest, or any other rights not completely consistent with the Stalinist view. Too bad he didn't die sooner.

Extremely poor choice of names IMO... It is very offensive to anyone who believes in freedom and Democracy. I cannot think of any reason to "honor" his memory by naming anything after him. Despicable. Shame on Boker. :thumbdn:

Sorry for veering the thread... I'll step off my soapbox now.

 

[3Guardsmen]

Great review, and very detailed!:thumbup: I had been curious about how that lock worked ever since I started seeing the knife in my Boker catalogs, and your pictures and descriptions were perfect in helping me to understand it!

Nice review. Thanks.

Perhaps a better name could have been chosen. Unless Boker plans on marketing to socialists and communists.

Che was personally responsible for hundreds of murders. He was a devout Stalinist communist who despised the United States and individual rights. He vociferously opposed freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, protest, or any other rights not completely consistent with the Stalinist view. Too bad he didn't die sooner.

Extremely poor choice of names IMO... It is very offensive to anyone who believes in freedom and Democracy. I cannot think of any reason to "honor" his memory by naming anything after him. Despicable. Shame on Boker. :thumbdn:

Sorry for veering the thread... I'll step off my soapbox now.

"Che". . .

What's next, the Pol Pot?

+1! What the heck was Boker thinking in the naming of this knife?:foot::barf:

 

[tipoc]

It is off topic but...

Che was personally responsible for hundreds of murders. He was a devout Stalinist communist who despised the United States and individual rights. He vociferously opposed freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, protest, or any other rights not completely consistent with the Stalinist view. Too bad he didn't die sooner.

On each point here you are factually incorrect.

In the U.S. and around the world Che's name is associated with the struggle of the oppressed against the oppressor. This is certainly true in Latin America and the Carribbean. Che is also widely respected in Africa. Shortly after the Congo won it's independence from Belgium a coup led by U.S. and British backed Joseph Mobutu overthrew the new and democratic revolutionary government, it's leader Patrice Lumumba was assassinated. Mobutu then led an army of mercenaries to wipe out Lumumba's supporters and crush the base of the anti-colonial movement among the people. The remaining leaders of the anti-colonial movement asked the Cubans for assistance and Che led a couple of hundred Cubans there in battle side by side with the Congolese.

Che's reputation in the U.S. and internationally is such that tens of millions associate him with the battle of the exploited against our exploiters. Of the working class against colonialism, racism, Stalinism (though there is less clarity on this latter) and the rule of the imperialist bourgeoisie.

Che was never a Stalinist. He wrote and acted against them in fact. Though the stalinists, along with others, have done what they can to turn Che into an empty and romantic icon Che's writing and speeches are available for study by those who take their own opinions seriously. If you want to fight war and economic depression Che ain't a bad fella to read.

Folks need to read more of Che's actual writings and speeches. Study of these and of his history is useful.

Fellas can admire those like Ronald Reagan (a paid mouth piece and apologist of the ruling rich) who, for example, attempted to crush the farmworkers union in California and who stood with the rich and powerful against the poor and the oppressed in the U.S. and elsewhere or they can pick a fella like Malcolm X or Che who stood with the oppressed and the working class. Ask yourself who is the oppressor and who the oppressed? Who does the exploiting and who fights that? Che fought it and is respected and known by millions for it.

In my little opinion Boker did well in showing the Argentine this respect.

This is a good looking knife. Unfortunately not a rough duty knife in my opinion. The actual Che was rough duty.

tipoc

 

[kdstrick]

^^^^^^^^ what color is the sky in your world? Red, perhaps?

You could not be more wrong. How could anyone believe that Che had anything positive to offer this world? I'm sure he's keeping the devil good company as I write this, along with his comrades.

Anyway, I'll pass on the Boker... despite your nice review.

Sorry for veering the thread in this direction, but the name is offensive to anyone who believes in a world free of repression and believes that freedom is the natural state of mankind. I wonder what is next for Boker. The Lenin? Stalin? Maybe the Kim Jong Il??? Disgusting, really.

Here is a link about Che... http://www.globalmuseumoncommunism.org/sites/default/files/Che%20Guevara%27s%20Forgotten%20Victims.pdf

You can defend the indefensible all you like, and try to revise history but I'm out... one day you will see that the sky is actually blue.

 

[tipoc]

There are other times and opportunities and better venues to discuss Che. This is about knives. But I could not let such blatant and uninformed slander go. Pathfinder Press offers a good many books by Che. I encourage folks to read some of what he wrote and did rather than just read some writings about him.

My opinions on the knife may change some. I'm carrying it daily as a sort of trial. It is useful in a light duty sort of way this is only due to the shape and material of the handle.

tipoc

 

[midnight flyer]

Jeezus.... does every other thread have to devolve into sanctimonious political bickering?

