UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Hunting, Forestry, and Shooting Forum Puma Nicker, vor 1964

I would like to start this thread, Puma Nicker, vor (before) 1964. I love my Puma knives. My 1st was a 1985 Puma 6396 Bowie I bought new in 1989 and I have this knife in the original box with papers and receipt.

Now I would like to show some older Puma Nickers. The "German Knife and Sword makers 1945-1950" by J. Anthony Carter notes the "Puma, Solingen" mark was registered April 1926. This mark is also found in the 1930 Puma catalog. The German site "PumaHunter" under "Blankwaffen 1936-1945", shows a Forsterdolch Deutsche Jagerschaft / Ca. 1935 with this mark.
Note that there are two variations of the "P" in Puma, (see 2nd photo), both are found in the 1930 catalog.

Below the Forsterdolch Deutsche Jagerschaft / Ca. 1935 on the German site "PumaHunter" under "Blankwaffen 1936-1945" are two Jagdnicker Deutsch Jagerschaft / Ca. 1940 with the "Puma head, Puma, Solingen" stamped mark.

At some point the Puma head was added to the stamp. My theory is the year was about 1936. Others have this stamp as post WWII. I believe there is an etched mark that was used, maybe after WWII and up until 1964.

I need some help on this thread. I know there are many Puma collectors out there, this maker is known the world over.

I would like to note that in the first and second pictures there is a difference in the metal fittings on the sheaths.

The sheath with the notched metal fitting is the same as the 1930 Puma catalog.

The sheath for the deer foot Puma does not have the notch and maybe be a later variation or a replacement sheath.

I have seen pictures of a group of four Nickers and the Weidmannsheil sheath was on the wrong Nicker, and not on the Weidmannsheil Nicker.

Research notes:

Puma Bayernmesser (Nicker): Deer foot handle, straight metal fittings on sheath, blade marked with "Puma head, Puma, Solingen, 1aGusstahl" (cast steel).

Puma Nicker: Stag handle, "V" notched metal fittings on sheath, blade marked with "Puma head, Puma, Solingen, Rostfrei" (rust-free).

Research notes:

I am not sure the "Puma head, Puma, Solingen" mark is stamp. It may be that the mark is a deep etch with black letters.

The "Puma head, Puma, Solingen" mark is found with gray letters and what looks like a shallow etch and maybe later production.

Here is an etched Puma trademark on a rare Puma.

Here is my first contribution to the cat mm, stamped. An at least even rare one . Sorry for the blurry pic but you get the idea.
Have to look for my knickers, have also several of them but most of them are in use.
Regards,

Have had several III R daggers with this prestigious trademark like army, SA, luft but they are gone now. The one (which one ? :)) pictured before did stay.
Here my hunting nickers.

1 The first one I have still shown here in the forum elswhere, an old one with artificial stag grip. For sure stamped tm and I think pre 45.

Sorry, not before 1964 as far as I know or remember:

2 my most honored one. Got it from the widow of my highly estimated late hunting friend. We did hunting for about 48 years together... The trademark is long gone to time (with a lupe you can see the cat´s ear) but I know it is one of the rarer "modern" hunting knickers of PUMA. He was so proud when he did buy it as I already had another model. At thes times PUMA hunting knives wee not so easy to get as they were (as always) very expensive and the dealers did not have them immediately available.

3 a fancy, kittenish model with much what we call schnickschnack (in the grip) you never need. Got it as a present from a friend but never used it.

4 one of my (very carefully) often used ones. Part of a "Waidbesteck" after Ofm Frevert.

Have to look still for my usual and mostly carried one (which is also after 1964) if interested... Regards,

Many thanks to Dave & Wotan for their Puma photos.

The 1930 Puma Musterbuch catalog refers to these knives as "Stilets, Bayern-Messer" also called traditional Bavarian daggers that were worn with the lederhosen in a small pocket.
These knives are also known as a Nicker.

The 1930 Puma Musterbuch catalog shows that 4 sheaths were offered:
One with no metal fittings.
One with a belt loop and plain metal chape on the bottom.
One with the "V" notched metal fittings, this was probably the standard model.
One for the fancy "Weidmannsheil" model.

Research notes:

The 1930 Puma Musterbuch catalog shows a Bayern-Messer (Nicker) with the fork attachment that is screwed into the bottom of the sheath.

This sheath has metal fittings that have a scalloped edge.

Wetzel, wotan,

Puma makes nice knifes, thanks for showing them guys. wotan, I would love to see it. I haven't forgotten your artificial stag grip Nicker, very nice indeed. Wetzel, that Waidmannsheil Nicker is very nice.

Thank you, Mikee,

the Waidmannsheil Puma has some excellent stag with very little trimming at the bottom only.

The only minus is the fact that the Nickle-Silver rivet is missing from the lower metal chape.

