A Very late Thank You to the Late Al Mar

Bruce Evans

Bruce Evans

Joined
Sep 26, 1999
Messages
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I never got to Tell him Thanks before he Passed on and have always wanted to.It was suggested that I should post up my story and give thanks nowSo here it is....I posted it here in Shop Talk as he was a great Designer and maker of knives and would have enjoyed everything about the shop talk forum,so as a tribute to him I wanted to post it here.

As a 18 year old living and growing up just outside of Portland,Oregon I worked 2 jobs one in a lumber yard and the other a local gas station.Of course I worked for my car and always hit the cruise strip in the evenings after work.Now back then I was interested in knives and had made a couple and had a few in a collection.When I was able to get ahold of a 6 in. Mark 1 (edited from the guardian)I was in total heaven,I carried it at work everyday and used it to cut bands off units of lumber and anything else I needed it for,in the evening I would slip it on my cars visor so as not to get into trouble with it on the strip.Now as us dumb kids did back then we parked in lots up and down the cruise strip,usually ones we werent supposed to be in,I was in one of those ;ots one evening and of course wasnt in a position to get out when the local Law Enforcement blocked off the lot to get onto us for being their.Now when he mad it to my car he did the usual search for alcohol (couldn't find any) But when he saw the knife on the visor he turned red.He took it off the visor and told me he was giving me a citation of arrest for possesing a Dagger.I was floored and didnt understand,but got the citation and then a Lawyer.

See In Oregon back then it was illegal to Buy-sell-make-have made- or own a Dagger.....I couldnt believe that the Gerber was being sold in all the local stores and of course the biggy Gerber was located in Portland,My Lawyer didnt understand this either as if I was carrying a Dagger then Gerber was just as wrong for selling them...So he asked Gerber if they could come to mine and the knifes defence.Now remember no crimes had been commited with the knife and I was in no trouble or violation of anything but having this knife in my car....Gerber said that they would not help us out,You would have thought that they would not want this to happen as that would let the law come after the company as per Oregon Law,but nope they wouldnt help...

This is where Al Mar entered the picture,he had designed the knife for Gerber,it comes in a 6 inch and 12 inch version with a straight edge version and a half serrated version.And Luckily for a 18 year old kid Mr. Al Mar said he would be more than glad to help us out as that knife was designed as a survival knife not a Dagger.

I thought I was dead in the water when the Judge asked him what the definition of a Dagger was and Al asked if he wanted the original definition and the judge said yes.He politly said "any Fixed Blade knife" That was when the judge asked it that would ionclude the butter knife on his table and Al said yes,I was sweating by this time.The judge then asked Al what the modern definition was,and Al procedded to explain it to him.

Then they discussed the knife in question and when the Judge asked if I could really cut banding off units of lumber Al stated that he uses the same knife to open ammo boxes and what ever else needed to be done.Then Al explained the different versions of the knife and that it was a survival knife.

At this time the judge looked and saw that no crimes were commited and really the only thing on trial was a knife that was just proved to not be a dagger---He Threw the case out of court,I was relieved..

Mr. Al Mar then talked to me for a few minutes and I said thanks,but was so excited I didnt really know how to thank him,we parted ways and I never saw him again.

Now I had to wait a week to get the knife back,went to the court house recieved my knife and put it on my hip with pride.Got out to my car and had a couple law officers looking at my car as I had parked to far away from the curb (in a hot rod rememeber) They wanted to search the car,I agreed,I also let them know I had the knife on my hip so I wouldnt get into trouble.They wanted to see it.....You aint gonna believe what happened next,One of them said " I am going to have to confiscat this knife and give you a citation of arrest for carrying a Dagger" I almost passed out and started steaming.I politely said That I didnt think so as I had just came to the court house to get it back for that very charge and showed him the papers from the court reliesing it and saying it wasnt what he thought....Great I got outta that one,But instead of taking it home and setting it on a shelf,I went to the closeset pawn shop and sold it! When I got home my Dad asked me where the knife was and I told him the story,he was upset with me for not keeping it but at the same time understood why I got rid of it....

Now when I started making knives again in my 30's I saw a few stories about Al Mar and wanted to get to meet him and tell him Thanks for helping out a kid he didnt even know,and hopefully make a knife to give to him as a thank you gift.Then he suddenly passed away and I was very bummed and have always wanted to share my story and somehow Thank him..

I know he cant read this now,But,

Thank You Mr. Al Mar for all your help to a young kid that you didnt even know.


I dont have anything against Gerber Knives but still havent owned another one since.

Thanks for listening and letting me pass on a story about a great man that was willing to share his knowledge and help to a young wannabe maker that he didnt even know.
Bruce

Here is a picture,it is the one on the left.
gerberssting.gif

Thanks to ebbtide for finding this pic for me...
 
Great story, Bruce! Thanks for sharing.

I loved AL Mar knives from when the company first formed, and have a passle of his designs. It's neat to know the man was as cool as the knives he produced.
 
Thanks for sharing that with us Bruce!

(Sorry for asking, but wasn't the Gerber Guardian Dagger designed by Bob Loveless?)
 
WT Fuller spoke highly of him, WT sold Al one of his front lock folders at a New York knife show, it was not long before the same locking design was showing up in Al's folders. WT was proud of Al for using it. Never once was he upset that the design he, Harvey McBurnette and Dick Dorough came up with was now being used commercially.

I am glad he came to your rescue. He is remembered and Not forgotten.

James
 
Flatgrinder..I was told that Al Designed it and that was what he told the Judge,He was working Or designing for Gerber at that time,when this story occured he had just went out on his own.If memory serves me correctly Gerber sent my Lawyer to Al about the knife design....This knife was done in 1978,Kershaw had a similar one out at that time also,I had it and wanted the Gerber which a friend had and we traded.If I am wrong and this was not the Guardian I am sorry,That was allot of brain cells ago and I thought that was the series,but it may have been before it.If it was I would love to know the name of it.

Sure wish Al's family sees this story and thanks somehow,at least then they would know I did really appriceate his help.

Glad to share the story.
Bruce
 
Cool story, Bruce. Maybe Al can't read it, but we all can. :)

I always liked his designs. Back when I was first getting into knives I saw an Al Mar SERE VI in a catalog and fell in love with it. I still love that design... And the more I hear about the man behind the knife, the more I feel I would've liked to know him.
 
That's insane. If I were the judge, I would have found you guilty, assuming you were on public property.

The Gerber Guardian sure looks like a dagger to me.
 
If the Judge would have found me guilty Just think of how much trouble Gerber would have been in seeing how their factory is in the same town as I was when I got into trouble,as the law stated no manufacturing or selling or have made....Along with all the stores in town that sold the knife,more trouble for them.....

Bruce
 
Fortunately I have not been in a position to find out, but it is my understanding that law enforcement has issues with knives sharpened on both edges of the blade such as the Gerber Guardian. In Connecticut, I have been told that 3" is the maximum length blade legal to carry, if a knife is sharp on both edges, the length is doubled!

I have one and it is razor sharp on both edges.

I like it as well as the Mark II that I have, but I do not carry them for use.

Al Mar designed some really nice knives.

Peter
 
Great story Bruce!
Was it the knife on the left?
gerberssting.gif

If so that's the Mark I :D

Imagine what that officer would have said if he found one of your Dragon Slayers up there on the visor :D
 
Thats it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Ebbtide.I dont know how I forgot which one it was but I did...

I will go back and fix it on the original post.

Bruce
 
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