Puma Knives

[CZU]

You can go on the PUMA website and enter the serial number and make of your knife and it will tell you when it was made. Nice site. Frank

It's not so much a serial number but more of a date/production code.

Here is a website with just about everything you would like to know about Puma knives.

Classic Puma Knives | A Community Resource for Puma Knife Collectors

 

[mauser9]

good web site CZU. Did not know stainless blades on the Skinner came out that soon. Sure have made lots of models! Have noticed the older models that have Pumamaster Steel on blade are going for big bucks on E-Bay

 

[Absalom]

..... Sure have made lots of models! Have noticed the older models that have Pumamaster Steel on blade are going for big bucks on E-Bay

I had no idea about the collectability of the Puma stuff when I brought it with me from Germany. I had this Puma "Hüttenbeil", a hatchet really too pretty to use which I acquired for no particular reason I can remember back in the early 80s, for I think around 100 D-Marks, which would have been about $60. Several years ago a collector I happened to chat with at a show here offered me $400 sight unseen when I mentioned it. Likely could have gotten more if I'd made an effort, but "bird in hand vs. two in the bush", so I happily concluded the transaction.

 

[Erich]

In case anyone is interested, here is a thread discussing a Puma SGB Sodbuster I bought for cheap a while back:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...-puma-sgb-yellow-bone-lonestar-sodbuster.html

I haven't used it in a while, so I went and dug it out. It's a perfectly good knife - if you can get one at a good price (and what I paid was about what I paid for a cheapie at KMart in 1980 or so), you won't regret the buy.

Just snapped this for this thread:

 

[bengal fan]

I've been collecting them since High school. Actually the wood handle lock back knife was a graduation gift from my girlfriend, now wife!

I always wanted a White Hunter, but wasn't willing to pay some of the high prices you see on line for them. Well, about 2 months ago I walked into my local favorite Gun shop and there was one in his case. I paid $125 for it

Quality of the German knives are first class.

 

[Texas Star]

I've been collecting them since High school. Actually the wood handle lock back knife was a graduation gift from my girlfriend, now wife!

I always wanted a White Hunter, but wasn't willing to pay some of the high prices you see on line for them. Well, about 2 months ago I walked into my local favorite Gun shop and there was one in his case. I paid $125 for it

Quality of the German knives are first class.

You need a Hunter's Pal for trout and small game and a drop-point like an Outdoor as a general outdoors knife. BTW, I paid the same $125 for one of my White Hunters, about 10 years ago at a gun show. It's okay for a knife designed by a committee, but I can't recall ever using mine. The Outdoor, backed up by a hatchet, is more practical.

 

[Texas Star]

Back in the last century, until about the 90s, the traditional Puma knives, especially the stag handle fixed blades of the Frevert line and the folders, were THE knives to carry for European hunters. I have a few from back then. They've had a lot of blood washed off them. But while they were stylish and very well made, the steel was never more than adequate, and the grip was less than comfortable.

These days, the old stuff is collectible if in good shape; for a usable knife, I'd recommend shelving the nostalgia and buying something made out of modern steel like ATS-34, 154CM, or better.

You sound like a man who needs a Fallkniven knife or a custom one. www.fallkniven.com


I can't enlarge thumbnail pics ON THIS BOARD, but think you have Model 3589 and the folder is Model 959? Very nice knives. Handles vary with the particular piece of stag. I handpicked my Puma knives for those that fit my hand. But some, like the Bowie, have handles too short for me.


I never bought a Model 959, as it's so thick. Too many blades. Baron von Frankenberg und Ludwigsdorf gave me a Model 943 that I treasure and have used occasionally.


I respected the Baron for admitting that he was wounded in action against Americans. Many Germans only claim they fought Russians in WWII.

 

[mauser9]

Awesome bengal fan!! True collector items there. Glad Puma marked them so we can check month and year manufactured. Deals like yours don't come around often. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Pisgah]

Most of the Puma knives were the SGB types, and the fit and finish were kind of rough. She stated that the SGB knives were hard to sell in her store. I was looking at one knife and noticed it had "Argentina" stamped on the blade. I was thinking - wow, now Puma is making their knives in Argentina...how is that saving them money? I think the clerk could read my mind as she explained that "Argentina" was the name of the knife I was looking at, not the country where the knife was made. That particular knife was Puma's version of the gaucho knife.

She either didn't know any better, or she was lying to you. Puma has had some knives made in Argentina for many years, along with Henckel and a couple of other German brands. Quality materials, but not quite up to the German-made standard of fit and finish.

 

[Texas Star]

She either didn't know any better, or she was lying to you. Puma has had some knives made in Argentina for many years, along with Henckel and a couple of other German brands. Quality materials, but not quite up to the German-made standard of fit and finish.

I thought those were made in Germany, for export to Argentina. I suppose many sell to Argentines, but I bet a lot so marked sell to tourists down there.


A gaucho knife is one of the things tourists would want, like a silver straw for sipping mate herbal tea.

 

[Drm50]

The 2 books somebody needs to write are a guide book on the
knives presently made. And another one on scopes and optics.
Both good items to get skinned on, if you are not up on your
stuff. You can no longer depend on brand names, they are all
farming out lines off shore.

 

[mauser9]

I'll second that Drm50. When I was a teen Puma was the knife often mentioned for upcoming sportsman as I recall. Never knew 50 years later they would be sought after by collectors and hunters alike. Some good knives out there as well as some bad these days.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Been following this thread ..... and doing some "looking"/research on the web.........

Puma seems to have 3 grades of knives...... some use the same name....across the grades.......just sent a "IP Outdoor Hunter" back to Amazon...... it's not 440 but some barely OK Chinese metal.... their are 2 versions of the "Outdoor Hunter"....one's $90 ( Steel 1.4034/RH 52-54) the other $140 (440C steel RH 57-60)

$20-100........look nice but most say................ crappy/lower grade Chinese barely stainless steel
$100 to 200 .......look like nice EDC with 440 C/A steels

$200-700........ German mystique....worth the big $$$s ...... good?????

Puma's "descriptions" of their knifes are a lot less than clear!!!!!