Al Mar Traditional Lockbacks Discontinued?

I will take a partial stab at the answer.
When Al Mar died, there was a fight between his widow and another person as to who could claim the name. The other person continued in production. I don't think that the wife did.

I bought a number of his folders several years ago. Mostly bought off eBay. That source has dried up.

I have a fixed blade Al Mar from many years ago which says on the knife it was made in the USA. It sits in my office.
 
bouddha0357 said:
Hey Steve,


Would you know who made the SERE Operator in 154CM and S30V?
Click to expand...

I don't. The first version of the SERE Operator was the U.S.-made model in 154CM. It was released in 2002. As I mentioned, a number of manufacturers were making quality fixed blades in America then. I could speculate, but I'd only be guessing.

bdcochran's post is interesting, but I don't know the person to whom he's referring. That is a story I'd never heard before and I'm not familiar with that portion of the Al Mar history (though I don't claim to be an Al Mar expert in any way). If his American-made fixed blade is a model other than the SERE Operator/Mini SERE Operator, it's one I've never seen. I'd love to see a photo.

I forgot another model in the Paragon line-up: the Corby Tanto.

IMG-1078.jpg



-Steve
 
The Whip said:
I don't. The first version of the SERE Operator was the U.S.-made model in 154CM. It was released in 2002. As I mentioned, a number of manufacturers were making quality fixed blades in America then. I could speculate, but I'd only be guessing.

bdcochran's post is interesting, but I don't know the person to whom he's referring. That is a story I'd never heard before and I'm not familiar with that portion of the Al Mar history (though I don't claim to be an Al Mar expert in any way). If his American-made fixed blade is a model other than the SERE Operator/Mini SERE Operator, it's one I've never seen. I'd love to see a photo.

I forgot another model in the Paragon line-up: the Corby Tanto.

IMG-1078.jpg



-Steve
Click to expand...

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your answer.

I believe bdcochran is referring to the dispute between Ann Mar and Gary Fadden.

You will find more details in the link below
http://faddenmarlawsuit.com/
 
bouddha0357 said:
Hi Steve,


Thanks for your answer.


I believe bdcochran is referring to the dispute between Ann Mar and Gary Fadden.


You will find more details in the link below

http://faddenmarlawsuit.com/
Click to expand...

I'm glad to share what I know with my fellow enthusiasts.

If bdcochran was referring to the Mar/Fadden dispute, then I was confused by his approach (no need to be coy about that, seeing as it's all public information at this point). Clearly that has nothing to do with your question about the Operator. My apologies. I thought he was revealing something about an individual actually involved in American knife production. That's certainly not Gary Fadden.

I'll keep looking for clues about the SERE Operator. We'll figure out its origin eventually.


-Steve
 
Man, I'm bummed out. I'm just now finding out about his passing. Uncle upon a time I had a mini Sere with satin finish and black slabs. Like a fool I sold it and alot of others. I always thought one would pop up somewhere but now the wind is gone from my sales.
Bummer man, bummer.
 
While I doubt Fadden had anything to do with the actual manufacture of AM knives in the US, I can not disregard the fact that Al Mar himself passed away in 1992. And if I am right, those USA made SERES were made around 2002, with the Moki Seki made version in VG10 introduced in 2009. If so then Fadden had to have arranged for those early SERES to be made by a US maker.
 
1. I am not trying to be coy. Your memory of events 30 years is simply better. Here the photograph of the Al Mar knife. I don't know the model. The knife resembles the Sere, but there are only two screws in the handle. Some mentioned that the guy in the fight wasn't actually producing them. I had heard that years ago but I didn't read any support for that assertion. Al Mar knives have always been very expensive and I was lucky to get this one when collectors weren't watching. I like it very much. I also just spent about an hour trying to find a real "free" picture hosting site.https://hosting.photobucket.com/ima...JPG?width=285&height=175&fit=bounds&crop=fill
 
bdcochran said:
That looks like the Al Mar that I have. thank you.
Click to expand...

The SERE's origin is about the friendship between Al Mar and Nick Rowe, a POW for 5 years during the Vietnam War and creator of the SERE program for the US Army.

The very first SERE knife was a 4" folder in AUS-6 with micarta handles.

The idea being to have a solid and reliable knife that a soldier wouldn't be tempted to ditch or leave somewhere due to it being cumbersome.

When it came out, it was the first $100 production knife.

Very quickly that first generation had two other, smaller folders added to the lineup as well as fixed blades the SERE Attack with 5-7" blades, made in Japan, with or without sawback and micarta handles.

A second generation with the sames size blades came but with neoprene handles.

Briefly there was a SERE folder with aluminium handled, who's existence came to my knowledge only a couple of days ago.

The SERE line was discontinued for a while. It came back in folder form in VG-10 and the SERE Operator came back in 2002 with a 5" in 154CM, made in the USA, with and without sawback.

The following year the SERE Operator was moved from 154CM to S30V.

One of these also exist with desert tan handles and sheath.

Around 2008-2010 the SERE Operator was released in VG-10, made in Japan, without sawback with a 5" and a 4" version the mini-SERE operator.

In 2017 Tops released a licensed version of the Al Mar mini-SERE Operator in 154CM with a 4" blade.

Since Al Mar Knives has been bought by ETE in 2019 there has been fixed blade version of the SERE in production.

Hope this helps in your knowledge about your knife.

I would also strongly recommend Nick Rowe's book "5 Years to Freedom" about his ordeal as a POW during the Vietnam War.
 
bouddha0357 said:
>The very first SERE knife was a 4" folder in AUS-6 with micarta handles.Very quickly that first generation had two other, smaller folders >added to the lineup as well as fixed blades the SERE Attack with 5-7" blades, made in Japan, with or without sawback and micarta handles.
>A second generation with the sames size blades came but with neoprene handles.

All these made by G.Sakai, Seki

>Briefly there was a SERE folder with aluminium handled, who's existence came to my knowledge only a couple of days ago.

First time hearing about this.

>The SERE line was discontinued for a while.The SERE Operator came back in 2002 with a 5" in >154CM, made in the USA, with and without >sawback.The following year the SERE Operator was moved from 154CM to S30V.
>One of these also exist with desert tan handles and sheath.

Too bad no further info on who made them in the US.

>Around 2008-2010 the SERE Operator was released in VG-10, made in Japan, without sawback with a 5" and a 4" version the mini-SERE >operator.

Made by Moki, Seki.

>In 2017 Tops released a licensed version of the Al Mar mini-SERE Operator in 154CM with a 4" blade.

Made in USA. But Tops says they started in 2016 so they don't go that far back.

>Since Al Mar Knives has been bought by ETE in 2019 there has been fixed blade version of the SERE in production.

Made in China?
Click to expand...

Great info!
 
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