The Böker Grabendolch

Böker Grabendolch

The Böker Grabendolch (trench knife) is a reproduction of the original 1915 trench knife issued to the Kaiserlichisches Heer, German Imperial Army, which was designed and manufactured by none other than Heinrich Boker & Co. Solingen, armourers to the Kaiser and Hitler. For some reason Böker forgot to put that on their advertising — can’t think why. Anyhow, a mint condition WWI Böker Grabendolch is hard to come by so if you’re interested in owning a modern reproduction, you can’t do better than the company that made the original. This isn’t a Paul Chen replica with a balsa wood handle and tin blade, this is the genuine article. It’s 0.75% Carbon Steel blade.

Böker Grabendolch Micarta

Böker have also put out the Grabendolch with a micarta handle, partial serrated edge and a cordura sheath. Obviously with the intent of it being used as a combat knife. I own the wooden handled original version because I wanted it as a collectors piece and at 143mm, it’s a little short for a combat knife in my opinion. There are definitely better combat knives but it’s not a bad design and to be fair I’d rather be carrying that than the Eickhorn KM200, the German army current combat knife, or the Fairbairn-Sykes Commando knife that I’ve also got in my collection of vintage knives that I’m never going to use.

Böker Swiss Dagger

Böker Swiss Dagger

This is Böker Swiss Dagger, an authentic replica of a C15th – C16th Baselard as donned by your more affluent Swiss Pikeman. You might be wondering why Böker would want to produce a Swiss army knife, whether it has a bottle opener and screw driver, and why anyone would buy it. Well as it goes it’s really a reproduction of the SA and SS daggers, but Böker don’t have the bottle to openly say it — probably because it was Böker who produced the originals and they don’t want to advertise the fact that they were armourer to the Nazis. But all’s forgiven now — even the Pope was in the Hitler youth.

Unlike the originals which were being issued with substandard steel blades towards the end of the WWII, the 8 5/8″ blade on this version is made of high carbon steel and has a cherry wood handle. This ain’t a Paul Chen arse scratcher, this is obviously meant to be a display knife but it’s manufactured as a real knife that you could stab someone with if you needed to. If you hunt around you can get it for under $200.