The Knife I Wanted - Size & Weight - First Impression - First Experience - Notes
There isn't much we can learn about Böker Magnum Goon folding on the sellers' web sites, just the basic features. Such a brief description will tell us only a fraction of what we need to know before making a decision to buy a particular knife. There are almost no reviews of this knife on the Internet either. What made me buy this knife in particular, was a chance to physicylly touch and operate it. I bought it despite the lack of info, thus I've got a chance to provide information and experience you may find useful.
I am a long way from a „knife obsessed“ person even though I like knives in general. What I wanted was just a robust knife that I'd be able to use every day and rely on in any situation in which my Swiss Wenger isn't quite sufficient:
a knife for EDC in a pocket (i.e. not too heavy and/or bulky), ready to be pulled out (i.e. with a clip),
for work at home, outdoors, or for defence/threat,
quick and comfortable ambidextrous one-handed opening with thumb lugs,
blade length of more than 3“, thickness around 0.5“,
cross-sectional shape of the blade sharp enough for the knife to be mire of a slicer than a chopper,
quality steel within the price of 50 – 70 US$,
firm in the joint, it musn't play or wobble,
a trustworthy brand.
It is obvious that within the above mentioned price range I shouldn't expect a miracle, so some minor requirements such as „made in U.S.A.“ or „8Cr13MoV or 154CM steel“ had to be neglected.
Weight: 6.1 oz (172 g)
Folded length: 4.76” (121 mm)
Open length: 8.3” (211 mm)
Folded width: 1.57” (40 mm)
Handle thickness (without the clip): 0,55” (14 mm)
Blade length: 3.5” (89 mm)
Maximum blade width (in front of the opening pin): 1.1” (28 mm)
Blade thickness: 0.13” (3,2 mm)
Steel: funny, they are no more specific than 440
Handle material: G-10
Price: usually above US$ 30
The knife looks very good and of high quality. By the expression „looks good“ I don't mean a kind of clerk knife, which is more of a trinket than a tool capable of a real job. This one is a real worker. It does not look like a combat knife though, which is rather an upside for everyday usage.
Its size makes me feel safe (no matter if I mean work or defence) and it fits well in the hand. When standing at the wrong side of the knife I feel respect – it isn't a child's toy or apple peeler; it is clearly a serious tool or weapon.
Despite its size and robustness, when hung on the clip in my pocket, I hardly feel it and I don't mind it hanging there.
Two things were a pleasant surprise for me, which I didn't expect in this price range (and that was why I bought this knife in the first place):
When the blade is open it is absolutely firm, it doesn't play or wobble. The liner lock clicks and holds the blade and so do the liners. No wobble, which is so common at lots of other lower priced folders.
When the blade is folded it is right in the centre of the liners and doesn't touch anything.
The knife is perfectly sharp from the factory.
The blade weight and the ease of its movement are in right balance which allows for comfortable one-handed opening.
The knife is big and robust enough to be used for defense even when folded, which is a great benefit in countries where defenders are punished rather than attackers.
The clip looks nice and holds firmly, however it can’t be moved to the other side or to the opposite end of the handle. For a lefty it is quite inconvenient and I found two reasons why.
When unfolding the blade with the clip, it's in the way of the left thumb.
When you pull the knife out of the left pocket it is not in a position ready to use. You need to change the grip twice (pulling it out of the right pocket requires one grip change, which is not ideal either). I would have appreciated a clip on the opposite end of the handle that would be transferable to the other side.
The torx wrench that comes with the knife proved to be utterly useless – too soft to unscrew the bolts.
Magnum brand products are made in China, which may induce a bit of distrust, but German Böker allegedly cares for their quality standards (no wonder when the knives bear his brand).
