Opinions on Henckels brand?

orca8589

orca8589

Joined
Jan 27, 2007
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Does anyone have experience with this brand? I'm looking into getting one of their three- or four-blade Stockmans, and the four-blade has 420 stainless blades. The build quality on the couple I've seen is really nice, but how do the blades hold up?

thx - cpr
 
The Henckels seem to be very simillar indeed to Boker.
I cannot tell the difference between my Boker and my Henckel stockman.

I have a 4" Stockman and a Whittler.

I find the SS holds well a very sharp edge.

I have just sharpened the Whittler on a DMT Extra Fine then the DMT Ceramic.
It will make fuzz sticks off hair!
Sharp enough?
 
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I have several older Henckels and they are great little knives. I actually prefer 420 over 440, it has always seemed easier to sharpen and holds an edge better, just not quite as stain resistant.
 
The springs have run a bit on the weak side for my liking in the examples I've played with, but the fit and finish were quite good. :)
 
I thought I read someplace a while back, that they were actually made by Boker. But then I could be recalling it wrong.

If you can find one of the old ones on e-bay, they were great knives in the old days. Almost up there with the old Bertram Hen and Roosters.
 
Henckels quit making its own pocketknives around 1960. Since then Boker and Olbertz have made pocketknives with Henckels stamps. Up until a few years ago, they were brought here by United Cutlery.

The pre-WWI Henckels are right up their with some of the best, IMO.

henckelspen001.jpg
 
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One thing to look for on the Boker made Henckels knives is the colour of the shield. Black indicates stainless steel blades and red signifies carbon steel blades.
 
I have picked up eight of the 4 blade stockman's over the last year, they do have the light "German' type backsprings. One even has a blade that will not close on it's own. But, I do like the Henckels knives F\F. I also have two of the Whittlers that have strong backsprings and more of the American snap to them, I really like Henckels and will continue to buy them especially at the close out prices that I have seen over the last year.
 
Mike Robuck said:
Henckels quit making its own pocketknives around 1960. Since then Boker and Olbertz have made pocketknives with Henckels stamps. Up until a few years ago, they were brought here by United Cutlery.

The pre-WWI Henckels are right up their with some of the best, IMO.

henckelspen001.jpg
Click to expand...

THAT, is a fantastic knife!
Any more info and stats on it please?
 
Glad you like it. It's somewhere in the range of 1900s to 1930s, I think. 3 1/8 closed. Swedged blades that fit nicely into the frame. For some reason Henckels called its jigged bone "imitation stag" in its catalogs.

henckelspen002.jpg


S-K, I didn't know that about the shields. Nice tip.
 
Agree with the others,,,,the older Henckels you will find are probably a better quality and steel. But I have a few of the modern versions, as well,,,,fit and finish are well put together. If you can find an old bone handled with carbon steel in good shape, snag it!
 
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