Share your Boker, Böker, Boeker, H&R Boker Remscheid, R&H Bokers Improved Cutlery, H.

[Stich2442]

Boker has such a rich cutlery history, although it seems to get forgotten about, and Case, Queen,& GEC seem to be the focus of our attention. I know many here have Boker knives in their possession I thought a running thread on Boker was needed.
Some brief history

Hermann Boeker immigrated to New York in 1887 and founded H.Boker & Co., Boker also owned Valley Forge cutlery and were also contracted to make knives for many other cutlers including Case.


H. Boker & Co's made knives for C. Platts & Sons in the early 1900's as Platts had been contracting knives out at that period of time, both companies were located in New York.

I found these list of Cutlers Boker has made knives for, don't remember where I found these or how accurate they are:

Arbolito - Spanish for "little tree". South American branch. Argentina.

Boker Plus - Boker's current "international" brand. Made in Tiawan and China.

Boker USA - Started in 1899 when H. Boker & Co. purchased the Valley Forge plant. Ended U.S. production in 1983.

Casa Boker - Hardware store founded in 1865 by Robert Boker. Sold knives and hardware improted from USA, Germany and England. Known as "the Sears of Mexico".

Cinch - Current manufacture in Solingen.

Cooper Group - Purchased Boker USA from J. Wiss in 1977. Moved production to Statesboro, GA. Ended US production in 1983.

Cyclops Steel - Purchased by Barl F. Boker in 1916. Sold in 1926. Titusville, PA.

George Schrade - Purchased by Boker ni 1956. Closed in 1958

H. Boker & Company - Founded in NY in 1837 by Hermann Boker. Imported cutlery from Germany. Began making knives in the US with the purchase of Valley Forge cutlery in 1899.

H. Dorwal - Knives made by Boker in Solingen, distributed by the Remsheid Bokers for the Canadian market.*

Heinrich Boker - Official name of the factory in Solingen. Opened in 1869.

Hen and Rooster - Boker made knives in Solingen for Frost. Recent.

Henry Boker - Brand name associated with the Remsheid Bokers. Mostly sold in Australia. Also used on many hand tools in that country.

J. Wiss & Sons - purchased Boker USA in 1969.

J.A. Henkels - Contracted knives made by Boker Solingen. Dates uncertain (1960 - present ???)

John Newton (Sheffield) - Made by Boker USA, Newark, NJ, circa 1906.

John Primble - knives sold by Belknap. Boker USA made knives sold under the Primble trademark from circa 1940s - early 1980s. Primble knives made by Boker have a star on the pattern number stamped on the tang.

Litton Industries - Owned Boker USA in 1968. Sold to J. Wiss in 1969.

Magnum - Knives made in China.

New Britain - Toolmaking company in Connecticutt. Purchased Boker USA in 1965. Bought by Litton Industries circa 1968.

Olde Stag - trademark patented by Boker in 1975 to identify knives made with "del-bone" (delrin) imitation stag handles.

Radium - Blade etch on some Boker knives from early 1900s. History unknown

Rainbow (Providence, RI) - made by Boker USA circa 1933-1954

Razor Steel - Etched on some Boker USA blades circa 1940-1950

Riverside Cut. Co. NY - Made by Boker USA circa 1918

Tree Brand - The Boker brand, USA and Solingen, as it is sometimes called.

Tree Brand Classic - trademark patented in 1974 - used on knife patterns that have been around for a while...

United Boker - Contract knives made by Boker circa 1984-1994.

Valley Forge - Company purchased by H. Boker & Co. in 1899. Closed original plant in 1921, but continued to manufacture Valley Forge knives alongside Boker USA knives in the Maplewood, NJ plant until the 1950s.

Whitehead & Hoag Co. (Newark, NJ) - Made by Boker USA circa 1900-1959

Wright & Wilhelmy (Omaha, NE) - Made by Boker and Ulster

1. Manhattan Cutlery Company (1868-1906).
2. Trenton Cutlery Company (1880-1906).
3. Regal Cutlery Company (1906).
4. George Dunbar (1901-1906).
5. Eclipse (1887-1918).
6. Hilton (1922-1924).
7. Edelweiss (1903).
8. Hardy Bros. (1884-1885).
9. Bicycle (1894).
10. O.K. Barlow Germany (1867-1917).
11. O.K. Barlow (1896-1917).
12. Red Injun Razors (1902).*
13. Celebrated Knife etched Bokers (late 1800's-early 1900's).
14. X (with an arrow thru it) Boker M R (1850-1875).
15. Baumwerk is Spanish for tree work.
16. Alemania is Spanish for Germany.
17. Radium (patented by Boker in 1904).
18. I'm not positive on these two, but I'm pretty sure Boker made them: W.D. Herbert and Dixon Cutlery Co.
19. Boker also made some knives for Case. The old Case radio or plier knives are identical to the old H. Bokers, as well as an old camp/scout knife pattern.
20. Prentiss Knife Co. New York (1916-1930) VF is stamped inside a circle (Valley Forge when Boker owned them) on the back of the tang.
21. Wyeth's Warranted Cutlery.
22. Bowen (1990's).

