Friedrich Olbertz Knife Factory

[Aimus Moses]

As many may know the Friedrich Olbertz knife factory in Germany makes, or has made, many different well known brands of pocket knives under contract. Going by your experience of actually handling a knife brand made from there and seeing it with your eye as well as feeling it by hand, in your honest opinion what single brand name do you think is the best made, quality wise, to come out the doors there? I'm talking about the material used to make the knife, the attention to detail put into it, and the final product's fit & finish when it's ready for a buying customer.
Fighting Rooster, Bulldog, Battle Axe, Eye brand, Jim Bowie, or any other brand that is made there that I can't think of at this moment (and let's not forget the Parker repro's, regardless of the brand name he borrowed and had put on them. Just call them Parker repro's if you feel they are the best)? I may just learn of some more brands that were or are made in that plant. Your opinions are welcome and appreciated.

Aimus

[griz1200]

I think all of the knives made by the Olbertz factory is of good quality. However I am partial to the Eye Brand and Jim Bowie brands.

Greg

[keithw]

I'm partial to the Eye brand knives.

Keith

[robinetn]

I feel that the Olbertz factory has the capability to produce the finest quality mass produced pocket knives in the world but they are limited by the price constraints placed on them by the customers that they are producing knives for . Therefore , I think that the best quality pocket knives that they have produced in recent years would be the Bulldog Brand made in the late '70's thru mid '80's to meet the approval of the critical discerning eye of Charlie Dorton . The fit and finish of these knives is legendary although the choice of handle material on some of the knives did create problems as the years passed (or gassed) .

Bob R. (RIDGEWOOD CUTLERY)

[vperkins]

How would you rate the German Bull, Buffalo Creek and is Hen & Rooster made in this factory?

[keithw]

V,

You've hit upon a sticky subject.
As I understand it, H&R, Buffalo Creek and German Bull are all owned by Frost.
I've heard from many people here and elsewhere that all 3 are at least partially made/assembled in China now.
I bumped into a Boker rep about a year ago and he told me that Boker used to make H&Rs,
but had recently stopped.
There's plenty of posts here about the subject.

So IMHO, from a collectability standpoint, if they are made in China it will dampen if not outright kill their value as a collectable.
Without trying to rekindle the tired, old "I hate China" firestorm ,
I must admit that I have a couple of each of these brands that I bought around 2007, and they're pretty well-made knives.

Keith

[basser5]

I'm going to have to say early Bulldog brand and non-cell Fight'n Roosters.

Tim