The Boker explosion: old world tradition and hi-tech collide

American Handgunner, July-August, 2009 by Pat Covert

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There's an old business adage that goes "If you're not moving forward, you're going backwards. There is no in-between." In today's up-and-down financial climate that pearl of wisdom has never been truer. The most successful companies are the ones who forge ahead with exciting new products for a consumer base wrapped up in a highly techno world. Boker, an old world knife company, is one of those successful companies.

Many knife enthusiasts recognize the Boker name and the legendary "Tree Brand" logo that has been a part of the company's tradition. Boker knives have always been regarded as high in quality and long on dependability. What many do not know is that Boker was a U.S. manufacturer over a hundred years ago and, though their knives are no longer made in the U.S., they are still a viable part of the American cutlery scene. In fact, Boker has exploded in recent years and is making hi-tech knives to compliment the other end of the spectrum.

The original Boker factory dates back to the late 1700s where it was nothing more than a workshop cottage. In the U.S., Boker dates back to 1837 when Hermann Boeker set up shop as H. Boker & Company, shortening his name so Americans could pronounce it easier. Around this time the German factory was moved across the river to Solingen, which would become the knifemaking capital of Europe. The highly recognizable "'Tree Brand" trademark, taken from an old chestnut tree that once graced the factory grounds, was adopted in 1925 and proved to be a lucky charm. Boker has experienced tremendous growth since, primarily on their reputation for high quality fixed-blade hunting knives and traditional pocket folders.

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A decade ago Boker jumped into the tactical market when the craze started to take off, manufacturing higher-end folders and pioneering the trend in the industry for ceramic blades. Their big breakout in the tactical world, however, came when they hooked up with two accomplished martial arts experts--Jim Wagner and Chad Los Banos--for design collaboration. What started as a few progressive designs has now blossomed into a mind-blowing array of hi-tech, cutting-edge folders and fixed-blades.

Hi-Tech Movement

Two years ago the company set out to offer a line of affordable tactical knives that would meet the demands of the world's armed forces through a new line called Boker Plus. They collaborated with Wagner and Los Banos for initial designs and went off-shore for production to keep their costs low so the average soldier could afford the new knives. Mission accomplished. The Boker plus line has been a huge hit among military, law enforcement and self-defense users alike.

Jim Wagner, based out of Irvine, California, is a martial artist who specializes in knife combat named Reality-Based Personal Protection. Boker uses the Reality-Based theme for their Wagner line-up and his designs bring a whole new definition of the word "reality." Wagner's knife styles are wicked-looking and push the design envelope, setting them apart from the plethora of tacticals available on today's market. This is the "moving forward" part of the equation and the easy-on-the-pocket book Boker-Plus pricing is the lagniappe.

The Wagner Reality-Based Blade model B-BO051 features a re-curved 3.8" modified tanto blade having a vicious bite. This fighting folder also a futuristic 5.25" finger-grooved handle design with dual stainless steel liners and a liner-lock mechanism for firmly securing the blade when engaged. Included with the B-O051 is a clip kit with glass breaker clip and false writing pen clip for mounting in the butt end of the handle.

Variations on the Wagner Reality-Based Blade are also available, including a more utilitarian oriented version of the B-BO051 with a partially serrated Gladius-style blade and another with a cord cutter on the backside of the blade. Two red handled models are also offered; one an emergency rescue and the other a trainer. Other folder models are included in the Wagner Reality Based Blade series and fixed-blades as well.

The Chad Los Banos series started with a group of small folding knives, dubbed Subcom, geared for self-protection and has grown into a multi-faceted line. Chad is a retired military colonel of Japanese/Filipino ancestry who is also an accomplished martial artist. His theory that big knives aren't necessarily better is apparent in the Subcom series. The Fiber Reinforced Nylon (FRN) handle on the diminutive frame-lock knives are only 2.75" long with blades under 2". These are little slashers that are near impossible to dislodge from the hand during combat. Recently introduced is the Rescom model featuring a serrated blade with a cord-cutter at the tip. All Subcom models have a thumb stud for blade access.

One of Los Banos' slickest models is the small but effective Trance. The Trance is 6.25" fully extended with a 2.75" drop point blade. The 3.5" FRN handle is grooved for enhanced grip and features a sturdy frame-lock mechanism on the backside of the handle. The Trance model is available with a partially serrated black blade or bead-blasted plain-edge blade. The blade can be accessed by either a thumb stud or a flipper located on the front side of the blade.