Pocket Knife

[Fifty150]

I often carry a multitool. I've never liked the knife blades on MultiTools. If I want to cut something, I would reach for my knife, before reaching for the MultiTool. Which is why I have a Multitool that doesn't have a knife blade at all. Maybe that makes sense. Maybe it doesn't. I went out for dinner. I carried my Morakniv. I used the Morakniv to cut my steak. I can't imagine eating a steak with a Leatherman. This is one of my "favorite" MultiTools. I carry it quite a bit when I'm off work and on my own time. I can bring it into places where they don't allow knives.




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[TLW '90]

If you see any knife, you like, with a 440A blade, be careful. My impression is, that 440A must be too soft for well resharpening.

It all depends on how the steel was treated and whether or not the knife is made in China.
A vast majority of Chinese made knives marked with western ( especially American) steel types are not actually made of those steels but of Chinese equivalents.
A lot of Chinese knives marked " 440 stainless " can be various grades of 3cr-8cr series steels, but before these steels were familiar to the world they'd just mark them 440 stainless or " surgical steel ".

Anyways Schrade cutlery in new York ( before closing in '04 ) used 440A for their Schrade+ blades and they were treated fairly well on the harder end.
I've had zero problems with sharpening and edge holding on Schade+ blades.

With all of this being said, I don't personally chase blade steels or seek them by name.
As a traditional knife user I mostly prefer old school carbon steel and basic easy sharpening SS blades so the new stuff is of no interest to me, but more importantly than that is I have learned that companies can treat a steel differently than each other.
I see no point in saying " this is my favorite steel " and seeking it out when one company may run it harder or softer than another.

I happen to know Bucks standard defsult blade steel is, but it doesn't matter because I know how Bucks blades perform.
What does victorinox use ( rhetorical) ?
I don't know or care, because I know exactly how any victorinox blade will perform.

 

[TLW '90]

I went out for dinner. I carried my Morakniv. I used the Morakniv to cut my steak.

I use my carbon steel pocket and belt knives to cut / ****** dinner, at the table.
These are two of my favorites for steak.

I also use my knives to peel and eat apples.

I have plenty of vintage carbon steel kitchen knives for food prep, but I still use one of the knives I'm carrying to open food packaging.

 

[Fifty150]

Once upon a time, this was popular. A lot of people whom I knew, had one. Those who didn't have one, wanted one.


I didn't have any real reason to have an automatic knife. I still don't have a real reason to have an automatic knife. But everyone else was carrying it. So I followed along. Eventually, I stopped carrying it. It's bigger and heavier than a lot of other knives. The blade was just too big and awkward for what I was doing with it. All of the great things that this knife was able to do, I wasn't doing. And what if I lose it? I lose things. This is expensive. It's like losing a paycheck. Now, it sits in a drawer.


Because I'm not using it, it's money wasted.

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[Trenchfriend]

It all depends on how the steel was treated and whether or not the knife is made in China.

Yeah, that's, why I mentioned it.
The usual China-made entry level stuff like here Böker "Magnum" or Puma "Tec". Just purchased stuff, not their outsourced own production. In first place for the kids, I guess, which normally don't start sharpening themselves.

And after I had no trouble with my Walther 440C knife, I finally see the reason for the popularity of 440C. The Walther EDK by Umarex is just an imported, China-made entry level knife, too. Not really a quality knife, but sharpen the 440C blade was easy, with the right angle.

But I would just not get another 440A knife.

 

[TLW '90]

Yeah, that's, why I mentioned it.
The usual China-made entry level stuff like here Böker "Magnum" or Puma "Tec". Just purchased stuff, not their outsourced own production. In first place for the kids, I guess, which normally don't start sharpening themselves.

And after I had no trouble with my Walther 440C knife, I finally see the reason for the popularity of 440C. The Walther EDK by Umarex is just an imported, China-made entry level knife, too. Not really a quality knife, but sharpen the 440C blade was easy, with the right angle.

But I would just not get another 440A knife.

Oh the Boker magnum line is garbage in my experience, I got a Boker magnum knife out of a fishing catalog 25 years ago and it was rattly right out of the box.

Most of the Boker Magnum knives are available for 1/2-1/3 the price under various other brands like Mtech who were selling them first, I am confident that one of the ****py knives currently available from the display at my local gas station in town is probably also available as a Boker Magnum for more money.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@TLW '90
The build quality of my four contemporary Böker Magnum is astonishing good. Also, for entry level stuff, they are really not cheap, here in Germany.
The only weak point of my "Nice", "Backpacker" and "Jewel" seem to be their 440A blades.

The "Long Lead EDC" has a 440B blade, which is easy to sharpen, total opposite to the other three.

But our older folks here absolutely report, that the first generation Magnum were poor, but at some point Böker just started to improve their entry level quality.

But despite that, I would not get myself another Magnum. Böker Plus, yes.

 

[rogueclimber]

Once upon a time, this was popular. A lot of people whom I knew, had one. Those who didn't have one, wanted one.


I didn't have any real reason to have an automatic knife. I still don't have a real reason to have an automatic knife. But everyone else was carrying it. So I followed along. Eventually, I stopped carrying it. It's bigger and heavier than a lot of other knives. The blade was just too big and awkward for what I was doing with it. All of the great things that this knife was able to do, I wasn't doing. And what if I lose it? I lose things. This is expensive. It's like losing a paycheck. Now, it sits in a drawer.


