Boker Mokume Damascus

[The Deacon]

This arrived on Monday, a retirement gift from my good buddy Chad. Darn near fainted when I opened the box. Mind-bendingly beautiful, and totally functional as well. Fully ambi, and it fits my hand like it was made just for me. Have carried it several times already. Thought I'd share some photos I took of it with you...

Am currently using this one as my wallpaper.

For those not familiar with this knife, here are the specs. Blade is Rob Thomas stainless damascus and is 3.125 inches long. Handle is composed of Goldfield wood scales behind copper, brass and nickel silver Mokume-gane front bolsters over brass liners and is 4 inches long. Weight is a hair over 4 ounces. Boker did an excellent job on this one. Fit and finish are top notch and the materials compliment one another extremely well.

For anyone wondering, the difference in the color of the Mokume-gane between the indoor and outdoor shots is just a question of lighting and camera used. The last two photos were taken less than a hour apart. The colors in the indoor shots are much more accurate.

I am curious as to exactly what "Goldfield wood" is, can't recall ever hearing of it before and can't seem to find any references to it aside from Boker's. Very pretty burl, that's for sure.

Mucho mahalo to Chad for this.

EDITED ON 12/31//2014 TO ADD: Just received an email from Devin Thomas saying that the damascus blade steel was not made by him, but by his brother Rob, who used Devin's name without his permission when he sold it to Boker.

Paul

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Incredibly beautiful. Makes me want to go out and buy another Boker.

Wait. I just did. It should be here next week.

 

[Maarten]

Wow Paul,

That Devin Thomas 160 layers damast is purdy!

Mokume damast consists of silver brass & copper.(Bolster).

Congrats on this great gift from our Bro Chad, what a kind gesture!

Chad Rocks!!

BTW paul try spotmetering in difficult light situations with your cam.

BTW may the good times start with your retirement.


Greets Maarten

 

[224477]

Wow Paul, thats a beauty for sure, especially the mokume bolsters. Enjoy, is that gonna be your carry piece now?

 

[Daywalker]

!!!

I'll come back when I regain consciousness...Now, excuse me while I black out and my face slams into the keyboard...

 

[gosoku]

Beautiful is an understatement. I could never bring myself to carry something that nice, for fear of loss/damage/etc.

 

[chanwahyaoh]

That's quite the handsome little devil! Thanks for sharing the pics! (and don't be bashful about putting some more up!)

 

[Dr. Snubnose]

What a sweet knife Paul!...Enjoy it!!!!....Doc:thumbup:

 

[The Deacon]

For the benefit of anyone else who is curious about Goldfield wood, I received an AG Russell catalog the other day which, among other things, explained that "Goldfield burl", while most often being Eucalyptus burl, is a generic name for any burl wood from the Goldfield region on Australia.

Mokume damast consists of silver brass & copper.(Bolster).

BTW paul try spotmetering in difficult light situations with your cam.

BTW may the good times start with your retirement.


Greets Maarten

You may be correct, but the catalog says one of the metals in it is nickel silver (aka German silver) rather than silver.

As for the camera, you are most likely correct. The main "problem" is my lack of familiarity with it and the rather belwildering array of features and options it has.

And regarding retirement, so far it's been great.

Wow Paul, thats a beauty for sure, especially the mokume bolsters. Enjoy, is that gonna be your carry piece now?

Thanks Jano, it's certainly going to get carried occasionally.

!!!

I'll come back when I regain consciousness...Now, excuse me while I black out and my face slams into the keyboard...

Now you know how I was when I opened the box.

Beautiful is an understatement. I could never bring myself to carry something that nice, for fear of loss/damage/etc.

I understand what you're saying but, to put things in perspective, I've been carrying a pocket knife for over 55 years old and have not lost one yet.

What a sweet knife Paul!...Enjoy it!!!!....Doc:thumbup:

Thanks Doc! Be assured I am enjoying it.

That's quite the handsome little devil! Thanks for sharing the pics! (and don't be bashful about putting some more up!)

Thanks...

Paul

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam

 

[Jos]

Beautiful folder!

Kind regards,

Jos

 

[Daywalker]

CRIPES...

Er, please re-read my first post.

God bless bro, and catch up soon!

