Boker Acht-Acht Flak Damast 121508DAM

With the Boker Acht-Acht Flak Damascus 8.8 cm collector's dagger, Böker presents its first military history project focused on artillery. The 8.8 cm Flak (short for anti-aircraft gun) is considered by many experts to be the best and, without a doubt, the most versatile gun of World War II. While the 8.8 cm was originally developed for anti-aircraft defense, its legendary reputation was forged primarily in ground combat.

While anti-tank guns with calibers ranging from 3.7 cm to a maximum of 7.5 cm were notoriously undersized for the armor of the time, Flak guns typically had relatively large barrel diameters. It soon became clear that only the 8.8 cm was capable of reliably penetrating the armor of, for example, the heavy British Matilda II tank or the Soviet T-34, and, above all, at ranges of up to 2,000 meters. An essential requirement was that the 8.8 cm Flak's barrel—completely atypical for an anti-aircraft gun—could tilt at a negative angle. This allowed the gun to be lowered below the horizontal plane to engage ground targets. Mounted on a four-arm cross-shaped mount, the gun could also rotate 360° on its vertical axis. Another advantage of the 8.8 cm Flak was its speed. This was due, firstly, to the short time it took to mount and dismount the mount, and therefore to reposition the gun. Secondly, it stemmed from its high rate of fire. In its semi-automatic design with a recoil-operated mechanism, the breech opened, the firing pin cocked, and the spent casing was ejected after each shot. A well-trained crew, typically composed of nine soldiers, could fire up to 20 rounds per minute. This allowed German anti-aircraft gunners to shoot down 9 out of every 1,000 enemy aircraft. This figure seems disappointingly low, but it is still considered the highest kill rate for an anti-aircraft gun in the history of warfare. The 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun also played a significant role in the legendary reputation of another World War II weapon, which Böker has already incorporated into a Damascus steel collector's knife. It was the main armament of the Panzerkampfwagen VI, better known as the Tiger. After proving its effectiveness in this role, it was later also used as the gun for the Jagdpanzer Nashorn.

The Acht-Acht Flak Damast project materializes as a full-size dagger with a medieval feel. Its central element is the slender yet robust 18.1 cm long blade, forged from parts of the 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun. The guard is turned from a single piece of locally sourced, stabilized hornbeam with 16 grooves. The radii and proportions of the 5mm thick stainless steel guard subtly evoke the outline of a cannon carriage with its side arms folded for transport. The silhouette of the deployed carriage is suggested at the base of the solid stainless steel pommel. The dagger comes with a dark brown leather sheath with a belt loop and reinforced tip. It is delivered in an elegant presentation case, with a certificate of authenticity and individual serial number.

Materials:
Blade: Damascus steel.
Handle: ironwood.
Sheath: leather.

Measurements:
Blade: 183 mm.
Overall: 320 mm.
Tickness: 6.1 mm.
Weight: 692 grs.

Made in Germany.