- Joined
- Mar 7, 2006
- Messages
- 2,171
I've been curious about the Boker Magum lines. Since Boker has had global production as part of it's makeup with plants in Argentina and for a while China, I was curious to see if the Magnum, Bonsai made would just seem like another Steel Warrior or Rough Rider. Or would they be different, more like a Boker, etc..
One of the ebay sellers I have bought several German Bokers from had a Magnum Canoe in Red Bone up with a short time to go. So I bid $8.50 and won. Okay, I'm cheap. I kept waiting and passing on the Magnum Bonsais until I could get one for less than they usually go for. I got the knife in today.
I checked it out, shaved some arm hair with the main blade, and pocketed it to see how it rode. It doesn't shave baby butt smooth, but will dehair a patch. It has a noticably hollow ground blade that is not brute thick like the other China blades. There is a little rounding to the edges of the bolsters and scales. It looks and feels like a red bone canoe made by Boker, or Case or the like. It carries as nicely as the black Delrin handled German Boker single spring canoe I've been EDC'ing lately. Even though the Bonsai is a twin spring. You can tell that Boker is running things and that this is one of their product lines and not something they just added their name too. Unlike the SWs and RRs, the Boker Bonsai looks and feels like a Euro or American made knife.
I'll have to assume that the reason the Bonsai has a little better walk and talk than the German one is that the Bonsai is a two spring, where the German made is a single spring.
I have less problem with a Chi-made Boker. Boker isn't trying to slip these in as part of a previous line, but is upfront that this is one line of product that fits in with their global line up. German Bokers are still German made Boker Tree Brand, the Arbolitos are still the Boker Arblolito, Argentine line, and the Magnums are the Boker Bonsai line. Different lines for different tastes. As noted above, the Bonsai, at least this one, is the first Chinese made knife I've come across that has the trimness and lines of western made knives. Regardless of how well they are made, the Steel Warriors, and some others, are generally too heavy, the blades are thick, not necessarily bad, just heavy, they tend to be edged in terms of handles and bolsters, much like some newer Case Yellow Handles, and the scales often are not quite there. At least on this example of the Boker Magnum, Boker has them feeling like you would expect a Boker to feel. A pleasant surprise.
Now to dremel off that "China" etch on a small part of the main blade.
For those who want to try a pattern on the cheap first I would suggest the Boker Magnum Bonsai line rather than the Steel Warrior, Rough Rider, or others as the Boker will give you a truer feel of the pattern.
One of the ebay sellers I have bought several German Bokers from had a Magnum Canoe in Red Bone up with a short time to go. So I bid $8.50 and won. Okay, I'm cheap. I kept waiting and passing on the Magnum Bonsais until I could get one for less than they usually go for. I got the knife in today.
I checked it out, shaved some arm hair with the main blade, and pocketed it to see how it rode. It doesn't shave baby butt smooth, but will dehair a patch. It has a noticably hollow ground blade that is not brute thick like the other China blades. There is a little rounding to the edges of the bolsters and scales. It looks and feels like a red bone canoe made by Boker, or Case or the like. It carries as nicely as the black Delrin handled German Boker single spring canoe I've been EDC'ing lately. Even though the Bonsai is a twin spring. You can tell that Boker is running things and that this is one of their product lines and not something they just added their name too. Unlike the SWs and RRs, the Boker Bonsai looks and feels like a Euro or American made knife.
I'll have to assume that the reason the Bonsai has a little better walk and talk than the German one is that the Bonsai is a two spring, where the German made is a single spring.
I have less problem with a Chi-made Boker. Boker isn't trying to slip these in as part of a previous line, but is upfront that this is one line of product that fits in with their global line up. German Bokers are still German made Boker Tree Brand, the Arbolitos are still the Boker Arblolito, Argentine line, and the Magnums are the Boker Bonsai line. Different lines for different tastes. As noted above, the Bonsai, at least this one, is the first Chinese made knife I've come across that has the trimness and lines of western made knives. Regardless of how well they are made, the Steel Warriors, and some others, are generally too heavy, the blades are thick, not necessarily bad, just heavy, they tend to be edged in terms of handles and bolsters, much like some newer Case Yellow Handles, and the scales often are not quite there. At least on this example of the Boker Magnum, Boker has them feeling like you would expect a Boker to feel. A pleasant surprise.
Now to dremel off that "China" etch on a small part of the main blade.
For those who want to try a pattern on the cheap first I would suggest the Boker Magnum Bonsai line rather than the Steel Warrior, Rough Rider, or others as the Boker will give you a truer feel of the pattern.
Yep Gramps, you and Charlie have been a bad influence. I've always thought the Canoe was a good looking pattern. It's just taken me about 25 or 30 years to get finally get one. And like those potato chips, you can't have just one. Y'all can probably tell from the bolsters and the blade on the Delrin version it's seen some pocket time and use these last few weeks or so.
