Hen & Rooster Knives

22-rimfire

22-rimfire

Joined
Nov 20, 2005
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Frost Cutlery purchased the Hen & Rooster trademark in 2010. I purchased a new small stockman about a year ago. It was priced similar to Case slippies. On the tang it says "German Steel" and Bertram Cutlery. On one blade I can see "Bertram Cutlery Germany". My question is, are these knives made in Germany or China? Many of the Frost Cutlery (Chattanooga TN) knives are made in China. Puma SGB knives say "German Steel" but are made in China. So, it is logical to question whether or not the current Hen & Rooster slippies are made in Germany or China.
 
If they are made in China, I suspect you're paying about 50% extra for the name. Compare to Rough Rider knives.
 
I think I understand those knives are actually made in Spain. The quality is not what the German product was/is.
Take care,
Rick
 
A buddy of mine has been picking up a few H&R of uncertain origins, and for the price, I like them. Now he's only paying around $25 but I can't find anything wrong with them for the price and they are sharper out of the box than many I've seen. Whether or not they will hold an edge is anyones guess. Fit and finish is nice, my guess they are assembled in Spain from German parts, but who knows. His are marked Bertram Cutlery, and from what I've read these are probably the assembled in Spain knives. Don't necessarily know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
I liked it enough and ordered one myself. I tried to do the research and found one that does not say Bertram cutlery on any blade. It's a stockman and all three blades are actually stamped Solingen Germany on them, and the box says "made in Germany" So it might be the real deal? But if it is as nice as my friends I think I'll be happy with it.
 
Frost Cutlery bought Hen and Rooster back in the early 80s. The ones that come in the dark green box are the older models, and are supposed to be better than the newer models in the light green boxes. I owned two and they felt cheap to me. The shield fell out of the handle on one and had to be glued back in, and the blades just aren't smooth to open. IMO quality wise, they feel like a 15 dollar knife with a 60 dollar brand name and price tag.
 
My 4 inch stockman came in. Great thick stag, fit and finish is perfect with not a single gap. Mine is stamped Solingen Germany on all 3 blades and box says Made in Germany. Came duller than what I am used to with Buck and Case. Like the above poster said, mine feels cheap to me as well. I'd give mine a 10 out of 10 as a collector to look at, but I would be afraid to put it to real work. Just doesn't seem like it would last.
 
If it said Bertram Cutlery Germany that's one of the original before the factory closed from my understanding but most of the modern day hen and rooster stuff is either assembled in Spain or China that's why there's a trademark now hen and rooster international I used to work there to be honest I wouldn't buy anything from frost anything affiliated with frost put it this way you're better off with buck knives and case at least you're paying for what you get that's all I'm going to say
 
22-rimfire said:
If they are made in China, I suspect you're paying about 50% extra for the name. Compare to Rough Rider knives.
Click to expand...
Rough Rider knives are now made in China which are no longer being made because cult knives were discontinued a few years back Colt knives are who took over the rough Rider brand but I think someone else has taken on the rough Rider name we sold them at Frost when I used to work there all the rough rider brands are made in China
 
jec88 said:
A buddy of mine has been picking up a few H&R of uncertain origins, and for the price, I like them. Now he's only paying around $25 but I can't find anything wrong with them for the price and they are sharper out of the box than many I've seen. Whether or not they will hold an edge is anyones guess. Fit and finish is nice, my guess they are assembled in Spain from German parts, but who knows. His are marked Bertram Cutlery, and from what I've read these are probably the assembled in Spain knives. Don't necessarily know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
I liked it enough and ordered one myself. I tried to do the research and found one that does not say Bertram cutlery on any blade. It's a stockman and all three blades are actually stamped Solingen Germany on them, and the box says "made in Germany" So it might be the real deal? But if it is as nice as my friends I think I'll be happy with it.
Click to expand...
Frost cutlery
 