Can't you leave it alone?

We had a great review, great pictures, and those take a lot of time and effort to create and post.

And the weiner boys want to talk MORE politics on BF, MORE politics where they shouldn't be.

If the mods won't say it, I will. Shame on you guys for trying to hijack this thread for your petty arguing.

I personally enjoyed tipoc's detailed look at a knife I can't afford. I thought it was even more impressive considering his post count. It may be the only look I ever get at the knife, and I was really interested in the lock system. I liked the pics as we could see how well the knife fit in the hand, and he even provided links so we could follow up if interested. All in all, I thought it was great.

Then the nitwit squad shows up.... Now this review has a good chance of being buried by the Google educated political pundits pontificating about 50+ year old politics.

BF has a political area you know, just for this purpose. Your own little dirty hole to play in. Take it there. Go away.

Robert

 

[cutter17]

Jeezus.... does every other thread have to devolve into sanctimonious political bickering?

Can't you leave it alone?

We had a great review, great pictures, and those take a lot of time and effort to create and post.

And the weiner boys want to talk MORE politics on BF, MORE politics where they shouldn't be.

If the mods won't say it, I will. Shame on you guys for trying to hijack this thread for your petty arguing.

I personally enjoyed tipoc's detailed look at a knife I can't afford. I thought it was even more impressive considering his post count. It may be the only look I ever get at the knife, and I was really interested in the lock system. I liked the pics as we could see how well the knife fit in the hand, and he even provided links so we could follow up if interested. All in all, I thought it was great.

Then the nitwit squad shows up.... Now this review has a good chance of being buried by the Google educated political pundits pontificating about 50+ year old politics.

BF has a political area you know, just for this purpose. Your own little dirty hole to play in. Take it there. Go away.

Robert

^^^^^ +1 ^^^^^ Lets stay on topic, even though I do agree with tipoc.

 

[greater]

"Che". . .

What's next, the Pol Pot?

"Che". . .

What's next, the Pol Pot?

No comparison between the two. Che tried his best to do what was right and suffered greatly for it before his capture and ultimately paid with his life. He may have been brutal when committed to war but he was no greedy tyrant.

Although I am a staunch supporter of the constitution of the US, which by the way has been pretty eroded these days (I read Switzerland has done a better job preserving the US constitution in their country,) having read the communist manifesto I find it is a very well though out document and no one in their right mind can say it's evil.

I do not know of any existing communist countries. I heard that Cuba comes closest but even Castro admits it's a dictatorship under his control (so I have been told by a devout socialist.) People keep associating Stalinism and the brutal policies of dictatorships that are communist in label only, but nowhere near true communist, with Marx's communist vision.

Labeling communism as pure BS because it's misrepresented is like labeling the US constitution as pure unobtainable BS because of America's tolerance of racism and a rich thriving past history of Ku Klux Klan and other unjust activity.

On communism I have two views of people who reject it. Those who say it's good on paper but it doesn't work. I respect that opinion although I choose the constitution's ideals that is not my view, but it is informed and thought out, then there are those who don't know what they are talking about. Unfortunately the ignorant latter babblers are more common.

I have seen multiple fresh college educated contestants on TV game shows who did not even know Karl Marx wrote the communist manifesto (basic sociology) talk about programmed ignorance. The reason for all the anti communist hype is the idea scares the living daylights out those who are using their money and power in the wrong way.

They will spend large sums of money and use their influence to get as much people as they can to swallow their anti communist kool aid. There are the people who abuse the freedoms afforded by the US constitution in an effort to destroy it and take your personal freedoms away.

These people only care about profits and self gain and will gladly and do deal with countries which exploit other human beings to their destruction, countries such as China (yeah right under your nose) not only will they deal with them they will actively support them in their crimes against humanity.

So stop blaming it on the "commies" and stop supporting people who will hose you and throw your broke, hungry, penniless butt out on the street while they move overseas to screw someone else.

The communist manifesto very accurately identifies their MO and advocates a very direct method of dealing with them. I am not sure to tell the truth if I totally agree with this method but I have a sneaking suspicion that most people in this country would not be as generous in terms of forgiveness and second chances as I would.

 

[greater]

I will post my opinions on the Boker Che when I get my replacement. Who knows maybe my first one was vandalized somewhere along the way by a kool aid gulping pseudo american (definition an ignorant twit who was born american but knows nothing about the constitution.)

 

[tipoc]

Let's agree stick to the knives gentlemen and ladies (if a lady is here). I can respect your views and opinions on many subjects but we don't have to get in to them all here and there are other better places for that. I don't believe a political litmus test is useful here. This is a good place for knives and I appreciate it for that and I'd like to help keep it that way.

tipoc