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Boker Knives’ Humble Beginnings in Germany

At some point during the 1600s, Boker knives were first made in Remscheid, Germany. The first Boeker company was merely a small tool factory in the shade of a very big chestnut tree. Their tools were still among the leading products available in Germany and surrounding countries 100 years later. No doubt their success was due their uncompromising adherence to quality and craftsmanship.

Due to the political strife in 1829, it seemed to brothers Hermann and Robert Boeker that the best opportunity was making sabers. By September 1830, records show that 64 smiths, 47 grinders, and contingent of manual labor were producing 2,000 articles a week. The Boeker family recognized the expanding need in the world for a variety of tools and cutting instruments. This created a good opportunity for them to grow.

H. Boker & Co. in the U.S.

With plans of globalizing their enterprise, they resolved to extend their production to other countries. After moving overseas to New York, Hermann established H. Boker & Co. in the United States. Hermann changed the company name by removing the first ‘e’ to accommodate Americans who struggled to pronounce the family name. His younger brother Robert started his enterprise in Canada instead. Robert set up an additional branch in Mexico called Casa Boker in 1865 that is still operating today as a major hardware store.

Their cousin Heinrich Boeker who remained in Germany, relocated to to the neighboring city of Solingen which was undergoing significant increase in the cutting tools industry. He partnered with an established cutting tools authority named Hermann Heuser and established Heinr. Boeker & Co. in 1869. The Boeker family in Remscheid and their cousins in New York, Canada, and Mexico were very intrigued with Heinrich’s new enterprise. The scissors, shaving blades, and pocket knives he was making were in in great demand, offering a lucrative opportunity for each of them.

Boker’s Tree Brand Symbol

Regrettably, there was a recognition problem for Heinrich’s merchandise outside of Germany. The tree design was symbolic of the chestnut tree near the first workshop and Heinrich felt it’s simplicity would make it stand out. His relatives in Remscheid owned the symbol and they ungrudgingly allowed him to utilize it for his own products without charging him anything. Not a single Boeker product has left the Solingen factory without being marked with the tree symbol since.

Goods manufactured by Boeker were mostly distributed in the United States as early as 1900. In New York, H. Boker & Co. concentrated mostly on distributing Solingen’s cutting tools. Before long, pocket knives were sought-after than shaving blades, eating utensils, and scissors. After Solingen wasn’t able to keep up with the growing demand, the American Boker company began to produce pliers and pocket knives themselves in the early 1900s.

The tree symbol had gotten to be familiar globally by this time. Fortunately for the American Boekers, they had maintained their excellent connection with their Remscheid relatives. The result was that they were also granted permission to use the tree symbol on their American products. Then there were two separate lines of Boker knives in the American marketplace with the same brand, occasionally even with the same article numbers, despite the fact that one was made in the U.S. and one in Germany. Only the declaration of marketability stated the distinction as “H. Boker Improved Cutlery Solingen” or “Boker USA”.

World War II Bombing Levels Boker Plant in Solingen

Their good association was sharply interrupted as a result of World War II. The Boeker factory burned to the ground after two days of Allied bombing on Solingen in late 1944. Without a doubt, nothing survived the fire — no tools, equipment, samples, or catalogs. Luckily some original Boeker pieces survived the war in individual’s homes and were later made available to the company.

One of their most important possessions was seized in accordance with American law after the war: The tree trademark’s official record for the market in America was gone. In New York, John Boeker Jr. registered the tree symbol to ensure its availability for distributing American and German products.

The destroyed plant in Solingen was rebuilt once more right after the war. Showing their allegiance, plenty of the skillful workers that got through the war helped rebuild the plant. Once production started again, it took awhile to reestablish their high standard of quality and even longer to increase production. Continuing their relationship where they left off, their American cousins started placing orders again. It only took a few years before Boker in New York grew into their chief customer again.

Boker USA Acquired by Cooper Industries

Boker USA was sold in the early 1960s. Wiss & Sons, a popular scissor manufacturer, bought it sometime afterward. 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 largest scissors competitors in the U.S. market.

Wiss sold Boker USA to Cooper Industries, a multinational company and industrial giant, in the early 1970s. Working very closely with Boker USA, Cooper worked to restore the earlier high regard for the Boker name. After eight years, the Solingen facility was able to streamline its production and create new, modern products. Boker now manufactures the most extensive selection of high-quality knives available for both sportsmen and collectors. Boker in Solingen has manufactured Cooper’s popular knives since 1983 when Cooper discontinued manufacturing its own knives.

Cooper generously restored the Boker trademark rights to the German Boker Company in 1986 which made them capable of being successful again in America’s huge market. Concurrently, they set up Boker USA Inc. in Boulder, Colorado.

Boker Knives Celebrates 140 Years

Since Heinrich Boeker started the factory in Solingen, 2009 is Boker’s 140th anniversary. Boker has been releasing one special edition collector’s knife each month to celebrate their extensive tradition of crafting knives. Each anniversary knife has been limited to 140 pieces worldwide except for the Camp Knife which is limited to 1,869 pieces. Boker’s variation in components and designs is obvious in these 12 special edition models. Each knife is serialized, shows the 140th anniversary logo, and comes with a certificate. These knives will certainly 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

Also of interest:

• Outstanding video of the old Boker knives collection at Smoky Mountain Knife Works in Tennessee.
• This forum for Boker collectors is a very good spot to spend time with other Boker collectors.
• View all the Boker’s 140th anniversary knives and marvel at their beauty and handiwork.

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