I think (some) Boker Tree Brand stainless knives are made in China.

T

the kid

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On my quest for my first real traditional (excluding Sodbuster and lots of Victorinox) I do a lot of digging on the computer.

I found an old thread on bladeforums mentioning Boker Tree Brand carbon blades knives where made of German steel and made in Germany. And the stainless versions were made in Germany with Chinese steel.

I just now stumbled on two different Boker Tree Brand Copperheads and went to the official Boker website.
http://www.boker.de/us/search/copperhead-0-9999-1-0.html
Where I found stainless and carbon versions.


Please note the differences between the versions.

112626bbl.jpg

This is the carbon version with a msrp of $72 (available for around $45)
Beautiful handle material, grooves on the bolsters and notice the beautiful blade shape and nail nicks.
It says made in Solingen Germany.



110723.jpg

This is the stainless version with a msrp of $36 (available for $35, which I find odd.)
At first I thought this was a small version because of the odd blade shape and the big nail picks.
Notice how the handle material looks a lot less luxurious. (same as Case and other brands now) Notice the odd and less refined looking blade shapes and the nail nicks. and the bolsters.
It also does not say made in Solingen Germany.



I noticed the same with the trapper but here the carbon version is only $5 more (msrp)


110731.jpg

Stainless



ofU6z5C.jpg

Carbon


I don't really like carbon but if I was going to buy a Boker Tree Brand I most certainly would go for the carbon versions.

And if I had to guess, which I do, I think the stainless versions are made in China. (or at least he blades)
(I didn't check any other line besides Copperhead and Trapper though)

This is from the Boker website home page:
"The famous knives with the tree-brand are manufactured in the German blade-city since 1869. Since then, no knife left our production without this sign of quality. The history of Boker has been affected by eventful times, but two things remained: our passion and enthusiasm for extraordinary knives."

Notice how it does not specifically state all Boker Tree Brand knives are made in Solingen Germany..

Opinions please.:cool:

EDIT.
It seems the reason the carbon Copperhead handle is more luxurious is because it is from a different more expensive line.
I rather not change my opening post.
I still think my point for the radical different blade shapes stands. Even if we disregard the Copperhead and just look at the trapper blade shapes and nail nicks.
 
Last edited:
Boker has knives made all over the place. I've had Bokers marked China and I believe the "Fiskmuk" is made in Taiwan. They have a few lines that are made offshore but for some reason I thought the Tree Brand knives were made in Germany. I could be wrong.

Regards

Robin
 
So far as I've ever seen, Boker knives are German, Boker Plus and Magnum are from Taiwan and China. Where are you seeing these? A famous website with auctions has definite Boker copies as well as real Boker. Look at their site, or from reputable dealers. They have never practiced in deceptive advertising as far as I've seen. Don't give too much credence to pics. You need to see them in person to really tell.
Methinks your sleuthing is for naught.
 
jimh0220 said:
So far as I've ever seen, Boker knives are German, Boker Plus and Magnum are from Taiwan and China. Where are you seeing these? A famous website with auctions has definite Boker copies as well as real Boker. Look at their site, or from reputable dealers. They have never practiced in deceptive advertising as far as I've seen. Don't give too much credence to pics. You need to see them in person to really tell.
Methinks your sleuthing is for naught.
Click to expand...

If you have read my thread you would have noticed I got these pictures from the official Boker website.

Edit.
I made it clearer and provided a link to the official website. I seemed to have accidentally removed the link before.
 
The one I have on my pocket today has stainless blades, is "Tree Brand" and has a "H. Boker & Co Solingen" stamp on the blade.
 
Call Boker. Why are you so worried? If you want a stainless German Boker, order one. They make them. Honest. With their history, I highly suspect they're not tricking you.
 
The price difference in the copperheads could be related to the cover materials as well. The top pic is the "beer barrel" line which run a bit more expensive because of the material. Similar to stag being more expensive than bone for the most part.
 
I think that I read or heard somewhere that both carbon and stainless are both made in Germany and offshore. If the stamp is marked Solingen Germany it is a true made in Germany, with German steel. Both carbon and stainless is made in Solingen also. If only stamped Germany it has parts or labor made in Germany and other places. Steel may be German and sent off to other countries where some parts made and installed, then sent back to Germany to complete.I can't say for fact, just memory, and hope helps some.
Harold
 
eschwebach said:
The price difference in the copperheads could be related to the cover materials as well. The top pic is the "beer barrel" line which run a bit more expensive because of the material. Similar to stag being more expensive than bone for the most part.
Click to expand...

Yeah agreed. But still. The difference in the blade shapes also on the trapper and especially the nail nicks. The stainless version looks very poor compared to the carbon. It looks like the blades are made be a completely different company.
 
OMG! You busted Boker!!! You caught them in an international scam! Call Interpol!

