Would just like to know?

C

Chuckhunter

Joined
Jan 17, 2001
Messages
4
I bought my father a knife when I was 14 Yrs. old, (1964), It was a Puma Original Bowie knife. It has a bone handel held on by three rivets. On the blade it says genuine-puma-steel-germany and has a number, 6396. The blade is about 6 1/2 inches long. My father gave it back to me a few months before he passed away. He used this knife during the hunting seasons, everyyear since 1964. I just saw posted on another forum by a fellow that says he used to sell them in his sporting goods store, that they are and I quote, a piece of junk. My question is, did my father really use a piece of junk for all those years just so no to hurt his son's feeling or does this knife have some good merits? I don't remember the purchase price, but I do remember working all summer cutting grass and delivering papers to make enough money to pay for it. I know nothing about knives, I just would like to know if this is a decent knife or not. Aside from it's sentimental value, it appears to be a very good knife to me.
 
Your father's knife is absolutely, positively not junk. Your description makes it sound like an original Puma which were indeed made in Gemany with some of the best steel available for the time. The handle scales are most likely sambar stag.

I am not familiar with the bowie model, but my father, who has an extensive knife collection, has a Puma white hunter. I know that it is valuable and I suspect that your knife is to. You may be able to find out more about it by checking out A. G. Russell's website. I don't remember the address but you can find it easily with google.com. Hang on to it!
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Tell that guy he doesnt know what hes talking about. Pumas are great. Most of what ive seen by them today include beatifully made traditional pocket knives and folders with a few one handers. Lemme tell ya.... those guys know how to make knives. They even check each knife for proper heat treatment. I would not own one simply because the designs dont fit my hands, but those are some great knives. theyre also not cheap. retail for some of them is around 100. For a traditional hunting and pocket knife, thats up there.
 
Older Puma fixed blades are well made, and highly collectable. You did not work so hard to give your father 'junk'. Mr. Levine is the man to ask about your Father's knife.

Many of the cheaper folding Puma knives imported into this country could stand some improvement. I did not realize that Puma also produces very fine higher end cutlery until I read an article in Knife World last year covering the history of the German company. Their fixed blade, particularly the 'white hunter' are very highly regarded.

You done good Chuck!

Paracelsus
 
Welcome, Chuckhunter.

Don't have anything to say about Puma. The only one I ever held was a folder and it was great. Not mine, though, unfortunately.

Just wanted to say welcome.

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I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. -- John Steinbeck

iktomi
 
Thank's everyone for the information. I guess what I heard about this site is true, you certainly know your knives. Think I'll keep the Bowie and make sure it is handed down to my son. At least I know now that the guy who talked me into the knife wasn't just giving me a sales pitch.
 
I'm maybe a year older than you are. In 1964 one of my favorite haunts was a store in Pasadena, called Kingston House Cutlery. I became friends with the owner and talked a lot about the quality of knives. The Puma knives were top quality for the era. At the time the German knives were the best that you would generally find and Puma were premium German knives. You did well for your dad.

Just last year a forumite asked for a recommendation for a high quality camp knife that would be economical in Europe, the Puma Original Bowie was one of my picks. Here's a link to a website with the Puma brand.

http://www.tool-shop.com/knives/puma/2.html



[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 01-19-2001).]
 
Chuckhunter, that was a wonderful, touching story. It brought a tear to my eye. Bless you and your father.
 
I own an old Puma fixed blade with stag scales, and one hell of sharp blade. The blade has PUMA Germany stamped on it with no other markings, and has a saw on the back of the blade that makes this one of my favorite skinning knives. The handle is bigger than the ones I see today, and I had a saddleshop make me a custom sheath with a horsehair lanyard. You can't go wrong with a good puma stag handle fixed blade in my opinion.

Thanks,

RattlerXX

[This message has been edited by RattlerXX (edited 01-19-2001).]
 
There are a lot of Puma's floating around in South Africa and I often get one from a customer to sharpen just before hunting season. All of these guys swear by their Pumas (until I convert them to custom knives that is)(just joking). The only problem that I have ever encountered is with the later model White Hunter. They are left a bit thick at the edge which I normally have to regrind to sharpen. Other that that they are great working knives.
 
My definition of a piece of junk is any item which is rendered useless of its function and is of no use to anyone.Due to their basic simplicity,knives rarely fall into this category.POS is a different category (I believe),for a less desirable knife.Since your Dads knife doesn't fall into either of these categories and it has sentimental value,I bet it is priceless
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"Just me and my multi-tools."
 
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