Boker Titan Defender

C

cutter17

Joined
May 16, 2006
Messages
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There is a Boker folder I have been looking at for some time now, and the only reason I have not bought it yet is because it cost $363.00, and that is the best price I can find. This knife is the Titan Defender, and appears to be a very well constructed, not to mention a heavy duty tank. It is not overly large, but it has really thick components. The blade is 3 3/8" long and is .157" thick......that is how thick the ZT0200's blade is. The liners are .080" thick.....again the thickness of the ZT0200's liners...... and constructed of titanium as are the front bolsters. The handles are black G-10, and it does have a window breaker on the butt end, not that I would be planning on breaking some glass. The blade shape is sorta an upswept spear point and is made of N690Bo blade steel. The overall length is 8.0". Not very long, but looks and sounds very stout! I've been looking for something like this and thought I had found it in the Fallkniven PXL, but now I'm not so sure. The Defender is $120.00 more than the Fallkniven, but I just don't know about these high dollar Boker's.

Anyone have one or have seen one or even held one that they could talk about? I've posted in a couple of forums but have gotten exactly 0 information. Guess I'm looking for someone to help me justify buying one, but at the same time it would be nice to hear what someone else has to say about it. :D:D


BTW: This is the write up about this knife.

A professional tactical folder for the highest of demands. Designed by Armin Stutz from Steirer Eisen, Austria, this piece features a massive integrated liner lock made completely of titanium. The lock bar is CNC-milled directly out of the handle slab and is made of Grade 5 titanium 2mm thick. This lock will stand up to any operational demands. The bolsters are also made of CNC-milled titanium, for weight reduction. The blade is made of exclusive N690BO steel, which is a high performance special alloy containing cobalt, that was created in cooperation between Bohler and Boker. Even the G10 handle scales are CNC-milled with an even finish, which provides for a very safe and firm grip. Also features a handy glass breaker for emergency situations and the newly designed, polished Boker clip for comfortable and convenient carry.
 
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Ok, this is going to sound really biased, given my position, but I do have one, and it is hands down one of the best folders I have ever owned, from any company.
I had some concerns about the clip, but it has held up through how rough I treat my gear, and the knife still looks, and acts new. It is the smoothest opening knife I have used. I cannot say enough about it, and honestly would recommend it even if I didn't work here. When I carry a folder, this is the one I pick.
Like I said, I know it will sound biased, but this one is great, get it, and you will not be disappointed.
Terry
 
Ok, this is exactly what I was talking about, someone who actually had the knife. What were your concerns with the pocket clip? Do you know what the washers, if it has them, are made of? Where does the liner lockup on the blade tang? I know, questions, questions, questions, but if I am going to drop nearly $400 on it, I want all the info I can get! Thanks for the info Terry.
 
I have decided that I am going to go ahead and purchase this knife. I still have not found out a lot about it, but will take the chance! I do know that the location where I had found it is now sold out. I contacted my favorite dealer, down Louisanna way, to see if he could get me one and 30 minutes later I had the answer that it wad on the way! It will be the end of the month before I get it, but rest assure that I will be reporting on it.
 
Sorry I didn't answer this earlier, haven't been able to be online much.
You won't be disappointed in it.
My concerns with the clip was that it seemed thin, and with the Boker name cut out, possibly weak. But, like I said, it has held up, even while wearing it during class, and during draw fouling drills.
Terry
 
Thanks Terry. I have put this on a couple other knife forums, KF & JD, without a response from someone who actually owns the knife. The location I had found one in stock was Knifecenter, but they apparently sold the last one this past week. I had emailed them earlier a week ago to ask about this knife and was told that they have sold them. I would think that a buyer of this knife, style and expense, would be a member of a knife forum. But so far it is only you, Terry. So, on the 31st of this month I will be posting a first impressions review of this knife as I am having it delivered Next Day Saturday Delivery!!:eek::D Yeah, I'm really anxious to see on what I've spent nearly $400.00. :)
 
Talked with my dealer this past Wednesday and the Titan Defender has arrived there. The folks there said this one was an extremely nice, well fitted, with everything lined up as it should be and awfully comfortable in the hand! One week fro today will tell the tale. If it strikes me like I hope it will, then Christmas time may see the 2009 Damascus, which is the Defender with damascus blade and Australia Goldfield wood handles.
 
I am on the forum via my phone so I will just say that the Titan Defender came today and for the $400 I paid, I am very pleased! I'll give a more indepth review later this evening once I have time to sit down with my pc.
 
Allright, here are my first impressions of this knife. I'll start with the packaging, as it is very nice. It came in a foam padded box that is constructed of very stiff cardboard that holds it's shape. There is a lid on top that opens and the knife lays strapped on the foam. Very professional and very nice!

