Solingen Manufacturers

Here's one of my Weidmannsheil knives, a large trick-lock stag knife. The Master blade disengages on pressing the minor one.

I believe these were made by Olberz at the start of this century, note the stamped blade and Boar's head shield. I think a firm with the Weidmannsheil name in Germany went bankrupt in the early 1990s, lot of mystery but a decent quality knife so that's the main thing.

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I looked on SMKW's site because that is where I have bought German brands in the past. I couldn't believe the price of the same Eye brand stockman more than doubled in ten years. a lot less patterns too. Some others were outsourced to China. I'm disappointed that these high quality knives are slipping away.
 
Yep. I remember when these were seriously collected back in the early 90s thru the early 2000s. Mainly Bulldogs and FRs would be snatched up at every show I went to back then.
 
True German made Boker and Hen & Roosters are getting hard to find and I have been hoarding them like a 6 year old with halloween candy....
 
I have just recently acquired several of the Solingen Fight'n Roosters from the late '70s through the early '90s, and they are of the highest quality. Fabulous bone and stag, crisp pulls in the 5-6 range, beautiful workmanship all around. I also have one of the Weidmannsheil trick locks like Will showed, but with a clip blade, made in 2000. Also a quality piece. The bone and stag covers all have the characteristic radius "upsweep" from the bolster to the body of the cover, leaving them just slightly thicker than usuall, which I like. They feel great in hand, and still not too bulky for the pocket.

Brown bone Fight'n Rooster from 1978
FRbwOpen_zps3058feec.jpg~original


Brown bone Fight'n Rooster from 1985
FReurekajack_zps66e497df.jpg~original


Stag Fight'n Rooster from 1987
FnRoosterStagOpen_zps3160735c.jpg~original


Stag Weidmannsheil from 2000
JMstagopen_zps8f02c008.jpg~original
 
While I am certainly not an expert of any standing on all of the current makers of pocket knives in Germany I have seen more names, maker's marks etc over the years that it would be well north of 50 different ones? The town of Solingen has been a center of cottage level to large companies since Medieval times.

FYI trivia, the "Swiss Army Knife was made in Germany for many many years until somewhere around WWI the Swiss went, Duh? We have our own cutlery industry why are we paying the Germans to make knives for us?

Have fun and stay safe!
 
I like the Weidmannsheils. Wished I had bought them up when SMKW's was selling them way back then. Of course, I could say that about several brands.
 
Great info in here! Mike, I'm pretty sure Olbertz is still producing knives. I've seen recent pictures of their factory producing the Eye Brand knives. Along with some of the others that have been mentioned these companies still produce knives in Germany : Lowen Messer, Heinrich Schmitz and Robert Herder "Windmühlenmesser" (windmill brand).

Here are the recent Eye Brand knives from Olbertz, even an Olbertz labeled knife in there.

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trevytrev said:
Great info in here! Mike, I'm pretty sure Olbertz is still producing knives.
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They do make Eye Brand from time to time, but talking to the importers it seems like it may be on its last leg. Last I talked to anyone that was importing them they wanted money up front and then just made what they wanted to send. Business won't last long like that. The quality I saw from my last batch (2-3 years ago) was quickly declining.
 
That doesn't sound good Mike, thanks for the info! My experience is limited to just their sodbusters so take this for what it's worth, the fit and finish on the Eye Brand knives is ok, nothing major wrong but sloppy compared to Case, Queen and GEC versions of the sodbuster. Since they are priced closer to GEC and not Case that makes it harder to justify going with them over any of the others, imo. Don't get me wrong, they are good user knives and I'd carry one but I feel priced on the high side for the quality you are getting when their are better options out there.
 
Is anything being made at the Robert Klaas factory in Germany? If anyone has the inside scoop, I'd love to hear about it.
 
I'd like to hear from someone who knows for certain but I'm pretty sure that Robert Klaas no longer makes knives in Germany. I haven't seen a new production Robert Klaas knife for a few years.
 
Zemapeli said:
Tree Brand comes to mind, Linder, and Herbertz. :thumbup:
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Unfortunatelly it seems that Linder is just making a short run of knives in Germany and Herbertz is just an importeur for knives from the Far East (and that almost for a long time).

I´ve read the posts in this thread and it sometimes far from what I know about the knives´ origins.

From what I know: F. Olbertz (Carl Schlieper, Eye Brand, etc.) are still made in Germany. As well as the Otter etched Otter knives ;) I´m not sure about Robert Klaas. As I´ve read in this issue of our "Messer Magazin" a Robert Klaas penknife with damascus blades is still made in Germany. As well as the Robert Klaas Monolith.
Friedrich Hartkopf, Hubertus and Diefenthal are still made in Germany.

But that´s "just" what I know and have read...
 
Picked this up in the mid 90's at a show but don't know anything about it, I didn't carry it for years because it has the stiffest pull of any of my knives although it is completely flush at the half stop as well as open and closed. I saw a picture of it in Charlie's barlow collection and I am assuming Boker manufactured it.

 
knifeswapper said:
... Boker made at least their own, ...
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Anyway all 'Boker Plus' branded knives are made in Far East.

knifeswapper said:
... Olbertz made ... all Eye Brand,...
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Prior to Car Schlieper's bankruptcy Olbertz was just one of several Solingen cutlers, being contracted by Car Schlieper, having the rights for the trademark EYEBRAND.
Schlieper also contracted makers in Far east during the 1980s.

knifeswapper said:
... Olbertz made ... all Weidmannsheil, ...
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No. The rights for WEIDMANNSHEIL trademark were being granted to Wilhelm Weltersbach cutler in 1934, and sold to Josef Th. Diefenthal cutler in 1998. Olbertz never was contracted by these Solingen cutlers. It is reported that Diefenthal company has put Olbertz company on trial for distributing knives with the WEIDMANNSHEIL mark rightless in c.2000.

regards
germania
 
sceva said:
There is Schmidt & Ziegler who also used the El Toro marking and had a running bull for their mark. I do not know if they had their own factory or contracted them out to one of the others. ...
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Schmidt & Ziegler was a toolmaker with an own factory in Remscheid, located aside to the city of Solingen. I doubt that this toolmaker ever has crafted knives. Probably Schmidt & Ziegler contracted Solingen cutlers. I know at least a vintage butterfly knife with the 'running bull' trademark, being crafted by a Solingen cutler.

regards
germania
 
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