Boker Magnum

[glenn]

Guys got one these for Christmas, can anyone tell me if the are any good for holding any kind of edge? Thanks. And Happy New Year!!

[rangerbluedog]

Guys got one these for Christmas, can anyone tell me if the are any good for holding any kind of edge? Thanks. And Happy New Year!!

I carried one for a while. It held an edge good, but not as good as my Case with CV blades. IMO, the Boker Magnum series are the best knives coming out of China.

[orvet]

I bought some before I knew they were made in China.

Just my opinion.....................................
they are some of the best quality Chinese knives I have seen.

Dale

[Hawke]

I was told China is trying to change its long time reputation of exporting cheap products. Their old philosophy was to keep the best and export the inferior. Looks like they are changing things. Good for them. They have the fastest growing economy now I think. I dont think they will ever live down the "old reputation" in my lifetime tho. (<<insight into my thinking on buying very many China made products)

Sidenote...They are building coal fired power houses at the fastest pace of anyone right?. The ones that cause the most harm to the atmosphere. This tells me of the true motives their leaders have overall.
Selfish Ruthless Greed IM-not so-HO.

[rangerbluedog]

I've heard SOMEWHERE that Boker was really keeping a tight reign on them as far as the quality of these knives with the Boker name on them. It's definitely a dangerous game for a company with a reputation for quality. I was with Caterpillar when they started building tractors in China. At first it was just for sales in China, but I am sure that will change.

What I haven't figured out is the reason for having a Boker CLASSIC TREE BRAND (made in Germany), a Boker Magnum (all from China I think), and a Boker PLUS (made in Tiawan AND China?)

This is a difficult company to sort out...

<edit> I just got this from BOKERs web site:

Are all of your knives manufactured in Germany?
No. Magnum USA carries several different brand names, which are manufactured in various parts of the world. Please refer to the list below:

Boker knives: Solingen, Germany
Boker Arbolito knives: Argentina
Boker Plus knives: Taiwan (except model 02BO012, made in the USA)
Cinch knives by Boker: Solingen, Germany (except model 11CI403Y, made in Argentina)
Magnum knives: Taiwan and China
Marttiini knives: Finland
Opinel knives: France

[Darksev]

I've said it before and I'll repeat now. China production boils down to two things. Money and willingness to do diligent QC on behalf of the importer. I always use Spyderco as an example, but CRKT can be easily used nowadays as well. If you want a high quality, great fit and finish knife in high end steels, then you can easily get such an animal from china, IF you want to pay for it (costs are getting close to what some of the Japanese manufacturers are now) and if your willing to spot check your product consistently to maintain quality and to be sure your getting what you ask for.

I have an outstanding order right now for Spyderco's "Chicago" small folder. It's a chinese made, S30V/Carbon Fiber linerlock that fits in with my "small knives" fascination. I've been holding for it for at least a few months now, as both the first and second production runs had slight issues (1 had some centering/lock issues, the other had some F&F issues with the jimping on the blades). Spyderco pulled both the initial runs, marked them all as factory seconds or had the really bad ones destroyed, and is going through QC for the 3rd time on them. I know that when they do finally release them into the wild, I'll get a spyderco-level of product, for about 2/3 the price of a comparably sized Seki made model.

My only gripe with Boker's Magnum and PLUS series is I wish they used a better steel. I love CLB's designs, and I'd love to get a Subcom/Wharcom if it was ATS34, 154CM, VG10, etc. I never liked AUS8.

[orvet]

Adam,
Is there a big difference between the Chinese AUS8 and the AUS-8A that Kershaw used in the 1980s?
I loved the 1980s AUS-8A that Kershaw used, and that's saying a lot for a mostly carbon steel guy.

Dale

[Darksev]

it probably boils down to heat treat and QC dale. Aus8 is (in my research) often called 8A as well. With a good heat treat, I would but it around 440C for usability, it just doesn't quite have enough carbon. Treat it wrong and you end up with 440A. I've had a few chinese made Aus8 blades (many years ago) and was not impressed by any. I just think they ended up soft, so while my opinion is not based on any boker knives, I'm just not going to spend money on the steel.

[glenn]

Darksev Just looked at your work Man you are A master at the custom work you do Love that CS canoe Keep up the good work.

[orvet]

I have been showing at the OKCA show in Eugene OR the last few years.
For the last two years, Spyderco has given OKCA one of their Byrd Knives to include in the packet of goodies that each vendor gets.
So I now have two knives made with 8Cr13MoV.
Since I am always curious about the different steels I have used these knives to cut up shipping and equipment boxes and just used them as general abuse blade knives around the shop.
I must admit that their durability and edge retention has been impressive.
By far the best steel I have seen from China and a quantum leap above and beyond the China Schrade (Chirades) steel, which I have tested.
I don't know for sure, but I would assume the steel in the Chirades is AUS8.
Even cutting up heavy buffer boxes (my Jet 1 HP buffer was replaced 3 or 4 times last year- lousy QC apparently in their China factory) the 8Cr13MoV steel has held it’s edge well.
I was impressed.

Dale

[Darksev]

8Cr13Mov is probably one of my new favorite steels, honestly. I encountered it in CRKT's Graham Razel series, and picked up a Byrd to see how spyderco handled it. I was pleasantly surprised in both cases. Supposedly Spyderco is thinking about changing the byrd's over to 9Cr18Mov, they put it into the last "mule project" blade for experimenting. I'm not a big fixed blade user, but if they put it in a folder I likely won't be able to resist.

[orvet]

Thanks Adam, I will have to look for that.

Dale