I have a passion for short fixed-blade EDC knives. And they are hard to find.
I had been eyeing the new Pocket Tango with its magnetic sheath, but my original intention was to buy a Lulu from KNAFS — until I found out it was not a true Scandi grind because of the micro-bevel they added after discovering Magnacut was chipping with their original geometry.
At least they were honest enough to announce it, but for the price, I felt my Wolfspyder already covered the same territory in a folding package.

So I wanted a robust small fixed blade that would bring something new compared to a folding knife: lateral strength, for example. While looking around at all the new Magnacut fixed blades made in Italy, I found one that was instead made in Solingen… Germany!
And for less than half the price of the beautiful little Lulu.

I discovered it had originally been designed for a TV survival game and for German YouTubers filming themselves surviving in Canada.

Quoting Böker’s site:
“Two streamers in the wilderness? (…) Trymacs (29) from Hamburg and Rumathra (27) from Bonn will compete together as a team in the upcoming season of 7 vs. Wild and face the 14-day adventure in the wilderness of Canada. The two heavyweights from the German streaming/gaming scene together have over 4 million followers on Twitch (Trymacs 3.4 million, Rumathra 0.7 million) and also have a strong presence on YouTube and Instagram. As part of the intensive preparation for this borderline experience, the choice of the right equipment – especially because all items have to be stored together in a 1L Nalgene bottle – played an elementary role for the two.“
OK. Why not. But eventually, who was the designer?
He’s American, and his name is David Wenger. His interview can be found here on Böker’s site.

David clearly knows his craft, as he is both a bushcrafter and a former builder. Looking at his own knives, you can immediately see his passion for dependable tools meant to be used hard in the wilderness or in the garden. As far as I am concerned, he has created a truly excellent fixed blade for Böker.
Especially because simple designs are often the hardest to get right.

Remember how impressed I was by the Casström N°10 seven years ago? This “Vigtig” is following the same path in my opinion. Its design looks simple, but in reality it is highly refined. It is both a robust and very sharp knife!

The first thing to consider is the price of this knife: 135 euros shipped from Knives&Tools. Not bad at all considering that K&T is not usually the cheapest retailer on the web.
It is even sold cheaper than the Casström, which currently sits around 166 euros (June 2024). (The imported Lulu tops out at 295 euros!!)
And the Vigtig (“Important” in German) comes in CPM Magnacut, just like the Lulu — but with a true Scandi grind! Sharp as my mother-in-law’s tongue!
And this is simply one of the cheapest CPM Magnacut knives available today.
Also, with an 8.5 cm blade length, it is not designed as a “companion” knife but rather as a true main bushcraft and survival tool.

The moment I held the Vigtig, I immediately appreciated the ergonomics of its green Micarta handle. This knife feels good in the hand. It is well balanced. It feels alive! (Something I have been missing from Spyderco lately — and that comes from a French Spyderco fanboy who loves stropping Magnacut on leather, because CPM Magnacut is a pleasure to strop.)
The Micarta is smooth yet naturally grippy. Oh boy, when you hold the “Important,” you are gripping a real tool. Something built to be used hard in a very compact format. Let’s not forget that it is even shorter than a deployed Endura (22 cm against 19 cm for the Vigtig!).
The scales are not fully rounded, but this softly boxy shape helps you instantly know the angle and orientation of the edge. That is why I generally prefer boxy or flat-handled knives like the Native or the Wolfspyder pictured here.
The Vigtig is marketed as a “survival” knife, but in my opinion it is equally a bushcraft knife, both in dimensions and ergonomics.

The rounded handle of an Opinel has always been somewhat problematic for me. You gain comfort, but you lose precision during cuts. That is why I was always placing my thumb on the blade to know exactly at which angle it was positioned.
With the Vigtig, the knife feels completely at ease in your palm. It is extremely comfortable and radiates quality and strength. There are strong heavy-duty vibes here (just like David from KCI recently said about the new Manix XL Crucarta)!
This is mandatory for a compact tool you expect to use for hours (like the Proficient, for example, which remains hard to beat but feels more premium and less blue-collar than the Vigtig).
The Vigtig may not be “perfect” ergonomically, but it is at least very, very good — and it was even qualified as a “Super Knife” by the Dutch Bushcraft Knives boys.

