Solingen made pocket knife
Solingen made pocket knife
I'd like to show you a true, genuine Solingen-made pocket knife.
Yes, they are still being made, fortunately.
A forum friend in a German knife forum was kind enough to select and buy it for me according to my request. He lives just 20 km away from Solingen and offered to do that for several forum members.
I chose amboina or snakewood handles and he preferred the snakewood over amboina, fine by me. The blade is handforged by a Solingen company, it's made of high-carbon steel, it's not stainless, and has a double distal taper. A different Solingen company then mates blade to handle, grinds, polishes and assembles blade and handle. The guys doing that have approx. 50 years experience each and believe me, it shows.
It is a truly wonderful little slip-joint pocket knife, comparable to a Delica in size, blade is exactly Delica-length, the handle is a little bit shorter than a D4. It's a real hand charmer, as we would say in German, having deburred some sharp edges on the liners with my sharpmaker rods in just a few strokes.
Hippekniep is Solingen slang for little goat knife. Hippe = goat, Kniep = little knife. Apparently similar knives were used to slaughter goats in emergencies long ago. Although German is my native language, I had to ask for a translation myself. :rolleyes:
Enough German lessons, time for pics. :D
The first and best pic is from the guy who selected it, with his permission, the less good-looking others are mine.
Personally, I'm very glad that Solingen know-how and expertise has not become extinct yet. The snakewood is really beautiful, at the right angle to the light it seems to glow from within, it's like you can look right into the wood.
It's something totally different from my usual Spydercos with super steel blades and handles of high-tech materials, such as thermoplastics, carbon fiber or titanium. And I like it immensely, being a slip-joint it's legal carry in Germany.
Here's a link to one of the companies, unfortunately all in German. They have been at it since 1931.
http://www.messergriffe.de/produkte/taschenmesser.htm
Yes, they are still being made, fortunately.
A forum friend in a German knife forum was kind enough to select and buy it for me according to my request. He lives just 20 km away from Solingen and offered to do that for several forum members.
I chose amboina or snakewood handles and he preferred the snakewood over amboina, fine by me. The blade is handforged by a Solingen company, it's made of high-carbon steel, it's not stainless, and has a double distal taper. A different Solingen company then mates blade to handle, grinds, polishes and assembles blade and handle. The guys doing that have approx. 50 years experience each and believe me, it shows.
It is a truly wonderful little slip-joint pocket knife, comparable to a Delica in size, blade is exactly Delica-length, the handle is a little bit shorter than a D4. It's a real hand charmer, as we would say in German, having deburred some sharp edges on the liners with my sharpmaker rods in just a few strokes.
Hippekniep is Solingen slang for little goat knife. Hippe = goat, Kniep = little knife. Apparently similar knives were used to slaughter goats in emergencies long ago. Although German is my native language, I had to ask for a translation myself. :rolleyes:
Enough German lessons, time for pics. :D
The first and best pic is from the guy who selected it, with his permission, the less good-looking others are mine.
Personally, I'm very glad that Solingen know-how and expertise has not become extinct yet. The snakewood is really beautiful, at the right angle to the light it seems to glow from within, it's like you can look right into the wood.
It's something totally different from my usual Spydercos with super steel blades and handles of high-tech materials, such as thermoplastics, carbon fiber or titanium. And I like it immensely, being a slip-joint it's legal carry in Germany.
Here's a link to one of the companies, unfortunately all in German. They have been at it since 1931.
http://www.messergriffe.de/produkte/taschenmesser.htm
- defenestrate
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I like that. Elegant and handsome - the finish work on those steel pins with brass bushings is a good indicator of hand finish work. Solingen used to be a popular name to find on cheap imports in the states, along with Rostfrei (for Italian or supposedly Italian blades) but it is good to see a nice old-school Solingen knife made with pride. Thanks for sharing.
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Happy, Happy, Happy! Peel, Peel, Peel!
Happy, Happy, Happy! Peel, Peel, Peel!
Thank you.defenestrate wrote:I like that. Elegant and handsome - the finish work on those steel pins with brass bushings is a good indicator of hand finish work. Solingen used to be a popular name to find on cheap imports in the states, along with Rostfrei (for Italian or supposedly Italian blades) but it is good to see a nice old-school Solingen knife made with pride. Thanks for sharing.
Rostfrei, btw is just German for literally rustfree, aka stainless. Rostfrei is often stamped on German blades, meaning they are stainless.
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That is a really nice little piece. Congrats on a realy good looking traditional folder.
Solingen still makes a lot of knives. There is a German knife reviewer on Youtube that has reviewed a lot of european knives. He does a very good job...I'm just at a loss as to his name right at the moment...
I love a lot of the european stuff. Even the Mercator Black Kat is a good little $18 knife from Solingen.
Solingen still makes a lot of knives. There is a German knife reviewer on Youtube that has reviewed a lot of european knives. He does a very good job...I'm just at a loss as to his name right at the moment...
I love a lot of the european stuff. Even the Mercator Black Kat is a good little $18 knife from Solingen.
On the hunt for...
- The Mastiff
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Very similar to the style we now call "sodbuster" or "farmers knife". Very nice work.
Joe
Joe
"A Mastiff is to a dog what a Lion is to a housecat. He stands alone and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race" Cynographia Britannic 1800
"Unless you're the lead dog the view is pretty much gonna stay the same!"
"Unless you're the lead dog the view is pretty much gonna stay the same!"
- SpyderEdgeForever
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Don't think they sell directly, here's a few links, unfortunately all in German:SpyderEdgeForever wrote:Very cool. The Case Sodbuster seems to have come from that basic design.
I wonder if they sell direct to Americans or if you have to go through a knife company middle man?
http://www.messer-mit-tradition.de/wind ... iep&rub=43
http://www.scharferladen.de/shop/MESSER ... :4214.html
Google Hippekniep, you'll find something
Cheers,
skatenut
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