Over €500

German Böker Eight-Eight (8-8) Flak Damascus Collector's Dagger

- Made in Solingen / Germany -

Introduction:

Boker presents its first military-historical artillery project with the Eight-Eight (8-8) Flak Damascus collector's dagger. The 8.8 cm Flak (short for anti-aircraft gun) is considered by many connoisseurs to be the best and undisputedly most versatile gun of the Second World War. Originally developed for anti-aircraft defence, the Eight-Eight (8-8) established its legendary reputation above all in ground combat.

While anti-tank guns with 3.7 cm to a maximum of 7.5 cm were notoriously under-calibrated for the contemporary armour, anti-aircraft guns regularly had relatively large barrel diameters. It quickly became apparent that only the eight-eight was capable of reliably penetrating the armour of the heavy British Matilda II tank or the Soviet T-34, for example, and above all at greater distances of up to 2,000 metres. The pre-requisite for this was that the barrel of the 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun could be swivelled to a negative angle of inclination - absolutely untypical for an anti-aircraft gun. This made it possible to lower the barrel below the horizontal plane in order to engage ground targets. The gun could also be swivelled 360° around its vertical axis on a column mount with four cross-shaped outriggers. Another advantage of the eight-eight (8-8) was its speed. On the one hand, this resulted from the short time in which the cross mount could be mounted and dismounted, and the gun could therefore be moved. Another was the high rate of fire. As a semi-automatic cannon with a decelerated barrel recoil, the breech was opened after each shot, the percussion piece cocked, and the empty cartridge ejected. A well-trained operating crew, usually consisting of 9 soldiers, could fire up to 20 rounds per minute. As a result, the German anti-aircraft soldiers were able to shoot down 9 out of 1,000 incoming aircraft.

This figure seems soberingly small, but it is still considered to be the highest firing rate of an anti-aircraft gun in the history of war. The 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun also played a significant role in the legendary reputation of another weapon of the Second World War, which Boker has already used in a Damascus collector's knife. As the main armament, it was installed in the turret of the VI tank, better known as the Tiger. Proven through this use, it later also became the gun of the Nashorn (Rhino) tank destroyer.

The Eight-Eight (8-8) Flak Damascus project has been realised as a fulyl-fledged dagger with a medieval look. The centrepiece is the slender but massive 18.1 cm long blade forged from parts of the 8.8 cm Flak. The handle scroll is turned from a piece of domestically stabilised hornbeam with 16 jimpings. On closer inspection, the radii and proportions of the 5 mm thick stainless steel parrying piece discreetly form the outline of the cross-guard with side extensions folded up for transport. The silhouette of the folded-out mount is indicated on the base of the solid stainless steel end knob. The dagger is fitted with a dark brown leather sheath with a belt loop and localised reinforcement. Supplied with an elegant storage box, certificate of authenticity and a individual serial number.

Specifications:

Steel: Damascus (see description)
Blade length: 7.204“ inch / 183 mm 
Total length: 12.598” inch / 320 mm
Handle length: 5.393" inch / 137 mm
Handle scales: Iron Wood

Blade Thickness: 6.1 mm
Overall weight 292 gr.

German Böker MG-42 Damascus Collector's Dagger

- Made in Solingen / Germany -

Introduction:

With the classically elegant Boker MG-42 Damascus Dagger, the crown of historical Boker Damascus steel projects is provided with yet another jewel. The MG-42 is one of the internationally renowned milestones in weapons technology, thanks above all to its revolutionary production technology at the time with the consistent use of stamped sheet metal parts, exceptional reliability and ease of use, and a cadence that was previously unknown.

Raw materials and production time had increasingly become critical and decisive factors in the course of the war. Therefore, the Army Ordnance Office was looking for a successor to the MG-34, which was already convincing in its function, but took up too much time and material due to its complex production. The new MG was also to serve as a standardised weapon for light, anti-aircraft, airborne and aperture purposes. Since the central task was not to improve the product but to optimise the manufacturing process, a proven specialist in mass production rather than a weapons expert was commissioned with the new design. The choice fell on Werner Gruner, a mechanical engineer at the Johannes Großfuß metal and lacquerware factory. Gruner was presumably assisted in the development by experienced gun designers. The consistent use of sheet metal stampings instead of milled parts and the omission of accurateness in non-functional details made it possible to build a weapon that was even more reliable than its predecessor, while significantly reducing production time and costs. Almost trouble-free function and firing accuracy in all weather conditions, the change of hot-shot barrels within seconds and a cadence of 1,500 rounds per minute (25 rounds/second) established the MG-42's reputation. A brake in the form of additional mass in the breech cavity made it possible to reduce the immense cadence to 700 rounds/minute and thus the ammunition consumption. A roller shutter controlled by a cam made these impressive technical characteristics possible. In a slightly modified form, the MG-42 is still the standard MG of the German armed forces today as MG 3. Rare originals from the Second World War fetch between USD 40,000 and USD 60,000 at Rock Island Auctions.

The steel of the MG-42 is forged by our long-time and experienced partner Chad Nicols into the heart of the dagger, the double-edged blade with a discreet hollow groove on both sides. The chosen Damascus pattern, Low Layer Raindrop (40 layers) is excellently accentuated by the symmetrical profile of the blade.

