Old Boker USA Scout

[akula83]

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Boker scout pattern, new pics to follow.

 

[RobbW]

No idea, but I love that chestnut bone and the style of that can opener! :thumbup:

 

[akula83]

No idea, but I love that chestnut bone and the style of that can opener! :thumbup:

Yeah, it took me a moment to determine that was indeed a can opener, it's tight all the way around and the bone is perfect. thanks for the post.

 

[Liberando]

Not sure how old, but it's a darn nice knife, thanks for sharing it with us!

 

[navihawk]

I think Boker USA was around late fifties, early sixties. Nice one.

 

[Stich2442]

I think Boker USA was around late fifties, early sixties. Nice one.

I'm a Boker fan, I find their history and contributions to the cutlery world fascinating, vast, and very much overlooked, here's a really brief history of Boker USA, I left a lot out, but this is the express cliff notes version

Around 1837 Hermann Böker emigrated to the USA , 1857 they renamed the US firm H.Boker & Co. and set up shops in New York, Canada and Mexico, and eventually Argentina. Around 1899 Carl F. Boker purchased Valley Forge Cutlery Co., along with the Valley Forge branded knives also made knives marked H. Boker & Co's Improved Cutler, 1916 Carl F. Boker purchased Cyclops Steel Co. in Titusville Pa. ( I'm sure you all know who owns that name now) During WWII Germany supplied German troops and American Boker to US troops, the Solingen factory was destroyed by Allied bombers and the US government seized the Tree Brand trade mark took control of the trademark and ownership for 40 years, the German factory was rebuilt in the 1950s. In the 60's and 70's the company changed hands several times, J. Wiss and Sons, Coopers Group, with the New York shop shutting down around 1983 and the US production of Boker knives. In 1986 Cooper sold the Boker name and trademarks back to the German Boker firm and they started a importing company Boker USA Inc. in Denver, Colorado.

As for the knife, are there any markings on the back of the blades? Examples being trees or a number?


Pete

 

[akula83]

Thanks everyone. There are no other markings or numbers, just the Boker/USA tang stamp. I'm very impressed with the F/F, no gaps between the liner and springs and zero play on the main blade. This one was made to last, possibly made in Titusville, PA? that's cool.

 

[Stich2442]

Thanks everyone. There are no other markings or numbers, just the Boker/USA tang stamp. I'm very impressed with the F/F, no gaps between the liner and springs and zero play on the main blade. This one was made to last, possibly made in Titusville, PA? that's cool.

I doubt it was made in Titusville, it would be labeled as such, yours is Boker USA and that stamp was used from 1945-1983. For your knife I'm guessing 1945-47ish, with Boker USA the shield which yours does not have helps narrow things down, they changed slightly with ownership. the thing that throws me is the can opener, on most scout knives after 1944 the safety can opener was used, there are exceptions like the Utica made Girl Scout knives used your style of can opener through 1947 as well as Kent and Clover brand, that's why I say after 1945 ( because of the tang stamp used) and probably before 1950, it's a rough estimate 1945-1950 unless it was some reintroduced reproduction later on but I don't think so.

Pete

 

[navihawk]

I'm a Boker fan, I find their history and contributions to the cutlery world fascinating, vast, and very much overlooked, here's a really brief history of Boker USA, I left a lot out, but this is the express cliff notes version

Around 1837 Hermann Böker emigrated to the USA , 1857 they renamed the US firm H.Boker & Co. and set up shops in New York, Canada and Mexico, and eventually Argentina. Around 1899 Carl F. Boker purchased Valley Forge Cutlery Co., along with the Valley Forge branded knives also made knives marked H. Boker & Co's Improved Cutler, 1916 Carl F. Boker purchased Cyclops Steel Co. in Titusville Pa. ( I'm sure you all know who owns that name now) During WWII Germany supplied German troops and American Boker to US troops, the Solingen factory was destroyed by Allied bombers and the US government seized the Tree Brand trade mark took control of the trademark and ownership for 40 years, the German factory was rebuilt in the 1950s. In the 60's and 70's the company changed hands several times, J. Wiss and Sons, Coopers Group, with the New York shop shutting down around 1983 and the US production of Boker knives. In 1986 Cooper sold the Boker name and trademarks back to the German Boker firm and they started a importing company Boker USA Inc. in Denver, Colorado.

As for the knife, are there any markings on the back of the blades? Examples being trees or a number?


Pete

Thanks for the history lesson Pete.

 

[akula83]

Thanks for the info Stich, I was hoping for around the 1940's. It's my first Boker and I really appreciate finding it. I was showing it to a guy at a used tool shop as we began talking pocket knives, it's riding in the pocket with my Sebenza......it's a joy to use.

 

[Stich2442]

Thanks for the history lesson Pete.

No problem, that's just the tip of the iceberg, they are/were as much an American firm as they are a German one

Thanks for the info Stich, I was hoping for around the 1940's. It's my first Boker and I really appreciate finding it. I was showing it to a guy at a used tool shop as we began talking pocket knives, it's riding in the pocket with my Sebenza......it's a joy to use.

It's a great knife, and a great find congrats I would be happy that that in the pocket

Pete