Your question has been answered repeatedly, and there's even an official Boker Subforum you can ask.

Let It Go Already!!!!!

Please...
 
jimh0220 said:
OMG! You busted Boker!!! You caught them in an international scam! Call Interpol!

Your question has been answered repeatedly, and there's even an official Boker Subforum you can ask.

Let It Go Already!!!!!

Please...
Click to expand...

I thought this was a discussion forum.. What is wrong with discussing where a knife has been made?
I'm not blaming Boker. It doesn't say on the knife made in Germany so there is no scam.

And if anything, I thought it was quite interesting seeing the major quality difference in both steels.
One looks very expensive.
The other looks very poor.
 
I think the blades with no Germany and only the tree blade stamp are made in China. If they have only Germany and the tree the steel in made in Germany and shipped out. Solingen Germany, tree stamp all made in Germany. The stainless steel can be 440A, 440C and carbon steel. There maybe more, but I definitely am no way a expert on this subject.
Harold
 
The Boker plus knives have a lot of patterns made with 440C stainless. Most of them that I have used and handled were made with a lot of quality, and they were made in China, or Taiwan. They offer a great value to me.
Harold
 
bucksforus said:
I think the blades with no Germany and only the tree blade stamp are made in China. If they have only Germany and the tree the steel in made in Germany and shipped out.
Click to expand...

Interesting. So you are thinking they get blades in from China and assembly in Germany. (what I think as well for some knives)
But also send blades out and assemble in China. (I bet if true they ship out carbon blades and not stainless)
 
the kid said:
On my quest for my first real traditional (excluding Sodbuster and lots of Victorinox) I do a lot of digging on the computer.







http://www.boker.de/us/search/copperhead-0-9999-1-0.html
Where I found stainless and carbon versions.


Please note the differences between the versions.

112626bbl.jpg

This is the carbon version with a msrp of $72 (available for around $45)
Beautiful handle material, grooves on the bolsters and notice the beautiful blade shape and nail nicks.
It says made in Solingen Germany.



110723.jpg

This is the stainless version with a msrp of $36 (available for $35, which I find odd.)
At first I thought this was a small version because of the odd blade shape and the big nail picks.
Notice how the handle material looks a lot less luxurious. (same as Case and other brands now) Notice the odd and less refined looking blade shapes and the nail nicks. and the bolsters.
It also does not say made in Solingen Germany.



I noticed the same with the trapper but here the carbon version is only $5 more (msrp)


110731.jpg

Stainless



ofU6z5C.jpg

Carbon


I don't really like carbon but if I was going to buy a Boker Tree Brand I most certainly would go for the carbon versions.

And if I had to guess, which I do, I think the stainless versions are made in China. (or at least he blades)
(I didn't check any other line besides Copperhead and Trapper though)

This is from the Boker website home page:
"The famous knives with the tree-brand are manufactured in the German blade-city since 1869. Since then, no knife left our production without this sign of quality. The history of Boker has been affected by eventful times, but two things remained: our passion and enthusiasm for extraordinary knives."

Notice how it does not specifically state all Boker Tree Brand knives are made in Solingen Germany..

Opinions please.:cool:
Click to expand...


You did notice, didn't you, that the handle materials on your first two examples are totally different. The "less luxurious" appears to be jigged bone. The other one is some kind of wood. Looks almost like oak.

Actually, not to be contrary, I like the bone one better. Unless wood, and especially wood with an open grain like oak is stabilized (which this might be), it would be prone to absorbing moisture and splintering.
 
Mr. Chips said:
You did notice, didn't you, that the handle materials on your first two examples are totally different. The "less luxurious" appears to be jigged bone. The other one is some kind of wood. Looks almost like oak.

Actually, not to be contrary, I like the bone one better. Unless wood, and especially wood with an open grain like oak is stabilized (which this might be), it would be prone to absorbing moisture and splintering.
Click to expand...

eschwebach already mentioned that the carbon copperhead is of a more expensive line. Good call though.
I will make an edit in the opening post.
But that still leaves the trapper blades. (and the blades of the copperhead)
 
the kid said:
And if anything, I thought it was quite interesting seeing the major quality difference in both steels.
One looks very expensive.
The other looks very poor.
Click to expand...

Here's a recent thread in which some of the differences (and nomenclature) were also discussed, if not narrowed down:

Boker Ts question.

From one of my posts in that thread:

Back to the "Ts": upon closer inspection, it looks like Boker has either renamed or more "officially" named a certain line that was previously described as "Hybrid"-- knives with a prominent "TREE BRAND" stamp but not even a mention of Solingen on the blades.
Click to expand...

(Just, for a short time there were knives some vendors presented as Boker Hybrids that you will likely recognize from your current reading.)

~ P.
 
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