With a stout, piercing point that Boker describes a a gladius-style, the blade plunges through tough materials easily. A concave cutting edge on the anodized high carbon stainless steel blade hooks straps and cord for quick cutting, but won't be quite so easy to use if your applications involve paring and slicing. Whether a knife makes good sense for everyday carrying depends on how well it matches your daily chores, and if you're an electrician or a handyman, you might miss the old drop point.

For the urban survivalist more interested in clambering out of car wrecks than in peeling apples, this design does make good sense. Deep finger grooves in the fiber reinforced nylon grip give the knife excellent grip strength in difficult circumstances, and the wide handle provides torque for the strong 3-7/8-inch blade. The knife blade swings out with a push on the thumb stud, and locks securely into open position for a working length of 9 inches. Underneath the nylon handle scales, you'll find a strong framework of stainless steel. The pommel includes a hardened steel insert useful for smashing window glass.

See the Boker Hyper for a slimmer pocket folder designed by Chad Los Banos.

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BOKER PLUS Jim Wagner URBAN SURVIVAL Knife TANTO VIDEO US $26.88   Auction Ends: 29d 5h 37m

Boker Plus Jim Wagner Reality Based Trainer Knife BO057 US $59.95   Auction Ends: 4d 18h 54m

Developed for Boker USA and Wilson Tactical by 20-year veteran police officer Roy Huntington, the 4.2-ounce knife offers prybar strength and many application options in a simple 6-inch-long belt knife style. The Boker Plus Cop Tool comes with a leather belt sheath, which attaches easily to other gear or stores in the car for emergencies. The serrated cutting edge quickly saws through seat belts and shoulder harnesses, and handles ordinary cutting chores. The squared chisel point of the high carbon stainless blade slips into crevices for levering apart jammed doors and wreckage or stubbornly chips away at obstacles. For quick cord cutting, use the notch in the spine of the blade.

G-10 handle scales give the knife a non-slip textured grip that holds up against chemical solvents and stays tactile when wet. A finger choil gives extra purchase when slicing, and a hollow in the base of the blade fits the thumb when using the flat edge of the knife's point. A notch in the handle fits the valve of an oxygen tank. Exposed metal surfaces are bead-blasted to reduce shine. Thick high carbon stainless steel and one-piece full tang construction make this a versatile no-fail tool for any urban traveler.

For a larger knife with similar features, see the Ka-Bar Tac Tool.

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Boker Plus Cop Tool Multi Function Knife 02BO300 NEW US $41.95   Auction Ends: 18d 3h 9m

BOKER PLUS Serrated COP TOOL Knife Sheath 02BO300 New US $42.95   Auction Ends: 28d 3h 14m

The Boker Plus Anti-MC combines two modern materials to create this elegant pocket folder. Titanium handle construction guarantees that you're getting one of the lightest and strongest handle builds possible. Joining that to the ceramic cutting blade creates a knife that's invulnerable to rust and corrosion. If you work around seawater, that's a definite plus since even stainless steel degrades quickly in that brisk salty air.

Slicing is the strong point of this knife, not prying. Levering with the blade or dropping it on a hard surface could cause major damage, and even cutting requires a different technique, based on straight cuts instead of cutting a curved chip. If you like knives that are sharp, the 3-1/4-inch ceramic blade's cutting edge is plenty of reason to own this knife. Heavy use might cause micro-chipping of the knife's edge, but even that doesn't greatly affect the way the Boker Plus Anti-MC cuts. Micro-chips simply cause the edge to grip a little faster. Run a finger carefully along the edge of a chert arrowhead, and you'll get the idea quickly.

Although Boker does call this a tactical folder, the clean design and conservative blade style make this a pocket folder nearly anyone can carry. The pocket clip keeps the knife securely in place, and a lanyard hole allows owners to add a wrist loop for knife security in tricky locations. One-handed opening and integral frame lock add to its practicality.

For another ceramic cutter from Boker, see the Boker Infinity.

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BOKER PLUS ANTI MC Ceramic Blade Titanium Handle Knife US $49.95   0 Bid Auction Ends: 1d 5h 58m

BOKER PLUS ANTI MC TACTICAL KNIFE w CERAMIC BLADE TITANIUM HANDLE BOP035 US $54.99   Auction Ends: 1d 7h 18m

Bird's Beak paring knives play a part in complex sculpting of fruits and vegetables but also make working with convoluted produce easier and more economical. If you grow your own food, you already know that garden produce doesn't always look like the uniform vegetables customers expect at the grocery shelf. The concave curve of the Bird's Beak follows those difficult contours more accurately than a straight blade, and more food winds up on the table. Home gardeners may not want to invest in a high-end chef's paring knife, but this economical version from Boker Arbolito of Argentina does nearly as well.

