Mercator K55K Black Cat Folding Pocket Knife

Name: Mercator K55K Black Cat Folding Pocket Knife
Brand: Otter Messer
SKU: P0001661
Price: 32.00 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)

£32.00

Brand: Otter Messer

Weight: 75 g 2 reviews

The Mercator K55K is a traditional folding pocket-knife of historic origin, first produced in the iconic knife-making town of Solingen, Germany in 1867. Little has changed from the original design, yet despite being in production now for over 140 years, the K55K is surprisingly modern even by today's standards, exceeding the quality and design of many newer knives. Perfect as a working tool for stalkers and bushcrafters alike, it also makes an ideal gift for collectors of historic knives.

The K55K first gained popularity in the United States following World War II, when returning servicemen brought Mercator knives home from Germany. Since then, the K55K's reputation has grown and grown, with outdoorsmen all over the world discovering its compact size, light weight (only 75 g) and premium build quality. The locking blade is made from Stainless Steel, resulting in a knife that is built to last and easy to sharpen. Ray Mears recommends the RWS Quick Sharp as the perfect sharpener for the K55K.

The knife's unique name originates from the company's founder, a Mr. Kauffmann. Mercator is the Latin translation of 'trader', which in turn is the English meaning of Kauffmann. The model name, K55K, comprises of the founder's initial, followed by the street number of the company's original address – Hochstrasse 55. The second 'K' is the initial of the German word for cat – katze - and the famous 'leaping cat' logo can be found engraved on the side of the handle. Indeed, for many years the knife was simply known as the 'Black Cat', or 'Jumping Cat' by American soldiers.

All folding knives should always be used with caution.

Details:

Handle colour: Black
Blade material: Stainless steel 1.4034
Blade length: 9 cm
Handle length: 11 cm
Blade shape: medium pointed
Blade thickness: 3.0 mm
Spring material: Carbon steel C75
Locks in open position
Lock release lever
'Leaping Cat' and K55K logos engraved on handle
Nail nick on blade
Lanyard attachment
Weight: 75 g

Under UK law, this item can only be sold to persons over 18 years of age. Woodlore will need to verify your age before your order is dispatched. From January 2020 age will be checked on delivery. This item cannot be delivered to a locker.

Out of Stock

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Shipping

Delivery in 1-2 days within the United Kingdom
UK Orders placed before 2PM GMT will be dispatched the same working day
Overseas delivery times will vary depending on the destination

Please note that our offices are closed at weekends, so any orders placed after 2PM GMT on a Friday will not be dispatched until the following Monday.

Orders with a total value over £300.00 will be dispatched free via a next day delivery service within the UK at no extra cost.

Please note that in some instances, orders for heavy items may take an extra day to arrive.

Overseas deliveries

For overseas deliveries, please refer to the following estimated delivery times:

Europe: 3 - 5 working days
Rest of the world: 5 - 7 working days

Returns

A full refund or exchange will be given provided that the items have not been worn or used, and are returned to us within 30 days of purchase, together with all relative labels and packaging. You are responsible for the cost of returning items.

Please ensure that you include a copy of your invoice, along with an explanation of why you have returned your goods. If you wish to return your goods for any reason, please do so to the following address:

Woodlore Limited
PO Box 3
Etchingham
East Sussex
TN19 7ZE
United Kingdom

Product Reviews

Mercator K55K Black Cat Folding Pocket Knife is rated 5/5 based on 2 customer reviews.

All of our product reviews are from customers with verified purchases.

Overall Rating:

(2)

(0)

1 of 2

I first bought one of these knives in the late 60s when it was not frowned upon for young men to possess a pocket knife, especially if you were a Scout. They are simple, superbly designed and hold a good edge. Over the years they were either lost, given away or just nicked so I was very happy to find that Ray Mears was selling them and bought one a few years ago then, unbelievably, it broke. The spring steel which holds the blade open for some reason had cracked. Hopefully this was very much a one off and I have now purchased a replacement. They are quite simply excellent bits of kit and I would never be without one.

Chris Waghorn

25th August, 2021

Rated: 5/5

2 of 2

A classic folding knife, this design goes back to 1867 when Kaufmann's produced the original version, which was almost identical to today's version, the key difference is the stamped lettering on the back of the folded handle. In terms of use, this is a very well balanced, light and robust, all round knife. I would suggest it is more suitable for general camp use in a bushcraft situation, you will not be battening with it. Having said that the design is almost unique in the world of classic knives due to its long unbroken manufacturing tradition. Made today by Otter Messer, who took over Kaufmann in the upheaval after WW11, this is a rare opportunity to obtain such a classic knife and I would not hesitate to recommend it for enthusiasts and users alike.

Paul Biggs

31st July, 2021

Rated: 5/5

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