K55 Mercator knives

A place to discuss & share pictures of military related knives and tools. Conversation relating to objects of war and peace from all eras welcome.
Post Reply
Captain O

K55 Mercator knives

Post by Captain O »

I have seen these advertised in magazines since I was a boy. I have heard a lot of positive things about these slim carbon-steel knives. (They've been around since 1867). I have been looking at these and have considered owning one for the sheer utility of the implement. Slim, light and the steel takes (and holds) a wicked edge.

Discussion?
User avatar
PCwizard
Posts: 677
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 7:01 pm
Location: East, TX
Contact:

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by PCwizard »

Captain O wrote:I have seen these advertised in magazines since I was a boy. I have heard a lot of positive things about these slim carbon-steel knives.(They've been around since 1867). I have been looking at these and have considered owning one for the sheer utility of the implement. Slim, light and the steel takes (and holds) a wicked edge.

Discussion?

The Black Cat K55K is a great knife, I have about 10 of them right now. You can find them with all kinds of advertising on them and in many different colors. A few years back I contacted Otter-Messer the new owners of the Mercator Brand about how to date the old knives. Here what they told me.

Otter-Messer bought Mercator from Kauffmann in 1995, Kauffmann owned the Mercator brand from 1856 to 1995. Kauffmann is now a division of Otter-Messer. From 1891 to 1952 the edge and tang of the Mercator Knife was marked Mercator D.R.G.M. "D.R.G.M.", which means Deutsches Reichs Gebrauchs Muster. In English, this means "Protected Patent under the Reich Government". The D.R.G.M. markings on the handle side used from 1891 until 1952. In 1952, the patent stamping was changed to Mercator-Germany on the side of the handle.

WW2 era Mercator's are always marked "D.R.G.M" on the side of the handle. Post-War 1953 and newer knives always have "Mercator-Germany" on the side. The knives that were made pre-1952 were also about a inch larger than the Mercator's made Post 1953. Also from 1953 to 1995 the spacer inserted at the rear of the knife was red on most of the knives, after 1995 it was change to black, this was done right after Otter-Messer bought the rights from Kauffmann.

I see sellers on eBay say there knife is from WWII all the time and only once have I seen a real D.R.G.M Mercator.

.
Attachments
1.JPG
2.JPG
3.JPG
4.JPG
5.JPG
Captain O

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by Captain O »

They don't really make them like the old ones. I appreciate the carbon steel blades that take a wicked edge. The fact that the newer knived can be had for less than $30.00 is encouraging. Are the new Mercators functional, working knives? I am hoping that this is the case. It they are, they seem well worth the purchase price.
User avatar
PCwizard
Posts: 677
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 7:01 pm
Location: East, TX
Contact:

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by PCwizard »

Captain O wrote:They don't really make them like the old ones. I appreciate the carbon steel blades that take a wicked edge. The fact that the newer knived can be had for less than $30.00 is encouraging. Are the new Mercators functional, working knives? I am hoping that this is the case. It they are, they seem well worth the purchase price.

Yes there very good to use, they still make a carbon model and a stainless model. I carry one a few times a month. I love them. there so thin and just disappear in your pocket. They can take a beating.
Captain O

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by Captain O »

Excellent! Perhaps I can afford one in March. I just dropped $74.95 on a Queen Barlow Red Stag (pattern 69 1/2). It will be here soon. ::ds:: It took every cent of disposable income I had.

So many knives... so little money. ::mdm::
User avatar
PCwizard
Posts: 677
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 7:01 pm
Location: East, TX
Contact:

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by PCwizard »

Captain O wrote:Excellent! Perhaps I can afford one in March. I just dropped $74.95 on a Queen Barlow Red Stag (pattern 69 1/2). It will be here soon. ::ds:: It took every cent of disposable income I had.

So many knives... so little money. ::mdm::

Captain, PM me your address. I have a Mercator with your name on it. ::handshake::
User avatar
tjmurphy
Posts: 11129
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:41 pm
Location: South of Cincinnati

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by tjmurphy »

I have a Mercator with carbon stell blade that my son bought me for my birthday a couple of years ago and like it pretty well. It locks up as tight as any knife I own.
"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
knife7knut
Posts: 10068
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
Location: Tecumseh,Michigan

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by knife7knut »

Here is a mini version made by Richartz.
Attachments
Richartz2.JPG
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
User avatar
PCwizard
Posts: 677
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 7:01 pm
Location: East, TX
Contact:

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by PCwizard »

A year or two ago they released a full and mini size with copper and brass handles. I think they only come in stainless. There really nice I picked them up about 6 months ago. The full size has a lock the mini is a slip joint. They have the Otter Messer logo not the K55K Cat logo.