The riveted slab handle is made of Delrin, a plastic composite often used in rugged pocket knives and a material you can trust to last in the tough kitchen environment. Steel quality isn't unusual, but the high carbon 440A stainless steel used in this stamped steel blade offers good edge-holding ability and enough strength to survive many years of hard use. The edge is sharpened with the typical short bevel of European prep knives, but a diamond sharpening steel and a few minutes of work can easily improve it. Daily maintenance will be needed if you use the knife frequently, but a few strokes of a honing steel reset the edge quickly.

Knives of this type could be considered dishwasher safe, but if you prefer keeping the edge and polish in good condition, be sure to wash and dry the knife by hand after use.

For a higher-quality version of the Bird's Beak paring knife, see the Henckels S Bird's Beak Knife.

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Boker Usa 02BA580H Knife Arbolito Skinner Stag US $113.26   Auction Ends: 4d 6h 16m

BOKER Fixed Knives Arbolito Stag Hunter 7 5 8 Overall N695 Stag Knife BO319H US $82.18   Auction Ends: 23d 20h 57m

Dual thumb studs allow opening from either side of the blade, and the wide stainless steel pocket clip reverses for tip-up or tip-down carrying. The Hyper's tactical black coating eliminates the shine of the AUS-8 high carbon stainless steel blade and all other visible metal parts. An internal frame lock holds the blade securely in the open position and releases easily.

The Hyper extends to a full length of 6-1/4 inches with a wide handle and a comfortable grip of fiber-reinforced dark nylon. Textured handle slabs provide a non-slip surface enhanced by grip-zone notches and shallow finger choils. There's considerable strength in the wide blade of the Hyper and an improved cutting design. Length of cutting edge is actually slightly longer than the 2-3/4-inch blade because of the slight recurve at the base. That shallow concave section focuses cutting pressure near the handle where the leverage advantage is greatest. When cutting heavy material like rope or seat belt webbing, the material sinks deeper against the cutting edge as it moves forward on the blade. Even with a plain edge, the knife grips as it cuts.

Even the Hyper's stainless steel pocket clip seems better than average, wider than the standard clip and strong enough to actually keep the knife in place. Conservative in size, the Hyper packs a lot of quality into a small package.

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Boker Plus Hyper Chad Los Banos Tactical Knife 01BO550 US $37.99   Auction Ends: 10d 15h 15m

BOKER HYPER JUSTICE IS DONE LTD COMMEMORATIVE KNIFE US $30.00   Auction Ends: 8d 2h 12m

A recessed slide lock holds the blade in closed position for security in the pocket. Unleashed, the original unmodified Boker Plus opens easily with thumb pressure on the stud at the base of the blade. This is where aftermarket modification found the knife useful, tweaking the same basic system for control of automatic blade deployment. Although that's certainly possible, the usual restrictions do apply. Only active duty military, individuals with specific disabilities, law enforcement personnel, and a few other exceptions may carry automatic-opening knives.

For the rest of us, this is an excellent one-handed-opening pocket knife with a secure frame lock during use and a safety lock for pocket carry. The blade rotates on a sturdy bearing, which will need some cleaning and a little oil now and then, but the structure of the aluminum frame handle -- coated with black EDP -- keeps most dirt out. A little regular maintenance keeps the knife in proper working order.

The 4.6-ounce Boker Double Action pocket knife holds a 3-1/4-inch-long AUS-8 high carbon stainless steel blade bead-blasted to reduce shine. Although the knife has a plain edge, the blade's concave section makes emergency cutting of rope, belts, or harness straps competitive with serrated edges and still allows sharpening by the owner. The curve makes whetstone maintenance a little awkward, but a diamond hone should work well.

Boker's warranty does not cover knives modified from the original pattern.

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Boker Knives Boker Plus 3 3 4Closed Pocket Knife 250Y US $6.50   2 Bids Auction Ends: 2h 45m

Boker Plus Yellow Trapper Pocket knife 294Y New US $8.01   5 Bids Auction Ends: 5h 5m

Boker is one of the few knife producers still turning out carbon steel blades, which makes the brand a favorite among carvers, whittlers, and those of us who just can't give up the old habits easily. This 3-1/2-inch slip-joint pocket knife doesn't have many fancy features, but the workmanship is high quality and dependable. Polished nickel bolsters and brass liners, with carbon steel springs to secure the blades both open and shut, match up to the jigged bone handle slabs perfectly.

The three blades include a main clip point blade 2-1/2 inches long with shorter pen and coping blades. The blade selection provides a useful point and a serviceable cutting edge for nearly any situation, and the knife isn't so big that it won't fit inconspicuously in the pocket.