Of course packaging has nothing to do with the knife, except to tell you that it is probably a costly one! Anyhow, I took the knife out and inspected every inch of it before opening. The blade is perfectly centered in the closed position. There are no gaps whatsoever between the scales and bolster with the liners, and everything fits with no high/low spots detected. Bolsters and liners are satin finished, as are the G-10 scales. All screws were tight. So far, so good.

Next I opened the blade and it moves very, very smoothly, no hitches, nor tight or loose spots in the opening arc. Blade is mirror polished with the flats being satin finished, a nice contrast. Lockup is solid with the liner coming over a smidge over halfway so that the blade tang is covered with approx. .050" of the .080" possible. Also the blade tang, where lockup occurs, has a little protusion, or ledge, that sticks out just another smidge and this is located at the top of the tang. Apparently it is there to prevent the liner from moving up while under pressure from a tight squeeze. Oh, another thing is that upon closing the blade you can feel the ball bearing detent fall into the opening, maybe nothing to write home about, but I have felt some that did not exactly line up with bb and hole, so I count that as a little tell-tell sign of quality.

Of course I had to dissassemble it and doing so was straight forward and easy. Once on the inside I noticed some things. First the liners, both sides are polished to a bright shine. Can't tell for sure but it looks like the detent ball is ceramic? Also the blade rotates on phospher bronze washers, but the liner side of the pb washers has a paper thin teflon cover that you can't notice unless you take it apart. I usually take a folder down to polish the blade tang, liners, pivot so that it opens smoother, but this was the first one where all that had already been done for me! All I did was wipe it clean and then apply my favorite lube, Miltec1. Btw, my measuring tool had a dead battery so I could not get the pivot's exact diameter, but it is larger than I expected. I would have thought a 1/8" pivot would be there, but this one looked to be between 5/32" to 3/16".

The blade itself was hairpopping sharp out of the box, with even and symmetrical grinds all the way to the point. Probably the only complaint I have, and not sure it is worth being a complaint, but the blade is listed as being 4mm thick which would be .157". It may have started life as .157" thick, but it did not end up that way. Again, my caliper has a dead battery, but it looks to be somewhere between .125" to .157", I'm thinking .140" which is the thickness of the Fallkniven PXL folder.

So there you have it. Do I feel I paid for more than I got, well........NO. This knife rides very comfortable in my pocket, deep so that very little, maybe a 1/4" pokes out of my pocket, and it's feel in my hand is excellent. There are no sharp edges to cause discomfort, and the overall shape and look of the knife is extremely pleasing to my eye. I did cover the mirror polished, eye catching clip, with some black 3M Stair Step tape to mute it down a bit. I can't do pictures so no need to ask, but it does look exactly as presented in the stock photos.

Well, that's it in a nutshell. I plan to carry this one for a while in order to judge it in every day use, and to see how well it holds up. Looking forward to it!


Btw, I had also ordered a Nitecore EX10 flashlight that I really like, and I visited my local B&M today and picked up a new left pocket carry to go with the Titan Defender, a Case Humpback Whittler in Goldenrod bone. Very nice and excellently done on the part of Case!!
 
Just wanted to add that I got a battery and brought back life to my calipher, or caliper, not sure of the spelling. Anyway, I was correct about the blade thickness being .140", but the liners are not .080" as stated. Instead they actually measure .100" thick, as thick as the liners on my Strider AR! The spring tension on the liner is stiff, but a tiny extra bend put it where I like my liner/frame locks to be, and that is extra stiff! So after a night to sleep on it I am still pleased with it and plan to carry it for a while, if not longer.
 
nice early review!!:) pictures would be nice, i know you don't have a camera,maybe somebody else will have some. :D
 
It has been two weeks now that I have been edc'ing the Titan, and I don't see that changing for a while. This is one more fine knife, course for the price of admission, it better be. But it has lived up to everything I had built it up to be in my mind! It was very smooth to begin with but somehow it seems to have gotten smoother, and the lockup is hitting the exact same spot as in the beginning and I have opened this knife PLENTY. I did some edge/sharpness testing the other day. I had an old belt that was made of heavy leather, with a width of 1.75" and about .25" thick. I sarted slicing small pieces off of it until I got to the end. I did not keep count as I was doing this as I counted the pieces to determine how many cuts I made. The pieces totaled up to 30 and the edge was still razor sharp and shaved hair off my arm and sliced newsprint with no problems. It went through the leather like a hot knife through butter. Everything about this knife just speaks custom made and the greatest of attention paid to all the details.

Excellent job Boker!!:thumbup::thumbup::D
 
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