I'm seeking info about German made (not South African) Okapi knives, and looking for any pictures or articles to compare one I purchased recently. It looks fairly "vintage", but perhaps has a new or repaired handle and sheath.I want to know if it is all original, or like the proverbial antique axe, that had a dozen new handles and 4 different axe heads in it's lifetime!
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Looking for info about Okapi knives
- Thread starter Bryan.H
- Start date
Here's how I understand it:
Okapi knives were first made in Germany for export to South Africa. Later, (date?) the production was actually moved to South Africa. I believe it's still a German company though.
The most common African-made Okapi knives have wood handles and inlaid metal patterns. Some have the ratcheting lock system. I haven't handled these myself, so can't comment on the quality.
I do have several of the German-made Okapi knives. SMKW was selling them as a "warehouse find" several years ago for about $5 apiece. They are simple slipjoint knives with a single blade and metal handles. The quality is definitely hit-or-miss. Some of mine fit pretty good, while others have significant blade play. None of mine came with sheaths.
You've just tapped all of my Okapi knowledge. Hope it helped.
Best Wishes,
Bob
Okapi knives were first made in Germany for export to South Africa. Later, (date?) the production was actually moved to South Africa. I believe it's still a German company though.
The most common African-made Okapi knives have wood handles and inlaid metal patterns. Some have the ratcheting lock system. I haven't handled these myself, so can't comment on the quality.
I do have several of the German-made Okapi knives. SMKW was selling them as a "warehouse find" several years ago for about $5 apiece. They are simple slipjoint knives with a single blade and metal handles. The quality is definitely hit-or-miss. Some of mine fit pretty good, while others have significant blade play. None of mine came with sheaths.
You've just tapped all of my Okapi knowledge. Hope it helped.
Best Wishes,
Bob
I have an Okapi, and its one of the South African ones. As I understand it, they have not been made in Germany for a very long while. Many years.
The one I have is a medium size, with about a 4 inch blade. I got it from Atlanta Cutlery for all of 10 dollars. because I have a weak spot for "weird" knives from other countries. It does indeed have a ratchet and makes an interesting sound when opened quickly. The knife is in accuality a small navaja, both in shape and mechanisim. The blade lock is very secure. One bad thing is that it came with a very blunt edge. I took it up the road to a knifemaking friend in Frederick and had him reprofile the edge on his belt grinder. It would have been a years work by hand on stones, it was that thick and blunt. BUT- now it cuts like an Opinel and really is not a bad knife. I've had much more "well known" brands of knife that did not cut as well or hold an edge as well. It's about on par with Opinel, the German black cat Mercator knife, and other working knives. Thats the good thing about a simple carbon steel, its a very forgiving material and its very easy to make a low cost decent using knife out of it. Low tech doe'nt mean it don't work.
Try one for nothing else than the novelty of using a centurys old knife design for what it is- a simple knife to cut something.
The one I have is a medium size, with about a 4 inch blade. I got it from Atlanta Cutlery for all of 10 dollars. because I have a weak spot for "weird" knives from other countries. It does indeed have a ratchet and makes an interesting sound when opened quickly. The knife is in accuality a small navaja, both in shape and mechanisim. The blade lock is very secure. One bad thing is that it came with a very blunt edge. I took it up the road to a knifemaking friend in Frederick and had him reprofile the edge on his belt grinder. It would have been a years work by hand on stones, it was that thick and blunt. BUT- now it cuts like an Opinel and really is not a bad knife. I've had much more "well known" brands of knife that did not cut as well or hold an edge as well. It's about on par with Opinel, the German black cat Mercator knife, and other working knives. Thats the good thing about a simple carbon steel, its a very forgiving material and its very easy to make a low cost decent using knife out of it. Low tech doe'nt mean it don't work.
Try one for nothing else than the novelty of using a centurys old knife design for what it is- a simple knife to cut something.
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I have a South African Okapi as well,must be the weird knives thing.The steel is 1095,the wood is anybody's guess.Kinda' dig the metal inlays sort of funky.Definitely reprofile the edge.Did mine on an EdgePro and it cuts like a demon.IIRC,9.95. Fit and finish...............uh! 
Daniel
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Hi, this is my first post.
I love Okapi knives and although I only have one, it is a big one, 4" blade, Teak handle and brass plate decoration - traditional Okapi pattern.
It is a nice piece of steel and the lock mechanism is rock solid, but you need to be careful when closing it - you might catch your fingers! the guy in the hardware store in Namibia where I bought mine admitted he was terrified of catching his fingers and would not use one. All the farmers and hunters use them for skinning, cutting up meat, cutting rope etc... real work knives.
I love Okapi knives and although I only have one, it is a big one, 4" blade, Teak handle and brass plate decoration - traditional Okapi pattern.
It is a nice piece of steel and the lock mechanism is rock solid, but you need to be careful when closing it - you might catch your fingers! the guy in the hardware store in Namibia where I bought mine admitted he was terrified of catching his fingers and would not use one. All the farmers and hunters use them for skinning, cutting up meat, cutting rope etc... real work knives.