Are Al Mar knives worth the cash?

[kwackster]

Vintage Al Mar FBI Wild West dagger from the late 80's/ early 90's.





Specs:

Overall length: 9.45 inches (24,0 cm)
Blade length: 5.12 inches (13,0 cm)
Blade thickness: 4,52 mm (ricasso)
Steel: AMS6 (AUS-6)
Handle material: Pakkawood with brass guard, shield & rivets
Weight: 169 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[kwackster]

Al Mar SERE/ATTACK I 3001-A folder from the early '80's, complete with sheath, box & papers.
This version is also known as the baby-SERE, and relatively rare.



Specs:

Overall length: 6.69 inches (17,0 cm)
Blade length: 2.87 inches (7,3 cm)
Blade thickness: 2,5 cm
Steel: AM-6 (AUS-6) stainless
Hardness: 57-59 HRC
Handle material: "Camo Green Micarta" & stainless bolsters on brass liners
Locktype: Al Mar Frontlock
Sheath: Nylon

 

[kwackster]

Vintage Al Mar 3004A SOF Attack from the '90's.







Specs:

Overall length: 10.39 inches (26,4 cm)
Blade length: 5.71 inches (14,5 cm)
Blade thickness: 4,0 mm
Steel: AM-6 (AUS-6 stainless)
Hardness: 57-59 HRC
Handle material: Micarta on fiber & stainless bolsters
Weight: 240 grams
Sheath: Black leather with sharpening stone in pouch

 

[kwackster]

Al Mar Warrior

The Warrior knife, was designed in 1978 by Bob Taylor and Randy Wanner, both of whom had extensive training in Close Quarters Combat and between them had amassed over forty years of training and teaching.
The late Michael Echanis was also doing research on the failings of "Combat Knives".
Echanis's research and theories reinforced what they already knew, "Combat Knives" available at that time were only rehashed ideas of the Bowie, Tanto, and Dagger, which were centuries old with no major changes.
The problem with these designs was that they weakened the grip and/or provided limited motion.
The Warrior was designed as a pure combat knife used primarily in the reverse grip style, and it increased the strength of the user and added full range of motion.
The serrated secondary edge, the "soft handle" and the curve of the Warrior were unheard of at the time.
After building the first non-working prototype Mr. Taylor took the basic design and utilized a HP-3000 Main Frame computer and maximized the angles to even further enhance the Warriors capabilities.
A number of working prototype's were produced by a number of custom makers and the Warrior became a reality.
Unfortunately the Warrior design was deemed impossible to build with the manufacturing capabilities of that time, and none of the factory makers even wanted to attempt to make the Warrior.

In 1991 Al Mar, a innovator in the industry and radical designer himself, decided to attempt to manufacture the Warrior, as he figured that manufacturing technology had caught up with the design.
That's when AMK started to manufacture their version of the Taylor/Wanner design in Japan.

This is my own example, a black blade / camo handled version, mint in original box.








Specs:

Overall length: 13.2 inches (33,5 cm)
Blade length: 7.1 inches (18,0 cm)
Blade thickness: 0.2 inches (5,93 mm)
Steel: AUS-6 stainless
Handle material: artificial rubber with finger grooves and grip-enhancing texture
Guard: steel (5,0 mm thick)
Butt: Steel striking pommel
Weight: 530 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[Arathol]

 

[kwackster]

Al Mar Border Patrol M-40, probably made in the early 90's.









Specs:

Overall length: 10.47 inches (26,6 cm)
Blade length: 5.67 inches (14,4 cm)
Blade thickness: 4,85 mm
Steel: AMS6 (AUS6) stainless
Hardness: 57-59 HRC
Handle material: Pakkawood with brass guard
Weight: 216 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[caine]

I have a mini S.E.R.E 2000 that was part of my cutlery rotation 2008-2009 Iraq great knives

 

[mountainavenue]

Apart from the folding knives and the warrior I have all of these and more. I was wondering if eBay was a good place to get a fair price.
Btw, has anyone come across an Al Mar 'Eskimo' which came in a fur sheath?

 

[Armadew]

If you get a gold membership, you can sell here in the exchange section. Best place to do it, imo.