Chris schonfeld said:
If it said Bertram Cutlery Germany that's one of the original before the factory closed from my understanding but most of the modern day hen and rooster stuff is either assembled in Spain or China that's why there's a trademark now hen and rooster international I used to work there to be honest I wouldn't buy anything from frost anything affiliated with frost put it this way you're better off with buck knives and case at least you're paying for what you get that's all I'm going to say
Click to expand...
Assembled in either China or Spain.... no surprise there. Germany appears to be out of the picture and we're left with a trademark essentially owned by Frost Cutlery. One of the things I notice about Frost slip joints is the bolsters turn brass colored fairly quickly even if you don't use the knife. I have never seen that with Case, Buck, Queen/Schatt & Morgan, Canel Street, or GEC knives. Some of the 110's develop a brassy look with time.

Chris schonfeld said:
Rough Rider knives are now made in China which are no longer being made because cult knives were discontinued a few years back Colt knives are who took over the rough Rider brand but I think someone else has taken on the rough Rider name we sold them at Frost when I used to work there all the rough rider brands are made in China
Click to expand...
To my knowledge Rough Rider (Ryder) knives have been made in China for a long time. I don't go back so far where they might have been made in another country. Rough Ryder/Rider is a SMKW trademark or brand. The slip joints are pretty good knives. But I can understand going with Case, Buck, Queen (before they went out of business) and so forth.
 
Chris schonfeld said:
Rough Rider knives are now made in China which are no longer being made because cult knives were discontinued a few years back Colt knives are who took over the rough Rider brand but I think someone else has taken on the rough Rider name we sold them at Frost when I used to work there all the rough rider brands are made in China
Click to expand...
???? SMKW is and always has been the owner of the Rough Rider Brand.
SMKW had the license to produce the Colt line, but for whatever reason(s) lost it (or gave it up) a couple years ago.
I don't know who, if anyone, has the license to produce Colt knives now, or if Colt knives are being produced anymore.

Some of the more popular Colt Carbon Steel knives with G10 covers (like the Canoe) are in the Rough Rider lineup now, branded as a Rough Rider.
 
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not quite right `bout the production located in Spain.
There are two companies producing under the brand of Hen & Rooster Bertram cutlery. This is the result of the situation between Frost and Klaas Germany and the contract between them about the rights to use the name in America. This right belonged to Frost cutlery and it was sold to Spain.
Nowadays also Klaas in Solingen produces knives under the trademark of Hen& Rooster Bertram Cutlery. The knives from Spain and those from Solingen are difficult to divide, but it`s possible. Normally the knives from Spain don´t mention Solingen on the stamp
 
I've had a Hen and Rooster whittler for a number of years. The box states "Made in Solingen Germany', all three carbon steel blades are stamped 'Solingen Germany' and the main blade is also stamped "Bertram Cutlery'. The pattern (serpentine?) looks identical to two other whittlers I have which are branded with Soligen cutlers Boker and Zwilling J.A. Henckels. I assumed that all three knives were made by the same cutler - Boker.

I also have a R. Klaas Kissing Cranes whittler. It's a different pattern. I don't know the name given to this pattern, straight, thicker at the main blade pivot and wider in the centre.

So I assumed that Boker made the Boker, Henckels and Hen and Rooster and Klass made the Kissing Cranes. Do you reckon I am right or wrong?
 
First of all my apologies for the thread resurrection but I've been searching for information about H&R knives & this thread came up.
I've come across some H&R knives with premium materials like stag,MOP & damascus for VERY affordable prices.It says they're made in Germany. I was just wondering what their quality is like nowadays & how do they stand as a company?
 
I've been buying a lot of these lately. They're good quality knives at very affordable prices.

I don't know this for sure, but I think these knives are assembled in Germany of 'global' parts. They're probably made by Olbertz. I don't know about the damascus blades, I haven't bought any. But, there's a lot of Asain damascus blades out there, they're very cheap. I havent seen any genuine Mother of Pearl, the ones I've bought have been acrylic.
 
German Kissing Cranes and Hen & Rooster appear to be Robert Klaas brands according to the Robert Klaas website. It’s in German so can’t read too much about them.
 
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