Al Mar Sere? Options stronger than Benchmade but higher quality than Cold Steel.

AusLoX said:
There’s just something about Emerson grinds and even the feel in hand is so solid.
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Yea, I had a couple older Emersons that didn't stick around, but these newer ones (kwaiken and A-100) are keepers for sure!
 
Jay Hiewd said:

Al Mar Sere? Options stronger than Benchmade but higher quality than Cold Steel.​

I used to daily carry the Spyderco Police for years. It's flat, light weight, and fast. I now frequent areas where my blade has to be under 4 inches.


I've been carrying the Adamas daily for a year. I love it and now the Cold Steel feels cheap in comparison.

I'm in search of super strong options. The Adamas is a bit too heavy. I'm looking to get close to 4 inches while remaining under that length.

My uses are self defense and other emergency tasks that rarely arise. I prefer no serrations and a spear style tip for strength.

How does the AL Mar Sere compare?
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AntDog said:
Want a Sere, get a Sere 2K. I carried one for nearly two decades. Absolutely first rate knife. Near custom quality, built like a brick shithouse.
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First, let's correct the title. "Quality" means "does the knife build match the design". It's a measure of how well the fabrication was performed. There are few fabrication errors in Cold Steel knives. They are uniformly "high quality".

What you mean to say, is, "Nicer." or "Higher End materials". That has nothing to do with "Quality". It only has to do with the design. Some Cold Steel knives have thermoplastic handles. The higher end ones don't.

The Al Mar Sere is currently built in China. Used to be built in Japan. Whether the new manufacturing source is as good as the old, I do not know. It's a liner lock. I would consider an Axis lock to be stronger than a liner lock. And the SERE has D2 blade steel. I've not heard how well the new outfit that does the manufacturing for Al Mar heat treats their D2. I'd ask for opinions on that.

The higher end Cold Steel knives have G10 for handle material, upgraded blade steel, and the Triad Lock. Try an American Lawman if you want something very strong, but a bit lighter in weight than the Adamas. G10 handles. And it has better blade steel (CPM S35VN), and a stronger lock than the SERE.
 
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Like was said before, it depends if you're talking the currently produced Al Mars, or the older, out of production, SERE 2000's. The SERE 2k's (Japanese made) are awesome folders. I've had 3 over the years and they have all been excellently made. The handle situation on these things is very beefy, strong steel liners with a steel bottom backspacer and 2 steel standoffs (plus the stop pin). I've always absolutely loved how Al Mar took the time to put each handle against a belt grinder and evened out the liners with the G10 scales, something you don't see on hardly any production folders at all anymore.
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The “new” Al Mar knife company has moved production of a couple models of SERE to Taiwan. They are known as the SERE T30 and SERE T36 for the 3” and 3.6” versions respectively.

Reportedly, the quality of the knives have improved. S35VN blade steel vs D2 or 8Cr from the Chinese models. The G10 handles are better quality vs. the plasticy G10 on the Chinese models. The knives overall appear to be better quality, right down to using skelotonized liners for weight reduction.

They are still flippers with a liner lock, but they’ve finally dumped that hated assisted opening.

I’ve not handled one but they may be the closest to an old Japanese manufactured SERE that can be found without paying secondary market prices.
 
I'm not a guy of self defense with a folding knife. But If I were, the knife feeling cheap or not would be the least of my concern. Instead, reliability and fast deployment would be my top and sole priority. For that reason, Cold Steel with the tri ad lock would be my choice. Knives with framelock, linerlock, Thin profile, or flexing plastic handle would be an immediate dismissal.
 
I have a bunch of Emersons, SEREs (pre and post) as well as Cold Steel knives. More often than not I have a Recon 1 in my RF pocket; it is, to me, the most rugged reliable lock-trustworthy knife I could carry in that size and price range. That being said, I cannot deny the ergonomics of the Emerson or the Al Mar SEREs, but they are liner locks, the latter better than the former IMHO. When you factor price point into the consideration it becomes a no-brainer. If something smaller/lighter is your preference, the American Lawman should suit you just fine.

I do use and abuse my SERE (it certainly holds up) but the TriAD lock of the Recon 1, to me, is the bees' knees.
 
Id take cold steel if i had to use it for defense....their voyagers,recon1 series and many others just are stronger than most folders from other companies
 
Tafkaag said:
Agree fully with this. I don't recommend liner locks for any defensive use case, as any twisting motion, such as with comma cuts, will cause lock disengagement. If you must go with an Al Mar SERE 2000, get a real one, not current Chinese production.
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Yeah. I tried twisting with a frame lock, (because that is what I had and it is close to a liner lock) and it held fine.

I don't think the liner lock issue is really there.
 
Just because it is new. I have a civivi vision that would fill that role.

I have the g10 handle that seems a bit bigger and grippier than most. The knife is on bearings with this weird shark lock thing that. If you were slick you could probably be flicking open as it leaves the pocket

And it just flies out and back in.

The lock is supposed to be tough as guts. The tip is a chunky reverse tanto, wharncliffe job.


Here we go. I mean it would take a little practice. But there is just not a lot of steps there.
 
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