Al Mar traditionals?

[shipwright]

I picked up this odd bird a little while ago, it's a 4 1/4" trapper pattern slipjoint Al Mar Model 5. It has laminated black Pakka wood covers and brass liners. Before I saw it I had no idea the company ever made anything like this. I found an ad from 1979 that shows the knife along with some others. Anybody else have one?

 

[AFAustin]

That is cool. I love Al Mar/Moki but haven't seen that one before.

Very good catch!

Andrew

 

[shipwright]

Thanks Andrew, it is a pretty neat knife. Somebody else has to have one or know something about them. I'd love to see some of the other models.

 

[Sonnemann]

I passed one up on the auction site a while back. Interesting sort of trapper/barlow mix there.

 

[Bigbluefish]

That's a nice looking knife. Always liked Al Mars.

 

[Campbellclanman]

The early Al Mars were extremely well made knives, I have two fixed blades from an early era - Seki at it's best.

 

[liamstrain]

I have an Eagle Talon - mostly traditional, but replaces the nail nick with a thumbstud (which, probably removes it from "traditional" contention). Otherwise very similar to yours. They are great knives.

 

[supratentorial]

Al Mar made some very nice knives. They also made a 3 blade stockman-like knife in addition to that barlow(?)/trapper(?) I suspect it's from the same series.

 

[r redden]

Do not own one but very nice.:thumbup:

 

[black mamba]

Very sleek and elegant, shipwright, beautiful knife. Are the nail nicks as small as they look, though? Not sure my thumbnail would fit.

 

[shipwright]

The nick on the drop point is normal sized, but the Spey blade has a tiny one for some reason. Fortunately both blades have a pretty light pull, so they both work fine.

 

[knarfeng]

ix-Nay on the umb-thay ud-stay.
Only traditionals, please.

 

[liamstrain]

ix-Nay on the umb-thay ud-stay.
Only traditionals, please.

Aye, apologies. They make the exact same knife with a nail nick and full flat grind, I just don't own a copy to have a picture of it.

 

[brownshoe]

IIRC the flat ground with nail nick was the first of this type of knife for Al Mar, thumbstud came later.

Their smaller ones in this style, e.g. Osprey are really sweet "gentleman's" knives. They are very precisely made knives, with excellent covers, I particularly like their pearl and abalone. Years ago some of the white micarta handled ones were scrimshawed in some issue and these show up occasionally, quite nice.