Boker Knives History
admin | November 15, 2009
Boker Knives’ Humble Beginnings in Germany
The history of Boker knives began in the 17th century in Remscheid, Germany. The original Boeker was just a small tool factory shaded by a giant chestnut tree. Their tools were still among the leading products available in Germany and its neighboring countries 100 years later. Undoubtedly their success was due their steadfast adherence to quality and craftsmanship.
In 1829, brothers Hermann and Robert Boeker decided to create sabers due to political disorder. Accounting records show that by September 1830, 47 grinders, 64 smiths, and lots of unskilled labor were making 2,000 articles a week. The Boeker family was conscious of the increasing need in the world for a variety of tools and cutting instruments. This generated a favorable time for the business to expand and prosper.
Boker Starts Up in America
To grow their enterprise, they made up their minds to spread out their production to other countries. After moving overseas to New York, Hermann established H. Boker & Co. in the United States. Since a lot of Americans struggled to pronounce the family name, Hermann modified the spelling for the company name. His younger brother Robert started his enterprise in Canada instead. Robert established another branch in Mexico called Casa Boker in 1865 that still exists today as a major hardware store.
Back in Germany, their cousin Heinrich Boeker moved to nearby Solingen which was experiencing a substantial growth spurt in the cutting tools industry. He collaborated with a well-known cutting tools specialist named Hermann Heuser and established Heinr. Boeker & Co. in 1869. The rest of the Boeker family including New York, Canada, Mexico and Remscheid were all extremely intrigued with Heinrich’s new business. This is because he was manufacturing products that were popular such as shaving blades, scissors, and pocket knives.
Boker’s Tree Brand Symbol
There was, sadly, a recognition problem for Heinrich’s tools outside of Germany. Heinrich felt that the tree trademark that represented the chestnut tree near the first factory was the right image because it would be easy to remember. His relatives in Remscheid owned the symbol and they unselfishly allowed him to utilize it for his own products without charging him anything. After that, not one Boeker product has left the Solingen plant without the mark of the tree symbol.
As early as 1900, products manufactured by Boeker were primarily sold in the U.S. market. In New York, H. Boker & Co. focused chiefly on distributing Solingen’s cutting tools. Before long, pocket knives were more popular than eating utensils, shaving blades, and scissors. In the early 1900s, the New York Boker company started producing pliers and pocket knives themselves in the U.S. after the Solingen factory couldn’t keep up with their orders.
The tree symbol was familiar internationally by this time. The American Boekers had continued their excellent bond with their Remscheid relatives which was a good thing. As a result, they were also granted authority to use the tree symbol on their American products. Then there were two separate lines of Boker knives on the American market with the same brand, occasionally even with the same article numbers, although one was made in the U.S. and one in Germany. The designation “Boker USA” or “H. Boker Improved Cutlery Solingen” on the declaration of marketability was the only specification distinguishing them.
World War II Bombing Levels Boker Plant in Solingen
Their close relationship was sharply suspended as a result of WWII. The Boeker plant was razed to the ground during a two day Allied bombing raid on Solingen in the latter part of 1944. Unfortunately nothing survived the fire — no tools, equipment, samples, or catalogs. Mercifully some original Boeker pieces survived the war in private homes and were later made available to the company.
After the war, the confiscation of one of their most significant assets pursuant to American law was most likley more harmful than the bombed out building: The registration of the tree symbol for the American market was gone. In New York, John Boeker Jr. registered the tree symbol to ensure its availability for distributing American and German products.
Right after the war, the razed Solingen factory was rebuilt once more. Many of the experienced workers who lived through the war showed their dedication by helping with the reconstruction of the factory. After manufacturing started again, it took awhile to reattain their high level of craftsmanship and even more to increase production. Restarting their close relationship, their cousins in New York began placing orders again. It only took a few years before Boker in New York became their principal customer again.
Boker USA Acquired by Cooper Industries
In the early 1960s, Boker USA was sold. Sometime afterward it was bought by Wiss & Sons, an established scissor manufacturer. Still manufacturing Boker knives in the U.S., Wiss sold them as well as Boker products from Germany. This move effectively removed one of their biggest scissors competitors in the U.S. market.
In the early 1970s, Wiss sold Boker USA to a multinational company, Cooper Industries, an industrial giant. Working painstakingly with Boker USA, Cooper worked to bring back the original prestige of the Boker name. After eight years, the Solingen plant was able to make its production more efficient and develop new, modern products. Boker now produces and distributes the largest assortment of high-quality knives available for both sportsmen and collectors. Boker in Solingen has manufactured Cooper’s popular knives since 1983 when Cooper discontinued making its own knives.
Cooper nobly reestablished the Boker trademark rights to the German Boker Company in 1986 which allowed them to become viable again in America’s huge market. Concurrently, they set up Boker USA Inc. in Boulder, Colorado.
Boker Knives Celebrates 140 Years
2009 is Boker’s 140th anniversary since Heinrich Boeker first started the plant in Solingen. Boker has been releasing one special edition collector’s knife each month to celebrate their long tradition of making knives. Only 140 pieces of each anniversary knife have been made except for the Camp Knife which is 1,869 pieces. The variety of Boker’s models is obvious in these 12 models in both materials and designs. Each knife comes with a certificate, shows the 140th anniversary logo, and is serialized. These knives are sure to be favorites of Boker collectors for years to come!
Boker companies that still exist today are:
- Heinr. Boker Baumwerk GmbH in Solingen, Germany
- Boker USA, Inc. in Denver, Colorado, USA
- Boker Arbolito, S.A. in Buenos Aires
- Casa Boker S.A. de C.V. in Mexico
Links of interest:
- Impressive video of the collection of Boker knives at Smoky Mountain Knife Works in Tennessee.
- This knife forum for Boker knives is a very good site to spend time with other Boker collectors.
- View all the knives in Boker’s 140th anniversary collection and stand in awe at their clean lines and craftmanship.
