Boker Plus ME 109 Damast

'The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was produced from 1935 onward and, with about 33,000 built, is the most-produced fighter aircraft in aviation history. Its official designation remained Bf 109 even after BFW became Messerschmitt AG, though the public also commonly refers to it as the Me 109. In the 1930s it represented a new generation of low-wing fighters with an enclosed cockpit, retractable landing gear and all-metal wings and fuselage. This stronger, more compact construction could withstand far greater loads than the fabric-covered tubular frames previously common, which also produced high drag from their external bracing. As a result, the Bf 109’s design allowed higher speeds and tighter turning and diving radii—critical advantages for fighter pilots.\n\nThe Bf 109 was armed with two 20 mm MG FF cannons in the wings and two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns mounted in front of the pilot. The MG 17s were synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller of the 1,000 hp Daimler V12 engine using an interrupter gear, allowing rounds to pass safely through the propeller arc; this placed the guns close to the pilot’s line of sight. The pilot’s seat was steel-plated inside the fuselage to provide protection from enemy fire.\n\nThe steel used for this Damascus project came from an E-series Messerschmitt Bf 109 that was shot down by a Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire in 1940 near Ashford, Kent. The salvaged parts are the rear plate of the pilot’s steel-plated seat and the bearing sleeve of the propeller shaft. Chad Nichols forged these components into a high-carbon, high-cut, 80-layer Damascus pattern.\n\nThe Boker Plus ME 109 knife incorporates numerous design elements of the legendary Messerschmitt. The opening at the rear of the blade base echoes the unmistakable shape of the pilot’s cockpit and is visible whether the knife is open or closed. The folds in the engine cowling’s sheet metal, where the barrel shafts of the two MG 17s sit, inspired the decorative detail at the tip of the blade. The flipper evokes a wheel from the retractable landing gear. The front carbon-fiber scale uses the “Toxic Storm” weave from Fatcarbon Materials in green, black and yellow, reflecting the Bf 109’s typical camouflage with a greenish-grey undercoat and a yellow nose. The opposite side features a titanium framelock with an integrated carbide contact surface. An elegantly integrated clip allows the Boker Plus ME 109 to be carried tip-up on the right. The knife is supplied with a high-quality storage case and a certificate of authenticity.'