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benchmade knives

Boker Knives Brand History & Products

Boker is well known for its high-quality pocket knives and scissors. This article explores some of Boker's history and their bestselling knives today.

History of Boker Knives

A Note on the Boker Brand Name

Since they started producing hardware in the 17th century, the Boker family has been a hallmark of German craftsmanship. Over the following centuries, the Boker family expanded their repertoire to include high-quality blades, knives, and scissors.

The Boker family’s expansion began in 1829 with the production of sabers used in wars worldwide. As the demand for high-quality Boker products grew, so did the need to have multiple Boker factories in overseas markets. 

The second Boker factory, Boker & Co. New York, was opened by Hermann Boker. The next two factories in Canada and Mexico, continue to operate under the name Casa Boker. Finally, Heinrich Boker also opened Heinr Boker & Co. in Solingen, Germany, with renowned cutlery-maker Hermann Heuser. 

As the Boker brand continued to expand, the family realized that they needed an appealing logo to adorn their products in the rapidly growing American market. The family designed two logos for their products — a chestnut tree, symbolizing the huge chestnut tree outside of the first Boker family factory, and an arrow.

With logos for their products, Boker began to sell products in the United States faster than the Solingen factory could produce them. By 1900, the company’s New York branch began its own knife production and added pliers to its list of products to help the Solingen factory keep up with increasing demand. 

The Boker family ran into trouble with the onset of World War II. Boker USA was completely cut off from the destroyed factory in Solingen. The United States also seized the chestnut tree logo before John Boker Jr. purchased it again so that Boker could continue to use it on American products. 

Finally, in the 1960s, Wiss & Sons purchased Boker USA to continue production of Boker products, before Cooper Industries bought them out in the 1970s. Then, as a result of friendly negotiations with Cooper Industries, Boker Solingen bought the rights to the American brand to access the entire US market. 

Are Boker Knives Still Made in Germany?

The Solingen factory in Germany continues to produce Boker knives to this day. All Boker products made in Solingen have the chestnut tree logo and are often called tree-brand products. Today, you can find Boker knives in countries all around the world, but especially in South American countries like Chile and Argentina. 

Generally, Boker knife production takes place in a few different factories around the world. Factories in South America and Europe make most of the blades, but factories in Asia are responsible for handles and any finishing touches. 

A Few of Our Favorite Boker Knives

Boker Manufaktur Solingen

Made in Solingen, Germany since 1869, the Boker Manufaktur Solingen is among the highest-quality knife series from Boker. The knives in this series each bear the famous chestnut tree logo and come in materials like Damascus steel, stainless steel, carbon steel, and gold. 

Knives from the Boker Manufaktur Solingen are the best choice for quality. Although they may be more expensive than other Boker knives, with some blades costing more than $2,000, you can rest assured that you are buying a durable, long-lasting knife.

Boker Arbolito

One of the best Boker brand knife series is the Boker Arbolito from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Providing the highest quality and comfort, Boker Arbolito is the perfect knife for kitchen and outdoor use. The factory in Buenos Aires uses South American wood and bone to produce handles for their knives and outsources some designs for the Arbolito to a factory in China.

Boker Arbolito knives range from $100 to $250 and showcase some of the best craftsmanship Boker has to offer. The knives in the Boker Arbolito series match the quality of the knives from the Solingen factory in Germany but are a much more affordable alternative. 

Boker Plus

The Boker Plus series is a great option for beginners to Boker brand knives. With a good mix between value and quality, the Boker Plus series of knives has the right blade for every situation. These knives also draw some design inspiration from military and police knives — they are among the best tactical, multi-tool, and training knives that Boker makes.

Boker Plus knives range in price from $20 to $250 and mimic the quality of more expensive knives. This knife series is best if you’re looking for affordable knife options without sacrificing quality. 

Boker Plus Strike Tanto

The Boker Plus Strike Tanto is one of the most popular Boker knife designs. This knife is cheap, durable, and versatile — it also comes in several different colors and designs. It is made of titanium or steel and is one of the smallest knives that Boker makes for daily use. This knife is best for cutting small objects or for light handiwork. 

Boker Cronidur Lockback

Another extremely popular knife is the Boker Cronidur Lockback. This knife is expensive and is a good demonstration of the quality you can expect from Boker knives. Made with Cronidur 30 steel, this knife is durable, long-lasting, and resistant to normal wear and tear. This knife’s handle is Grenadill wood and has a stainless steel finish to keep the knife safe and sturdy.

Boker Magnum

The Boker magnum series of knives ranges from small pocket knives to hunting, tactical, and Boker throwing knives. The knives also vary significantly in price, from around $8.95 to $289. Knives in this series consist of several different types of steel, including carbon, Damascus, and stainless. 

Handles for these knives come in a wide range of materials as well. While the handles most commonly consist of wood or steel, Boker also offers pearl, bone, leather, rubber, and ebony handles.

Cinch by Boker

Cinch knives by Boker are a result of a 2006 partnership between Boker and Cinch Jeans. Designed to appeal to a Western lifestyle, they have classic designs with engravings and unique handle materials.

Cinch by Boker knives range in price from around $20 to over $100. The knives also come in several different colors and designs. Most Cinch knives consist of a stainless steel blade with a nylon or steel handle. Some Cinch designs also include gold engravings on the handles.

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