OTTER Mercator K55K folding knife stainless steel black metal engraved handle 11cm

Mercator knives were created by the Otter brand in 1867 in Solingen, the cutlery capital of Germany. Mercator, which means "Merchant" in French, is the Latin translation of Kaufmann, the creator of this legendary knife. The reputation of these knives was first established bysoldiers in the German army , who used them in times of war. The Mercator folding knife was then exported to the USA, where it became a household name in the Bronx, a working-class district of New York. Gangsters nicknamed the Mercator K55K folding knife "the black cat knife", after the cat engraved on the handle.

The name K55K has a meaning: the first K comes from the initial of the designer Kaufmann, 55 is the number of the street where the first knife factory was located, and the last K refers to the cat, which is called Katz in German.

In all, 40 manual operations are required to manufacture a Mercator K55K! Quality is preferred to quantity, which is why only small quantities are produced. The advantage of handcrafted design is that every aspect is meticulously controlled throughout the manufacturing process. German quality means perfect finish and edge. Today, Mercator pocket knives are prized not by gangsters, but by lovers of knives with a real history, and enthusiasts of traditional, hand-crafted knives, just like French Douk-Doukknives or Higonokami in Japan.

The blade of this Mercator K55K 10426.RK folding knife is made of 4034 stainless steel. You'll enjoy using the sharp blade of this German knife! What's more, the blade can be quickly sharpened with a sharpening steel or whetstone. Stainless steel protects the blade from corrosion and impact.

The handle measures 11cm and is made of black folded steel. This is the very first knife with a folded steel handle, created long before the famous Douk-Douk and Higonokami. The slim, lightweight handle features a beautiful gold engraving of a cat with the name of the K55K knife. A bezel allows you to insert a thin rope for a more secure grip. The visible pump lock on the handle locks the blade when unfolded to prevent accidental folding during use.

This Otter Mercator K55K stainless steel knife has been made famous by history: use it for your outdoor outings*, for cutting grass, hunting or even camping! It'll also make a great collector's item!

You'll also find all the other folding knives we offer on our Knifeleader.eu website!