The photos below are stock, I haven't taken photos of mine yet.

.
Attachments
brass full.jpg
brass mini.jpg
copper full.jpg
copper mini.jpg
User avatar
vikingdog
Posts: 2307
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 2:46 am
Location: Pennsylvania The Keystone State

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by vikingdog »

The brass and copper make for a really nice looking knife. I wish they weren't quite so expensive. My friends and I all had "cat knives" back in the 60s. They sold them at the Army & Navy store and they were only a few bucks. I think we altered them into a gravity knife somehow.
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." Ogden Nash

My traditional Nordic knife blog: http://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/

Mike
User avatar
deltaboy
Posts: 784
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 5:54 pm
Location: DFW

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by deltaboy »

::tu:: Another one to buy.
Keep Near the Cross.
User avatar
TonySal
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat May 16, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by TonySal »

Like mine alot. Just a bit tough to explain to NYPD if observed....
So many knives, too little time...
Rannard
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2022 1:49 pm

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by Rannard »

AN EARLY MERCATOR LOCK KNIFE


The tang of this knife is marked Solingen Germany on one side and Mercator on the other. Its back is marked Mercator. There are no other marks on it. It is of the usual Mercator design with a bale fitted. The blade and body have many transverse scratches. I imagine the knife is of WWII vintage or earlier, the Germany mark rather than Deutschland suggests it was made for export.

Any information on the manufacturer and date of manufacture would be very welcome.





17 February 2022
Attachments
Early Mercator knife.jpg
Rannard
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2022 1:49 pm

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by Rannard »

MORE ON MY MERCATOR

Thank you to all for your information on Mercator knives. Mine just has Mercator on the back, no Germany, and has a red plastic spacer so it seems is most likely is 1953 or later. Its length open, not including the bale is 8.9inches (22.6cm). Its length closed again not including the bale is 4.35inches (11.05cm).

This mixture of features makes me wonder if it was transitional production 1952/53.

Most likely this knife was brought back to the UK by a National Serviceman serving in Germany in the early 1950s, when German industry was getting back on its feet after the war.

It is a utility knife, not a fighting knife, only having one edge sharpened.
Attachments
Back of Mercator knife.jpg
Mercator tang stamp.jpg
Mercator knife.jpg
Jedwin
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:33 pm

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by Jedwin »

Reviving an old post. I have a few of these knives and really enjoy the history. Here are a couple. One is WW2 or older the other is a post 1952 version.
Attachments
178E8646-95CA-4566-A4A7-C2678C5903F1.jpeg
EF7C9EE3-9A06-4355-B83C-37AF3E2FC523.jpeg
0B86C2F9-3AC2-4F3B-89CC-F7C57C8E22DA.jpeg
2206BFF7-6DC2-48EA-8D32-C64CB77350D6.jpeg
8833DA75-EC2D-4785-B3F1-53642640376E.jpeg
Alien883
Posts: 524
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2020 5:31 pm
Location: SW-VA
Contact:

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by Alien883 »

Captain O wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2017 1:30 am They don't really make them like the old ones. I appreciate the carbon steel blades that take a wicked edge. The fact that the newer knived can be had for less than $30.00 is encouraging. Are the new Mercators functional, working knives? I am hoping that this is the case. It they are, they seem well worth the purchase price.
I own few new ones and all of them are very capable knives! Still solid and stout as it can be...I think the new ones come now in SS or 1095. Great history and great story about the original maker...anybody knows where this K55K comes from???! Lol
Dullest_knife
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon May 22, 2023 1:12 pm

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by Dullest_knife »

I've got a couple I'll have to dig up, an older black one with red spacer with I believe has a cat on it , and a stainless one with an otter.
User avatar
TonyS
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 2:43 pm
Location: Throggs Neck, NYC!

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by TonyS »

K55K comes from the company name and address...
Join Knife Rights ::tu::
User avatar
TonyS
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 2:43 pm
Location: Throggs Neck, NYC!

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by TonyS »

...and i believe the Germans weren't issued them! Guys brought them home a day carried them in the 1950s tough guy era....
Join Knife Rights ::tu::
User avatar
TonyS
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 2:43 pm
Location: Throggs Neck, NYC!

Re: K55 Mercator knives

Post by TonyS »

...and i believe the Germans weren't issued them! Guys brought them home and carried them in the 1950s tough guy era....
Join Knife Rights ::tu::
Post Reply

Return to “Military Related Knives And Tools”