I had one as a high school kid in the early 1970s. I lost it a long time ago and have always wanted a replacement because it is so THIN to carry. Now that I'm old and rich I have just ordered an all stainless one, finally, again. Good video.
Good choice, got the stainless one as a gift, and I use it for 5 years daily. Was not happy about it being stainless, but itˋs a very good steel for a knive like this. Holds the edge good and pretty easy to resharpen.
I have been carrying one daily for 3.5 years as a pocket knife. It has stayed sharp, developed a wear patina on the blade, maintained its black finish (even if the gold has worn off on the logo), and is still tight with no wiggle. The history of the use among gangsters and hoodlums in NYC is tied to the point that folding knives are legal there only if their blades are
These are certainly a time-tested piece! Mine's still holding up beautifully. I was unaware the K55K was part of what led to that legislation, interesting. Cheers!
I don't know if the K55K was directly tied to that legislation, but I do know it was popular because if you were ever stopped by the cops this knife was not in violation of the law (the blade being ~3.4" in length).
I've carried these for forty years. Lost a few, broke a couple but never went a day without one in my pocket. Mostly it's been my backup EDC. My primary EDC was/is a work knife for a specific purpose. My Kat was there when I put that one down because it is ALWAYS in my pocket. It's only short coming is its lateral weakness. Like I said I've broke a couple. Other than that choose carbon steel for a sharper edge; let it rust, then buff it out.
Guten Tag! Kaufmann (German) = Merchant (English) = Mercator (Latin) The K55K has been produced in very large quantities since 1867. Although it was often carried by German soldiers during the two world wars, it was never officially issued, but privately purchased. It was frequently used as a weapon in the Bronx in the 1960s and 1970s. For some time now, a version with corkscrew, awl and can opener is also available.
Guten Morgen! I appreciate this comment very much, as many of the details mentioned I had neglected in the video! I have recently been looking into buying another Mercator, so perhaps a re-review will be on the horizon. If so, I'll be sure to include these points! 😊 Cheers!
Katze is right , but in German its Silberlöwe , an old German Word for Puma ! Your Video is great , thank you very much for presenting our German pocketknive ! 😊
Thank you for the correction! I did another video on a Mercator, recently-that being the Mercator Kupfer Klein. Perhaps you may be interested? 😁 Thanks again and cheers!
hey im wondering if you or other people here know any thing about the history of these knifes? I have one, it made its way to New Zealand during WWII. it doesnt have the cat or k55k engraved. from photos it seems the engraving isnt engraving rather punched much like MERCATOR on the base of the blade. I'm thinking mine is way older than wwII 1939-1945 perhaps its a 17th century knife. I cant find any info or pictures of older knives. any info would be much appreciated. I'm trying to date this thing..
Hi there! To my knowledge, this knife was invented around 1867, so perhaps you managed to acquire one of the older models. I've only ever seen one Mercator knife without the cat, and that model was a 1950s West-German Military model. Here's a link, if you're interested in viewing it: www.militariazone.com/knives/1950-s-west-german-military-mercator-k55k-folding-knife/itm47709 Aside from that, all of these knives are stamped with some form of logo or designation. Perhaps yours is a special-order, made without the typical markings. Either that, or some form of knock-off/similar design by a different maker. I suggest you enquire with Stefan Schmalhaus, as he is probably the most knowledgeable individual on these classic German knives. Regardless, I hope some of this helped. Cheers!
@TheKnifeRaven it's been my fishing knife for about 15 years tied to my life jacket. Probably should stop that 😄. But my goodness. Any other knife would have seized shut with rust. I can't recall ever sharpening it either. Blade is still super sharp.
I like cats myself because I think they’re cute and lovable and I also love knives. At some point I gotta get a Black Cat knife because I’ve always had a thing for European pocket knives.
It's not legal to carry in public without good reason in the UK. You can still own one. The lemon job is cool. I'm intrigued as to why it came out the way it did. Gonna have to try it. You just stuck the blade in a lemon and left it, aye?
I know the carbon steel is probably better technically. However, I have the all stainless version, and whatever they used for the blade is superb at being stainless. 3 years on mine, and the whole knife doesn't have any spots, or rust on it. I've had it out in the rain, cut limes for drinks, and used it at work. The only differences now from when it was new are, the lock tab and spring inside turned dark grey, the keyring is worn pretty thin, and the knife has fine scratches and polishing all over it. No rust, no loose rivets, no bends or chips and still takes an edge. Just clean it with hot soapy water, and occasionally some cotton with rubbing alcohol to get the gunk out, and wipe it with cooking oil. After that, this knife would probably survive at the bottom of the ocean.
