Boker Magnum Green Hope Folder Knife Review
Posted by admin on Nov 5th 2018
The sign of Boker is a huge chestnut tree. This is the chestnut tree that towered above the small Boker hardware-factory in the 17th century. It is also the oldest traceable fact about the Boker family. Apparently, Boker tools were very successful on the markets, as they were ranked among the leading manufactured goods in Germany and neighboring countries hundred years later on.
The next step in their history was when Hermann and Robert Boker decided to start with the production of sabers in 1829. Inventories of September 1830 had already proven a weekly production of 2000 pieces made by 64 smiths, 47 grinders and a large number of workers and trainees. With a permanently growing product line of tools and cutlery and the great opportunities of global sales, the family saw the need to distribute the tasks to make the best use of their interests. So Hermann Boker emigrated to found Boker & Co. in New York, whereas the younger Robert established his company in Canada and in 1865 a branch in Mexico, being the market leaders under the name of Casa Boker until today.
The relationship between the two Boker companies has always been very friendly. Heinrich was allowed to take the tree brand with him across the river without any troubles or payments. Since then not a single product has left the Solingen factory without this sign. After over 100 years of existence the venerable tree was cut down by a stroke of lightning in 1925. A gifted artist carved an image of the majestic tree into a piece of original trunk which adorns the CEO´s office in Solingen.
The US market quickly became Boker`s most important sales territory. In 1900 most of the production was shipped to the US and H. Boker & Co. in New York was more and more concentrating on products from the Solingen production. The demand for pocket-knives soon beat that for other products like scissors or razors. The demand on the products increased faster than the production capacities in Solingen, so the Bokers from New York decided to start their own pocket-knife production to which pliers were added later on. Because of the tree-brand being well established by then and the good understanding within the international Boker family, there wasn´t any problem to get permission from Solingen to use the tree-brand for American made products as well. Since then there have been two different product lines of Böker knives on the US market with identical logos and sometimes even identical item numbers; one product line Made in USA, the other product line Made in Solingen, only to be differentiated by the markings “Boker USA” or “H. Boker Improved Cutlery Solingen”.
Today we will be discussing the Boker Magnum Green Hope folding knife.
The Blade:
The blade on this knife is made out of 440A stainless steel. This steel is considered to be one of the workhorses of the Sports and Tactical Knife industry. Also, the majority of entry level knives use this steel or other steels such as 420HC and AUS-6 steel. 440 steel is a medium carbon, martensitic stainless steel that is actually very corrosion resistant as well as being extremely tough. This steel is not considered to be a premium knife steel, but it is still going to demonstrate some good properties for cutting. This steel is going to take a razor fine edge. This steel is in the 440 series of steel, but it is more corrosion resistant and tougher than both 440B and 440C steel. 440A steel is not usually going to be used for custom knives, because there are better steels on the market.
The blade has been finished with a satin finish, which is the most common blade finish in the cutlery industry to date. This finish is created by repeatedly sanding the blade in one direction with a fine sandpaper. The finish creates a very traditional look, which was why it was chosen for this gentleman’s folder. The satin finish is also used to showcase the bevels of the blade while also showing off the fine lines of the steel. This finish can cut down on some glares and reflections. The satin finish is going to increase the corrosion resistance levels of the blade somewhat, although not significant enough to not have to worry about maintenance.
The blade has been carved into a drop point style blade, which is also the most popular blade shape that you are going to find on the market. This shape is both extremely versatile as well as being extremely tough, which is why it is perfect for an EDC knife. The blade has a spine that slowly curves from the handle to the point, which creates a dropped point. This is where the blade shape gets its name from. Not only is the tip the defining feature of this knife’s shape, it also is what makes the knife so tough. The tip is broad, which means that it is going to be able to withstand tougher tasks without breaking. The excess metal near the tip is going to allow the knife to take what you give it. Because the tip is dropped, you are going to have more control over it, allowing you to perform fine detail work with this knife. The knife also has a large belly that is ideal for slicing. As a key, the larger the belly, the easier it is to slice. The large belly is going to excel at push cuts, skinning, and slicing. The drop point blade does have one major drawback though—because the tip is so broad, you do lose out on many of your stabbing capabilities. You should remember that by sacrificing those capabilities, you keep the extreme strength that the knife is known for.
