What's a BOS?

A

audiopile

Joined
Nov 2, 2007
Messages
653
I know that somehow this guy or the treatment are considered the "god" (small G) of heat treatment . Would like to know more - can anyone point me to a link about the guy or the operation or both? Is there actually a Mr. BOS?
 
Many custom knifemakers also use Paul Bos to heat treat their blades as well.
 
Probably the king of heat treating. I believe BLADE magazine had an article on him last year.
 
audiopile said:
I know that somehow this guy or the treatment are considered the "god" (small G) of heat treatment . Would like to know more - can anyone point me to a link about the guy or the operation or both? Is there actually a Mr. BOS?
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That is all ya need to know... Paul Bos is the HEAT TREATIN MAN.... :D

Just kidding.. Knives Illustrated Feb. 06 did an article on him. Had a few good pics too...
 
He's like the "Evan All Mighty" in my short book of true gifted talent. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Lots of metals and alloys are heat treated. Different people specialize in the fine points of different alloys. Paul Bos has specialized in the heat treating of high carbon martensitic steels (what we call "knife steels" ) for a number of years. Paul is recognized in the knife world for his knowledge and the quality of his work.

IIRC Paul has had an affiliation with Buck since the '60s. He does not currently do all of their heat treating, but did set up their current heat treat line. He does personally oversee the heat treating of some of their blades. Those blades get the Bos flame stamp.
 
knarfeng said:
Paul Bos has specialized in the heat treating of what we call "knife steels"... Paul has had an affiliation with Buck since the '60s. He does not currently do all of their heat treating, but did set up their current heat treat line. He does personally oversee the heat treating of some of their blades. Those blades get the Bos flame stamp.
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dugh ... are ya sure on that? and were ya getting the info if ya is sure..
do ya works at buck?:confused::eek:
cause in de video i gots he is a unloading a bunch of stuff that i did not see his mark on... and i thought he did all of it ....:confused:
that he set up strider wit what he left behind ... and checks in on them ...:confused:
but i dont know any 'tang fer sure ... i is jest a guessing here...:confused:
can ya gives me a hand or a hand out??? :p;)
 
334dave said:
dugh ... are ya sure on that? and were ya getting the info if ya is sure..
do ya works at buck?:confused::eek:
cause in de video i gots he is a unloading a bunch of stuff that i did not see his mark on... and i thought he did all of it ....:confused:
that he set up strider wit what he left behind ... and checks in on them ...:confused:
but i dont know any 'tang fer sure ... i is jest a guessing here...:confused:
can ya gives me a hand or a hand out??? :p;)
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The last I heard, Paul Bos set up the Buck Idaho heat treat operation. (This would have involved selecting the equipment and overseeing the calibration of it.) Buck Knives has also stated that Paul Bos developed the heat treat parameters that are used for Buck's various alloys, which statement I believe. Again, from memory it was my understanding that Paul Bos was not personally overseeing all Buck heat treating on a daily basis. (The man has been heat treating since the the late '50s. Assuming he started at age 20, that would put him in his '70's today. Daily shift overseeing an oven? questionable. At work daily where he is available for questions and issues? Likely.) I also remember reading that the Buck knives for which he personnally oversees the heat treat receive his personal mark, a flame.

That is what I remember reading (I do spend a lot of time reading the formums here as well as across the web, so exactly when or where I read it I cannot say.) I am willing to be corrected if somebody will be so kind.

BTW, It is developing a heat treat cycle that takes art. Maintaining a known heat treat cycle merely takes engineering. So the art of Paul Bos is in all Buck Knives, whether or not Paul Bos personally oversaw the heat treat of that individual knife because the heat treat times and temperatures were developed by Mr. Bos.
 
you have a better memory then i .. but it seems to ring true..
i do know in va at that show i seen several knives that Bos (pronanced Boss)
did but his flame was not on them.. several of the knifesmiths said they were told by him to put the flame on them...
i know that he will write you a ... note... if you miss lable a steel as some thing it is not..
seen one such note.. so i know he test a lot of the steel he gets...
on buck knives it up to them which knives get the flame... marketing i guess ...
will have to find some people to ask... wander who?
that could be a lisence thing.. i dont know..
i would love to send some old fashon 440c buck blades to him and see what come of them then!!!
do ya think it would be great stuff?
 
I'll bet they would be awesome. I have had a couple of Buck 440C blades since the late '60's. They all hold an edge extremely well.
 
knarfeng said:
So the art of Paul Bos is in all Buck Knives, whether or not Paul Bos personally oversaw the heat treat of that individual knife because the heat treat times and temperatures were developed by Mr. Bos.
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Does this include Buck knives made overseas, or only the US made models?
 
Mr. Bos is also a member of this here forum and has been known to chime in on occasion.
Maybe someone with gold membership can do a search and post some of his remarks?
 
I can say, from comparative experience, that Paul Bos is worthy of his stellar reputation.
... He's a master and tremendous asset to the knife world.

He is getting older but is in good shape and, last I heard, is still in the shop most every day. He once told me they'd be dragging his body from the shop someday. Right now he says there's no intention of quitting.
 
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