I prefer carbon steel, simply due to its rustic appeal. I've found that the claim of "carbon steel is easier to sharpen than stainless steel" is really dependent on how well the steel is tempered. A properly heat-treated stainless steel will almost always be better than a poorly tempered carbon steel. Among Otter's knives, I mostly have carbon blades, so I'm not in a position to make a comparison, as I haven't needed to sharpen the stainless models all that much. Regardless, I'm glad to hear that the all-steel model has been serving you well. It sounds like the perfect example of 'beauty in simplicity'. Cheers!
I have a copper version and love it! I also have the Kat knife and really like it. Mine has a slight curve to the blade though which bugs me. Otherwise I have no complaints with my Kat knife.
Mate we can have them in the UK we just aren't supposed to carry them unless we have a good reasonl to have one. I carry one most of the time and being out of the age where I get stopped and searched by the police I have never had any trouble.mind you I am a whitean of sixty. I had one of them knives about fifty years ago it was the first lockback I ever saw. It had the cat on it and I think they called it puma but I think that was before the well known sportswear brand.
Our "laws" in the UK absolutely suck. These are fantastic knives. I have an Italian copy I bought from an antique store. Very similar except for the fact the pivot pin is made of brass and the thumb ramp is flush with the steel casing.
Sehr schoenes Video, vielleicht auch ein bischen History on this knife???>>>LOL Not sure if you mentioned in your video about the great history on this simple knife....I love the fact that even the German Kaiser Wilhelm carried this same knife,,,,it also went to WW1 and even popular in WW2...never been an officially issued Amy knife!! WW2 GI's brought it home and pretty fast it developed a bad reputation, because youngsters in New York started running around with these blades....go figger...lol I hope ya all know where the Cat comes from and why its called K55K!?? If not, here it is: K55K means Kaufman as the first K....the makers last name was Kaufman!! The 55 is the actual house number of the former factory in Solingen Germany and the last K is for Katze,,,which means cat in German....according to the factory history the had a house cat there inside the production halls...lol....And of course the name Mercator which is Latin, stands for KAUFMAN which means trades man....!! Cool, don't ya think!!??
Hallo! I was aware of the history behind it's name K55K, as well as it's popularity with German soldiers in both wars. Plus, it's reputation is sadly similar to the Douk-Douk or the Okapi. (Street gang weapons). I had not however known that Mercator translated to Tradesman, or the Cat lived in the shop. Danke for sharing, Prost!
JMHO forcing patina is "stolen valor" of the knife world. Or claiming something you're not in the case of forced patina and real use. Great video keep up the good work.
Eh, I suppose so. To me at least, some of the most beautiful patinas tend to be planned. As much as I vastly prefer gaining one over time, I like having somewhat a sense of control for how it may turn out. I still agree with you, though. Cheers!
Cutting a lemon is real work. I do it all the time. My hands are callused and my forearms look like Popeyes. If you can bring yourself to get off the couch, I recommend you cut some lemons. Maybe later you can move up to apples.
I just got one. I love the classic look and design. Just don't cut live wire with this. 🙂 This, along with the Douk Douk and Opinel are my favorite classic, old-schoole knives.
"Nazi?!" How so? Because it's a knife that was favoured and purchased by German soldiers in both WW1 *and* WW2? A knife loved by American soldiers and brought home as a souvenir? A knife invented in the *mid 1800s?* A knife nicknamed "The Emperor Wilhelm Knife?" Not "The Adolf Knife". I believe you are mistaken in your reasoning. Plus, you're missing out on a very good knife! Cheers!
“I like cats….deal with it” that was great! Good review thanks!
😁 What can I say? It's true! Cheers! 🐈⬛
I have a brass, Otter. I love it.
Brass is a great choice! 👍Cheers!
Mine is copper.. cant wait for the copper to get a beautiful patina..👌🏻
Awesome review of this knife, buddy. I want one! Cheers!
Cheers to you, too!
I had one as a high school kid in the early 1970s. I lost it a long time ago and have always wanted a replacement because it is so THIN to carry. Now that I'm old and rich I have just ordered an all stainless one, finally, again. Good video.
Being reunited with an old friend, in a way! I hope you enjoy it as much as you did in the '70s.
Cheers!
Good choice, got the stainless one as a gift, and I use it for 5 years daily. Was not happy about it being stainless, but itˋs a very good steel for a knive like this. Holds the edge good and pretty easy to resharpen.
Everyone in my Boy Scout troop had one... that was 50 years ago.
I have been carrying one daily for 3.5 years as a pocket knife. It has stayed sharp, developed a wear patina on the blade, maintained its black finish (even if the gold has worn off on the logo), and is still tight with no wiggle.
The history of the use among gangsters and hoodlums in NYC is tied to the point that folding knives are legal there only if their blades are
These are certainly a time-tested piece! Mine's still holding up beautifully.
I was unaware the K55K was part of what led to that legislation, interesting.
Cheers!
I don't know if the K55K was directly tied to that legislation, but I do know it was popular because if you were ever stopped by the cops this knife was not in violation of the law (the blade being ~3.4" in length).
