Straighten me out on Boker knives

R

robertj298

Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Messages
244
I've read so much information I don't know what is true. Some say some are made in China, some are assembled in Germany with Chinese parts, I see some stamped USA. So how can I tell if one of their knives are made in Germany with German parts?
 
"Solingen" tang stamp is 100% German components and assembly. Usually limited to the "Tree Brand" line.
The "Boker Plus" line, from what I've seen are produced elsewhere, including, but not limited to, China.
The "Boker Magnum" line are allegedly all China sourced components and assembled.

Don't trust the steel claims on the Plus and Magnum lines. At best 440A. 440C is a lie. This includes what the original package claims.
Both my Boker Plus and Magnum claimed 440C on the packaging. "440A" is etched on the blades of all three.

Don't expect customer service. I asked Boker a question via the Boker manufacturer's forum, and by email, over two years ago. I am still waiting for Boker to answer.

I'll never buy another Boker, based on that. If they can't bother to answer a customer's question, which costs them nothing, why should I expect. them to stand behind the product if there is a warranty issue, which will cost them money (parts and labor or a replacement knife) to correct?
 
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afishhunter said:
"Solingen" tang stamp is 100% German components and assembly. Usually limited to the "Tree Brand" line.
The "Boker Plus" line, from what I've seen are produced elsewhere, including, but not limited to, China.
The "Boker Magnum" line are allegedly all China sourced components and assembled.

Don't trust the steel claims on the Plus and Magnum lines. At best 440A. 440C is a lie. This includes what the original package claims.
Both my Boker Plus and Magnum claimed 440C on the packaging. "440A" is etched on the blades of all three.

Don't expect customer service. I asked Boker a question via the Boker manufacturer's forum, and by email, over two years ago. I am still waiting for Boker to answer.

I'll never buy another Boker, based on that. If they can't bother to answer a customer's question, which costs them nothing, why should I expect. them to stand behind the product if there is a warranty issue, which will cost them money (parts and labor or a replacement knife) to correct?
Click to expand...

So, your premise not to buy any more Bokers is predicated around an instance where the possibility exists that maybe your email ended up in a spam folder somewhere and was never seen by a human being? What did they say when you followed that email up with a phone call two years ago?
 
As Bernard Levine says, "Read the knife"

It says, H. Böker, Solingen, Germany ;) The shield says 140 Jahre- (140 year anniversary, Böker founded 1869 = 2009 )

I've been extremely contented with the Böker-Germany carbon knives I've bought.

k4WthnS.jpg
 
Will Power said:
As Bernard Levine says, "Read the knife"

It says, H. Böker, Solingen, Germany ;) The shield says 140 Jahre- (140 year anniversary, Böker founded 1869 = 2009 )
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Doesn't that misinterpret what Bernard said? To the point that you missed his point entirely?

I'm not trying to be confrontational but for the sake of clarity, I took that quote as meaning you should inspect the fit, finish, style etc. of a knife while basically ignoring the markings because that's how you learn and anyone can stamp anything on a knife. I thought that quote was regarding counterfeit knives etc. and how not to be fooled by them.

School me if I'm wrong on this. Maybe he did mean "read tang stamps".
 
Never did find out why you can't get Boker USA knives in England

So much better thasn the German brand tradititonal blades

maybe it was an EU thing that will now change...
 
Quiet said:
So, your premise not to buy any more Bokers is predicated around an instance where the possibility exists that maybe your email ended up in a spam folder somewhere and was never seen by a human being? What did they say when you followed that email up with a phone call two years ago?
Click to expand...
9 emails over 9 months. auto reply they received my emails.
There have been some new posts by Boker in their sub-forum, posts including my quoting them, which eliminates the chance they didn't see my post, have gone unanswered.
What makes you think they answer the phone?
If you, or anyone else, wants to purchase a new Boker, have at it. Just don't expect any customer support.
 
B bladecollectorr No, I don't believe I have missed the point ;) Irony apart, it has to do with context. Generally it applies to forgeries - which inevitably would have good tang-stamps, albeit often soldered on ones...Since we are obviously not talking about forgeries here the meaning applies to yes reading the knife's quality (the one I show is a rather good example I feel) and understanding/reading some rather obvious clues as to its origins- the use of German words, the umlaut as in BÖKER not BOKER and the city of Solingen which was the centre of German cutlery.
 
Corso said:
Never did find out why you can't get Boker USA knives in England

So much better thasn the German brand tradititonal blades

maybe it was an EU thing that will now change...
Click to expand...

