Boker Solingen Tiger Damast Micarta knife

Description

The Boker Solingen Tiger Damast knife expands Boker’s range of historically inspired pocket knives with a truly exceptional collector’s item. Known throughout the world as the Tiger, the Panzerkampfwagen VI entered service with the German armed forces in late summer 1942. Today, only seven original Tigers remain and are on display around the world. Due to their rarity, even reconstructed examples – the so-called ‘Frankentigers’, assembled from components from different years of production – are of considerable historical interest. The steel used for the Boker Tiger-Damast originated from a Tiger I tank belonging to Schwere Panzerabteilung 502, which was destroyed in action in the summer of 1944 near Bauska, Latvia, in densely wooded terrain. Analysis of the recovered wreckage indicates that this tank was an early- to mid-production model. Examination of the battle damage, military records and contemporary local accounts suggests that the vehicle engaged in combat against both a Soviet T-34 medium tank and a SU-76 tank destroyer, whilst also being hit by a stationary 45-millimetre anti-tank gun. Numerous fragments of a 76-millimetre shell embedded in the armour point to decisive hits from a nearby T-34, which was itself destroyed at a distance of around 300 metres. It remains unclear which hit ultimately damaged the ‘Tiger’. At that time, the renowned tank commanders Otto Karius and Albert Kercher, among the most successful of the Second World War, were fighting with ‘Schwerer Panzerabteilung 502’ in an attempt to halt the Soviet advance on Riga. The unit’s actions near Tukums enabled a strategic withdrawal of more than 500,000 soldiers from Army Group North in the Latvian region of Courland, where they remained surrounded, but were supplied by sea. The so-called Courland Pocket withstood six major Soviet offensives before its unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945. The Boker Tiger-Damast knife is distinguished by its distinctive mosaic damascene blade, made from stainless steel forged from the original armoured steel of a Tiger tank destroyed near Bauska. Hand-forged by Chad Nichols in the striking ‘Intrepid’ pattern, the blade evokes the powerful tracks left by the tank’s immense weight. Unlike conventional multi-layered Damascus steel, mosaic damascene is created through a particularly complex process in which forged damascene rods are assembled into a unified pattern – an approach that requires exceptional skill and precision. The blade, featuring ball bearings, opens smoothly via a thumb stud and is secured by a sturdy steel frame lock with a stonewash finish. The Hinderer Lock-Stop mechanism provides over-extension protection for enhanced safety. The knife’s overall shape echoes the unmistakable contours of the Tiger tank, whilst the decorative pivot screw is modelled on the vehicle’s main drive gear. The gently contoured Micarta handles feature precisely milled grooves, inspired by the textured Zimmerit coating applied to German armoured vehicles. A lanyard hole and a milled pocket clip (upward-opening, right-handed carry) with a steel ball complete the functional design. Handcrafted at the Boker knife factory in Solingen, the Boker Tiger-Damast knife is presented in an elegant hanging display, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and an individual serial number, confirming its status as a distinguished collector’s item.

Specifications of the Boker Solingen Tiger Damast Knife

• Opening mechanism: Manual
• Opening aid: Thumb stud
• Blade finish: Uncoated
• Blade thickness (mm): 4
• Overall length (cm): 20
• Blade length (cm): 8.5
• Weight (g): 139
• Handle material: Micarta
• Blade steel: Damascus
• Made in: Solingen, Germany
• Colour: Brown
• Lock type: Framelock

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