Puma Bowie Stag Knife

[MikeCamp]

Hey guys whats up. I am new to the forum and did a search on this but was unable to get an answer. i recently purchased a Puma Stage Bowie knife as a general all purpose knife for hiking and camping. I ordered it from the sportsman guide for $70. It was the absolute cheapest i could find and was pretty shocked when i saw it that low. It finally came in the mail today and im starting to think maybe it is not a genuine puma knife. It came in the box and it says made in germany. My question is that on the official puma website, the markings on the blade are different than the markings on my blade.

as opposed to the blade markings found on the puma stag bowie on the website.

It does however have the little marking of where the blade was tested.

here in another picture of the knife. I just want to know if this is a genuine, made in germany stag knife. I know some Pumas are now outsourced to asia and i'm just not sure how to tell the difference! thanks in advance guys for the help, i really appreciate it!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Hello Mike. Welcome to BF!

2 things:
I'm not seeing any pics in your post (I assume you tried to post some?). You might want to open a photo hosting account (with PhotoBucket or similar site), so you can link directly to photos there. As a 'registered user', you won't be able to upload or attach photos directly to your post.

Also, you might take a look at the 'stickys' in this sub-forum (Bernard Levine's Knife Collecting & Identification):
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=691

The stickys provide tips on how to get your questions answered most effectively. Might even post in that forum if you like (make sure to include the pics).

 

[MikeCamp]

Thanks Obsessed with Edges. I made some changes so let me know if the pictures now show up

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Thanks Obsessed with Edges. I made some changes so let me know if the pictures now show up

Yep. Can see the pics now.

You mentioned that the markings on your blade are different than the markings you see on the 'official' site? Which markings in particular? And what, specifically, is the 'official' site you're referring to? Post a link if you can.

One number that might (legitimately) vary, is the number next to the 'RC' on the blade. That number is a 'code' for the year of manufacture. I see '09' on the blade in your pics. That indicates, logically enough, that yours was manufactured in 2009. Many pics of this knife on the web will show '105' in that location on the blade (next to the 'RC'). That code refers to manufacture in the first half of 2005. You might like to take a look at this:

http://pumaknifecompanyusa.com/faq.aspx

Based on what I see in your pics, I'm thinking you've got a genuine, current-generation PUMA (German-made). PUMA does have a 'PUMA IP' line which is made in Spain and/or Asia, but the 'PUMA IP' should be specifically marked on those knives, as far as I know.

 

[MikeCamp]

Thank you so much. I was worried after i bought it because it was MUCH cheaper on this one site as opposed to many other. and as for the markings on the puma website, if you go to www.pumaknifecompanyusa.com and look at the bowie stag, the markings are different. I had emailed them earlier today and they said the pictures on their website is the older markings and had not been changed yet. That clears that up. Thanks again! i am happy to know this blade was handmade in germany and i got what i paid for. i still dont understand why is was sooo much cheaper on sportsmand guide than any other website

 

[GRIM 62]

Looks like a German made Puma to me.I have that same knife that I purchased out of the Sportsman Guide in 06.Mine reads 106 next to the rc mark.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Thank you so much. I was worried after i bought it because it was MUCH cheaper on this one site as opposed to many other. and as for the markings on the puma website, if you go to www.pumaknifecompanyusa.com and look at the bowie stag, the markings are different. I had emailed them earlier today and they said the pictures on their website is the older markings and had not been changed yet. That clears that up. Thanks again! i am happy to know this blade was handmade in germany and i got what i paid for. i still dont understand why is was sooo much cheaper on sportsmand guide than any other website

Yes, I think I found the picture you were referring to (on pumaknifecompanyusa.com). Those markings do look a bit different. I actually hadn't seen that version before. The marks on your knife looked more typical of what I was familiar with. It doesn't surprise me, that Puma hadn't updated their pic. That's pretty common among knife manufacturers. Sometimes the 'stock' pics they put on their sites are actually pictures of a 'prototype' or 'pre-production' piece, which won't necessarily match up exactly with the final product release.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Welcome to Bladeforums!

I think we can leave this in General Knife Discussion, since it looks like the information's come together nicely. Sportsmans Guide can sell some items very cheaply when they buy up stock from another business (job lots).