All About Pocket Knives

Good morning Knifers,

I bought a lot or 4 knives off the bay last week to get my hands on a Böker pen knife to add to my EDC rotation. Yesterday they arrived. Although the Böker is ok for an EDC and has good snap, I was a bit unhappy with the handles. I'm not sure of the material they used. It looked as if it had some blood vessels on the edges and the thickness varies so you could believe them to be of bone or ??? Stag. On the other hand, it wasn't that hard to carve it so I don't know, maybe it's just some sort of plastic. Either way, I found the brown color to be overbearing at the least and on 7 of 8 points of contact where the handles meet the bolsters on the corners, the handles protuded above the bolsters. The sides of the handles were also squared or edged & uncomfortable to hold causing me to be dissapointed in the overall fit and finish of the knife. None the less, I threw it in my watch pocket yesterday.

As I sat outside drinking my coffee this morning, I got it out to look at it. Then I spontaneously whipped out my Klaas EDC and started whittling. Might be a sin to whittle on a knife but..., that's what Easter is about. And as Ken (Petesknives) says..., "Sometimes, it's easier to beg for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission." So at this point..., if anyone is dissapointed in me for whittling on another knife, I'm sorry and I promise I'll Never Ever do it again..., unless nobody is looking.

As always, I did not think to take any pictures before I started so I'll post the seller's pictures here in this post as the before pictures and the pictures of my "New & Improved" Böker EDC in the next post below.

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And here is how it looks after 15 min. of "Knife-Whittling". The corners are now flush with the bolsters, the edges are rounded to fit the hand much more comfortably & the overpowering brown color is now just an eye enhancing accent. I am well pleased with what I have changed on the handles. It feels much nicer to hold (almost like "pocket worn") & the color change is also an improvement in my opinion. Before my whittling, it was just an unpleasing, ok pen knife. Now, I am very well pleased with it and happy to have it in my watch pocket. It's a nice little EDC now.

I hope you enjoyed this little "Knife-Whittling" story and Thanks for looking!

I wish you all..., Happy Easter! Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
TCGB,
TPK

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Not Bad /Not Bad at all. I Don't EDC Boker .But if I did A Little Pottassium Permangenate Would Even the Tone Of The Bone If You Don't Mind Me Saying so Good Job K.C.

Looks nice, Tom. You took something that wasn't right and made something unique and special out of it. I think it looks good.

I am a little bit surprised that the original handles fit so poorly, but it looks like you did the right thing. A good improvement!

But what is that round metal piece on the mark-side handle, filling up the patented Boker hole? I don't know if I have ever seen one before!

Instead of potassium permanganate, try some Grape Kool Aid

Works for me

Reverand wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2020 12:15 am I am a little bit surprised that the original handles fit so poorly, but it looks like you did the right thing. A good improvement!

But what is that round metal piece on the mark-side handle, filling up the patented Boker hole? I don't know if I have ever seen one before!

Hi Reverand,

I was also surprised that the handles didn't fit well. Whoever made em must of had a hangover or been new on the job.

Anyways, I took a picture of the round shield. It has the Böker tree and it says Solingen underneath the tree. I couldn't really see it with my eyes cause they aren't the best but the camera on my tablet caught it pretty good. I'm glad you asked. Now I also know what the shield looks like.

While I was at it, I took a picture of the stamp. It reads Boker (over) Solingen (over) Germany and also has the tree next to it.

.

KleenCut61 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:56 am Not Bad /Not Bad at all. I Don't EDC Boker .But if I did A Little Pottassium Permangenate Would Even the Tone Of The Bone If You Don't Mind Me Saying so Good Job K.C.

Thanks for the info K.C. but I have No idea where I would get something like Pottassium Permangenate. And I'm not sure but the handles may be some kind of plastic. Although I would like to believe they are of a better material.

And, If you don't mind the question, I'm curious, why would you not EDC a Boker? Do you dislike them?

I'm in Love with the case brand myself but I don't own any of them I would EDC because they are all (just 6) way too special for an EDC. If I can ever get my hands on an older used one that's in ok condition I will EDC it. They are hard to find used over here, so the few that do show up on ebay usually go for more than I think they are worth. Maybe I'm wronge though. Guess it's a question of supply & demand but I'll just keep looking till I get my hands on one at a fair price. Or I'll finally break down and buy a pen knife I have my eye on.It's a "Case Cutlery Small Pen Knife Brown Delrin" & cost €59 or about $64.50. That's about the cheapest traditional style one I can find. The next cheapest one I can find is a "Case Cutlery Peanut Amber Bone knife coltello CA045". It costs €64 or about $69.99.

Anyways..., I'll Shut up now. Take care & Have a Great Easter!

KLJ77 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 5:30 pm Looks nice, Tom. You took something that wasn't right and made something unique and special out of it. I think it looks good.

Thanks LJ!


Ken the purple or Grape Kool Aid was a joke right?

Isn't potassium permanganate the main ingredient of grape Kool-Aid

Potassium permanganate is an oxidizing agent. It is not a dye. Essentially what it does is cause organic materials to burn or oxidized without the use of Fire. However, be careful how you use it it can generate enough heat to cause a fire if you are careless with it and get certain materials exposed to the PP.

I'm told that PP is used in water treatment and I have seen survival videos on using it to purify water, a very deluded Solutions, not recommended!!
And I've also seen videos of survival situations where the people used PP to start a fire.