Strictly speaking, Böker USA ceased trading c 1983. Its name was bought up by the parent company in Germany and began again in 1986 but wholly owned by the German founder. I think it has only about 20 employees and think it produces mainly Modern or Tactical type knives? Böker USA Traditionals are long gone.

As for the EU don't think so. It's difficult to buy German made Böker Traditionals in Germany I hear from my collector friends there. i can buy them here in Finland so it's not an EU thing but they do come via USA ;) More like obsessive anti-knife owning laws in many EU countries, most particularly in ex EU member Britain :rolleyes:

What makes you say the American Bökers were so much better than the German ones then?
 
Boker makes a lot of knives in a lot of different countries. So yes read the knife or the box to see the country of origin.

Most big companies like that will tailor what they sell to local markets. Look at car companies. You can buy a Ford Puma in the UK but not in it's home country of the USA. It would compete with the RAV4 from Toyota for one over here but it's for Europe only.
 
afishhunter said:
"Solingen" tang stamp is 100% German components and assembly. Usually limited to the "Tree Brand" line.
The "Boker Plus" line, from what I've seen are produced elsewhere, including, but not limited to, China.
The "Boker Magnum" line are allegedly all China sourced components and assembled.

Don't trust the steel claims on the Plus and Magnum lines. At best 440A. 440C is a lie. This includes what the original package claims.
Both my Boker Plus and Magnum claimed 440C on the packaging. "440A" is etched on the blades of all three.

Don't expect customer service. I asked Boker a question via the Boker manufacturer's forum, and by email, over two years ago. I am still waiting for Boker to answer.

I'll never buy another Boker, based on that. If they can't bother to answer a customer's question, which costs them nothing, why should I expect. them to stand behind the product if there is a warranty issue, which will cost them money (parts and labor or a replacement knife) to correct?
Click to expand...

My Boker Plus is marked AUS8 and performs like it. If you don't have test results to show the 440C is 440A you can't know. If 440C is run soft it will perform like 440A.

Just 'cause 1 email was left unanswered is no reason to trash a firm's customer service. My women sometimes ignore my emails but I don't publicly thrash them :)
 
If it has Solingen on the tang or shield it is German made. Anything else could be assembled in Germany with foreign source parts, or made entirely offshore. I have been completely satisfied with all of my Bökers that say Solingen.
 
lambertiana said:
If it has Solingen on the tang or shield it is German made. Anything else could be assembled in Germany with foreign source parts, or made entirely offshore. I have been completely satisfied with all of my Bökers that say Solingen.
Click to expand...

Do you know about the shield for certain? The manager mentioned the tang as a sure indicator - I did not see where he mentioned the shield. And I have seen Boker's that were nearly certainly made internationally but had Solingen on the shield only.
 
knifeswapper said:
Do you know about the shield for certain? The manager mentioned the tang as a sure indicator - I did not see where he mentioned the shield. And I have seen Boker's that were nearly certainly made internationally but had Solingen on the shield only.
Click to expand...

It is my understanding that it is a requirement of German law that if the knife says Solingen anywhere, it is actually Solingen made. But I could be wrong on that.
 
Screenshot_20201204-122334_Chrome.jpg
I went to the Boker website, when you click on a "Boker manfaktur" it doesn't say where its made in the description. Also its clear in the pics there is no "Solingen" on the tang. When clicking "Boker Solingen" it says manufactured in Solingen in the description and it has "Solingen" on the tang. Boker Arbolito are made in Argentina. Also from what I can see if it says "Germany" on the shield its asembled in Germany from foreign made parts,if Solingen is on it then its 100% German.
I think:confused:
 
afishhunter said:
"Solingen" tang stamp is 100% German components and assembly. Usually limited to the "Tree Brand" line.
The "Boker Plus" line, from what I've seen are produced elsewhere, including, but not limited to, China.
The "Boker Magnum" line are allegedly all China sourced components and assembled.

Don't trust the steel claims on the Plus and Magnum lines. At best 440A. 440C is a lie. This includes what the original package claims.
Both my Boker Plus and Magnum claimed 440C on the packaging. "440A" is etched on the blades of all three.

Don't expect customer service. I asked Boker a question via the Boker manufacturer's forum, and by email, over two years ago. I am still waiting for Boker to answer.

I'll never buy another Boker, based on that. If they can't bother to answer a customer's question, which costs them nothing, why should I expect. them to stand behind the product if there is a warranty issue, which will cost them money (parts and labor or a replacement knife) to correct?
Click to expand...


This is right. I'd only add that a 'Germany' tang stamp or shield, with no mention of Solingen, is assembled in Germany of international parts. These are generally cheaper knives, but they seem to be of very good quality.
 
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