I've carried these for forty years. Lost a few, broke a couple but never went a day without one in my pocket. Mostly it's been my backup EDC. My primary EDC was/is a work knife for a specific purpose. My Kat was there when I put that one down because it is ALWAYS in my pocket.
It's only short coming is its lateral weakness. Like I said I've broke a couple. Other than that choose carbon steel for a sharper edge; let it rust, then buff it out.
Guten Tag!
Kaufmann (German) = Merchant (English) = Mercator (Latin)
The K55K has been produced in very large quantities since 1867.
Although it was often carried by German soldiers during the two world wars, it was never officially issued, but privately purchased.
It was frequently used as a weapon in the Bronx in the 1960s and 1970s.
For some time now, a version with corkscrew, awl and can opener is also available.
Guten Morgen!
I appreciate this comment very much, as many of the details mentioned I had neglected in the video!
I have recently been looking into buying another Mercator, so perhaps a re-review will be on the horizon. If so, I'll be sure to include these points! 😊
Cheers!
Fantastic informative video on a tried and tested pocket knife.thank you.paddy.
My pleasure! Cheers! 😊
Katze is right , but in German its Silberlöwe , an old German Word for Puma ! Your Video is great , thank you very much for presenting our German pocketknive ! 😊
Thank you for the correction! I did another video on a Mercator, recently-that being the Mercator Kupfer Klein. Perhaps you may be interested? 😁
Thanks again and cheers!
hey im wondering if you or other people here know any thing about the history of these knifes? I have one, it made its way to New Zealand during WWII. it doesnt have the cat or k55k engraved. from photos it seems the engraving isnt engraving rather punched much like MERCATOR on the base of the blade. I'm thinking mine is way older than wwII 1939-1945 perhaps its a 17th century knife. I cant find any info or pictures of older knives. any info would be much appreciated. I'm trying to date this thing..
Hi there!
To my knowledge, this knife was invented around 1867, so perhaps you managed to acquire one of the older models. I've only ever seen one Mercator knife without the cat, and that model was a 1950s West-German Military model. Here's a link, if you're interested in viewing it: www.militariazone.com/knives/1950-s-west-german-military-mercator-k55k-folding-knife/itm47709
Aside from that, all of these knives are stamped with some form of logo or designation. Perhaps yours is a special-order, made without the typical markings. Either that, or some form of knock-off/similar design by a different maker.
I suggest you enquire with Stefan Schmalhaus, as he is probably the most knowledgeable individual on these classic German knives.
Regardless, I hope some of this helped.
Cheers!
@TheKnifeRaven thanks!!! That's exactly what mine looks like.
@@rickyrooster8226 Neat! That'll be very valuable, nowadays.
Cheers!
@TheKnifeRaven it's been my fishing knife for about 15 years tied to my life jacket. Probably should stop that 😄. But my goodness. Any other knife would have seized shut with rust. I can't recall ever sharpening it either. Blade is still super sharp.
Very good knife ! 🇩🇪
Indeed it is! Cheers!
I like cats myself because I think they’re cute and lovable and I also love knives. At some point I gotta get a Black Cat knife because I’ve always had a thing for European pocket knives.
Exactly my reasoning! I also love the vast historic value. Cheers!
whats the width of the handle at the widest point?
@@faizt275 0.5cm or 5mm. Hope this helped!
Cheers!
It's not legal to carry in public without good reason in the UK. You can still own one. The lemon job is cool. I'm intrigued as to why it came out the way it did. Gonna have to try it. You just stuck the blade in a lemon and left it, aye?
Yup, checked it and went to bed. I'd estimate it was like that for around 10 hours.
@@TheKnifeRaven Thanks.
I know the carbon steel is probably better technically. However, I have the all stainless version, and whatever they used for the blade is superb at being stainless. 3 years on mine, and the whole knife doesn't have any spots, or rust on it. I've had it out in the rain, cut limes for drinks, and used it at work. The only differences now from when it was new are, the lock tab and spring inside turned dark grey, the keyring is worn pretty thin, and the knife has fine scratches and polishing all over it. No rust, no loose rivets, no bends or chips and still takes an edge. Just clean it with hot soapy water, and occasionally some cotton with rubbing alcohol to get the gunk out, and wipe it with cooking oil. After that, this knife would probably survive at the bottom of the ocean.
I prefer carbon steel, simply due to its rustic appeal. I've found that the claim of "carbon steel is easier to sharpen than stainless steel" is really dependent on how well the steel is tempered. A properly heat-treated stainless steel will almost always be better than a poorly tempered carbon steel. Among Otter's knives, I mostly have carbon blades, so I'm not in a position to make a comparison, as I haven't needed to sharpen the stainless models all that much.