I don't recall what material it was that I almost set on fire using PP, I think it was wood. Essentially when you apply potassium permanganate to a piece of stag or bone you are oxidizing that bone or stag. The oxidation is what gives the color to the handle material. If you are wearing a cotton shirt and get some on your cotton shirt you're a cotton shirt now turns brown even though potassium permanganate when mixed with water is a brilliant purple color. When applied to bone the purple gradually fades and turns into brown. The same thing applies to leather, wood or your skin. It all will turn brown. Eventually your skin will regenerate itself and sluff off and the brown stain will then be gone from your hands.

Be careful how you use it especially the first time or two, it can be a bit on the hazardous side.

TPK, I apologize if my tongue-in-cheek comment about the shiels seemed serious. Boker knives are well-known for losing their shields, so I act in mock surprise anytime I see one still bearing the shield.
Otherwise they are well made, quality knives, and that one should last you a lifetime!

TPK wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2020 4:56 am

KleenCut61 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:56 am Not Bad /Not Bad at all. I Don't EDC Boker .But if I did A Little Pottassium Permangenate Would Even the Tone Of The Bone If You Don't Mind Me Saying so Good Job K.C.

Thanks for the info K.C. but I have No idea where I would get something like Pottassium Permangenate. And I'm not sure but the handles may be some kind of plastic. Although I would like to believe they are of a better material.

And, If you don't mind the question, I'm curious, why would you not EDC a Boker? Do you dislike them?

I'm in Love with the case brand myself but I don't own any of them I would EDC because they are all (just 6) way too special for an EDC. If I can ever get my hands on an older used one that's in ok condition I will EDC it. They are hard to find used over here, so the few that do show up on ebay usually go for more than I think they are worth. Maybe I'm wronge though. Guess it's a question of supply & demand but I'll just keep looking till I get my hands on one at a fair price. Or I'll finally break down and buy a pen knife I have my eye on.It's a "Case Cutlery Small Pen Knife Brown Delrin" & cost €59 or about $64.50. That's about the cheapest traditional style one I can find. The next cheapest one I can find is a "Case Cutlery Peanut Amber Bone knife coltello CA045". It costs €64 or about $69.99.

Anyways..., I'll Shut up now. Take care & Have a Great Easter!

TPK I Like What you did to EDC that Boker , The Only Boker I Own is a Pen @ 3 in... I Like German Knives But Not The Norm .. I Like The Henckels & Heirders As Makers , The Older Materials Used on the Earlier Makers Was Bar Non , Sorry I Mentioned The Pottasium Know ! I Did with the Best Intentions Because of its Simplicity , Not Thinking About the Many Warnings and Drawbacks .. Thing Is I Have Several Knives That can use the Whittler Treatment And you did get me to thinking Ty

KleenCut61 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:59 am

TPK wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2020 4:56 am

KleenCut61 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:56 am Not Bad /Not Bad at all. I Don't EDC Boker .But if I did A Little Pottassium Permangenate Would Even the Tone Of The Bone If You Don't Mind Me Saying so Good Job K.C.

Thanks for the info K.C. but I have No idea where I would get something like Pottassium Permangenate. And I'm not sure but the handles may be some kind of plastic. Although I would like to believe they are of a better material.

And, If you don't mind the question, I'm curious, why would you not EDC a Boker? Do you dislike them?

I'm in Love with the case brand myself but I don't own any of them I would EDC because they are all (just 6) way too special for an EDC. If I can ever get my hands on an older used one that's in ok condition I will EDC it. They are hard to find used over here, so the few that do show up on ebay usually go for more than I think they are worth. Maybe I'm wronge though. Guess it's a question of supply & demand but I'll just keep looking till I get my hands on one at a fair price. Or I'll finally break down and buy a pen knife I have my eye on.It's a "Case Cutlery Small Pen Knife Brown Delrin" & cost €59 or about $64.50. That's about the cheapest traditional style one I can find. The next cheapest one I can find is a "Case Cutlery Peanut Amber Bone knife coltello CA045". It costs €64 or about $69.99.

Anyways..., I'll Shut up now. Take care & Have a Great Easter!

TPK I Like What you did to EDC that Boker , The Only Boker I Own is a Pen @ 3 in... I Like German Knives But Not The Norm .. I Like The Henckels & Heirders As Makers , The Older Materials Used on the Earlier Makers Was Bar Non , Sorry I Mentioned The Pottasium Know ! I Did with the Best Intentions Because of its Simplicity , Not Thinking About the Many Warnings and Drawbacks .. Thing Is I Have Several Knives That can use the Whittler Treatment And you did get me to thinking Ty

Thanks for showing me those stamps Ty! Never heard of either brand before but they look like great knives! There were so many knife makers over here in Gremany that it's almost mind-boggling. Only a few have survived to this day and even they now must rely on partial production in or parts from Asia. Globalization is everywhere now days.

Per Goins : circa :1920-1940 The Ideal Shirt Co ..Sort of like a Tested era German Made Trapper , Maker A. Wingen 1923-Present Rather Fortunate to Have it , Bought it off a Women Knife seller in my Own Town no Less , Who Knew K,C,

Reverand wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 1:53 pm TPK, I apologize if my tongue-in-cheek comment about the shiels seemed serious. Boker knives are well-known for losing their shields, so I act in mock surprise anytime I see one still bearing the shield.
Otherwise they are well made, quality knives, and that one should last you a lifetime!

Hi Reverand,

I didn't even catch on to the "tongue-in-cheek". LOL!
I'm pissed now!