Knife Review: Boker Plus Bushcraft Next Generation Fixed Blade Knife

The Boker Plus Bushcraft Next Generation Fixed Blade Knife

A huge chestnut tree towering above the small Boker hardware factory in the 17^th century is 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.

Due to rising demand in a politically restless era 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.

Heinrich only crossed the river Wupper to go to Solingen, where the German cutlery industry was booming. Together with the well-known cutlery expert Hermann Heuser he founded Heinr. Boker & Co. in 1869.

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 beats 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 Boker 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 Plus Bushcraft Next Generation Fixed Blade, which is available at BladeOps.

Boker Plus:

When Boker is describing this line of knives, they say, “In close cooperation with international acknowledged experts from military, police and security we developed and test tactical knives for the professional user. Boker Plus knives are innovative in terms of function and design, as well as guaranteed for everyday use. Conception, design and construction are carried out in Solingen, and production takes place in Europe, the USA and Asia.”

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is made out of 440C steel. This is a tough steel that is relatively corrosion resistant. It is also a martensitic steel that maintains a good edge. For a long while, this was the steel that was most wanted. However, now that super steels and higher end steels are coming out, not as many people are after 440C steel. It does still give people almost everything they want out of a steel. This steel is often compared to 154CM, although it is the inferior steel. The microstructure of 440C is not as fine and uniform as 154CM, which means that the edge is not going to maintain itself as well, you are not going to get as fine of an edge, and it may result in some chipping. That being said, it is easier to work with than 154CM, so it is favored in that manner.

The blade has been finished satin, which is a very common blade finish in today’s knife age. The finish is created when the manufacturer repeatedly sands the blade in one direction with an increasing level of a fine abrasive. The finish showcases the bevels of the blade as well as the fine lines of the steel. The finish gives the blade a very traditional look as well as cuts down on glares, reflections, and even increases the corrosion resistance of the knife.

The blade has been carved into traditional drop point blade shape. This blade shape is made with a spine that slowly curves from the handle to the point. This gentle slope does create a point that is lowered, meaning the axis of the point is not in line with the center of the blade. The benefit of having a lowered point is that it is going to give you more control over your cuts and slices. This means that you will be able to perform fine detail work with the Boker Plus Bushcraft.

The other distinguishing feature about the point is that it is a broader point, which is where the strength of the blade comes from. This blade shape is known for the strength and durability. The point does have excess metal near the tip, which is what makes it broader. This means that it will be able to withstand repeated piercing or being used on harder objects without breaking.

Even though the drop point is known for how high quality it is, the blade shape does have one drawback. And it includes the broadness of the point. Because it is a wider point, you are not going to have as much piercing capability as you would if it were a finer point. Normally this is not a big enough disadvantage to turn people away from the blade shape. You do have to remember how much extra strength you get from having such a broad tip.

The last major advantage of this blade shape is that it has a large belly. It is the large belly and excess surface area that is going to let you excel at slicing.

With a bushcrafting knife, you never know what is going to come your way. With this Boker sporting a drop point, you know that you will be prepared for whatever it is that you may stumble across. With a drop point, it is hard to go wrong.

The Handle:

The handle scales on this Bushcrafter Next Generation are made out of black Micarta. Micarta is interesting because to create it, the manufacturer takes layers of linen, soaks them in resin, and then lets them harden. This creates a tough material that is still lightweight. Plus, you can see the linen through the resin, which creates a much classier looking handle. In fact, the handle on this Boker appears to be made out of wood, instead of a man-made material.

Unfortunately, Micarta in and of itself has zero surface area. This means that a lot of manual labor and time have to go into carving in the texture for you. This is going to significantly increase the cost of the overall knife, because it increases the cost of the handle scales so much. The other drawback is that it can be a brittle material if you aren’t careful with it.

The handle is simple, with a spien that is straight, a butt that is slightly rounded, and a belly that bulges out a little in the center. The butt also does flare out slightly to give you a better hold on it. There is a large lanyard hole that will fit nearly any lanyard.

The Mechanism:

This is a full-tang fixed blade. A full-tang blade means that the metal portion of the knife extends through the entire shape of the blade. Then, the micarta handle scales are screwed into this portion. There are a couple of benefits to this: the first is that there are going to be no weaker portions where the handle and the blade have been screwed together or are attached. This means that you are going to have more durability and strength with this Boker knife.

Another benefit of a full-tang blade is that if the handle scales happen to break or fall off, you still have the entire blade shape. You would not be left with just a blade, just a more uncomfortable version of the original knife.

There are plenty of advantages to having a fixed blade. The biggest one is that the fixed blade is incredibly easy to clean. All you have to do is wipe down the blade and the handle. You do not have to worry about any of the inside parts, because there aren’t really inside parts.

The other major advantages are how strong, tough, and durable a fixed blade is. This is due to the fact that the blade can be larger and thicker, because it does not have to fit inside of the handle. Instead, it is kept inside of a sheath.

The last benefit to a fixed blade is that it is going to be really easy to bring into play. All you have to do is pull the knife out of the sheath. There won’t be any fumbling with it, which can be crucial. When you are out in the wild there are some situations where every second counts. Boker recognized this and ensured that you would not have to waste precious time trying to open this.

The Sheath:

The accompanying sheath for the Bushcrafter Next Generation is a black leather sheath. Leather is definitely known as one of the more traditional materials that sheaths are made out of. Leather is known to be rugged, tough, and strong. This is not going to break apart the way that plastic does. And, if the stitches happen to come undone, you can easily re-sew them. Leather is also going to provide a custom fit for your Huntspoint once it has been broken in. Not only that, but it is going to be completely silent. You will be able to pull the Next Generation in or out and not have it make a sound. This is idea for those outdoor lovers that don’t want to disturb the wilderness. It is also perfect for hunters who don’t want to scare away their potential game. Lastly, when cared for, leather has an incredible aesthetic. When taken care of correctly, it is only going to look better with age.

Of course, leather is also going to have some disadvantages. The first is that it is not a waterproof material. If it is exposed to water often, it can dry out, which will lead the leather to crack. Leather is also not heat resistant. The same thing is going to happen, the oils can dry out and cause it to crack. Luckily for us, a simple oil occasionally is going to make the leather last longer and age a little better.

The Specs:

The blade measures in at 4 inches long, with a handle that measures in at 4.75 inches long. This means that the overall length for this bush crafter is 8.75 inches long. This is a heavier knife, but it has to be to take on the bush crafting tasks. It weighs in at 7.4 ounces.

Conclusion:

The next generation Bushcraft knife is here and it boasts a ground convex down to the point without use of a distinct edge phase. The blade steel is high performance 440C stainless. The contoured Micarta handle scales provide outstanding handling, leaving nothing to be desired for bush craft use! Includes a premium leather sheath.

This knife is currently available at BladeOps. To secure yours today, click here.