Boker's original Tree Brand jigging pattern -- the bark-like notches cut into the red bone handle slabs -- has now been replaced with a variety of new and unique jigging designs, expanding the possibilities for collectors. Surprisingly rust-resistant, the carbon steel knife doesn't require unusual maintenance. Just keep it clean and sharp, and rub the blades with a drop of oil now and then -- the Boker Whittler improves with use.

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Boker Knife 280 WBG Whittler Washboard Grey Bone Etched US $43.95   Auction Ends: 2d 20h 59m

BOKER TREE BRAND Washboard Bone Whittler Pocket Knives US $44.95   Auction Ends: 19d 5h 21m

A Damascus steel blade, laminated hardwood handle, and stainless steel ferrule give the black Boker Yadama paring knife the simple traditional look of Japanese cutlery but the advantages of modern workmanship and materials. Thirty-seven layers of high carbon VG-10 stainless steel form the rippled 3-3/4-inch blade of this paring knife. That gives the blades exceptional sharpness and edge-holding ability as well as functional flexibility and strength. Like the hollowed edge of a santoku, the layered Damascus steel cuts with less friction than a plain blade.

You'll be using this knife for more than peeling potatoes and trimming fruit. The handle is comfortable, and the plain edge slides through the work with ease. One polished rivet holds the handle to the tang, an old and sometimes crude way of building knives but done here with strong materials and close tolerances. Eight inches in overall length, the knife is still a very lightweight 1.7 ounces.

Tempered to HRC 58, the paring knife isn't too hard to maintain with ordinary stones and steels, but use caution when working with bones and other hard surfaces. Clean the paring knife by hand in a mild detergent and don't let food dry on the blade. Abuse or machine washing could mar the steel.

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Boker Yadama III Paring Knife US $76.99   Auction Ends: 7d 20h 55m

BOKER Knives Yadama III Paring Knife Damascus New 0410 US $75.76   Auction Ends: 5d 22h 23m

Boker's 3-5/8-inch-long Tortoise Congress is very similar to another Congress model used by champion turkey caller Len Yule. Mr. Yule uses several different versions of the Boker Congress to make his turkey calls. His main reason for choosing Boker is the high carbon tool steel cutting edge. When you make turkey calls that sell for over a thousand dollars each, you want the best edge possible.

The Tortoise Congress provides whittlers and other outdoorsmen four useful blades including spear, sheepsfoot, and two pen blades. The Congress's sheepsfoot blade's straight edge makes flat shavings and flush cuts, while the spear point can be used carefully for reaming and piercing as well as general carving. This isn't a lockback folder, so be careful not to fold up the knife on your fingers, an amateur mistake you only make one time. Pen blades are handy for detail work. It never hurts to have an extra blade -- use one pen blade where you're bound to wreck the edge, and save the other for real cutting.

Boker's Tortoise Congress pocket knife sports handle slabs of imitation tortoise shell -- actually resin-injected cellulose -- as good as the real thing, but much easier on the turtle. Combined with the generous nickel end bolsters, this gives the Tortoise Congress a traditional look you'll prize.

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BOKER KNIVES 70113TOR TORTOISE GERMAN MADE CONGRESS KNIFE NEW NEW IN BOX SALE US $37.95   Auction Ends: 12d 23h 34m

BOKER 4 Blade Tortoise Shell Plastic Congress Made in Germany BO5464TOR US $44.95   Auction Ends: 10d 3m

The Boker Infinity packs a 3.38-inch ceramic drop point blade into a lightweight Zytel handle with Kraton inserts for an improved grip. Open it one-handed with the thumb stud at the base of the dark, non-reflective blade. The three-ounce knife unfolds to eight inches in overall length with a simple but secure liner lock to fix the blade in open position. Everything about the Infinity holds up to the high standards expected of this well-known company.

The only real problems with the Infinity are practical issues. Ceramic blades hold an edge much longer than ordinary steel blades and take a finer cutting edge than most grades of cutlery steel. The drawback is that ceramic blades break. Boker even refers to them as brittle in the product warranty. More common in the kitchen today than in the pocket, these knives are great at slicing but don't hold up to most of the ordinary tasks owners expect of utility blades. Side pressure could snap the blade, piercing could break the point, carving wood could shatter the cutting edge, and nicking bone could knock out chips. Problems are likely enough that Boker does not guarantee the blade against breakage or other damage even in normal use.

Sharpening is not something owners can do themselves. Boker recommends sending the knife to Ross Cutlery in Los Angeles for reworking, and the cost isn't cheap. Since you can't actually use the knife for much, the edge shouldn't need sharpening for a very long time.

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