The Handle:
The handle is made out of stainless steel liners and G-10 handles. The stainless steel is going to provide the knife with high durability while remaining very resistant to corrosion. Unfortunately, the stainless steel is not a lightweight material and is where this knife is going to get most of its high weight from. The stainless steel is very strong though and will allow you to take on some of those heavier tasks.
G-10 is a type of laminate composite that has been made out of fiberglass. This material is very similar to carbon fiber, except that it can be made at a fraction of a cost. Because it is so much less expensive; you can expect to sacrifice a little bit of the quality. To create this material, the manufacturer is going to take layers of fiberglass cloth, soak them in resin, then compress them and bake them under pressure. The resulting material is going to be tough, hard, lightweight, and strong. One of the reasons that this material is loved is because the manufacturer can create colors other than your typical neutrals, which gives the knife a look that you wouldn’t normally find. Tactical folder and fixed blades also benefit from G-10 because it is durable, lightweight, and does not absorb liquids. The overall pros of this knife hadnle material is that it is going to be tough, light, and durable. The overall cons to this knife hadnle is that it is going to be brittle and some people do feel like it lacks class or elegance.
The G10 that is on this knife is green. The shape of this knife is made up of a straight spine and a mostly straight belly. There is a very small finger groove, just enough to give you a little bit of grip or texture. Near the butt of the handle on the belly is a row of jimping, which will give you a little more control, wince the ergonomics on this traditional knife aren’t all there. The butt of the handle does have a lanyard hole carved into a small corner of the liner where the G-10 handle scales don’t reach.
The Pocket Clip:
The pocket clip that is on this knife is statically designed for tip up carry only on the traditional side of the handle. This is a drawback because it is not going to be comfortable for each person to use how they want to. However, it does keep the traditional look of the knife alive, which was Boker’s purpose with it. This clip is also not a deep carry clip, which is a drawback because it is not going to stay as secure or as concealed in your pocket as a deep carry clip would.
The Mechanism:
This is a fully manual knife that has been equipped with a thumb stud and a liner lock.
Because it is a fully manual knife, you can expect it to be legal in more areas than a spring assisted knife would be and many more areas than an automatic knife would be. It does not fall under the strict laws of the automatic knife. However, it also does not open as smoothly or as efficiently as an automatic knife or a spring assisted knife would. You win some, you lose some.
The thumb stud is one of the most common opening mechanism that you are going to come across in today’s knife world. It is a small barrel that rests near the back of the blade. The thumb stud gives you a place to set your thumb on while you push on it, which will swing the knife open and lock it into place. The thumb stud allows people to easily open the knife, even with only one hand. It is also easy to get the hang of, which is one of the reasons that it is so popular. The biggest complaint is that the stud can get in the way once the knife is opened.
The liner lock is one of the most common locks that you are going to find on modern folding knives. It is such a popular option because it is easy to sue, easy to assemble or fix, while also staying low on cost. This is definitely not the fanciest lock that you are going to come across, but it is going to get the job done for sure. The lock is made out of the liners, hence the knife. One of the liners is going to be cut out and bent which creates a spring effect, which will engage the back of the blade tang when the blade is opened. Liner locks have been around for a while, but Michael Walker, a custom knife maker made two upgrades that have made them incredibly popular. The first upgrade was a stop pin that anchors to the scales to precisely align the blade when open. The second upgrade was to add a detent ball on the liner lock to hold the blade closed, which also gives you a more aggressive opening action.
The Specs:
The blade on this knife measures in at 3.7 inches long with a handle that measures in at 4.9 inches long. The overall length of this knife when it is opened measures in at 8.6 inches long. This knife is a heftier knife, weighing in at 5.7 ounces. Usually, the heaviest knife that you would want with you at all times would weigh in at a maximum of 5 ounces.
Conclusion:
The Hope is an over-built manual folder that should absolutely be taken seriously. Complete with thick liners and circular stand-offs, each frame liner lock designed manual folder sports dual thumb studs for effortless blade deployment and the thumb ramp helps you excel at the finer tasks. The Boker Magnum line of knives are designed in cooperation with knife experts worldwide and provide impressive quality and outstanding price-performance ratio. This model features green G-10 handles atop stainless steel liners, a drop point style blade in a satin finish and the pocket clip is statically designed for tip up carry on the traditional side of the handle. You can pick up this knife today at BladeOps.