Boker's Hidden Release Coffin Puts the Lock in the Bolster

Automatic knives usually announce themselves: a button on the scale, a plunge lock, a visible seam. Boker Plus's new Hidden Release Coffin does the opposite, deploying from a sliding front bolster so the closed knife has no switch to see.

The mechanism, as KnifeNews lays it out: slide the front bolster up and the blade travels to the open position; a similar movement lets it fold back. The blade is a 3.15-inch spear point in 14C28N, the scales are black G-10, the bolster is textured so your thumb has purchase while sliding, and the pocket clip is deep carry. Weight lands at four ounces on the nose, which is heavier than you would expect for a knife this size — the extra mechanism under the hood accounts for it.

The designer is Chuck Gedraitis, and the choice of him is not incidental. Gedraitis spent years building bolster-release automatics in the custom world, most famously the Switch Army — a Swiss Army-style frame rebuilt from scratch around single-action bolster deployment that went viral in the knife community in 2021. The Coffin is close in size to that knife without being a production copy of it.

Why bolster release matters beyond novelty: it removes the failure points a button automatic carries. There is no button to snag, no plunge lock to gunk up, and no opening in the scale for lint to enter through. The trade is a mechanism that has to be hand-fitted to feel right — a gritty bolster slide is far more unpleasant than a gritty button — and a knife you cannot easily service at home.

14C28N is the sensible choice for a knife like this. It is tough, extremely corrosion resistant and easy to sharpen, which matters more on a knife with a hidden auto mechanism than edge retention does. At four ounces it is not a lightweight, but the coffin-shaped handle and deep carry clip mean it will sit flat in a pocket.

Verdict: the most interesting automatic Boker has released this year, and a production outlet for a mechanism that has been effectively custom-only. Buy it if you want an auto that does not look like one. Skip it if you want a knife you can take apart, or if four ounces is too much for the blade length. Details at KnifeNews.