What Boker is this? Mammoth scales?

B

BlackTantoBlade

Joined
Jul 7, 2011
Messages
15
I can't match it to anything on their site. I got it as a gift many, many years ago from my dad and it has sat in the box untouched and totally unused.

The gray box says "Tree Brand Classic" and uses their newest most recent logo it appears.

The only markings on the blade are the logo and BOKER on one side and Germany Stainless on the other near the pivot.

On the box is a white label that says 111003 and then in hand writing it says "CM". but it seems 111003 may not be the model of this knife as Google shows a steel knife? So, maybe my dad mixed up boxes?

I swear he once said the scales were mammoth tusk. Is that even possible? It looks like wood, maybe tusk is possible, maybe a bone of some sorts?

Any help tracking details down on this knife are appreciated.

boker.jpg
 
Last edited:
Boker has made a lot of this pattern over the years. Here's what I have on them. Basically there is a series of pattern numbers 1003 - 1007, that are the same except for handle material:
1003 - stainless
1004 - Rosewood, and Thuya wood
1005 - Red jigged bone, Red smooth bone, Green jigged bone
1006 - Stag
1007 - Mother of Pearl
All are small lockback knives.
I've also seen these same handle materials along with damascus steel blades. Usually they just add a DAM to the end of the pattern number for damascus.

In a catalog I have from 1990, there is a page detailing how you can customise your knife. You could choose handle materials, etching, engraving, etc...
So maybe the CM is for a 1003 pattern knife with custom scales?

P.S. one other thing I just noticed, the 1003 is the only one with a lanyard loop. 1004-1007 do not have it. I'm starting to think the box is correct. Maybe CM = certified mammoth, or custom mammoth.
 
Interesting theories on the CM maybe meaning "Custom Mammoth". I can't find anything on their site about Mammoth ever being used, or on Google, but my dad is not known to be a fibber.

Also, I think you might be right that the base model of the knife is a 111003 with these "custom" scales because if you say no other knife in that range has a lanyard loop and the 111003 does when you Google it and mine does, I think your right about what base knife it is.

I wonder if there is any definitive way to prove this as I emailed them days ago and heard nothing back yet.

I would love confirmation on what it is and what those scales are and what it's original value was.
 
I also just noticed, the 111003 is NOT on the USA site and IS on the Europe site and had an original price of about $70-75 (convert from Euro) for just the basic base metal knife.
 
I have no way to confirm any of this information. I have nothing in my computer system, or any of the commemorative flyers I have. I asked Dan(the President) and he doesn't recall anything on it. I would tend to think either RBD is right, or it was a special run done for a group or organization and exclusive for them. that is usually the case when I don't have the info in our documents.
Sorry, there is just nothing available on it.
Terry
 
I also took the liberty of just responding on here instead of via email, but it took some time to research all the documents I have. Sorry for the delay in the response.
Terry
 
Awesome.. so I have a rare knife - so rare, the company knows nothing about it ;)

TJT, if I provided more & better clear and close photos, any way to confirm what that handle is made of? Can you even say if Boker ever actually did a mammoth set of scales on knives?

I think rangerbluedog is right that the base model is a standard 1003 but any help figuring out what the scales are made of would be helpful.
 
I can say now that we have used mammoth in the past, I have had a few come through the shop, but pictures would not allow for identification of handle material like this.
Terry
 
I could tell if it is wood or not, but telling if it is bone, mammoth, etc would be difficult.
Terry
 
so you could maybe rule out if it is mammoth or something if you could confirm it was petrified wood? could I maybe send you some closer shots of the scales by email to see if you can conclude it is wood as if so, that rules out mammoth and maybe gets me closer to determining the value of what I have here.
 
I already ruled out wood with the first pictures you sent, it is either bone or another animal material such as mammoth tusk or such. You can send the pictures, but I will be gone for the next week and won't get to them until Monday 18JUL11.
Terry
 
I can't seem to PM you, so maybe you could PM me an email so I can send better photos and get this knife identified conclusively.
 
I'm beginning to think the scales may have been added aftermarket. It appears there are no pins holding the scales on. The 1003, with its flat slab sides would be perfect for glueing a set of custom scales in place. Viola!, instant custom knife maker... :)
 
Well, my brother and I both have something similar, and if it is "custom" I know my dad didn't do it :) so it was bought from someplace. Seems odd to think someone outside of Boker would do this, no?
 
Sorry for the delay, I was out for a week and then was covering for someone else.
It is not odd for people to customize a knife. Pimping a knife has been going on forever, we just have a new term for it now.

With your knife, there is no way for a picture to allow 100% identification of the handle material, due to how similar they look. Petrified wood is a long shot, as that comes out darker than the pic you showed in all the cases I have seen.
Boker made this model with a white bone handle in the early 1980's, that is the closest I can find to this in all our literature.
If your Father said it was mammoth, I would believe it, but it was an aftermarket job more likely than not.
Terry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top