...made in Pakistan. What is the world coming to?

Probably going straight to hell. Or Hell in a handbasket. The family story was that I shouldn't even touch his Marbles hunting knife because it'll cut my hand off. Dad kept it sort of sharp. Good enough by the standards of the 1950s or 1960s. I think it was 1920s vintage. It resides at my oldest sons house.

That’s just wrong.

Marbles was, and still is, located in Escanaba. Originally Gladstone. Hour drive for me. When you go there, the store is filled with foreign made stuff.
Webster is spinning in his grave.
For excellent cutlery, a more satisfying visit is to Bark River Knife and Tool in Bark River. And Rapid River Knives in Rapid River.

Pretty darn sure Randall is still made in FL. I've only seen a few of their factory made fruit knives made overseas. I might even have one I Paid $6 for at a show, just as a novelty. The Gil Hibben knives are easy to ID. If it looks serious and really well made, its from here in Kentucky. If it looks cheap and trashy, its from Asia. At least Bo Randall stamped the place of origin on his wares. Like Florida. Next to an orchard. The same for Hibben. I think I have one from all the places he migrated. Even Silver Dollar City. I really appreciate it when a manufacturer is honest.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Marbles was, and still is, located in Escanaba. Originally Gladstone. Hour drive for me. When you go there, the store is filled with foreign made stuff.
Webster is spinning in his grave.
For excellent cutlery, a more satisfying visit is to Bark River Knife and Tool in Bark River. And Rapid River Knives in Rapid River.

I have to agree YooperSigs, I've bought 5 (2 as gifts). pretty good value too.

picked up some in an estate,
new in box,

marked China or paki or something on the blade, (been a few years, cannot how it was marked)
sold one to a dude that did not look at the pics, or read the listing, and he had a cow that it was not US made,

I got called every name in the book because it was not made in the USA, and doofus would not believe anything in the packaging, etc that said it was a correct

after about the 3rd nasty call and email from him I had to tell him to pound sand,

These days it's just a name, bought and sold on the cheap like some peoples integrity.

The brand loyalty established in my youth is mostly invalid today.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:
Pretty darn sure Randall is still made in FL. I've only seen a few of their factory made fruit knives made overseas. I might even have one I Paid $6 for at a show, just as a novelty. The Gil Hibben knives are easy to ID. If it looks serious and really well made, its from here in Kentucky. If it looks cheap and trashy, its from Asia. At least Bo Randall stamped the place of origin on his wares. Like Florida. Next to an orchard. The same for Hibben. I think I have one from all the places he migrated. Even Silver Dollar City. I really appreciate it when a manufacturer is honest.

Yes Randall knives are still made in Orlando Florida. My wife has one. It was a gift she received as member of the year at our gun club. If you want to buy one from them the wait time is somewhere around 5 to 6 years. Yes I said years. You can find them on auction sights and from collectors but you are going to pay a premium above MSRP.

the wait time is somewhere around 5 to 6 years. Yes I said years. You can find them on auction sights and from collectors but you are going to pay a premium above MSRP.[/QUOTE]

The thing is, you or your heirs will get the premium back if they sell it. The reality is that almost everyone here is getting old. 5 or 6 years might even be a lifetime. You can only carry one knife at a time (maybe). Might as well be the best one you can afford. Buying used is a good option because some of the old knives show better workmanship than the new ones. These aren't milk or cheese, they last a long time, and that's the reason we buy them. Same goes for Marbles. New production is generally crap. Could be related to the place of manufacture. So pay the premium, just handle the knife first. You should be able to feel the quality. If you can't, it either doesn't have it or you have no business paying big dollars for a knife.

Hand crafted from only the finest Chinese truck springs.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
For excellent cutlery, Bark River Knife and Tool.

Mike Stewart was head of the Cutlery division at Marble's for a few years. Once he learned that they were selling out to China, he decided to start Bark River Knife and Tool. He still makes some of the older designs and of course, lots of newer ones. If anyone wants a solid "Made in the USA" knife Bark River will have what you need. Check DLTTrading and KnivesShipFree for offerings. I'll gladly admit that the sharpest knife I own is a Bark River. My dad won't even touch it anymore because it bit him pretty good. Said nobody needs a knife that damned sharp, not even a surgeon .

I get my Bark River Knives from a tiny shop in the tiny town of Crystal Falls.
Crystal Falls Trading Company. Well worth the visit!

I've got one Marble knife from when they were in Gladstone. A made here model.

I go to Marquette a couple times a year and stop in Rapid River quite a bit. I have bought several there for myself and have gotten one for each of my boys when they started deer hunting. I like the fact that they will engrave for free. That really makes these special gifts.

A couple of years ago I was talking to the owner describing what I wanted in a knife. Six months later I was back and they had produced what I had asked for! Actually, they revived a model they had quit producing. I am very happy with the quality of their stuff.

I have not tried Bark River yet. When I go through Crystal Falls next time I may check them out.

Two questions for anyone. Do the bark River knives hold an edge and how hard is it to sharpen them? I have a knife made by a man in Champion with the same sort of edge and I have a problem with that.

Thanks for any info, Jim

My Bark Rivers sharpen up nicely on my WorkSharp sharpener. I can touch up the edge on my Spyderco ceramic sharpener if need be. Edge retention (mine are A2 tool steel,IIRC) has been good for me. But for me, edge retention often hinges on the material being cut.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
But for me, edge retention often hinges on the material being cut.

Like red bricks? I never loan my pocket knife or sheath knife to anyone, including my own wife. It just shows how little others care for borrowed knives. Long ago, my wife asked to borrow my pocket knife. I foolishly complied. A while later I asked for it back. She forgot she'd even borrowed it. So we went to where she had been using it and sure enough, there it was. Right were she'd left it after using it. I tell this story often. Usually when asked to borrow mine.

If you want some cheap amusement, watch the next time someone borrows a knife and see how they use it. Almost no knife will survive cutting red bricks. Even the best of steels won't cut bricks. Nor will they keep the edge they have. Nor will they do well cutting marble or granite counter tops. The best edge is vulnerable to hard surfaces. They tend to roll over and become unusable. Or chip. I stopped keeping up with the latest fad in steel. It mostly doesn't matter. Select a knife from a good, reputable maker. Then learn how to sharpen it and use it.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
For excellent cutlery, a more satisfying visit is to Bark River Knife and Tool in Bark River.

I really like a few of their models, just wish I could try them in hand before buying. I also wish their bird and trout had some slip protection.