Maker Channels Hungary’s Knife Culture with New Boker Folder

Another new name has signed up with Solingen Germany’s biggest knife outfit, Boker. Hungarian custom craftsman János Németh brings out his first production collaboration with the company in the form of the Poke, a low-key, mid-size EDC folder.

In his custom work, Németh borrows equally from classic and modern knife design. Now, that’s not the same thing as updating a classic design with modern tropes. No, many of Németh’s pieces fuse both halves of their inspiration into something that, at a glance, could be either a years-old collectible, or a fresh-out-of-the-shop modern knife. It’s a style that’s difficult to explain but easy to grasp when you take a look at some of Németh’s pieces online.

This first Boker collaboration leans into the modern side of things when it comes to materials and construction, but, as a design, the Poke absolutely embodies that bewitching mix of old and new. Look at that blade, for instance: an elongated drop point, but one with a straight, almost puukko-esque spine; this is a hallmark blade shape of traditional Hungarian folders. Those knives are slipjoints, but the Poke uses a liner lock and opens with thumb studs, and, at 3.58 inches in length, it’s got great crossover potential, working in EDC scenarios as well as the great outdoors. The blade steel here, Boker Plus’s de facto D2, turns in good performance numbers and will even be more rust-resistant thanks to the black wash coating applied here.

G-10 scales laid over steel liners: on paper this does not evoke a deep connection to the knives of yore. However, the arching profile and squared-off butt end seem connect directly to the silhouettes of the aforementioned Hungarian slipjoints – the same knives that Spyderco paid tribute to with its Hungarian model. The mellow gold color of the liners sets off nicely against the black scales, lending a classy air to the Poke as a whole. The pocket clip, a simple loop over affair, is non-reversible; the Poke weighs 4.09 oz.

The Poke is available now in the US, but there may be a short wait in Europe; Boker’s website says it will arrive there in August.

Knife in Featured Image: Boker Plus Poke

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