Puma IP Tosca Flea market findings and a meeting with Bünyamin

 On Sunday I set out to visit a flea market around my place, just some streets away. I packed my pack and strolled casually over. And what did I find there?;-) This is Bünyamin Erdogan´s booth. I have met him several times now, but have not seen him for a long time, some four years or so. I even had his number once and we planned to stay in contact more, but as is, there were a load of other things on my head and my life took funny directions. But, as is, fate knows to guide you weird ways;-) so we met again. I really enjoyed it, for he is a very friendly Turkish gentleman and it´s always a privilege to talk to him! He has a load of Solingen cutlery, and I got myself some great knives at a really bargain price. This is one of them:

 Puma IP, Tosca, stag antler scales, 440C, nice thin spine and a convex bevel. The knife originally was designed by Jens Nettlich, a blacksmith, working in the tribal knifemaking tradition (even makes some hollow tang "bush knives" like the ones Taigoo makes) who inspired myself a lot.

 I especially like the dynamic lines of the knife. It screams "I CUT!" at the top of its lungs. The price I paid for my treasures was outright ridiculous in a positive way.

Many people know Maitland Othello and Othello Anton Wingen knives. They are very rare. I daresay every third knife at this booth was of the variety, at very reasonable prices. Historical Solingen hunting knives, "Nicker", bowie knives, skinners, everything you could ask for or dream of. This is a collector´s wet dream come true.  I especially like the traditional Bavarian attire knives in the pic below!

 Folding knives galore... many of them very rare

 Anton Wingen or Maitland Othello, Puma and Carl Schlieper knives.

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 He also showed me this Anton Wingen razor with handforged damascus blade and staghorn scales.

 Detail of the damascus blade...

 And this is a very, very rare Puma skinmaster knife with ivory scales.

 The knife in its box, along with a certificate.

We chatted quite a lot and came to the conclusion that we should stay in contact more;-). he also makes knives himself and I invited him to the Industriemuseum hammer - in... maybe even with a booth? He certainly is a most friendly guy, and I really liked to meet him again after all those years. If you want to see more of his products, visit his ebay- shop of many quality razors, kitchen knives and sharpening tools.

White Hunter - How a design becomes a tradition

 So many of you bushheads might have heard of the Puma White hunter knife design, which quickly became very popular in the 1950s. Originally modelled after a design by "Oberforstmeister Frevert", who is largely idealised by German hunters. By the way, that guy was an old Nazi, something to think about if you ask me. The knife, however, has little to do with that, but I think, one should keep that in mind. The design proved popular with generations of outdoorsmen and has proven solid as a rock. In fact, for a long time it was a unique selling point for the Puma corporation, resulting in the fairy tale prices they calculated. As is a tradition in Solingen, there are many corporations who copied it after the trademark license ran out. Boker Solingen was one of them with their "Explorer" lineup of knives, presumably made in Solingen, Spain and Argentinia (Arbolito). Those two knives above and below are from that lineup. I got them dead cheap in a Solingen surplus shop. Blade is 1.4116 steel. Above is an olive wood handle, below one made from ebony.

 The sheath are top grain leather. I really like these knives and would gladly use them if only I were permitted to carry them, for they are too long.

 This is a Weber Bundeswehr pilot´s knife, originally given to Tornado pilots as a survival device and to lever off the cockpit shell in an emergency. For that purpose, it has a differential temper from 57 HRC to 54 HRC tip - to - handle. Burned stag scales and brass bolster I made myself. I also added a convex bevel. It´s more of a cleaver, with a 6 mm spine thickness and 1.4116 steel.

And the original original, Pumaster crucible carbon steel from the first ever production run of the White hunter. I got this one from Mr. Rudolph Broch´s garage in Solingen, which is a paradise for any knifehead;-). Have to mount it sometime... but too many projects...







All in all I find it interesting. In the meantime, the original White hunter design has seen  hundreds of variations, not only in the Puma lineup, but all over Solingen, and even the world. I even saw a Pakistani replica of the knife or a damascus version from Stefan Steigerwald.

There´s a morale in there.

The world is round.