Böker Bronco, CPM-3V

When designing their new fixed outdoor knife Boker BRONCO, Boker set themselves ambitious goals. It should be at the state-of-the-art of technical possibilities and offer optimal functionality with regard to modern needs. For this purpose, it should have the following characteristics:

• Universal and optimal usability for all professional outdoor users such as bushcrafters, campcrafters, survivalists, cross-country hikers, hunters, SAR teams and others.
• A blade made of CPM steel at the highest level of metallurgical possibilities
• A handle that fits comfortably in the hand even when working for long periods of time, completely encloses the tang throughout and does not dissipate heat from the hand when cold
• A high quality leather sheath that can be worn with or without a dangler, protects the knife from loss and damage, has a socket for a firestarter and is fitted with one
• 100% manufacturing in Solingen/Germany
• A moderate price with regard to the equipment

We were able to meet these ambitious requirements in the following way: The CPM-3V was developed by Crucible Industries LLC - the specialist and worldwide market leader in powder metallurgical steels - to provide unprecedented shock-load tolerance, breakage elasticity and splinter resistance with a phenomenal edge retention and hardness of 61±1 HRC. These properties of the powder-metallurgical carbon steel were achieved, among other things, by a precisely adjusted chromium content of 7.5%. In this way, the positive properties of the alloying element Cr, such as the increase in wear resistance and hardenability, could be utilised while maintaining a fine microstructure. The universal wide drop-point blade with a high-set saber grind has always been the hunter's preferred shape for both big and small game and is also suitable for both fine tasks such as stick feathering and for the more coarse, such as the obligatory batoning. The tang is continuous and protrudes a few millimetres from the end of the handle. This ensures maximum stability and the tang can also withstand powerful blows with a log or other object. A short part of the back of the blade forms sharp 90° edges on both sides for striking sparks from the included firestarter. TPE - thermoplastic elastomer - was chosen as the handle material, which completely encloses the tang and has a structure that provides a good grip in any loading direction. TPE is resistant, elastic, non-slip and has low heat conductivity. The knife therefore lies securely in the hand in all weather and working conditions and does not drain the strength from the fingers in wet and cold conditions. Compared to conventional elastomers, TPE also has the advantage of reducing the burden on the environment during production, as this is carried out purely physically and the lengthy and energy-consuming vulcanisation of chemically cross-linked elastomers is not necessary.

The knife is equipped with a quiver leather sheath - the supreme discipline in sheath construction - with a deep and firm fit of the knife. The knife is thus protected in the best possible way against both loss and damage when carried, without requiring a damage-prone lock that makes quick access difficult. A removable dangler allows for either a high carrying position on the belt or a low position under the hip belt of the touring backpack. In addition, the knife is equipped with a 9.3 cm firestarter / metal match from the market leader Light My Fire, which finds a place in a wide, tight-fitting leather loop firmly integrated into the piping.

This makes the Boker BRONCO a compact, versatile and complete wilderness and survival tool that is up to any situation.