Boker traditional?

mlanghornes

mlanghornes

Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
798
Hi everyone, just wondering what the consensus is on the quality of boker traditional knives. I'm pretty pleased with the quality overall of the boker plus line of modern folders, not exemplary but certainly serviceable and fine considering the price. The reason I'm asking is one of my favorite websites, [non BF seller], is selling a medium trapper knife, which is apparently made by boker, and I'd really like to pick one up if the quality is OK.
 
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No idea where they're made now, I believe some are made in Solingen. The Barlow I had was very well made. I have an old stockman and an old scout knife which are well made. I picked through some at a knife shop, seemed well made.
 
Boker makes a pretty good knife. I've got a few and I got what I payed for. The one you are looking at appears to be a boker plus as well, with the 440c and lack of tree brand badge.
 
The Boker tree brand made in Solingen are quite good for the money, one of my all time favorite knives is my Boker Barlow.
I also have a stockman, trapper, and whittler and they are all very good value. Some minor F&F issues, but not unlike Case or Buck.
 
Hi everyone, just wondering what the consensus is on the quality of boker traditional knives.
Click to expand...

The quality is very good, and very consistent. I have bought quite a few over the past few years and haven't gotten an obviously flawed knife yet. Perfectly finished blade edges, nicely fitted components, beautiful natural materials, and never a wobbly blade.

My most recent is one from the Boker Evergreen series, and it's perfect. Purchased an Appaloosa Whittler for a gift last December, and it was perfect. Beer barrel folder for a gift, perfect. Washboard bone, perfect. Two from the Grenadil Wood series, perfect. Two of the Boker - AG Russell Swing Guards, perfect.

Some purchase reviews of mine with photos:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/709097-New-Boker-traditionals-Huge-Thumbs-Up
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/709097-New-Boker-traditionals-Huge-Thumbs-Up
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/431947-AG-vs-CS-Swing-Guard-comparison
 
In my personal experience hit and miss. For example...I collect the boker fellow knives. I own 4.... now. Had 6 at one time but downsized. 2 came with major bone cracks and missing pieces and other issues and had to be sent in for repair. 2 came perfect. I own other bokers trads and they have been the same. Mismatched bone colored scales and poor pin work. Very poor edges in line with other trad makers....but better than gec and queen in my experience. Mainly cosmetic issues. I should say it takes more than minor cosmetic defects for me to take notice. Things people cringe on here about I struggle to see the flaws.

I should mention boker made good on the repairs. Took forever but perfect ones came back. So warranty is good in my experience.
 
Been pleased with my Treebrand Stockman :)
 
The carbon knives that I have from Böker Germany have all pleased me: Pen, Stockman, Whittler (particularly nice) Barlow and Lockback. The steel gets a nice sharp edge and the knives are well priced.
 
I recently purchased a 7474 rosewood 4-inch stockman. It's pretty nice. The main blade has excellent snap but the sheepsfoot and spey are very mushy when opening. They do snap closed though and they are held pretty securely in the open position. Blades are nicely polished but the grind on the sheepsfoot is somewhat uneven. The covers are quite flat compared to a GEC for example but the bolsters are more radiused. I am quite pleased with this knife for the money.
 
Carried a Boker Solingen stainless red bone pen everyday for ten years. Wouldn't even think of leaving home without it. Can no longer make out the tree in the shield. Great knife. Worth every penny. It'll get handed down.

Boker%25208828%2520Pen.jpg
 
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Most of the Bokers I have seen lately have been great, and they are certainly priced well. I carried a Tree Brand stockman made in Germany for years and it held up very well to every thing that came its way. It was just a darn nice knife. Looking at the offerings I see at the gun shows, they look like the same knife, same pattern and appear to be as nicely made as they were years ago.

Boker manufacturing is scattered all over the world. Germany, Argentina, Taiwan R.O.C., China, and probably others.

If it matters to you, check to see where the model you are looking at is made. A lot of their PLUS line uses 440c, which is a dandy steel for folders. A couple of years or so ago I was gifted a medium stockman from the Boker Plus line. This knife was just about perfect. Excellent fit and finish, perfect pulls, ground sharp, and a neat Federal shield in the mark side scales. Never carried that one, but is seems like a really nice knife.

Robert
 
As far as I know Boker has at least four different sub brands which have traditionals in the line-up.
The prices on the sub brands also overlap. A magnum is supposed to be the cheapest line but I've seen $80 Magnums and $40 Plus.

Cinch Made in China (never heard of it until very recently)
Plus Made in China
Magnum Made in China
Tree Brand I think some are made in Germany and some in China

Maybe there are also traditional patterns by Boker without a sub brand. (made in Germany and expensive)

I have a Boker Plus modern Trance and I think it's a very good knife for the money. Aus 8 steel, smart design.
 
I recently bought a congress from the exchange forum. It has excellent fit and finish, walk and talk is authoritative with the pull on the mains about a 6 and the secondaries about 8. The deep canyon jigged bone scales are very striking and tactile and the blade steel is carbon. Although I don't know what steel exactly, it took a patina quickly when I peeled an orange with it. Easy to sharpen and maintains its edge well.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1379933547.945000.jpg

The main sheepsfoot blades are stamped Solingen Germany.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1379933567.528713.jpg

**sorry about the poor quality images**

Paul
 
I've only owned one Broker, a Tree Brand stockman with washboard bone covers. I wanted to like it, but the glued shield has already fallen out twice. Even worse, the main blade has very little snap. As someone who likes his knives to walk and talk with authority, this is a big negative.

I haven't bought any since.

- Christian
 
I purchased a Boker Copperhead in Appaloosa bone and it was a huge disappointment.
Walk + talk was non existent, blades came unevenly ground, and covers are so mis-matched that they dont even look like the same material.
Wouldn't recommend it.
 
Wow, what a mixture of experiences.

As far as I know Boker has at least four different sub brands which have traditionals in the line-up...
Click to expand...
Just to clarify, all of my Boker traditional pocketknives are the Boker Tree Brand. I also purchase, almost exclusively, their carbon steel models.
 
HuntBomb said:
I purchased a Boker Copperhead in Appaloosa bone and it was a huge disappointment.
Walk + talk was non existent, blades came unevenly ground, and covers are so mis-matched that they dont even look like the same material.
Wouldn't recommend it.
Click to expand...

Boker, Boker Magnum, Boker Plus, Boker Cinch or Boker tree brand?
 
the kid said:
As far as I know Boker has at least four different sub brands which have traditionals in the line-up.
The prices on the sub brands also overlap. A magnum is supposed to be the cheapest line but I've seen $80 Magnums and $40 Plus.

Cinch Made in China (never heard of it until very recently)
Plus Made in China
Magnum Made in China
Tree Brand I think some are made in Germany and some in China

Maybe there are also traditional patterns by Boker without a sub brand. (made in Germany and expensive)

I have a Boker Plus modern Trance and I think it's a very good knife for the money. Aus 8 steel, smart design.
Click to expand...
Tree Brand line is made in Germany, not China.
 
Does it matter that they're made in China? I mean, if the materials are good and the fit and finish is good...
 
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