 

[LeTerrible]

Hello. Two year ago a friend of mine bought this beautiful piece from Böker. When I saw it I immediately felt in love of the Mokume bolsters, the Damascus blade and the wood handles. So, more than a year later I decided to buy mine. It arrived to my address in USA because now I live in Mexico. I opened the box and took it several pictures as well. Then I noticed the Mokume was a little bit rusted on the upper side but carefully I removed it with a cloth and small amount of abrasive. Then later I discover the worst: the blade had a kind of side movement. This did not like to me. I contacted my friend and asked him about this irregularity and told me that he never realized about it, not at that moment. Later he confirmed to me that his piece had the same problem. I really would like a recommendation from you. Do I need to return it back for restoration?
I will appreciate your help

 

[LeTerrible]

Here is my Mokume Böker

Number 413

Blade down

Blade up

 

[The Deacon]

Hello. Two year ago a friend of mine bought this beautiful piece from Böker. When I saw it I immediately felt in love of the Mokume bolsters, the Damascus blade and the wood handles. So, more than a year later I decided to buy mine. It arrived to my address in USA because now I live in Mexico. I opened the box and took it several pictures as well. Then I noticed the Mokume was a little bit rusted on the upper side but carefully I removed it with a cloth and small amount of abrasive. Then later I discover the worst: the blade had a kind of side movement. This did not like to me. I contacted my friend and asked him about this irregularity and told me that he never realized about it, not at that moment. Later he confirmed to me that his piece had the same problem. I really would like a recommendation from you. Do I need to return it back for restoration?
I will appreciate your help

I just checked mine and the blade has absolutely zero play in either direction when the knife is open.

If yours has side to side play when open, then it might be worthwhile contacting Boker and asking if they can do anything to eliminate it.

However, given the photos in your next post, it looks like you are talking about side to side play when closed. If so, while not universal, it's extremely common and I would not consider it a QC issue on any folder unless there is also play when the blade is locked in the open position.

 

[RamZar]

Wow! Stunning! Congrats Gents.

 

[wolfmann601]

WOW!!!! Boker certainly built that knife right!!!

That's a good friend..............

 

[LeTerrible]

I appreciate your answer Deacon, hope this is a kind of "normal". I was a little bit worried about this. I really like this folder because is my first with mokume. By the way, about mokume, is necessary to be carefully to maintain it? How can I clean it?
Thanks.

I just checked mine and the blade has absolutely zero play in either direction when the knife is open.

If yours has side to side play when open, then it might be worthwhile contacting Boker and asking if they can do anything to eliminate it.

However, given the photos in your next post, it looks like you are talking about side to side play when closed. If so, while not universal, it's extremely common and I would not consider it a QC issue on any folder unless there is also play when the blade is locked in the open position.

 

[MT Damascus]

I have one of these also, nice knife(not the 140th anniversary though). The damascus is Typhoon pattern by Rob Thomas, he also forged the mokume. Does your info say that Devin was the forger?, should say Thomas Forge. They have used Rob Thomas damascus and mokume for some time. After talking to Devin, he said Rob has made all the Thomas damascus for Boker, Devin said Boker using his name was a mistake.

Imbuia wood

Here are Devin's patterns http://www.devinthomas.com/

Here are Rob's patterns http://www.robthomasdamascus.com/

 

[The Deacon]

I appreciate your answer Deacon, hope this is a kind of "normal". I was a little bit worried about this. I really like this folder because is my first with mokume. By the way, about mokume, is necessary to be carefully to maintain it? How can I clean it?
Thanks.

The Mokume may be coated to prevent tarnish, but it has both copper and brass in it, and both of them tarnish fairly easily. The liners are brass as well. If either of them tarnish, then Flitz or any good silver or brass polish, should work fine.

I have one of these also, nice knife(not the 140th anniversary though). The damascus is Typhoon pattern by Rob Thomas, he also forged the mokume. Does your info say that Devin was the forger?, should say Thomas Forge. They have used Rob Thomas damascus and mokume for some time. After talking to Devin, he said Rob has made all the Thomas damascus for Boker, Devin said Boker using his name was a mistake.

Imbuia wood

Here are Devin's patterns http://www.devinthomas.com/

Here are Rob's patterns http://www.robthomasdamascus.com/

Very nice knife.

As I said in my email to you, the only information I have is the pamphlet that came with the knife, which I emailed to you and am posting below for the benefit of others visiting this thread. The English portion of it says the blade steel is Devin Thomas' raindrop stainless damascus, and gives no specific attribution for the Mokume Gane. I don't read German, but I do see his name mentioned in the German portion as well.

If you say that Devin Thomas says he never sold steel to Boker, then I suppose the pamphlet could be wrong. Still, the damascus pattern on your knife looks different from that on mine, the woods come from different continents, yours from South America and mine from Australia, and the packaging appears to be different. I wonder if, perhaps, Rob Thomas was working for or with Devin five years ago and that, while the steel was actually made by Rob, it was sold to Boker by Devin Thomas and they simply assumed it to be Devin's work?

 

[MT Damascus]

I have never received an email from you. To me the patterns do not look that different. Boker's info cards have been wrong before. Regardless, the knife is the same model. It looks like Rob's Typhoon pattern is on yours, it is definitely not a raindrop pattern. Like I said, Devin never sold damascus to Boker. Rob and Devin are brothers, but they do not do business together, seperate companies. I am just trying to get the right person the credit.