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Böker’s Affordable, Tactically Tinged New Gentleman’s Knife Looks Like a Modern Classic

If you’re going to derive your knife’s name at least partly from Arthurian legend, it had better have the form and function to match.

Close-up of a metallic object engraved with "BKR-10" resting on textured green fabric.Böker
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By Steve Mazzucchi

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In case you’ve been living under a rock — which would be rather ironic — Excalibur is arguably the most famous sword in history.

Whether it emerged from a stone or a lake (accounts differ), this mythical blade is so closely associated with King Arthur that one of the most famous (and, frankly, bonkers) on-screen adaptations of the legend goes by its name.

Folding knife with a green textured handle and a stonewashed blade standing upright on a tan fabric pouch.
Though it’s not immediately obvious, this knife does live up to its name in a couple of ways.
Böker

In other words, you’ve got to have pretty big, well, stones to name a pocket knife after it, even if you’re going for a play on words. 

In jest or not, Böker’s new Modern Exskelibur looks like a worthy challenger to the EDC throne.

What’s in a (k)name?

Right off the bat, I should point out that Böker and friends are clearly being a bit cheeky here. 

After all, this knife comes from South Africa-based designer Mike Skellern, who, of course, also created the original, rather popular Exskelibur and subsequent spinoffs.

Close-up of a green textured folding knife handle with visible screws and part of the blade.
Unlike Excalibur, we know exactly what this blade is made of: Böker’s own BKR-10.
Böker

The moniker is clearly a mash-up, so we can forgive them for the fact that this thing looks a lot less like an actual sword than some of Böker’s other offerings. 

It is still a winner in its own right, with this attractive new edition improving upon its predecessors in multiple ways.

Hand holding a folding knife with a green textured handle and a stonewashed blade.
The well-balanced knife measures 7.95 inches when deployed and weighs in at a respectable 3.21 ounces.
Böker

That starts with the blade, a stonewashed 3.43-inch drop-point made of BKR-10, Böker’s own specially commissioned powder metallurgical steel, rather than the original’s D2.

The brand itself compares the material to Japanese VG-10, which is valued for its balance of strength, sharpness and corrosion resistance.

Close-up of a folding knife with a textured green handle and visible metal locking mechanism.
The crossbar lock is one of the best in the business, not to mention among the most fidget-friendly.
Böker

A more obvious upgrade comes with the introduction of ambidextrous thumb studs and a crossbar lock, pivoting on a ball bearing. 

Together, these traits enable not only swift and smooth deployment of the blade but also seamless one-handed retraction, an undoubtedly trickier proposition with previous frame lock and liner lock iterations of the knife.

Green textured folding pocket knife with a silver clip on a gray surface.
The lanyard hole and reversible pocket clip make the Exskelibur easy to carry in a number of different ways.
Böker

Outfitted with a lanyard hole and a reversible tip-up clip for multiple carry options, the handle itself is made of ergonomically shaped and grippy textured green canvas micarta. 

This may be where “modern” and “Excalibur” converge most of all, as no hue is more associated with present-day fatigue-clad “knights” than that one.

Availability and pricing

The Böker Modern Exskelibur can be ordered now for $98. However, it does not actually launch until February 25th.

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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