Because I'm not using it, it's money wasted.

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View attachment 744367 View attachment 744368​

That looks like a knife that has been well used and worth the money -- Hell I have an old SOG Tomcat that I carried for many years in the Army, cut all sorts of ****, and still doesn't look as well used!

 

[TLW '90]

@TLW '90
The build quality of my four contemporary Böker Magnum is astonishing good. Also, for entry level stuff, they are really not cheap, here in Germany.
The only weak point of my "Nice", "Backpacker" and "Jewel" seem to be their 440A blades.

The "Long Lead EDC" has a 440B blade, which is easy to sharpen, total opposite to the other three.

But our older folks here absolutely report, that the first generation Magnum were poor, but at some point Böker just started to improve their entry level quality.

But despite that, I would not get myself another Magnum. Böker Plus, yes.

They still have plenty of knives like this one here in the US.

But in general these days you can find many very inexpensive Chinese made knives that are trying harder to emulate more premium knives, and I'm sure Boker has started to import some of those as well.

 

[Trenchfriend]

They still have plenty of knives like this one here in the US.
View attachment 744490

Yeah, that's one of the current cheesy ones around their 440A knives. But priced 33.95 € here also not cheap. Don't know about the build quality.

This is the Magnum "Nice". Ball bearing mounted 440A blade, grippy Micarta handle.
With a better blade, it could have been 10 bucks more and Böker Plus.

 

[TLW '90]

Yeah, that's one of the current cheesy ones around their 440A knives. But priced 33.95 € here also not cheap. Don't know about the build quality.

This is the Magnum "Nice". Ball bearing mounted 440A blade, grippy Micarta handle.
With a better blade, it could have been 10 bucks more and Böker Plus.

That's one of the knives that were originally available for $10 under different brands, and the build quality is not good.

A ball bearing pivot is kind of an odd choice for a 2 handed lockback knife with a nail nick, but if it works it works I guess.

 

[Trenchfriend]

A ball bearing pivot is kind of an odd choice for a 2 handed lockback knife with a nail nick, but if it works it works I guess.

It's a very serious, solid made folder. Okay, not pocket knife category, too massive. But doesn't matter, if you use shoulder bags on your way.
With a good blade, I would love it.

 

[TLW '90]

It's a very serious, solid made folder. Okay, not pocket knife category, too massive. But doesn't matter, if you use shoulder bags on your way.

Didn't it come with a sheath ?

 

[Trenchfriend]

Didn't it come with a sheath ?

Nope, no belt bag.

 

[aaronharri]

Once upon a time, this was popular. A lot of people whom I knew, had one. Those who didn't have one, wanted one.


I didn't have any real reason to have an automatic knife. I still don't have a real reason to have an automatic knife. But everyone else was carrying it. So I followed along. Eventually, I stopped carrying it. It's bigger and heavier than a lot of other knives. The blade was just too big and awkward for what I was doing with it. All of the great things that this knife was able to do, I wasn't doing. And what if I lose it? I lose things. This is expensive. It's like losing a paycheck. Now, it sits in a drawer.


Because I'm not using it, it's money wasted.

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View attachment 744367 View attachment 744368​

Put it back into rotation! I'm carrying primarily Giant Mouse knives these days but do like my Benchmade Adamas and Bailout I carry on the regular also. I don't have an automatic yet. Looks like that one has been on a few adventures!

 

[Fifty150]

I had this one in my pocket today. In my pocket, because there's no pocket clip. The serrated blade works well for my daily tasks. I wonder why it isn't serrated all the way, or why the serrations are at the front of the blade. No matter. It hasn't been a problem.





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[Fifty150]

This is what I will have in my pocket tomorrow. No real reason. I have more than one knife. Sometimes I carry something specific, if I know that there will be a need for that knife. Sometimes I just randomly carry one to keep the knives in rotation. Same way I may bring a bigger flashlight to work. Then randomly select a smaller flashlight to have in my pocket when I'm not at work. This red knife has a thin blade. It's good for slicing food.​

 

[Trenchfriend]

and is legal to carry here in Germany.

View attachment 743583

This Böker Kihon Bifold 42a meets those requirements, feels surprisingly great in the hand, and is legal to carry here in Germany.

View attachment 743583

But sadly, we have the new additional WaffG §42b places. But I never experienced any controls in the long-distance traffic.

 

[Fifty150]

Reading this thread made me take a look at Boker's website. For no real reason, I bought another knife. I actually bought two. I have zero need for another knife. This one caught my attention, because I don't have anything like it. Do you guys have any experience with this type of knife?





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[Trenchfriend]

@Fifty150
It's just a Balisong/Butterfly.
"Forbidden/illegal item" in some countries like Germany (except blade max. 41 mm long and 10 mm wide or Butterfly trainer).

It was THE (generally cheap) gadget of the german skinhead scene until the prohibition came in 2003. Still totally legal in Czechia.


But this Böker is indeed 25.9 cm long. Not too heavy, but bretty long. Sharpen shouldn't be a problem on the D2 steel.