Anyone else like Marbles?

H

hd2k_va

Joined
Dec 27, 2001
Messages
108
I love 'em!

52100, good heat treat, natural handle material, full convex grind, sharp as a whip ... what's not to like!
 
Nothing, as long as you like the one styling flavor they come in. I, for one, don't like the style of guard they offer. Also, I prefer natural wood handles to leather.

I do love those blade profiles, though. Nice classic look overall. Just not my style.

-You asked! :D
 
Yep, yep. I hear ya' Those guards should be beefed up a bit. But wooden handles are an option.
 
I really like the new mini caper. it would make a nice little necker with the right sheath.
 
You can get Marbles knives with a wide variety of handle materials including wood, stag and impala horn. The thin guard could be improved, but for the price marbles knives are very well made.

I do not like all the blade styles. I never have been a big fan of some of the skinner blades that I have seen and the one that Marbles uses does not excite me at all.

If I were looking for a knife in the price range of the Marbles knives, they would be one of my first choices.
 
I had a great-looking little Marbles, and got it at a great price -- new at a gun show.

Decided it was a shame to just sit in my display case though, so I sent it off to my dad, thinking he would actually USE it -- he's an avid hunter.

He called to thank me the other day. The knife is going in HIS box-o-knives, because he "already had a big Buck knife he uses for hunting". :-(

Ugh.

Mike
 
I bought a bison skinner with a black micarta handle. I wasn't all that thrilled with the standard type handle but the contoured model fits my hand perfectly. IMHO it is a classy looking blade too with the brass guard contrasting nicely with the black handle. It cuts as good or better than any knife I own.
 
If you order direct from Marbles you can get a bigger guard. That was my main complaint and it only cost me something like $10-$15 to get a guard that I liked. The other cost was paying full retail to order from the factory rather than buying discount. If you order the "Game Getter" designs from http://www.marblesknives.com (Bowie Corporation) you can get a sweet deal on models with larger guards and cocobolo handles.
 
I'm going to agree with the above comments regarding the small guards on their smaller knives.
However, I just received a 7" Trailmaker (w/leather handle) from my lovely wife for X-Mas and it has just the right size guard for this size knife. In fact this knife is, IMHO of coarse, just about perfect in every way. I just can't stop holding it, polishing it, and playing with it. I've never owned a knife, until now, that just begs to be used. I just keep thinking about when I can take it off camping.;)

Bottom line???

I like 'em!!!!!!!!!!

--The Raptor--
 
Mine looked like a "Game Getter Sport 99", but it said 2000 on it, whatever that means.

A dealer was selling them for $60 at a local gun show.

Mike
 
Just a thought on the guard. I would like a larger guard on my Bison, but lots of the custom hunters around have no guard at all and you don't read many threads criticizing custom hunters for it. A little guard is better than no guard at all. The Bison also has a good ricasso (is that what it's called, that little cutout thingy where you put your forefinger when choking up?), and a larger guard might interfere with your grip if you're choking up.
 
I once owned an Marbles AG Russell special fieldcraft. I sold it because it was too pretty to use and it just sat in a drawer... it was a fine blade with a spectacular grind.

52100 is a great carbon steel. The guards are thin and look a little out of place with the rest of the blade but should work just fine.

My only complaints are the sheaths are really substandard (at least 2 years ago they were). I have seen many blades in B&M shops with some sloppy workmanship and staining on the blades. I would try to inspect the blade prior to purchase. A good Marbles blade is great but I have seen too much variability....
 
The sheath that came with my bison is sturdy and well made, maybe they have made some improvements in the last 2 years.

I agree with hd2k_va on the comfortable ricaso (I didn't know what it was called, thanks!). Your forefinger and index finger fit perfectly around the guard when choking up on the blade and they did a nice job on rounding the ricaso - feels great. :)
 
Here's a couple Marble's from the custom shop. One is the Plainsman and the other is a Northwoods Big Game Skinner. They both have the longer Scagel style guards, Micarta handles and brass pommels. These were done a few years ago. Marbles have changed business direction and I don't know how receptive they are to doing custom work anymore.

Take care,
Tom

Here the pic.......
 

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Those are a great looking pair of knives. I have been trying to find one of the Northwood Skinners with the "gamegetter" handle. That black micarta sure looks nice though.
 
I got my enlarged guard option from Marbles within the last year. They seem to be a stock option for them. Another option I believe is to get a brass end on the handle instead of the common aluminum one.
 
I ove Marbles. I have a Fieldcraft,(my regular hunting knife...I never go without it) a Northwoods Big Game Skinner with the gamegetter handle, and an A.G.Russell Handy Hunter in stag.
Great knives, all of them.
 
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