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N EW IN
2015
THE KNIFEMAKERS WHO WILL BE HOT
MARCH 2015
www.blademag.com
THE MONGO
OSE
BY DA
GALLOWAY NIEL
A
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O N E TO
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Display until January 26, 2015
FACTORY FOCUS |
BY STEPHEN GARGER
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF POHL FORCE KNIVES
POHL FORCE KNIVES
“E
very knife has a story somehow,” said Phil Cookson of
Pohl Force USA, the stateside version of Dietmar Pohl’s Pohl Force
Knives based in Burscheid, Germany.
“For example, Dietmar has a lot of contacts in the German Kampfschwimmer Naval Commandos [German Navy
SEALS] and goes up to Northern Germany, where he spends time talking, listening and diving with them. He drew a lot
of the characteristics for his Romeo Two
design from those experiences.”
In addition to underwater operations,
the titanium-blade Romeo Two can also
serve as a pilot survival knife and for
battlefield clearance personnel, where titanium’s anti-magnetic properties make
8 6 BL ADE MARCH 2 015
it the right knife for explosive ordnance
disposal.
“Dietmar’s a very good listener and not
only listens, but tries to somehow create and turn ideas into a practical knife,”
Cookson said. ”Quite a few of the designs
are from his experiences with operators
and knife users.”
Pohl’s initial interest in military and
tactical knives can be traced to the work
of the late BLADE Magazine Cutlery
Hall-Of-Fame© member, Jimmy Lile.
Pohl cited Lile as his “lifelong inspiration”
as a result of the Rambo movies First
Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II and
the Lile survival knives Sylvester Stallone
used as John Rambo in those films.
“I have worked in the knife industry
Dietmar Pohl, founder of Pohl Force Knives,
holds the Quebec Outdoor One fixed blade.
The knife is the company’s modern interpretation of a model originally developed
for the U.S. Marines in the early 1950s.
Though the knife was never officially introduced, Special Forces units reportedly used
the original during the Vietnam War. The
Quebec (top) features a 7.59-inch blade of
Sleipner stainless and a G-10 handle.
The Mike 1 outdoor version is the
most popular model in Pohl’s EOD
line. MSRP: $360. Blade steel
comes in a choice of D2 or Niolox
and the handle is 3D-CNC
milled. Blade length:
3.74 inches.
20 years now, 14 as a designer, marketing
manager and product manager for two
Solingen-based companies,” Pohl said. “I
designed more than 100 knives that went
into serial production during those years.”
He is also known internationally for his
books on combat and tactical knives. In
2008 he founded Pohl Force in Germany.
Pohl Force USA was launched at the 2012
BLADE Show. “Even though Gil Hibben
and Daniel Winkler taught me how to
grind and forge a knife, I am not a knifemaker,” Pohl noted. “I am a designer.”
POHL FORCE USA
attn: P. Cookson and/or S. Ehinger
Dept. BL3
Belleair, FL 33756
727-468-2002
www.pohlforceusa.com
SPECIALTIES: Folders and fixed blades in
a range of both higher- and lower-end
tactical and outdoor styles
MSRP RANGE: $195-$516
BLADE MATERIALS: D2 tool steel, Niolox
and 440C stainless, and titanium
BLADE FINISHES: Bead blast,
stonewashed, powder epoxy, PVD and
PTFE coatings
HANDLE MATERIALS: GRP, G-10, 6A14V
titanium, canvas Micarta®
ACCESSORIES: Those reflecting a “concept
systems” approach, including knifespecific Kydex®, nylon and leather
sheaths, shoulder harnesses, leg
adapters, Cordura holsters for MOLLE
vests and more in MSRPs from $9.99 to
$125; also knife collector pouches
Lion Steel, winner of the BLADE Magazine
2014 Manufacturing Quality Award, makes
the knives in Pohl’s higher-end EOD line.
Dietmar Pohl (left) visits with Gino Pauletta
(right), Lion Steel founder, at the 2014
BLADE Show.
I queried him about the knives’ manufacture and quality control.
“Because the price was an important
point, we produce the Alpha, Bravo,
Charlie, Lima and Romeo designs in Taiwan, but each knife comes here to Germany and goes through our very strict
quality control,” Pohl explained. “In 2012
we teamed up with the Maniago, Italy,
based company, Lion Steel, whose knives
are state-of-the-art and who received the
BLADE Magazine 2014 Manufacturing
Quality Award, which says everything.”
