At the Robert Klaas factory in Solingen, Germany, knives of all sorts have been produced with the Kissing Crane brand since the 1830’s. Like American counterpart companies, Kissing Crane has done its share of military production, honing its craftsmanship and production skills through many cycles of hard times and good ones. The Kissing Crane heritage is apparent in this traditional trapper styled pocket knife, with genuine stag antler handle slabs and two slender but efficient blades, one for piercing and one for skinning.
As a kid, I and my fellows often aspired towards bigger game, but what we usually bagged at the end of the hunting or fishing expedition was quite a lot smaller. This type of knife, 2 7/8″ closed and light in weight, usually made better sense for the cleaning chores. The blades have narrow widths and some flexibility, making them very useful for small game and fish you might be too proud to toss back.
Also a fine size for everyday carry, for those occasions when you need just a little cutting edge to get yourself by. It’s a old design, well tested by knife makers in Europe and the New World, and even though it lacks some of the fancy modern perks you can get in other types today, on most days you won’t need more than this.
