German Solingen slip joints

longbeachguy

longbeachguy

Joined
Oct 11, 2005
Messages
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This is a great forum!

I've noticed that Boker, Henckels, Eye Brand, Hen and Rooster, and maybe some others seem to be virtually identical in appearance within various patterns (copperhead, stockman, trapper, whittler, copperliner, trapperliner). Are all these german makes done in the same factory or something? Does one company make all the knives on contract for the others?

I like german knives for the carbon steel blades. If these makes are all done in the same factory, is there any difference? I notice that Henckels slip joints only seem to come in 420 stainless, and Eye Brand's blades are supposedly hammer forged instead of cold stamped. Are there other relevant distinctions to be aware of?

Any clarification would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

Jim
 
Based on previous posts and personal observation, here is what I have gathered is the "411" on German slipjoints:

Friedrich Olbertz makes Bulldog, Fight'n Rooster, Weidmannsheil (new ones), Indian Head, Eye Brand, Buck Creek...most tend to be hammer forged carbon and assembled by hand. This factory tends to put out consistently well made slipjoints. See: http://www.pocketknives.de/index_d.htm

Boker makes Boker and Henckels.....some Boker are carbon (some even 440C stainless) and most Henkels are 420 stainless. Again consistently well made...I would equate Henkels 420 with Case's "Tru-Sharp" surgical stainless...not bad.

Kissing Crane makes (Robert Klaas) Kissing Crane and Hen and Rooster.....some Kissing Crane and Hen and Rooster are carbon others are Solingen steel which I believe is synonymous with 420.

-Regards
 
Thank you very much Gramps!

That is exactly the type of information I was looking for. That really fills in the blanks. Now I know that since I have an Indian Head stockman, there'd be no point in getting an Eye Brand, which I was considering.

Thanks again,

Jim
 
I believe that the Eye Brand is still made by Carl Schlieper, in their facility, rather than in the Olbertz facility. If you click on the link Gramps has provided, then click on "Partners" at the bottom, you'll recognize some/all of the names...but not Eye Brand. If you Google Eye Brand knives, much information/history about Schlieper and the Eye Brand is available.

Just trying to help.

Bill
 
El Lobo said:
I believe that the Eye Brand is still made by Carl Schlieper, in their facility, rather than in the Olbertz facility. If you click on the link Gramps has provided, then click on "Partners" at the bottom, you'll recognize some/all of the names...but not Eye Brand. If you Google Eye Brand knives, much information/history about Schlieper and the Eye Brand is available.

Just trying to help.

Bill
Click to expand...

Thanks Bill for the correction on Eye Brand.....I wrongly assumed Carl Schlieper was part of the Olbertz "family"...and to rev jch for clearing up who makes Hen and Rooster. I may be wrong on some of the others also. I welcome anyone who can set me straight.
As an aside...who might know who makes and markets the current crop
of "Owls Head" slippies that are so inexpensive and ubiquitious on eBay ?
The price makes me suspect they come from Asia....but somewhere I heard they have a "Munich" tang stamp with carbon blades ???

-Best Regards
 
The one brand that confuses me is Buck Creek - when this brand was introduced in the 1970's, the knives were solidly made of hammer forged carbon steel.

The current ones that I have seen seem to be stainless, and resembling Boker knives.

Is there a web site that has a good selection of Eye Brand and Buck Creek slipjoints to look at?
 
As a response to Gramps, regarding Owls' Head. I picked up a sowbelly stockman in sheep horn on e-bay for about $20. It does say Munich on the tang and I assume it's made there. What you should know is it is the lowest quality knife I've ever received, and I have a couple chinese ones (boker magnum and steel warrior). It's not even in the same class with these, not even close. The handles have little or no finish and leave grime in your hand. The mail blade has so little snap that it might as well be none. Massive blade play. You name it. I don't know what the story is, but I wouldn't pay a dollar for a knife like this.

