Need help ID'ing an old Boker knife!

mikekoz · Post by **mikekoz** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 12:31 pm

This knife belongs to my father in law. I was wondering if I could get any more information about it, like when it was made, its value to a collector, etc. Any info would be appreciated! The number on the blade appears to be either 434 or 494.
Thank you!

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:10 pm

that's a nice knife. is it boker u.s.a. or german?

johnnierotten · Post by **johnnierotten** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:11 am

It looks like a model 493 made in Argentina. Nice barlow style knives.

Karnack 2000 · Post by **Karnack 2000** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:31 am

If the handles are rough sawn delrin, as opposed to bone, it would have to be a more recent knife since delrin wasn't produced by DuPont until 1960.

The blades seem to be carbon, most knives made in the last twenty years or so have blades made of 440 stainless.

That would lead me to believe the knife is thirty or forty years old.

I am just guessing based on deduction and what I can see about the knife. The knife is probably older than me, and I'm sure someone around here has been around long enough to know its age, rather than guess, based on materials and construction

I have a recent production Boker Barlow similar to this, and it has the tree stamp on the bolster. I believe they still make this pattern.

needbucks · Post by **needbucks** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:40 am

The Boker tree trademark went through several redesigns over the years. Smokey Mountain Knifeworks had a series of dual tang stamp Boker knives made for them exclusively recently. I seem to recall that their catalogs had pictures and descriptions of which design went with which period. I don't have a catalog with me but if you can dig one up you might be able to tell when that particular tree design was in use.

Wish I could be more help.

mikekoz · Post by **mikekoz** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:18 am

needbucks wrote:The Boker tree trademark went through several redesigns over the years. Smokey Mountain Knifeworks had a series of dual tang stamp Boker knives made for them exclusively recently. I seem to recall that their catalogs had pictures and descriptions of which design went with which period. I don't have a catalog with me but if you can dig one up you might be able to tell when that particular tree design was in use.

Wish I could be more help.

Thank you all! You have been a big help. Maybe I need to purchase a book about old knives this weekend!!