 

[mountainavenue]

Thanks Armadew.
Has anyone heard of an Al Mar 'Eskimo'?

 

[Laurelbb]

Al Mar makes excellent knives. I highly recommend them. It's a big mistake to assume they're not worth the price just because don't use the latest super-duper steels (ZDP-189 being an exception).

I have that yellow micarta falcon shadow but with blind stamp, no color. Do you have any idea when that might have been made? Thx.

 

[wensynch]

I think I've seen the Al Mar Eskimo.. here.

http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/very-rare-al-mar-eskimo.1395511/

 

[matt009au]

How are people finding the fit and finish on recently purchased Al Mars?

I'm a big fan of Al Mar carrying a falcon everyday without fail, but, the last two I've purchased have had fit and finish issues (eagle ultra lite - sloppy lock up & loose thumb stud and SERE 2000k with wavy grinds) which seem out of character for the Al Mar I know and love.

 

[Boozoo Chavis]

Also check out Moki Knives. (who I believe still make Al Mar knives) They have a few models similar to Al Mar products. Their top shelf fit & finish that are second to none in the production knife industry.

 

[matt009au]

Also check out Moki Knives. (who I believe still make Al Mar knives) They have a few models similar to Al Mar products. Their top shelf fit & finish that are second to none in the production knife industry.

Interesting, I know Spyderco had QC issues with their Moki made knives a year or two ago. I wonder if the models I mentioned with less than perfect f&f were made in Moki.

 

[brownshoe]

I have that yellow micarta falcon shadow but with blind stamp, no color. Do you have any idea when that might have been made? Thx.

I have been told by a dealer who had one, no later than 1990s for "vintage" micarta.

 

[Laurelbb]

Thanks!

 

[brancron]

I have that yellow micarta falcon shadow but with blind stamp, no color. Do you have any idea when that might have been made? Thx.

I'm not quite sure. I spoke with someone at Al Mar a while back about mine and he indicated it was probably made in the 80s, but couldn't really give me any more specifics. It would be great if there were an Al Mar forum here to learn more about the brand. They go back pretty far and have so many classic and very collectible knives.

 

[W. Anderson]

Al Mar Warrior

The Warrior knife, was designed in 1978 by Bob Taylor and Randy Wanner, both of whom had extensive training in Close Quarters Combat and between them had amassed over forty years of training and teaching.
The late Michael Echanis was also doing research on the failings of "Combat Knives".
Echanis's research and theories reinforced what they already knew, "Combat Knives" available at that time were only rehashed ideas of the Bowie, Tanto, and Dagger, which were centuries old with no major changes.
The problem with these designs was that they weakened the grip and/or provided limited motion.
The Warrior was designed as a pure combat knife used primarily in the reverse grip style, and it increased the strength of the user and added full range of motion.
The serrated secondary edge, the "soft handle" and the curve of the Warrior were unheard of at the time.
After building the first non-working prototype Mr. Taylor took the basic design and utilized a HP-3000 Main Frame computer and maximized the angles to even further enhance the Warriors capabilities.
A number of working prototype's were produced by a number of custom makers and the Warrior became a reality.
Unfortunately the Warrior design was deemed impossible to build with the manufacturing capabilities of that time, and none of the factory makers even wanted to attempt to make the Warrior.

In 1991 Al Mar, a innovator in the industry and radical designer himself, decided to attempt to manufacture the Warrior, as he figured that manufacturing technology had caught up with the design.
That's when AMK started to manufacture their version of the Taylor/Wanner design in Japan.

This is my own example, a black blade / camo handled version, mint in original box.








Specs:

Overall length: 13.2 inches (33,5 cm)
Blade length: 7.1 inches (18,0 cm)
Blade thickness: 0.2 inches (5,93 mm)
Steel: AUS-6 stainless
Handle material: artificial rubber with finger grooves and grip-enhancing texture
Guard: steel (5,0 mm thick)
Butt: Steel striking pommel
Weight: 530 grams
Sheath: Leather

Awesome

 

[bryan123]

AUS 8 knives shouldn't cost over $100 no way. Kershaw is collaborating with them to make a way less expensive Al Mar line with 8Cr13MOV steel that is comparable to AUS 8.