My Knives

H. Boker & Co's Improved Cutlery c. 1900 - tree changed in 1907

7474 Yellow Bone Stockman Solingen Germany

J.A. Henckels Congress made by Boker walnut scales

5474HHW Stag Congress
Tang Stamp

Some cool stuff
http://www.boker.de/pdf/knifeworld.pdf

http://jwissandsons.com/1970s/B-954.pdf

http://youtu.be/KZvQ3-XjaLs

Pete

 

[BJE]

Thanks for the info, I agree that GEC gets most of the praise around here anymore though case is talked about a lot as well. I have several Bokers and all are great quality, my favorites being the barlows, I have one barlow in green bone and another that is a Russell green river in smooth bone. At work now or I would put some pics up.

 

[Doug Add]

I love it when you show that yellow stockman!

 

[Bob W]

Boker also made (makes?) some knives for AG Russell. There was even a run of Swing Guards that were dual-marked with an AG Russell tang stamp and Boker shield.

Here are two of the AG Russell Swing Guards, one with a Boker shield:

And here are two other Bokers with Grenadill wood:

 

[Stich2442]

Thanks Bob, I forgot they also make some Moore Makers also.

Pete

 

[Finedges]

My one and only so far.

 

[puukkoman]

Hey thanks for starting this thread, Pete. Great info you've posted!
Boker is indeed an excellent brand; every one I've handled has been of top quality. Unfortunately, I've never actually owned one, but when I get around to it I definitely plan to add at least one to the mix. There are many sweet older ones still available these days, making Boker a very accessible brand. :thumbup:

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Thank you for the information. I have two Bokers, but have owned many more. Solingen and Arbolito?

Both knives I have now are a cigar jack, and a really nice large stockman. The stockman might just be the darling of my collection, as far as stockmans go. Jigged bone scales that have gone smooth over time, carbon steel blades with a long pull and swedge on the main blade. Lots of life left in it, and in great condition for an old timer. The cigar jack's main blade has given a lot up to hard work and a sharpening stone, but it is still full of snap and life. A dealer at a show told me, after looking at my haul from another dealer, said "No one ever uses the pen blades!"

 

[Stich2442]

Doug, believe it or not there was a time that yellow bone stockman was one of my only knives, sure I had knives from childhood, my Imperials, and Vic SAK. When I was a Chef I kept a Vic & either a Opinel, or a Laguiole in my pocket. Now that I think about it the first nice traditional I bought myself ( besides the Laguiole )was the J.A. Henckels congress, I was buying a knife as a gift for a friend, bought him a Boker & myself the Henckels, mainly because I was still a chef at the time and my knife gig bag was filled with, F. Dick, Wusthof & Henckels, so I thought it fitting. Then I bought the Yellow bone it was many years before I bought myself another knife, then I found this place and all you enablers

Puukkoman, I love my GEC knives & my Case,but ( this will make some people mad, not my intentions) I think Boker is a better value for me, everyone I have seen has great F&F, scales fit nice, blades come sharp and finely honed, my GECs have been fine, but Case looks like they use 60 grit not a big deal, but a nice finishing touch with Boker. If you shop around you can find Bokers in the $30-$40 range and that works for me, as I use them on job sites.

Pete

 

[BJE]

One thing that's sets Boker apart from many other today is the use of carbon steel back springs, all my Boker and my only henkels have them and they develop a nice dark patina with use like the blades do.
They are prone to rusting on the insides if stored for long periods.

My case and bucks have stainless back springs and they have a different look with age compared to well patina'ed knife.
Come to think of it, all my old timers have carbon steel springs as well.

 

[Jack Black]

This is the only traditional Boker I have

 

[TheGoldenWalrus]

got it in my pocket right now, Boker carver's congress.

(and dont forget alot of bluring )

oh yes, and a nice little stockman (with awl) unfortunately missing the shield but eh was only $5 and makes good user
(also with alot of bluring)

i need a new camera....

Scott

 

[paulhilborn]

Pete, great thread with very interesting Boker history:thumbup: Here's my one and only but one I really like.

Paul

 

[black mamba]

I own but two Bokers, the first is a Double Tree German made Copperhead in stag with fancy cast bolsters.

The second is a Plus Chinese made Fiskmuk, also in stag.

 

[Nixelplix]

One of my favorite knives is my Boker-made J.A. Henckels four blade stockman.

One interesting thing about this knife is that the two main blades have wide, stainless springs, while the secondary blades share a thinner, high carbon non-stainless spring:

 

[J&G-Designs]

Boker Damascus BO2023

 

[smiling-knife]

A 1973 large stockman with Boker & J Wiss & Sons Shields. J Wiss was the New Jersey based owner of Boker USA at the time.

 

[Stich2442]

One of my favorite knives is my Boker-made J.A. Henckels four blade stockman.

One interesting thing about this knife is that the two main blades have wide, stainless springs, while the secondary blades share a thinner, high carbon non-stainless spring:

My Boker made J.A. Henckels is really well made, mine is also stainless, but both sets of springs are carbon steel.

 

[J&G-Designs]

Forgot this one.

 

[MT Damascus]

One thing about Boker that has always stood out to me, is the use of hand forged damascus. Since the concept of their annual damascus series in 1980, to their commitment to using the finest European and American forgers in their collectible line of fixed and folding knives. I am lucky enough to own, IMO, one of their greatest offerings, Boker Leo IV Loveless style hunter. Here is a good description from a BF dealer: http://blog.knifecenter.com/boker-leo-iv-custom-fixed-blade/

A thing of beauty, #244 of 250, sorry for the poor pics. It is hard to capture the beauty of this fine instrument in a pic. I had a custom sheath made for it by Wade at Madison Saddlery in Jeffers, MT.

Kris