Puma White Hunter. Any problems?

[neanderpundit]

I've wanted one of these for about thirty years, and I'm going to buy one. I have looked at a wide variety of knives, and I don't think I can find anything like it in any other knife. I like the shape, the heft, the size.

I will NOT be puting this in a velvet lined case. It will be in my truck, on my hip when I'm hunting, and it will be cared for but it will be USED. I'm gonna pull the trigger damned soon. Anyone have any issues with one of these?

[clyde621]

I bought one when a K-Mart type store went out of business some 45 years ago. Still have it did some rought sharpening many years ago not knowing what I was doing. She is still going strong with the stag grips.

[neanderpundit]

cabelas has 'em for $200. Says 'hand forged solingen' on the blade. i'm assuming these are the real deal.

[neanderpundit]

I'm only going to do this once so I want the right knife. ill buy an old knife if they're demonstranly better, and in my world newer tech usually means better, more consistent quality. What has changed, specifically? if the troubles are cosmetic, I do not care. if the older blades are better, i'll go older.

the knives I saw at cabelas yesterday were nice looking but looks mean almost nothing to me. if there is question about blade quality that's a different issue.

[HTRN]

Chris, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Puma one of the knife companies that were hit hard by the export ban on India sambar stag?


HTRN

[SeekHer]

I had one in 1969 and sold it to a guy I knew and bought my first Randall instead and have never regretted it...I have a dozen Randalls now but still no White Hunters--just don't like the balance, feel and size but I have four other Puma models...The new ones come with a nylon/Cordura sheath and the older models IIRC came with a leather sheath with a pouch that held a whetstone…

Yeah, they're Solingen steel but assembled in the orient...Just like a Toyota is a Japanese car of Japanese materials but assembled in the USA by GM

The old ones had a makers mark across the tang of the blade that said Puma, I think, and the new ones have it acid etched near the bulge of the blade saying:
1½ 6375.....Handmade
PUMA.........WHITE HUNTER
Germany......Stainless
Blade length 15.5 cm, Overall length 27 cm, Weight 260 gr., Cost $219.00 CDN

They also make a model called the Waidbesteck w/leather sheath
Blade length 22 cm, Overall length 33 cm, Weight 598 gr., Cost $599.99 CDN
It is of German steel and assembled and hand fitted in Germany...A little longer and heavier and the blade shape is the same but the handle, also in Stag, has a top quillion--piece that sticks out--sometimes called a guard instead of just the single bottom one for the White Hunter.

Like Chris said if you can get one of the pre 1990 made ones do so and you won't regret the quality...How to tell one from the other? There must be a Puma Knife or a White Hunter fan club kicking around...

There is a Yahoo club – Puma Knife Collectors that I found for you…





From the A.G. Russell Knife Encyclopedia:
Quillion
A bar between the handle and the blade can be either single or double.

[neanderpundit]

Bought the White Hunter at Cabelas for $199.

Happy to report it's fine.

Book says Sambar Stag scales, they must have a stock therof.

Skinned Impala, Kudu, Lechwe, Reedbok with equal ease.

Kudu was more of a job than I expected, lord knows. Sheesh.

Thanks for the advice, folks. I might have been a teeny bit happier with a carbon steel blade, but not much, for sure.

[SeekHer]

I just received the latest Puma, Solingen catalogue and I have to say I'm quite impressed with their knife designs and the materials used...They have a much wider array of knives then I thought and over a very broad price and quality range...

Check out their web site Puma Knives!