Boker 110629 Boker Minos Folding Knife with 3 1/8 in. Blade, Silver

No photographs can do this knife justice, or properly convey it's scale - I ordered one sight unseen, and was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and saw a knife one-third bigger than I expected! To put this knife in perspective- it's titanium frame-lock handle is as long and is thicker than the monolithic handle of Lionsteel SR1!At 5mm-thick, Minos' blade is also heavier than the equally-thick blade of Lionsteel SR1, primarily because of its shallower grind and more area of full thickness. The blade's finish is outstanding, with all sharp edges smoothed, no visible grind lines, good detent and action, and good (but not perfect) centering.But to fully appreciate Jens Anso's trickster-brilliant design, one has to take Minos into hand, and experience it's truly outstanding ergonomics:- The severely angled handle results in true pistol grip, with the cutting edge placed well ahead of fingers line. The weight-forward feel approximates a mini-kukri or a yatagan feel, while blade spine continues the upper outline of lower arm, resulting in more transferred energy and therefore more efficient cutting and thrusting motion. This is probably the most successful implementation of this "weight-forward" idea in a folder that I encountered so far. And with fingertips lodged well into maze-like grooves (that give this knife its name), grip is very comfortable and secure, with no need for abrasive micro-textures found in most other knives.Quality of fit-and-finish is outstanding and befits a German-made product: nothing rattles- no detent, no stop-pin, nothing; Everything is as solid and works as smoothly as Mercedes G-Wagen doors. This knife's quality is head-and-shoulders above anything price-comparable from Spyderco like the Vallotton and the Rubicon I owned.Now, I am well-aware of quality concerns that plagued recent BokerPlus collaborations with custom knife-makers. However, Minos is not a BokerPlus knife! And, either because Minos is part of the high-end made-in-Germany Boker TreeBrand lineup, or due some happy circumstances, my knife (numbered in late 500's) appears completely trouble-free, and very well-made indeed! Since it's packaging was pristine, and its box properly sealed in it's plastic wrapper, I presume it was factory-new.Overall, for me this knife has been a pleasant surprise. Its thoughtful design and great quality of implementation, as well as outstanding real-world functionality are the embodiment of good value, and caused me to return the similarly priced yet much-daintier man-jewelry Spyderco Rubicon.

Built like a tank from the best knife steel out there; there's no play, the blade is centered. It is a workhorse meant for lifetime use and a great gift for oneself. Thick titanium handles, stonewash finish that shown no wear, solid lockup and smooth opening, heft and balance....nothing I can criticize in its ergonomic design. For others doing this sort of design, it'll be a tough act to follow for the German-made knife...Solingen living up to its reputation as the center for the knife industry.