What I want to know is when did the 1930's Puma mark ("Puma, Solingen") used on the blade of the Bayern-Messer (Nicker) change. The last example I found was used on a dolch blade in 1935.

In 1936 the Nazi's started to really take over and I believe 1936 was the year of change to the ("Puma head, Puma, Solingen") mark used on the Bayern-Messer (Nicker). The pumahunter site shows this mark used on the blade in Ca. 1940.

See: www.pumahunter.de (under "Blankwaffen 1936-1945", scroll down just past the HJ knives).

years ago when I was collecting fighting knives Puma was the one to get/have!

Wotan,,the last 2 you show [3 & 4] are me favorites and always look for 3,,[has cork screw, couple blades in handle].. Love it but can't find one.........

C.W.,, great post,,good info as usual and wonderful examples to ogle! Thanks for the treat!

Hey Gaspare,

you want the Puma Waidmesser model 3591 / 3597.

Some models have a sack sewing type awl instead of the corkscrew and some models have the hard-to-find Philips screwdriver instead of the corkscrew.

Search eBay and you will find these knives. It would be nice to get one in the box (cardboard / plastic) with papers & tag or for the big bucks, get one in the wood presentation box.

Some older models came with a sharpening steel tool.

I found this image of what is advertised as a 1950's Puma Jagdnicker with "Puma head, PUMA, SOLINGEN, SONDERSTAHL" maker's mark.

Research note: SONDERSTAHL=SPECIAL STEEL.

The 1930 PUMA catalog shows the Scheide # 4 (Gabelscheide) Fork-sheath. The 1930 PUMA catalog pictures the 2-prong fork. Later this was probably replaced by the 3-prong fork.

I just bought this PUMA 3-prong Gabelscheide with Nicker on a popular auction site. The seller from Conn. listed it for $325.00 "Buy It Now" price. I went back to the site about one hour later after some research and the seller was then listing this knife for $239.00 "Buy It Now" price.

This knife has the "Puma head, PUMA, SOLINGEN, ROSTFREI" maker's mark on the blade. The other side of the blade is marked "ABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO. MADE IN GERMANY". It is noted that PUMA did most of their work for Abercrombie & Fitch about 1940 to 1960.

This PUMA knife with fork-sheath arrived today. I have 2 issues with fork-sheath. The fork does not screw all the way in. (threads may be the issue inside of sheath).

The Puma 10 cm knife blade does not go into the sheath all the way. It sticks out about 5mm.

My Puma deer foot knife with 9 cm blade does go all the way in the fork-sheath.

All my other Puma knives fit the sheaths like a glove.

This makes me think this Puma knife may not be original to the sheath.

A Puma knife with a 10 cm blade was probably placed in this fork-sheath.

The seller from Conn. did not mention the 2 issues. I should have asked the seller as the pictures show these issues.


Regards, Calvin.

I fixed the 2 issues with the PUMA Gabelscheide. With 1 drop of Hoppes Gun oil, turning fork "tight to loose", over and over, a drop of more oil and "tight to loose", until it went all the way in.

Then I took off the top metal sheath fitting which was loose. The glue had let go and the metal fitting was pushed down.

I then cleaned the green verdigris under the fitting and reglued the metal fitting to the top of the sheath.

The knife now looks right, and the fork also goes completely into the sheath on the top and the bottom.

My PUMA with Gabelscheide now has no issues and maybe original after all. Wunderbar.

Here is the link for Classic Puma knives, look under "MODELS" for the "TRAVEL SET" with the knife and fork-sheath. https://classicpumaknives.com/new-to-website/

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A PUMA nicker with "Puma head, PUMA, SOLINGEN, SONDERSTAHL" maker's mark is listed as brought back from WWII. This PUMA has a wood handle made to look like stag.
This got me thinking about the length of the maker's mark on my PUMA nickers.

The PUMA Weidmannsheil with "Puma head, PUMA, SOLINGEN, Rostfrei" mark is a deep etch and is 21 mm across.

The PUMA nicker W / fork has the same mark but is very lightly etched and 19 mm across.

My 1930's PUMA nicker model Nr. 3546 1 / 2 with a 10 cm blade has the "PUMA over SOLINGEN" maker's mark with "bars" on the PUMA letters and is 15 mm across.

My 1930's PUMA with deer foot handle and a 9 cm blade has the "PUMA over SOLINGEN" maker's mark with the plain PUMA (no bars on the letters) and is 13 mm across.

Both variations of PUMA (plain) & PUMA (with bars) are found in the 1930 PUMA catalog.


C. Wetzel-20609.

1930's PUMA catalog, top: 2-prong fork sheath for nicker. Bottom: Sheath for nicker with belt loop (note buttonhole on back of sheath belt loop).


C. Wetzel-20609.