Hope this helps,

Jim
 
Several years ago at the Oregon Knife Collectors show I bought a Owl Head Trapper, mainly because I was not familiar with that brand name. Handle slabs are a rather bright yellow (I prefer the lighter yellow in the Eye Brand knives)and nickel silver bolsters on both ends of the handle, and has brass liners. The knife is 4 1/8 inch long with the blades closed. It has a 3 1/4 inch clip and spey blade. The spey blade has "Oil The Joints" on one side, and on the side the double Owl head figures with "Owl Head". The clip pointed blade also has the two owl head figures and "Owl Head" on one side and on the other side it says" Solingen", and under that says "Germany". Blades are carbon steel and both have good "walk and talk" and almost no side to side play. It takes a good edge but I have not used it very much. I think I gave $10 (?) for it and I would rate it as a pretty good knife. Sounds like they may have moved production overseas, with the resulting lowering of quality. I would not write off Owl Head knives IF you can put your hands on one and examine it before you buy it. Take Care.
 
hmm..never heard of it, but it sounds like they are trying to market off of buck creek's name. Seems really suspicious. Germany has been known to make some real junk cutlery over the years for export, but they also make some of the best factroy knives. You have to remember that Solingen is a city, not a maker. Its the "sheffield" of Germany. Just as we here in the USA have good manufacturers and bad, so do they. Me, personally, I would stay away from that name. You have to take into account that some German makers like, boker, and herbertz, even linder now, are having knives exported from china, italy (other countries) and having their name stamped on them. Boker uses the "magnum" line stamp for these.

The ones stamped "made in Germany", are made in Germany (one of the old USA export laws requires it. You still will find cheap cutlery made in Germany, much of it is exported.

Of course you have to "throw" in the mix, the city in china that "re-named" itself solingen, just for the pure name use they could exploit on their cheap cutlery. There are also allot out there, especially frost, who are exporting 420 from solingen, Germany to china and pakistan and having them made/assembled there with a "solingen" stamp.

Some of the better names in German cultery are linder, puma, herbertz, henckels, hirschkrone, othello, hubertus, eickhorn (which just went under 2 years ago?). There are many others, and a few of these also are now exporting cheap culery with their name on them. The best rule of thumb is, it if says "made in Germany", it is. Just a "solingen, Germany" stamp does not necessarily mean it was made there, so buyer beware!

I come from a German family, and I also lived there while in the AF for a time (late 80's early 90's) and I frequented the henckels stores and other cutlery stores in central and southern Germany. They have companies like we do, such as buck, who make a nice line and a line made in asia. You just really need to pay attention to the stamps.

Also beware of smoky, they sell cheap German cultlery, and other "faux" German cutlery. They also sell some decent knives, but you really have to look at them. Chances are the cheaper ones, are cheap!
 
I have an opportunity to buy a Bulldog folding hunter, the knife dealer actually has 2 to choose from, 5-1/4'' two blade jigged bone covers, blades look to be carbon steel, appears to be early to mid 1970's manufacture. Asking price is $100, is this a good price for this knife or look elsewhere?? :confused:
 
Phil in 'Bama,

I don't believe the first Bulldogs were even produced until 1978...so the dating is quite questionable. In my opinion no bone handled Bulldog is worth $100. Doesn't mean Bulldogs aren't nice knives...just not at that price. JMO.

Bill
 
I was just searching through one of my various knife books and found the 1978 date for the "1st Generation" Bulldog brand knives. I may have to hammer this guy on his price, but he isn't exactly well known for bargaining, more like my way or the highway! He was asking $75 for a 1980 Case 6265 folding hunter with wood handle, it was one of the last CV steel folding hunters, but that seemed awfully high for a 1980 Case. I really like the Boker 2020 stag too, but that's also awfully high priced for me. There's two of the Bulldogs on ebay right now, I am watching them to see what they bring. I would really like a "real" folding hunter, jigged bone or stag and old fashioned carbon steel. Any and all information and opinions very much appreciated.;)
 
Actually, the late 70's was the time bulldog began. It was started by charlie dorton, but was bought out by parker (a friend of dorton's) in the 90's. The knives are still made in the olbertz factory, but the quality, from what I undertsand, is not as good as the ones made while dorton owned the company.
 
El Lobo said:
I believe that the Eye Brand is still made by Carl Schlieper, in their facility, rather than in the Olbertz facility. If you click on the link Gramps has provided, then click on "Partners" at the bottom, you'll recognize some/all of the names...but not Eye Brand.
Click to expand...

Just to confuse things further, I just found out C. Risner of Indian Head fame (whose knives are made in the Olbertz factory) has the following e-mail address: risnereyebrand@aol.com

My head hurts.
 
I just bought a 3 blade India Stag 1st generation Bulldog at The Smoky Mountain Kinfe Works last weak. Nice looking knife with 2 fighting Bulldogs Stamped in each blade.
 
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