Böker Tiger Damascus Knife Made from Tank Armour Steel, Micarta Handle

Böker Tiger Damascus

The impressive Böker Tiger Damascus extends the series of pocket knives with a rich history by a very special model.
This collector's knife with a historical past is a genuine piece of living history and combines high-quality craftsmanship with authentic materials.
The Panzerkampfwagen VI, known worldwide as the Tiger, was used by the Wehrmacht from late summer 1942 and, despite its modest production figure of only 1350 units and the resulting low strategic importance, is considered one of the most famous tanks in history. The development of the heavy tank can be traced back to 1937; series production began in August 1942.
Today only seven preserved examples still exist, displayed scattered all over the world.

Owing to the low availability, the so-called Franken-Tiger was even assembled for this purpose from wreck parts of different years of manufacture.
The armour parts we use, on the other hand, come from a Tiger I of the heavy tank battalion 502, which was destroyed in combat in the summer of 1944 in Latvia in a heavily wooded area near the town of Bauska.
From the wreck parts found at the original excavation site it could be established that this Tiger was an early to mid-production model.
The examination of the battle damage on the remains, the military records and local historical accounts showed that this Tiger tank collided with both a Russian T-34 medium tank and an SU-76 self-propelled gun, and was also damaged by a stationary 45-mm anti-tank gun.
It is still unclear which of the hits caused the greatest damage and sealed the Tiger's fate. However, since several 76-mm fragments were lodged in the heavy armour, it is assumed that a nearby T-34 landed the decisive hits before it too was destroyed 300 metres away.
Otto Carius and Albert Kerscher, two of the most successful tank commanders of the Second World War, were trying at this time with the heavy tank battalion 502 to stop the advance of the Soviet forces on Riga. The battalion defeated the enemy blocking forces at Tukums so devastatingly that, together with more than 500,000 other soldiers of Army Group North, it was able to withdraw into the Latvian Courland. There the forces were encircled in the further course of the Soviet advance. The Courland Pocket served as a bridgehead and could be supplied by the Kriegsmarine by sea. It withstood six major attacks by the Soviet forces until the unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945.

The straightforward Böker Tiger Damascus is equipped with a unique Damascus blade made from the steel of the battle tank destroyed near Bauska. The non-stainless mosaic Damascus is hand-forged for us by Chad Nichols in the Intrepid pattern and is reminiscent of the tank tracks that the heavy tracks of the Tiger leave behind in the ground.
Unlike conventional Damascus, no layers are produced in the manufacture of mosaic Damascus; instead, complex Damascus billets are forged together by hand into a mosaic in an elaborate and very complicated process.
The ball-bearing blade is opened by thumb stud and locked by a sturdy steel frame lock with stonewash finish; a Hinderer lock stop acts as overtravel protection for the lock.
The overall shape of the knife is a homage to the famous lines of the tank, while the decorative blade pivot screw is modelled on the main drive sprocket.
The slightly contoured handle scale of jute Micarta has precisely milled grooves and is thus reminiscent of the characteristic surface structure of the Zimmerit coating of German armoured vehicles.
With lanyard eyelet and milled clip (tip-up, right-hand) with steel ball.

Handmade in the Böker knife manufactory in Solingen.

Delivered with an elegant floating display, certificate of authenticity and individual serial number.

Technical data:

• Item type: Pocket knife
• Overall length: 19.8 cm
• Blade length: 8.5 cm
• Blade thickness: 3.6 mm
• Weight: 141 g
• Blade material: Damascus
• Handle material: Micarta
• Opening aid: Thumb stud
• Opening: Manual
• Lock: Frame lock
• Colour: Black
• Blade colour: Uncoated