Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Puma White Hunter..why?

The Puma White Hunter is one of those knives that has reached "cult" status..In the UK, new ones retail for around $600 while literally the skys the limit on certain older models..



Current specification says the 6" blade is "special D1.4 cutlery steel"..

A search on the net indicates that D1.4 likely a puma designation for 440A, a fairly average stainless steel by today's standards..

I have handled a few over the years, but I just don't get what the hype is about? For hunting, it is not a blade shape I would choose in a million years. In fact, for hunting I would take an Fallkniven Knives TK2 for just over half the price every time..



So what am I missing about the White Hunter? Does it deserve its cult status?

I had no idea it was a desired knife. My feelings on it match yours...not my choice for use.

You are not missing anything...they are not a using blade.

...townies seem to like them, though God alone knows why.

Not a blade shape or length that I would want to use.

While I am at it, I will two other what I would class as knives with a cult following which do nothing for me, and that is the Ka_Bar in its traditional form, and Randall's such as their Model 1..That said, out of the three mentioned I would tend to believe a Randall would be the better build quality, I just don't like their bulk, particularly their handle style..

When I was a kid, I thought they were the coolest knife ever with (to me) beautiful stag handles....they were expensive even then and I never could save enough to get one....might just buy me one someday....

I have a Randall 1-7 sitting at home and it works well for trimming the small branches and twigs from my fruit trees, it is surprisingly quick and light in the hand.

I have purchased a Randall 20 which should be arriving in a couple of days...and am contemplating an old style model 8-4 in carbon, ns, and stag.
Because...well...why not?

I shall probably just end up giving them away as I do with most of my knives.

I hunted a couple of times with someone who used a Puma White Hunter.

He used the rounded part of the blade to open up a deer's belly. He kept the curve razor sharp and he could field dress a deer quicker than you could imagine.

It would not be my choice as a hunting knife, either, but this man was an expert with it.



A friend of his asked me to make one for him. That is it in the lousy picture.

154 CM steel, brass guard, Rosewood scales.

Each to their own! It would be a dull place if we all liked/used the same things!

Getting back to knife design, I tend to like a Loveless drop point or variations on the basic design..I also like a knife with proper bolsters or a guard providing its not too big and bulky..

Nice work, and given the steel used, better than an original I would bet..

If folks like the basic shape of the White Hunter, Linder make a knock off known as the White Horse..





They use 440a for the blade and stainless steel for the guard..They retail at about $140, which I think is a much more realistic price than the Puma original..

To each his own. I collect vintage Puma's and have two of these...both pre-64's. However, while I do like them, they certainly aren't what hangs off my belt heading into the woods. Now a Skinmaster, that has much greater potential.

I saw one of those for sale on another forum for about $90..It looked in mint condition and the poster said it was unused..

Of course by the time I saw it, somebody had snapped it up!

I dig some of the Pumas. I must admit however, they are not for everyone. I think they are more useful for someone who actually hunts LARGE game and field dresses and butchers(or at least quarters) their meat and packs it out. Not a blade for the average deer hunter.

As for value, they probably are overpriced. The steel they use is nothing to write home about, IMO. They still get "cult" prices for them.

This is the only Puma I still own. They no longer make it, AFAIK.....

I've got one that someone gave me for a wedding present. I'd sell it to anyone that's interested for the price you mentioned.

Reminds me of something a 12 year old boy would design.

I just received the Randall model 20 in the mail...that 12 yo lad must of had a friend that designed the Randall.

I shall give it to someone local that needs a knife.

Try and find one in the Stag or blackwood, different animal all together. It is an integral, very stout design.

Gonna have to break some out and get pics for all you haters.

I have one right now that a friend/customer wants the split handle repaired.
Originally he had asked me to make one from scratch for him and thought there would be a market opportunity to work up a production run.
I absolutely refused to try to grind such a blade pattern by hand.
I will rehandle the cracked wood and replace it with stag for him---since he has five of my knives.
This is one pattern that does not appeal at all to me....but there does seem to be a niche for them. Well, two niches. A beater or a collector.
jmho
Tim

THAT knife is ugly, shaped all wrong, made from crap steel, and is useless. That ANYone would find it 'desirable' is laughable.

Et tu Sam?

LOL