Hen and Rooster Wharncliffe Whittler

L

LaughingBones

Joined
Dec 26, 2014
Messages
186
I've really been into Whittlers lately and "into" I mean drooling over the Case Seahorse and others. i really really love the Seahorse (thanks to whoever started that dang Case Seahorse thread). It's an absolutely beautiful knife. While drooling I found a red Hen and Rooster wharncliffe whittler. It has 3 blades (wharncliffe, modified coping blade and pen). The price point is around $40, which is a little gentler on the pocket book. The description says it is made in Germany. Does anyone know if in fact it is 100% made in Germany or is this something where parts are from China, but is "made" in Germany? Also if you do own this knife or know anything about it, what are your thoughts? Can you post a pic?
I know I could spend about $20 more dollars and get a Seahorse which I may do if finances allow. My curiosity is getting the best of me and trying to keep the wife happy at the same time is where I'm at.

Much appreciated guys and gals!
 
Hey Bones, i tried to find out the same thing awhile back: does Bertram Cutlery (Hen & Rooster) have a knife factory in Germany or are all their knives contract, in this case being made in Spain or China. Ebay sellers of these knives mostly insist that there is a Bertram Cutlery knife factory in Germany but i think they don't know anymore than we do.
There are a few BF members who live in Germany. Maybe one of these people could find out and actually visit the factory if there is one.
But in the end does it really matter beyond just satisfying our interest ? 'Read' the knife when you get it and thereby find out how well made it is. Some of the very best production knives in the world are coming out of China such as the AGR Texas Rangers (any many other AGR knives) and the Paul Chen Hanwei knives which are custom level knives.
kj
 
kootenay joe said:
Hey Bones, i tried to find out the same thing awhile back: does Bertram Cutlery (Hen & Rooster) have a knife factory in Germany or are all their knives contract, in this case being made in Spain or China. Ebay sellers of these knives mostly insist that there is a Bertram Cutlery knife factory in Germany but i think they don't know anymore than we do.
There are a few BF members who live in Germany. Maybe one of these people could find out and actually visit the factory if there is one.
But in the end does it really matter beyond just satisfying our interest ? 'Read' the knife when you get it and thereby find out how well made it is. Some of the very best production knives in the world are coming out of China such as the AGR Texas Rangers (any many other AGR knives) and the Paul Chen Hanwei knives which are custom level knives.
kj
Click to expand...


Thanks a lot for the reply. You are right on about what you said. I think I may go ahead a grab one next week. I'll post a pic and do a quick review when I recieve it. Have a great day!
 
Do the sellers indicate what steel is being used? 440 stainless usually means a Chinese maker.
If the blades are marked Solingen it should be made in Germany I believe.

Best regards

Robin
 
Robin, there was a thread in BRL some years ago about famous German cutlery firms skirting the German laws about marking "Germany" on a product. Some were having knives made in China and stamped "Germany" and then shipped to the business in Germany from where they were then distributed. Boker was one of the few knife businesses not involved.
I cannot recall what the thread title was so i doubt i can find it.
kj
 
kootenay joe said:
Robin, there was a thread in BRL some years ago about famous German cutlery firms skirting the German laws about marking "Germany" on a product. Some were having knives made in China and stamped "Germany" and then shipped to the business in Germany from where they were then distributed. Boker was one of the few knife businesses not involved.
I cannot recall what the thread title was so i doubt i can find it.
kj
Click to expand...

I remember the thread. I believe it is actually More legal to mark a knife with Germany that wasn't made there than it is to mark it Solingen when it isn't entirely made there.

Regards

Robin
 
Pipeman said:
Do the sellers indicate what steel is being used? 440 stainless usually means a Chinese maker.
If the blades are marked Solingen it should be made in Germany I believe.

Best regards

Robin
Click to expand...


Pipe Man,
In the description it says Solingen Stainless Steel.
 
I have one of these Hen and Rooster wharncliffe whittlers with red bone scales.

It is almost certainly made in China, out of the whatever factory makes Rough Rider, CRKT classics, and AG's War Eagle line.
The blades look exactly like Rough Rider blades, same polish, shape, grooved nail-nick, etc...
It's marked GERMANY on the shield - which is generally a dead giveaway for a German made knife to actually be Chinese, shipped to Germany.

AFAIK Hen and Rooster have been completely non-German made for quite a few years, now.

You can find a few German (Solingen made) Hen and Rooster whittlers for not much more than $40 on some of the internet retailers that specialize in collectable knives.
 
I just received two Hen & Roster wharncliffe whittlers. one in red bone and the other green. The blades are marked "German Stainless Hand Made". The wharncliffe blade on the green knife is pitted. The wharncliffe blade on the red knife has scratches/grind marks on both sides. I am returning both tomorrow. I will probably get another Case Seahorse instead.
 
kootenay joe said:
Robin, there was a thread in BRL some years ago about famous German cutlery firms skirting the German laws about marking "Germany" on a product. Some were having knives made in China and stamped "Germany" and then shipped to the business in Germany from where they were then distributed. Boker was one of the few knife businesses not involved.
I cannot recall what the thread title was so i doubt i can find it.
kj
Click to expand...
Here's what Linder and Böker say about the provenance.
Boker.jpg

Linder.jpg
 
When C. Bertram (Hen & Rooster) was permenently shut down in 1980 someone bought the rights to the name & logo. This new business was called "Bertram Cutlery" (as opposed to "C. Bertram"). Beginning in the early 1980's Bertram Cutlery had knives made by R. Klass (Kissing Crane) in Solingen. These are very good knives but not the same patterns(for the most part)and not quite the quality of the original C. Bertram knives. Bertram Cutlery also had a few of it's patterns made in Spain (e.g. Wharncliffe Whittler).
Some time later (1990's ?) the Bertram Cutlery knives began to look 'different' suggesting they were being made elsewhere.
Now, many (or all ?) Bertram Cutlery knives are made in China. The German import laws allow these to be marked "Germany" rather than "China".
Wolfe the pictures you linked to could be from the 1980's. The text might imply that these pictures show the current state of the R.Klass factory but it not be true. This has been discussed in past years in the BRL forum but i do not recall any definite facts were proved.
We need a BF member in Solingen or vicinity to visit the Klass factory and if operating ask for a tour and see exactly what they are doing: making knives, assembling imported parts, or polishing up knives made elsewhere.
kj
 
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