- Joined
- Dec 17, 2008
- Messages
- 728
In 2014 or 2015 I purchased a Boker Kwaiken. I do like the design very much, but the build quality was a hot mess. Thinking I just bought an off spec lemon, I ordered two more from two different vendors. Nope, each Kwaiken had just about the same issues. So I kept one and worked with it to make it useable.
1. In the closed position the blade edge was flush with the handle, easily presenting a hazard. I've cut myself fairly bad once. It will take couple more sharpenings to rectify the situation.
2. The jimping on the flipper tab was practically non-existent. An attempt was made at jimping, but the grooves were too shallow and uneven to be effective. I had to use a Dremel to make my own jimping.
3. The knife weighed far too much for its' size, so I had to disassemble it and skeletonize the liners. Again I used a Dremel.
4. The clip was too flimsy, used propriety screws and was too high riding in the pocket. I had to source a maker who fashioned a workable deep carry pocket clip.
Flash forward to today October 2021. Thinking after six or more years Boker must have improved their QC processes, I purchased the new Kwaiken Air Titanium. Like I said I do like the design.
Here's the photo from the vendor.
This is what I got. The scales are misaligned, the lanyard tube is terribly crooked, the detent is weak enough that with enough inertia I can shake the the blade out, and the blade is not centered. OK, the blade doesn't have to be perfectly centered, so maybe I'll take that back just to be fair. It's only a $90 knife after all. But the rest of the stuff is inexcusable. Oh and look at that terrible looking rough stonewash finish on the liners.
This knife is going back to the vendor. Goodbye Boker Plus, I was never a fan anyway.
1. In the closed position the blade edge was flush with the handle, easily presenting a hazard. I've cut myself fairly bad once. It will take couple more sharpenings to rectify the situation.
2. The jimping on the flipper tab was practically non-existent. An attempt was made at jimping, but the grooves were too shallow and uneven to be effective. I had to use a Dremel to make my own jimping.
3. The knife weighed far too much for its' size, so I had to disassemble it and skeletonize the liners. Again I used a Dremel.
4. The clip was too flimsy, used propriety screws and was too high riding in the pocket. I had to source a maker who fashioned a workable deep carry pocket clip.
Flash forward to today October 2021. Thinking after six or more years Boker must have improved their QC processes, I purchased the new Kwaiken Air Titanium. Like I said I do like the design.
Here's the photo from the vendor.
This is what I got. The scales are misaligned, the lanyard tube is terribly crooked, the detent is weak enough that with enough inertia I can shake the the blade out, and the blade is not centered. OK, the blade doesn't have to be perfectly centered, so maybe I'll take that back just to be fair. It's only a $90 knife after all. But the rest of the stuff is inexcusable. Oh and look at that terrible looking rough stonewash finish on the liners.
This knife is going back to the vendor. Goodbye Boker Plus, I was never a fan anyway.
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