Pohl Force has two product lines: the
Italian-made EOD (Euro Ops Division)
higher-end knives and the lower-pricepoint models produced in Taiwan.
“It comes down to quality control. Every knife, no matter where it’s manufactured, is examined by Dietmar personally
before it goes out,” Cookson stressed. I
was taken aback by Cookson’s claim and
sought clarification that Pohl looks at every knife. Dietmar told me he does. ApMARCH 2 015 blad emag.co m 87
FACTORY FOCUS |
In addition to underwater operations, the titanium-blade Romeo Two also serves as a pilot
survival knife and for explosive ordnance disposal. Other features include a GRP handle and
PVD blade coating. Overall length: 9.84 inches. The Kydex® sheath includes a MOLLE nylon
adapter. MSRP: $340.
parently, the process is working.
“I can count on one hand the amount
of returns I’ve had,” Pohl stated proudly.
“The people who use our knives are my
customers and there’s a very personal
thing going on where they can call me
anytime.” Every Pohl Force knife, regardless of product line, is serialized, recorded
and comes with a signed certificate.
As for some of the knives’ distinctive
features, Pohl pinpointed the Alpha. “It
was the first design for Pohl Force and
the knife is so big because no operator in
the world goes without gloves into combat,” he began. “I also use slot screws for
the handle because, although Torx screws
look more sexy and technical, they’re not
practical if you want to maintain your
knife in the desert.”
Both Pohl and Cookson emphasized
that Pohl Force also designs and provides
accessories reflecting, as Cookson noted,
that “Pohl likes to think in concept systems.” For example, tactical accessories
include knife-specific Kydex® sheaths,
shoulder harness systems and Cordura
holsters for MOLLE vests.
Blade steel depends on the product line.
Along with the aforementioned titanium,
440C stainless is standard for the Alphas,
with D2 and Niolox used in the EOD offerings. “Niolox is something Lion Steel
The Alpha Two (top) and Bravo One frontlock folders feature blades of bead-blasted
440C stainless and GRP handles. Respective
inch blade lengths and MSRPs are 4.44 and
3.26 and $240 and $195. Inset at the 2014
BLADE Show is Dietmar Pohl with ABS master
smith Daniel Winkler, the latter whom helped
teach Dietmar how to forge knives.
8 8 BL ADE MARCH 2 015
uses extensively and they have a lot of
experience with—a tool-grade stainless
with a Rockwell of 58-59 HRC and excellent anti-corrosion,” Cookson explained.
“We find it applies to military and law enforcement people who often work in highmoisture environments and do not want
to be constantly maintaining their tools.”
The Taiwan-manufactured knives
come with a GRP (glass-fiber-reinforced
plastic) handle, while the EODs are available in G-10 and canvas Micarta®. The
manufacturer’s suggested retail price for
the EOD line’s most popular model, the
Mike 1 outdoor version with a polished
blade, is $360. The survival version with
a Niolox blade and PVD coating is $390.
As for the future of Pohl Knives, Dietmar stressed there are no plans to work
toward radical growth. “We want to be
recognized as the small company with
specialized products, like Chris Reeve
Knives,” he noted. “Chris belongs to the
very small group of people in the knife
industry that I highly admire, and Daniel
Winkler also belongs to this group.”
Cookson outlined the company’s philosophy. “We don’t flood the market with
new designs, we tend to take models out
and introduce them so the customer isn’t
overwhelmed,” he said. “Our dealers
are Blade HQ, KnifeCenter and White
Mountain Knives, along with us directly,
and the pricing is consistent so you can
go to the dealer you like.”
Pohl Force USA recognizes the uphill
battle in establishing itself in America.
“The knife community is quite critical
and you have to earn respect,” Cookson
concluded. “You have to convince everyone that you are a credible, serious com-
pany that produces quality knives.”
They’ve got the knives. With that kind
of game plan, Pohl Force Knives and Pohl
Force USA have their goal well within
sight.
To read all about the latest knives, knife
news, forums, blogs and much more, see
blademag.com.
Pohl Force offers accessories reflecting a
“concept systems” approach, including
knife-specific Kydex®, nylon and leather
sheaths, shoulder harnesses, Cordura holsters for MOLLE vests and more.
MARCH 2 015 blad emag.co m 8 9