Knife Deep Dive: Boker Tiger Damask Review

Today we present another modern pocket knife with historical roots from Böker's Solingen factory.

What is the Böker Tiger Damask made of?

As we've seen over the past year with the M4 Sherman, the Luger P08 and the Karabiner 98k from Böker, they repurpose old tanks and weapons to forge beautiful knives for collectors around the world.
This time they have made this fantastic pocket knife from the world famous Tiger tank ! Not only the design is inspired by it, the blade is even forged from the steel of a destroyed Tiger.

Who made the Böker Tiger Damask?

Again, the damascus blade is hand-forged by Chad Nichols @nicholsdamascus. Unlike 'ordinary' damascus steel, forged welded bars are combined in a unique and complicated process to create this beautiful mosaic damask pattern. The pattern is designed to represent the tracks a Tiger heavy tank would leave in the ground. The blade of this knife is forged from tank steel. The steel of the legendary Tiger tank, to be precise.

The history of the Tiger 1 Tank or Panzekampfwagen VI

The Panzerkampfwagen VI, or Panzer VI, known worldwide as the Tiger I, was a legendary tank used in World War II. Produced in relatively small numbers, only 1346 were made. Compared to the combined 120,000 Russian T-34s and American Shermans (combined), the Tiger was of little strategic importance. However, it was elite in every way. The most effective weaponry, combined with the highest protection for the crew, was the pinnacle of German engineering at that time. Only the best crews manned a Tiger. Its awesome power motivated the Allies to design and build better machines, ultimately pushing the boundaries of armored warfare.

The last seven 'surviving' Tigers can be seen. Since there aren't many left, historians have even built a Tiger from salvaged parts, calling it the "Frankentiger". This is kept in the German Tank Museum in Munster.

Which Tiger Tank was used for this knife?

The steel used to make this knife comes from a wreck found in Bauska, Latvia. Extensive examination of on-site research, historical reports and military records shows that this Tiger was shot down by both 45mm and 76mm anti-tank weapons. But it had also collided with a T-34 and an SU-76, both Russian tanks. According to the investigators, the final blow to this Tiger was dealt by a nearby T-34.

An ode to the Tiger 1 Tank

Note the straight lines of this blade, a tribute to the outline of the Tiger tank. The custom pivot screw is modeled after the tank's main drive gear. The handle is molded dark jute micarta, carefully milled, giving it exceptional grip and a beautiful appearance. The other side is made of stonewashed stainless steel, for the frame lock (or Reeve Integral Lock). A further aid to the safe locking is the overtravel stop disc. This is also known as the lock bar stabilizer as designed by Rick Hinderer.

The blade itself is opened using the (removable) thumb rest. It runs smoothly on ball bearings and is a feast for the eyes. The @nicholasdamascus non-stainless mosaic damascus knife is an impressive sight. The knife is comfortably carried via the pocket clip, complemented by a steel ball for both ease of use and retention. A subtle lanyard hole completes the overall look of the Tiger Damascus pocket knife from Böker.