Hartkopf

[r8shell]

I came across this little (3 inches closed) lockback in a shop yesterday. I cleaned a bunch of tape glue off the blade and found a faint etch reading:
Hartkopf
handarbeit
Solingen

I've been working on restoring the tip, and it feels like pretty soft steel (It's stamped rostfrei)
I'm not familiar with the brand. Do any of our European friends have experience with these? Would you say they're similar to Boker as far as quality?

 

[Jack Black]

Nice find r8shell :thumbup: Hartkopf are decent knives. I only have one, and since it's a 'dress' knife, it hasn't seen any hard use, but I think that a lot of the mainland European cutlers run their steel a little softer than in the US.

Edit - Some pics of my Hartkopf, and info on the steel from Papa Andi, here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1056929-Friederich-Hartkopf-Gent-s-Knife

 

[screened porch]

And if it's pre-ice-quenching, stainless will be softer. Which started, what, around 1950? And must have taken a while to become general practice.

 

[r8shell]

Nice find r8shell :thumbup: Hartkopf are decent knives. I only have one, and since it's a 'dress' knife, it hasn't seen any hard use, but I think that a lot of the mainland European cutlers run their steel a little softer than in the US.

Edit - Some pics of my Hartkopf, and info on the steel from Papa Andi, here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1056929-Friederich-Hartkopf-Gent-s-Knife

Thanks for that link, Jack. The name sounded familiar, but I'd never come across one.

And if it's pre-ice-quenching, stainless will be softer. Which started, what, around 1950? And must have taken a while to become general practice.

I believe this one is much newer than that, though.

I like the old fashioned touches: swedged long pull, federal shield, ebony.
I'm trying to straighten out the blade, as apparently whoever broke the tip did it by prying. :grumpy: It cuts, but not in a perfectly straight line.

 

[R.c.s]

Hi r8shell . I only have 1 hartkopf I believe the steel is 4110 with added tungsten and as a good heat treatment . its a German company and they are made in Solingen . the one I have came with a good fit and Finnish . sharp out of the box good snap on the lock . smooth opening no gap's and a nicely centred blade . .

 

[knarfeng]

And if it's pre-ice-quenching, stainless will be softer. Which started, what, around 1950? And must have taken a while to become general practice.

The Germans developed ice quenching in the late 1930's. It was the 1950's before the technique was used in the US.