Tom Claycomb reviews the Boker Plus Optima Hunting knife and its interchangeable three blades options.
Idaho – -(AmmoLand.com)- I recently discovered an interchangeable three-bladed folding knife that I hadn’t seen called the Boker Plus Optima Hunting Set. I like it. It’s a no-nonsense folding hunting knife with three blades.
Boker Plus Optima Hunting Knife Set
The main blade is a 3 3/8-inch clip point, and it comes with a drop point skinning blade that has a gut hook on top. The third blade is a saw blade attachment. First, let’s cover the three blades.
Clip Point Blade
I’m going to assume that the clip point will be your go-to blade. It would be mine. As stated above, it is 3 3/8-inches long which hits in my desired blade length. I like the design. For everyday carry, I choose a clip point.
It has a thumb stud to aid in easy/fast opening. Unfortunately, the stud is placed right at the high point on the handle so it is hard to get your thumb under it to activate it. I don’t want to say that you can’t open it one-handed, but it’s faster to open it using both hands. The clip point blade is the only blade that has a thumb stud.
Gut Hook
If you’re a drop point man, then I think you’ll like the design of this blade. The blade sets just low enough when closed that you won’t get cut by the gut hook on top. I don’t use gut hooks, but if you favor them, then you should like this blade.
Although gut hooks are advertised to be used for cutting the belly line, so you don’t puncture the guts, they also work great to mark the pattern on the hideout to each hoof from the belly line mark.
Saw Blade
If you like to have a saw blade handy, then you’re in luck. The third blade that it comes with is a stout saw blade. It should work fine for cutting bones or sawing small limbs out of the way in your ground blinds. I went out in the front yard and trimmed a ½-inch limb off my already over trimmed tree, and it made short work of it. I was impressed with its sharpness. This blade will come in handy if you’re quartering out elk, moose, etc. to pack them out.
It comes with a decent canvas sheath with a flap that lays over the top and snaps into place to keep your knife from falling out. It is a nice sheath and should easily hold your knife and extra blades secure. Which speaking of, there is a compartment along the back that keeps your two spare blades. I like the design of the sheath.
Removing Blades
Now for another cool engineering design on the Boker Plus Optima Hunting Set. To remove or replace blades on this knife is super easy, fast and safe. It takes me longer to open the blade than it does to remove it. To remove/replace a blade merely open the knife up to a 90-degree angle, press the lock on the back and pull the blade forward. That’s it. To install another blade just repeat the process. Push the lock and slide the blade (It has a slot in the end) into the handle and release the lock. Super easy and yet very secure.
The handle has a hole so you can put on a lanyard if so desired. Speaking of the handle, I like it. It’s constructed of G10 in a drab olive green color. The handle is only ½-inch thick, so it is thin and fits in your pocket nicely but is plenty big enough to hold firmly. This is a well built solid knife that has a lot of metal in the middle so it feels to be constructed stoutly and is a little heavier than you would think from just looking at it.
It has an MSRP of $69.95. As usual, we will close with the specs.
Boker Plus Optima Hunting Knife Set SPECS:
- Boker Plus Optima Hunting Set Clampack
- Type: Pocket Knife
- Total Length: 8.4
- Blade length: 3.5 in
- Weight: 6.0 oz
- Blade Material: AUS-8
- Handle Material: G10
- Lock: Backlock
- Opener: Thumb Stud
About Tom Claycomb
Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoors writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net and freelances for numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening for $.99 if you’re having trouble.”