knives

[rabet]

I have two expensive chef's knives made in Germany. Etched on the blade of each are two side-by-side columns of small boxes. On each knife one of the boxes is 'filled-in' and to the right of the columns is a two-digit number. Anyone know what this means, please?

[qapmoc]

This sounds like a calender, are there 12 boxes? if so it might be the month and year of manufacture.

[rabet]

Thanks qapmoc, I think you're spot-on with that; there are twelve boxes and the numbers are below twelve. I was looking for something more obscure, because also on the blades it goes on about the steel being "ice-hardened" and I thought the marks might be some sort of metallurgists' code ~ but I've no doubt you're right