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Böker’s Beguiling, Affordable New Japanese-Inspired EDC Knife Is Unlike Anything Else in the Catalog

This guaranteed conversation starter tackles daily tasks with significantly more style than most of its peers.

Close-up of a hand holding a red and black textured handle wrapped in a traditional Japanese tsuka-ito style.Böker
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By Steve Mazzucchi

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“Ehh, more of the same.” That thought crosses my mind regularly when surveying the latest crop of new pocket knives. 

It’s no one’s fault, really, as there are only so many shapes these EDC blades can take and still get the job done.

Knife with a silver blade and a handle wrapped in dark red and black textured cord.
Thanks to its unique aesthetic, the Kissako is, as Böker says, “a must-have for collectors of historically inspired knives.”
Böker

However, every once in a while, one comes along that cuts through the noise, so to speak, with its uniqueness. 

That’s the case with the new Böker Plus Kissaki, which, on sight alone, transports the beholder to another place and time entirely.

Samurai style

If it looks like knife designer and tattoo artist Thomas Krug took cues from traditional Japanese warrior swords, that’s because he did. 

In addition to the spirit of those legendary blades, the most tangible quality is the tip design, extending to a straight back blade and ultimately going full tang, 6.3 inches end to end.

Close-up of a small fixed-blade knife with a stonewashed steel blade and a dark red wrapped handle held in a hand.
While the straight back blade looks small compared to the handle, it’s plenty capable at 2.44 inches.
Böker

While the cutting edge may look stubby compared to the handle, there’s plenty to work with for those who choose to use this knife rather than add it to a collection. 

Made of budget-friendly 440C stainless steel, the stonewashed 2.44-inch Chū-Kissaki-style blade enables surgically precise cuts.

Close-up of a knife blade with red and black cord-wrapped handle and "M.B.F" engraved on the blade.
The offside of the blade displays both the steel material and the designer’s branding, which, by all indications, is an abbreviation of “Mein Bester Freund,” German for “My Best Friend.”
Böker

That makes it perfect for not only box opening and twine slicing but also more detail-oriented tasks such as leather cutting and carving. 

That said, you can’t be blamed for spending more time ogling the handle, as that’s where the Kissaki truly stands out from other Böker offerings and indeed most mainstream EDC knives. 

Close-up of a knife handle wrapped in textured red cord over a black textured surface.
Here, you can really see the imitation ray skin underneath the methodically wrapped cord.
Böker

A base of imitation ray skin (which mimics the pebbled texture of stingray skin) is wrapped in a wine-red cord using the traditional Hineri-Maki cross pattern.

This classic tactical knife styling is not without practical benefit, as it does provide a pretty reliable grip across its 3.86-inch length. 

Knife with a black blade cover and a handle wrapped in dark red and black cord.
The Kissako comes with a Kydex sheath and belt clip, increasing its EDC-ability.
Böker

The fact that gives the handle a resemblance to Beatrix Kiddo’s iconic Hattori Hanzō-crafted katana, among many other real and fictional blades, is just one heck of a bonus.

Availability and pricing

The Böker Plus Kissaki is available now for $75.

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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