The dagger's toggle and pommel are made of solid stainless steel. In the pommel, the cooling fins and gas outlets of the recoil amplifier (actually a combined component with the functions of a recoil amplifier, a flash hider and a barrel guide sleeve) were incorporated as a design element. Nevertheless, form followed function here as well, for the grooves increase the grip of the dagger in the reverse grip. The toggle and pommel joinlessly hold the barrel-shaped roll of hornbeam wood, which is automatically centred in the hand by its shape. The dagger is equipped with a high-quality sheath made of dark brown leather with a belt loop and place reinforcement. Supplied with a classy frame case for seemingly floating presentation, certificate of authenticity and individual serial number.

Specifications:

Steel: Damascus (see description)
Blade length: 5.314“ inch / 135 mm 
Total length: 10” inch / 254 mm
Handle length: 4.685" inch / 119 mm
Handle scales: Iron Wood

Blade Thickness: 5 mm
Overall weight 195 gr.

German Böker P08 Luger Damascus Collector's Boot-Dagger

- Made in Solingen / Germany -

Introduction:

The unique Boker P08-Damascus boot dagger connects the world of knives with historical military history in an inimitable way. The P08, also known as Parabellum Pistol or simply Luger, is still considered legendary today and convinces with highest precision and reliability. The knee-joint lock with short barrel return, developed by Georg Luger, made the pistol 08 incredibly compact and solid. Added to this was the calibre 9 mm Luger (9x19 NATO), also developed by Luger for the new pistol, which was one of the most powerful short firearm calibres at the time and is still the most widely used official calibre in the world today.

It was used as a standard pistol by the German armies in both world wars, but also gained world fame beyond the country's borders in a very short time. As early as 1914, the weapon was used in the armies of Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Portugal and Turkey and was considered a much sought-after prey weapon until the end of the Second World War. The production of the compact pistol required 14 kilogrammes of Steel and its design required such a high degree of precision that completely new demands were made on the production technology. Its unmistakable, almost iconic appearance secured it a firm place in popular culture like no other pistol.

The Boker P08-Damascus not only incorporates various design elements of the unusually aesthetic official weapon, but is also equipped with a unique damascus blade made of the barrel steel of the precise pistol. The remarkable damascus is forged for us by Chad Nichols by hand in the Boomerang pattern. The handle scales of the likewise compactly built boot dagger are made of certified imported rosewood and are reminiscent of the classic, simple checkering of the characteristic pistol grip. The same construction of the retaining screws is used to mount these handle scales as on the P08. And the cone of the exposed barrel is also found in the angle of the handle sides.

The bolsters and end knob are made of steel and are finished with a dark stonewash finish. Supplied with a high quality black leather sheath with a sewn-in ulticlip and can be easily attached thanks to the locking spring clip. Thus the Boker P08-Damascus boot dagger can be pulled effortlessly while the sheath is reliably held in place by the Ulticlip. Handmade in the Boker Knife Manufactory in Solingen. With noble floating display, certificate of authenticity and individual serial number.

Specifications:

Steel: Damascus (see description)
Blade length: 3.228“ inch / 82 mm 
Total length: 6.889” inch / 175 mm
Handle length: 3.661" inch / 93 mm
Handle scales: Rose Wood

Blade Thickness: 3.5 mm
Overall weight 106 gr.

German Böker "Siwss Army Mosaic Damascus Dagger"

- Made in Solingen / Germany -

Introduction:

As early as the 15th and 16th centuries, the Swiss dagger was used as a common weapon by Swiss pikemen and, due to its blade length, often occupied a middle position between dagger and sword. The dagger, also known as a baselard, usually served as a secondary weapon and was usually not issued as equipment, but had to be procured privately by the soldiers.

The extraordinary Twisted Damascus is now followed by the Mosaic Damascus, which is also very complex to manufacture. It is one of the royal class of Damascus forging and makes the impressive dagger an absolute highlight in every knife collection. In contrast to conventional Damascus, no layers are produced in the manufacture of Mosaic Damascus. Instead, complex Damascus bars are forged by hand into a mosaic in an elaborate and very complicated process. To do this, the Damascus package, which initially consists of stacked layers, is cut up and reassembled in a staggered manner to create a unique mosaic pattern at the end faces of the bar. The DAMASCUS is then cut up again and the complex process is repeated several times, the resulting pattern becoming finer and more unique with each step. Finally, the individual packages are stacked and forged in the shape of a square so that the ends of the individual pieces form a new surface. Forging temperature, forming, deformation rate and the previous steps must be optimally coordinated. This extremely demanding forging process, which only few DAMASCUS smiths master, is carried out to perfection for our Swiss dagger by Chad Nichols.

The dagger blade, sharpened and pointed on both sides, already had a diamond-shaped cross-section in historical models, because this construction proved to be extremely stable and effective. Characteristic of the Swiss Dagger is the design of the pommel and the crossguard. The unusual, curved design can be traced back to the early 13th century and can also be found in the authentic design of our hand-made edition. The shimmering dark handle made of hand-picked certified imported EBONY is bordered by the highly polished pommel and the crossguard and forms a perfect unit with the fine blade.

The leather sheath, specially designed and handsewn for this model, underlines the exclusivity of this coveted collector‘s item. It is delivered with an individual serial number in a noble wooden box and with a certificate of authenticity. Handmade in the Boker Knife Manufactory Solingen and strictly limited to 500 pieces worldwide.

Specifications:

Steel: Damascus (see description)
Blade length: 8.622“ inch / 219 mm
Total length: 14.173” inch / 360 mm
Handle length: 5.551" inch / 141 mm
Handle scales: Ebony Wood

Blade Thickness: 5 mm
Overall weight 256 gr.