All About Pocket Knives

Had been looking at barlows then came across the German made Boker Congress in D2 steel. Now I'm having second thoughts.

Any opinions on the Congress?

Boker's a good name.

There have been several patterns of knives I've liked the looks of, so I would buy it, only to find I didn't like carrying it. The congress pattern was one. Tried it, didn't like it. But that's me.

Thought I'd never like the Peanut because of it's small size. Found one that caught my eye and bought it and slipped it into my pocket. Tried it, liked it. Go figure.

Some patterns you just gotta try on before going all out for them or dismissing them altogether.

Steve,

What didn't you like about the Congress?

Thanks!

Too many blades, I guess.
I prefer a stockman. Just seems right for me. Maybe because that's the first knife my Grampy gave me.
Sometimes it's hard to put a finger on exactly what you like or don't like about something, you just know that you know.

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Sat May 30, 2026 8:33 pm Boker's a good name.

There have been several patterns of knives I've liked the looks of, so I would buy it, only to find I didn't like carrying it. The congress pattern was one. Tried it, didn't like it. But that's me.

Thought I'd never like the Peanut because of it's small size. Found one that caught my eye and bought it and slipped it into my pocket. Tried it, liked it. Go figure.

Some patterns you just gotta try on before going all out for them or dismissing them altogether.

100% correct, some knife patterns you just don't connect with and some you're all over.

In a Congress pattern, I prefer the Case model because unlike many Congress patterns, all of the blades are different. If I’m going to carry a muliblade knife, I don’t want two pairs of the same blade.

DanielS wrote: ↑Sat May 30, 2026 8:22 pm Had been looking at barlows then came across the German made Boker Congress in D2 steel. Now I'm having second thoughts.

Any opinions on the Congress?

I don't know D2 steel from beetle juice but that congress pattern is a fine carry.
You can get them in large and small. Two blades and four blades. Bone, stag, mother of pearl and other covers.
That nice curve sits right in the bottom of your pocket and keeps the lint out. Lots of great U.S. makers too.
Welcome here.

Does it have to be a new knife? I have three antique BOKER Congress in bone, large, medium, small.2 and 4 blades, a Boker in Rosewood with "bolt" bolsters. and a near mint, Hen and Rooster. PM me. Thanks, J.O'.

DanielS wrote: ↑Sat May 30, 2026 8:22 pm Had been looking at barlows then came across the German made Boker Congress in D2 steel. Now I'm having second thoughts.

Any opinions on the Congress?

I like the Congress pattern and have collected many in my collection. I never found them to be too practical for carrying. Schatt and Morgan made a 3 blade Congress that I could see carrying. The main blade is a ramsfoot with two smaller blades. It’s more a traditional whittler pattern in a Congress. You might consider that.

As suggested by my wood shop teacher while I was 12 years old, a stockman makes a great general purpose knife. That said, the blade I use most often in a stockman is the sheep's foot and nearly all congress knives have a sheep's foot. While it's very unlikely to be enforced, some places I go it is technically a crime to possess a blade over 2 1/2 inches. A large congress gives me the stockman blade I use most often in a handle large enough to be comfortable while not violating that law. Consequently I've carried congresses a lot. As posted above, the more of a congress' blades that are different from the others the better. A draw back to many congresses is the nail nicks in the two small blades barely being exposed making them difficult to open. You did not write how long a handle you prefer to use or carry. In tiny peanut size knives I think it's best to have no secondary or short blades. The blades in congresses the the size of Case's smallest are pretty dinky.

Consider carrying an inexpensive Rough Ryder for a few months to learn if you enjoy a pattern. Like Steve Warden posted above, there's no logical reason for me to like a peanut but after I bought a Case Peanut only because it was a bargain Peanuts keep slipping into my pocket.

I have carried a congress and it worked okay when I worked indoors. But with two sheep foot blades and two pens, there isn’t enough belly for me in those two blade styles to slice a vegetable, whittle through a thick branch, etc…
But I do love the pattern for it’s style and the way all those blades work together to fit in an efficient package. I just can’t figure out why it was named ‘congress’ given it works together and is efficient.
Froe

J.O'.

Froe wrote: ↑Mon Jun 01, 2026 3:03 am I just can’t figure out why it was named ‘congress’ given it works together and is efficient.
Froe

Without getting too deep into politics, the "congress" pattern was named during a different historical era. Oh, and it was named in Sheffield England.

Gtrclktr-351 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 01, 2026 7:21 pm

Froe wrote: ↑Mon Jun 01, 2026 3:03 am I just can’t figure out why it was named ‘congress’ given it works together and is efficient.
Froe

Without getting too deep into politics, the "congress" pattern was named during a different historical era. Oh, and it was named in Sheffield England.

Thanks for the info.