PUMA Query

Guyon

Guyon

Biscuit Whisperer
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I recall that Puma changed hands (perhaps more than once) and has gone downhill in terms of quality? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Still this one caught my eye because it was in the L.L. Bean catalog, and L.L. Bean doesn't usually fool with junk. Looked it up on the Puma site. Blade steel is 440C, so it has a decent carbon content.

It seems like a good knife. Anyone here own one? Has Puma improved of late?

800115.jpg


PUMA IP silverlion stag
blade length: 3-1/3 "
blade thickness: 3,5 mm
total length: 7-1/2 "
knife weight: 130 gr
scales: staghorn
steel / hardness: 440C / 57-60 HRC
sheath: leather
design: PUMA IP
 
L.L.Bean doesn't sell much besides clothes and bags lately. They were never a big knife seller and I doubt they know much about what them. Puma had a good name once, and that may have gotten them to carry this one.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
L.L.Bean doesn't sell much besides clothes and bags lately. They were never a big knife seller and I doubt they know much about what them. Puma had a good name once, and that may have gotten them to carry this one.
Click to expand...
You must just be looking at the catalogs your wife gets. I think you'd be surprised at the range of things L.L. Bean still carries. Heck, I ordered a truck bed extender from them recently--made by a family business in Pennsylvania. Also, L.L. Bean does still put out a hunting catalog with some good gear in it. Think Swarovski glass and Surefire lights. It's where I saw this knife as well as some decent Buck knives.

When a company like Bean backs its merchandise with 100% satisfaction guarantee, it tends to carry quality gear. That's why I was surprised when I saw the Puma. Still, I really like the size and shape, and I've never sneezed at 440C. Just wondering if it and its heat treat are worth the money.
 
Many of the knives I have seen lately from Puma do not impress me compared to the knives from youth that at that time were the best knives I had ever seen. However, I recently handled a new White Hunter and Cougar, and these knives appeared to every bit as well made as the knives Puma was making 45 years ago.

Did you know that Puma makes a knife that retails for $5000.00?:eek:
 
The knife may not be made in Germany, if that matters to you.
Puma has been manufacturing (or contracting out to companies) in Spain for a while now; and also the German made Pumas use 1.4 steel rather than 440C. Another thing is that the German made Pumas say on the blade that they're made in Germany.

Don't know the price, but I recommend you do some comparison shopping.

There are a lot of really nice knives of this style available, from high quality merchants like L.L. Bean.

If I were looking at a European made knife of this type, I'd check out the German made Linder 440C knives. Or the German made Pumas.

Spanish cutlery IMO is not of the same quality (yet; anyway) as German cutlery.

For an American made knife of this type, there are quite a few options.
One I'd look at seriously is Bark River.
 
Puma still makes many of its knives in Germany. It also has knives made in Spain and China.

I owned a Spanish made fixed blade for a while - it was interesting but nothing to get excited about. I have no experience with the Chinese made versions - frankly I can't see why you would buy a premium name brand knife made in China. The origin of all of the Pumas I have seen have been clearly marked on the knives.

The German made knives have been the subject of some negative comments of late. I have two Puma Bowies - a twenty year old version and one made about 2 years ago. The most noticeable differences are in the quality of the stag scales (this problem isn't confined to Puma) and the degree of finish and polish - the older model is much better finished in this regard.

The older model is difficult to sharpen (for me anyway) while the new one takes a good edge quite readily. I find its edge retention quite acceptable. Overall I think they are still stylish knives but there has been some compromise. The main criticism would be that they are overpriced.

There are some new models, usually with the suffix of II that are more basic in nature, usually lacking bolsters - in my opinion they are some of the most horrible looking knives on the market.

Puma still makes a good range of folders in Germany. Many of the traditional slip joint style are good value and quite nice. The springs are often quite light compared to some American made knives of this style and this sometimes makes people a bit nervous. Those that I own are well made and nicely finished. I don't know a lot about steel and don't do cutting tests etc, so I may a bit more forgiving than many knife enthusiasts.
 
Puma IP knives are made in Spain and/or Argentina. I can't say anything about the quality of steel in the IP's because I only buy Puma's made in Germany. Something about Soligen steel I like, I guess. I have 2 White Hunters, Bowie, Skinner, Duke, Earl, Prince and about 10 other various puma's made in germany and they are sharp, hold edge well and feel good in your hand too. I guess you might say they are my favorite kind of knife. They run from 104 to 106 rockwell on the blades. I don't care for the new models either where they have changed the styles and put a II on it.
 
My very old (~20+yrs.) Puma White Hunter says "Handmade Germany Stainless" and I beleave that it is one of the good ones and would you beleave that it is still NIB(Dark Green Box) after all these years! In fact it still has the little paper arrow on the right side pointing to the Rockwell impression.

It is so nice looking that I could never bring myself to carrying or using it.

See for yourself:

Puma1.jpg


Ciao 4now
Ron :rolleyes:
 
Well, the sad fact is that they are not the same as the old ones. I owned some of the older puma's from many years ago. When it was still owned by the original family.

Now they are not handmade like they use to be. There is allot of machinery involved. However they do use cnc machining also. So it's not all bad. And also, the prices of the newer ones are so much cheaper than the originals. So ther is a "trade off".

Some of the knives are made in Germany, some in Spain, and some in china. The German made ones are the only ones I will consider.

Now as the "fit and finish" on these newer knives are not very good. Usually in the area where the stag meets the cross guards. You may have to "pick through" a few to find a good one.

I do own a few of them. The bowie in particular. I do say you can find some good ones. But you have to look through a few to get some good ones. Now of course with the older ones that wasnt necessary. I do also have to say though, that the 440C they are using on some of the newer (german made) ones, seens pretty good (so far). so I would not completely rule these new ones out. Just be aware that if you want one, you may have to look at them first.
 
Guyon said:
. Still, I really like the size and shape, and I've never sneezed at 440C. Just wondering if it and its heat treat are worth the money.
Click to expand...

No. According to my experience, there is something really wrong about Puma's and Böker's heat-treating method.
 
As was mentioned in the posts above the IP (international production) knives are made in Spain and China. While the 440c steel seems to be o.k. fit and finish are quite bad especially if you consider the price. Maybe the heat treat is off too. A friend of mine chipped the blade of his IP Puma during skinning of a deere what I would not expect of a good hunting knife. But I don't have actually working experinences with these knives since my newest Puma is from 1981.
The qualitiy of the folders has deteriorated even more.

Ulrich
 
New to forum. Are there any knives currently available that are designed like the Puma Cougar #6374 and equivalent in quality?
 
Ok... does it mean that if I see Germany on the blade, it means that that knife was made in Germany and still of good quality???? Even if it does not come in the blue and yellow boxes??
 
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