Regardless, I'm glad to hear that the all-steel model has been serving you well. It sounds like the perfect example of 'beauty in simplicity'.
Cheers!
Great Video!
Vielen dank!
00:08:52
Ha!
Yes!
Guten Tag ! 😊
Forced a patina on my new one, love the thing.
I'm glad you like it. I hope the patina turned out okay. Cheers!
Great video I just subscribed 😌
And where can I buy it tho?
To start, are you from Canada, the US, or the UK (or otherwise)? I know many retailers in these select places.
I have a copper version and love it! I also have the Kat knife and really like it. Mine has a slight curve to the blade though which bugs me. Otherwise I have no complaints with my Kat knife.
Ah, copper! Quite the nice material, eh? I rather enjoy it! Blade warps bug me a fair bit. Although, I'm extra picky! Cheers!
get yourself a kiwi stud and you'll be fine.nice vid man.
The Germans have been using C75 (1075) steel since medieval times when swords were in regular use because 1075 is better for sword making than 1095.
Very neat! Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
His majesty the king wants the knife to close on your fingers while you are defending yourself.😊
😅 I'd laugh, if it weren't the case!
You don't use a knife for self defense it's a stupid Idea.
Mate we can have them in the UK we just aren't supposed to carry them unless we have a good reasonl to have one. I carry one most of the time and being out of the age where I get stopped and searched by the police I have never had any trouble.mind you I am a whitean of sixty.
I had one of them knives about fifty years ago it was the first lockback I ever saw. It had the cat on it and I think they called it puma but I think that was before the well known sportswear brand.
Very interesting story! Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
Our "laws" in the UK absolutely suck. These are fantastic knives. I have an Italian copy I bought from an antique store. Very similar except for the fact the pivot pin is made of brass and the thumb ramp is flush with the steel casing.
Sehr schoenes Video, vielleicht auch ein bischen History on this knife???>>>LOL
Not sure if you mentioned in your video about the great history on this simple knife....I love the fact that even the German Kaiser Wilhelm carried this same knife,,,,it also went to WW1 and even popular in WW2...never been an officially issued Amy knife!! WW2 GI's brought it home and pretty fast it developed a bad reputation, because youngsters in New York started running around with these blades....go figger...lol
I hope ya all know where the Cat comes from and why its called K55K!?? If not, here it is: K55K means Kaufman as the first K....the makers last name was Kaufman!! The 55 is the actual house number of the former factory in Solingen Germany and the last K is for Katze,,,which means cat in German....according to the factory history the had a house cat there inside the production halls...lol....And of course the name Mercator which is Latin, stands for KAUFMAN which means trades man....!! Cool, don't ya think!!??
Hallo! I was aware of the history behind it's name K55K, as well as it's popularity with German soldiers in both wars. Plus, it's reputation is sadly similar to the Douk-Douk or the Okapi. (Street gang weapons). I had not however known that Mercator translated to Tradesman, or the Cat lived in the shop. Danke for sharing, Prost!
JMHO forcing patina is "stolen valor" of the knife world. Or claiming something you're not in the case of forced patina and real use. Great video keep up the good work.
Eh, I suppose so. To me at least, some of the most beautiful patinas tend to be planned. As much as I vastly prefer gaining one over time, I like having somewhat a sense of control for how it may turn out. I still agree with you, though. Cheers!
Cutting a lemon is real work. I do it all the time. My hands are callused and my forearms look like Popeyes. If you can bring yourself to get off the couch, I recommend you cut some lemons. Maybe later you can move up to apples.
@@lostcat9lives322Hahaha
Gatekeeping patinas is not something I expected to see today
I just got one. I love the classic look and design. Just don't cut live wire with this. 🙂 This, along with the Douk Douk and Opinel are my favorite classic, old-schoole knives.
Mercator, Douk-Douk, Opinel and Higonokami are some of my favourite budget-friendly work knives. Excellent quality for a good price.
Cheers!
Cats Rock.
Sure do.
Dam they cost $80 here in Aus
Ouch! You should order from Canada!
@@TheKnifeRaven Did you happen to have a recommended store? I'll check it out.
@@TheDanteBoots I like Warriors And Wonders overall. They're your best choice, I'd say.
@@TheKnifeRaven cheers for that 👌
Sorry . You messed up a beautiful knife .
Never owning a Nazi knife
"Nazi?!" How so? Because it's a knife that was favoured and purchased by German soldiers in both WW1 *and* WW2? A knife loved by American soldiers and brought home as a souvenir? A knife invented in the *mid 1800s?* A knife nicknamed "The Emperor Wilhelm Knife?" Not "The Adolf Knife". I believe you are mistaken in your reasoning. Plus, you're missing out on a very good knife! Cheers!
@@TheKnifeRaven well said buddy. Love this knife.
@@TheKnifeRavenBeautifully corrected
Well done
are you a Zionist by chance? Moishe