Mercator K55K
Encyclopedia
The Mercator K55K is a type of pocketknife produced in Germany since around 1867. Mercator knives were primarily produced by Hy. Kauffmann, which was operational from 1856 to 1995. The Mercator K55K knife is still produced in Germany by Mercator, now a division of Otter-Messer.
, painted black, engraved with the outline of a leaping cat and the legend "K55K", with the second "K" being backwards. The blade has a nail-nick by which it may be grasped to pull it open, and it locks in the open position (a lockback knife), after which it may only be closed by depressing a lever at the back of the knife.
The Mercator's construction is similar to that of the French Douk-Douk
knife, in terms of the simple folded-metal handle. However, the Douk-Douk is a slipjoint
knife, whereas the K55K is a lockback knife.
, as returning servicemen brought Mercator knives home from Germany. Though some believe that the Mercator K55K was issued to German troops, no evidence of this exists. However, it is probable that many German soldiers privately purchased these knives for their own use.
Construction
The Mercator K55K is of very simple construction. The handle consists of a folded piece of sheet metalSheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
, painted black, engraved with the outline of a leaping cat and the legend "K55K", with the second "K" being backwards. The blade has a nail-nick by which it may be grasped to pull it open, and it locks in the open position (a lockback knife), after which it may only be closed by depressing a lever at the back of the knife.
The Mercator's construction is similar to that of the French Douk-Douk
Douk-Douk
The douk-douk is a French pocketknife of simple sheet-metal construction. It has been manufactured by the M. C. Cognet cutlery firm in Thiers, France, since 1929.-Design origins:...
knife, in terms of the simple folded-metal handle. However, the Douk-Douk is a slipjoint
Slipjoint
A slipjoint knife is one of the most ubiquitous types of pocketknives.A slipjoint knife consists of a handle with one or more folding blades. These blades are held in position by a strong "backspring" which biases them towards the open or closed position...
knife, whereas the K55K is a lockback knife.
History
This knife gained popularity in the United States following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as returning servicemen brought Mercator knives home from Germany. Though some believe that the Mercator K55K was issued to German troops, no evidence of this exists. However, it is probable that many German soldiers privately purchased these knives for their own use.