Identifying old Puma hunter?

ABTOMAT-47 · Jul 1, 2002

I just was given another toy to add to the pile. Now I'm hoping someone can give me an idea of the date or other info. It's an older Puma hunting knife. Wide 5.5" blade, full-tang with two-peice stag grip. There's a silver hexagon in the grip. Sheath is a nice one-peice stiched affair with a couple of leaf springs inside. Now looks pretty good with a little oiling and sewing. Writing etched into blade:

"Original "Puma" Fahrtenmesser." Reverse is "Puma Soligen M.i. Germany," "Rostfrei Schneidet sehr gut," "Best. Nr. 6317."

I know what the German says. Anybody know when this model was made? It's fairly basic but very high quality.

Thanks

Claus · Jul 2, 2002

Abtomat-47,

is there a sign inside of the hexagon? The Puma Fahrtenmesser are very common in Germany and were made in many models and large numbers.
During the sixties and seventies you rarely got anything else then Puma in Germany.

For example, lots of youth organisations like Boy Scouts carried them.

A picture would help.

Claus

ABTOMAT-47 · Jul 3, 2002

Thanks for the help. The silver hexagon is mostly blank, but it does have a tiny "008" in one corner. Here are some phtotos. My digital camera's pretty lousy, so they're not very good. Oh, and those sharpening marks sure aren't from me.

Claus · Jul 4, 2002

Abtomat-47,

thank you for posting pics, but my computer doesn´t like the data format. I have often seen that before on other postings, but can´t tell you what´s wrong with whom.

Just try to send me the pics to my email - adress.

Additional look at www.pumaknives.de Maybe you find your knife still in production. Or send them a mail. It should be easy to them, because you have got the order number 6327

Claus

ABTOMAT-47 · Jul 4, 2002

It's not your computer, my server was having some problems. Try reloading the page and see if they come up. I'll email them if it doesn't work.

I've emailed Puma and I'm waiting for an answer.

pumaonly · Jul 4, 2002

If you go to my website "www.pumaonly.com' which is still under construction, there is a dating chart for Puma's. Look for the warranty number stamped in the tang.

Ken

Claus · Jul 5, 2002

Abtomat-47,

fine, at least the first picture is now visible to me.

This model I haven´t seen yet. It doesn´t look like a knife for a youth organisation, but is in style similar to swedish or finnish knifes, which are rather popular in Germany. The pic looks like the knife has no fingerguard. Is that true? Not usual with Puma knives, but indicates nordic style.

Claus

lambertiana · Jul 7, 2002

I have some Puma sales literature that I picked up in Germany in 1982 that shows this knife. It was also available with a jacaranda wood handle and was called the Scandinavian (model 6318). There was even a model 6319 rabbiter, which was the 6318 in a sheath with a short steel. On the other side of this particular sheet it shows a Puma machete, model 6127.