How are the quality of puma knives?

L

lreed

Joined
Dec 7, 2001
Messages
538
I am right now very interested in their "medici" model. It looks beautiful.
But the steel seems not so good (440A) and I have no idea about puma's quality. Are puma knives high quality knives? How are their quality compared with brands such as benchmade and spyderco?
Thanks!
 
Used to be, Puma was one of the best companies out there. Now, I don't think you could convince me to buy anything they make. They are using cheaper materials, and utilizing goofy futuristic designs. :barf:
 
Their current production isn't that great, but if you find older ones from about before 1990 that came in the green and yellow plastic box they are top notch.
 
we hardly ever sell them. they are expensive for what they are. we sell the ones with soligen stainless. i read else where that soligen steel was just 440C. what do you all know about it? in my opinion there are other knives out there for the same amount of money that are nicer. i also haven't seen a puma come with a good edge in quite awhile
 
Thanks for the opinions. I think I will pass this puma then. It's a shame for a brand to make profit by ruining its old reputation.
 
No, re-read the posts. Only pass on the brand new Pumas. Find yourself an older one that was made in the 70s or 80s and you'll more than likely love it.
 
Those old pumas are too darn expensive. For those prices I could find a good custom knife.
 
HazardousAddictions said:
we hardly ever sell them. they are expensive for what they are. we sell the ones with soligen stainless. i read else where that soligen steel was just 440C. what do you all know about it?
Click to expand...

There's no such thing as "Solingen steel", just like a generic "Seki steel" or "Sheffield steel" doesn't exist.
That said, when a knife is marked that way, it's usually 4034, the German equivalent of 420. Puma seems to use a lot of 440A, so either way, it's not exactly a great steel choice, especially for their smaller blades.
 
The rest of their models dont do anything for me but the Medici is a cool little knife and the only Puma I own. The steel may not be the best but the fit and finish on mine is great. Of course it has absolutely no practical use but makes a neat letter opener and light duty poker. Mine came about as sharp as a piece of macaroni, but again, their are a gazillion more practical knives out there.

It os probably one of the nicer old-school swingguard stilletos I've seen at its price point, but I did'nt pay MSRP, either.
 
I own several of the current day Medicis and I still think they are a nice knife. It's not as nice as the vintage one but then again it doesn't cost $200.00 either. I don't use mine for serious cutting, that's what my beat up Delica is for.

pumamediciebay.jpg


Pumamedici.jpg
 
Back in the 70's their copy of the Buck 110 was a little
more highly styled, slimmer and usually had stag handles.
No one bought them because they where twice the price.
A nice looking knife, if you find one of these and the price
is right, snatch it up.

-Rebus
 
Rebus777 said:
Back in the 70's their copy of the Buck 110 was a little
more highly styled, slimmer and usually had stag handles.
No one bought them because they where twice the price.
A nice looking knife, if you find one of these and the price
is right, snatch it up.

-Rebus
Click to expand...

Yeah, what he said. :)

A good while ago, when I was in High School(1975 or so), they used to sell Puma knives at the local Walmat. Nobody would buy them, as they were twice the price of the Bucks, Schrades and Old Timers sitting right next to them. But, being a true knife lover, I did buy some. I remember forking over the ungodly sum of $42 apiece for a couple of the bigger lockbacks, and $36 apiece for a couple of the stag handled stockman folders. I got desperate for some money a few years later, and foolishly sold them for not much more than I had paid. Man, do I wish I still had those knives now!
 
Danbo said:
Yeah, what he said. :)

A good while ago, when I was in High School(1975 or so), they used to sell Puma knives at the local Walmat.... I remember forking over the ungodly sum of $42 apiece for a couple of the bigger lockbacks, and $36 apiece for a couple of the stag handled stockman folders.
Click to expand...

Yea, I was in High School about that same time and their was no way
I would have spent that much on a knife. During college I quess I had
other things on my mind... Now I wish I would have gotten one when
I finally was earning some money.

-Rebus
 
My dad bought a puma lockback in the late 70's while he was in the army; that knife has been through hell and back and still locks up as solid as any of my new Buck 110's.
 
I've got a fixed blade skinner that my Dad gave me several years ago. This thing holds a edge better than anything else I've got. I'm not sure when it was made but I'm guessing late 80's.
 
lreed said:
I am right now very interested in their "medici" model. It looks beautiful.
But the steel seems not so good (440A) and I have no idea about puma's quality. Are puma knives high quality knives? How are their quality compared with brands such as benchmade and spyderco?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Nowhere near. Puma used to be a good company 15-20 years ago. I don't think the are really getting worse, but the world changed around them. new steels, new technologies are getting invented every day, and Puma just can't keep up, or doesn't want to keep up.
 
when they started laser-cutting the blanks for the Original Bowie and making it from stainless. I have two circa '94-'95 Original Bowies and one White Hunter II that are still the hand-ground, hand assembled models, and the Bowies are carbon steel.

It was somewhere in the mid-'90's that things took a turn for the worse, in my opinion.

Professor.
 
Here is a link to some info about knife steels. If you page down a good way you will see info about the various types of 440 steels. They are all stainless but some lack toughness. The best and still a great knife steel, IMHO, is 440-C. It has more chromium than almost any other steel which makes it tough and stainless and enough carbon to hold a good edge.

http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html

Here is what my knife hero, Mr. Joe Talmadge, has to say about knife steels and their care and sharpening. I think it should be required reading for before anyone is allowed to join the forum. It would knock out lots of goofy postings.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368828

Regarding PUMA knives I have never owned one. I use custom made damascus for fixed blade hunting knives. I bought them used for not much more than a good mass produced hunter would cost. When I think PUMA, I think German knives and the one maker there that I have alot of respect for is KATZ who makes some very nice hunting knives.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_store.html?ttl=Katz Knives&srch=eqCATE CODEdatarq=KZ

I guess PUMA and KATZ go together!
 
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