There is a sharp section on the spine near the tip designed for use with a ferro rod. Since the stock is 4 mm thick, it does not create discomfort for my left thumb. Those sharp edges can also be used to scrape bark for various purposes.
Personally, I would have preferred a rounded spine because I often apply pressure cuts using my left thumb.

Now we have a true Scandi grind. No micro-bevel.
The Vigtig pops hairs right out of the box.
Magnacut is famous for its extremely fine grain structure, strength, and toughness.

It bites into wood like nothing else and keeps its crisp edge.
Böker announces an HRC of 62-63. Hard, yet still tough!

If there is one thing the Scandi grind struggles with, it is my Plastic Bottle Bottom test.
Where a Nilakka or an Opinel will glide through easily, the Scandi tends to get stuck. This is purely a geometry issue: the Scandi acts like a wedge.

CPM Magnacut also absolutely loves leather stropping. It delivers the behavior of a tool steel in an extremely stainless alloy. Frankly, this is a bushcrafter’s dream! The edge is highly resistant to the elements, and it is an easygoing tool that can even be used near saltwater without a second thought.

Especially because there is a hidden compartment inside the handle.
“A special highlight can be found inside the handle. Instead of hollow studs, the two large screws can be easily removed with the help of a coin, revealing an ample compartment with a depth of 14 mm compared to the outer dimensions of the handle, where tweezers, tinder, charcoal tablets, a fishing kit and safety pins, for example, can be easily accommodated.“

I personally will not use it, and I will probably secure the screws with some blue thread locker. But at least, if necessary, you can use the knife without its Micarta scales and still benefit from the hidden compartment.
Rambo is never far away whenever survival knives are discussed.

My previous hard-use EDC fixed blade was this 1095 multitool knife. It is now replaced by the Vigtig because it is much sharper and built from a far superior alloy. Notice how convex I had ground the old 1095 — I will not need that with the CPM Magnacut Scandi edge, as I experienced zero damage even when using it on hard dry bamboo.
These compact, robust fixed blades can do everything a large folder can do — and much more! The main difference is simply the need to clean the blade before resheathing it.

Another critical thing to evaluate on a fixed blade is the sheath!
The Vigtig sheath is also excellent in my book and comes with a clip for belt or pocket carry. The taco-style Kydex construction is my favorite because it is slimmer than pancake-style sheaths.

I carry the knife directly in my pocket, where it can easily be removed by pushing against the Kydex lip with the thumb and then returned to the sheath one-handed. The sheath opening is wide enough to guide the blade back in without difficulty.
The clip is a little too strong for my taste because I like being able to quickly move a sheathed knife into a bag. So I usually carry the sheath without any hardware. Its slim profile fits perfectly in my pocket against my wallet.
Inside the front pocket of my old denim jeans, the Vigtig stays perfectly in place and is immediately forgotten thanks to its ideal EDC dimensions.
Great sheath!

So yes, this knife was genuinely designed to be a fixed-blade EDC. It enters a territory forbidden to folding knives: being ultra-solid, robust, and forgiving under hard use without compromising carry comfort.
I am really looking forward to using it in the forest, and I would not even hesitate to use it by the sea! The Vigtig could almost be considered an amphibious bushcrafter.
For now, it will mostly be used around the house for mundane tasks, because that is the best way to truly get to know a knife.

For those who believe Scandi grinds are not kitchen-worthy… 😉
So far, I have been able to use it in the kitchen with ease despite its 4 mm blade stock. It sliced thin loaves effortlessly.
Frankly, after using it extensively in the kitchen, I can say it performs amazingly well for such a short and thick tool.

This is only a first glimpse. I will certainly update this little review with more observations, new pictures, and probably another chapter soon.
So, kudos to David Wenger for this robust knife design and to Böker for offering it at such a great price.
The Vigtig is not a tool designed to destroy, but a tool designed to build — by a builder!

One video reviewer I really enjoy is Floriano Bitturini with his vlog PDT Il Parchetto di Tagliagole — “The Cutthroat Park.”
Here is his video in Italian:

And here is a French video review I also really enjoyed: