Bark River Knives/Mike Stewart's Reputation

[Thomas Linton]

"I also thought I heard of some of the knives being sold as a certain steel which was later discovered as not to be the steel marked."

I have "heard of" many things. I tend not to repeat most of them, much less solicit more of it. It's called gossip, to be polite, on or off the reservation.

 

[Icky Thump]

OK, let me get this straight.

Initially my post is met w/ sarcasm, implications and eye rolling.

Next, Im being accused of propagating gossip because I inquired about a rumor I heard concerning a company I had interest in?

Are you fellas fans, and trying to promote this brand? If so...your doing a hell of a job.

 

[spketch]

I think this is the thread you're referring to Ickythump. The guy never did post pictures of the evidence, so it was likely BS. Obviously did some lasting damage to bark river's reputation though.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1092973-bark-river-3v-tang

 

[Icky Thump]

Thanks Ketch. Honestly wasnt bad mouthing, just sharing my limited experience and some of the "info" Ive heard. I sold my Bravo 1 before I had heard anything negative about the company. Always thought to replace the A2 version w/ 3V as well as add a Gunny and maybe one of the EDC's w/ the pocket slip.

Lost interest in fixed for awhile, just starting to regain.

 

[Icky Thump]

OK,

Big Richard and Tommy Lipton, you've inspired me to do some further research so I can truly know of what I speak. Seems the sheath I referred was somewhat of a fiasco for the company. Thanks, I would have never known. The knives? I couldnt care less anymore. From what Ive read on this and other venues, I'll be spending my money somewhere else. Seems to all fit w/ the little experience I had dealing w/ their CS and on "their" board. Very glad it was little.. much like the folks Ive dealt with.

Thomas, your posts are contradicting man. Accusing me of gossip? Your a troll. You seem to hang out in these threads passing judgement, couldnt help coming across your trivial, snide posts . Have you ever even owned a BRK? Matters not. They seem to be run by D-bags...you know what I mean, Tom.

Too bad, nice knife. Never did get a chance to thump on it.

 

[Big Mike]

Whats so funny about that?

The funny thing is that you're involved with spreading the rumors and gossip that you seem to be rallying against. :yawn:

Thomas, your posts are contradicting man. Accusing me of gossip? Your a troll.

The fact that you are badmouthing a very knowledgeable and well respected Member like Thomas only goes to prove my point.


You should let personal experience with any tool guide your opinions, not take others folk's agenda driven opinions as your own, and continue to further the spreading the gossip you claim to detest.

That said, I don't think that Bark River will miss your business; they continue to make as many knives as possible (30,000+ per year), and have a years worth of pre-orders from their dealers. I guess someone is buying their knives.




Big Mike

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Too many rumors, too much baggage. I don't know the absolute truth of any of it, and I won't be trying to dissuade anyone from buying from BRK, but there are too many manufacturers who don't have question marks hanging above their heads for me to spend money with them now.

For what it's worth, I own an STS-8 that I purchased before I heard any of the rumors about the company. Uneven swedge grinds and a particularly worthless attempt at coating put me off more than a little. But it performs fine and has held up well, so I'm not mad about it.

 

[ukknifer]

Bark River is (in my opinion) the best knife company in the world. The only problem is that they listened to internet idiots and made their edges thicker and their convexing deeper. Because some idiots want to cut concrete with a knife.

 

[Big Mike]

There only problem is that they listened to internet idiots and made there edges thicker and their convexing deeper.

I totally agree, I liked the edges back when they where a little thinner (and most of mine are earlier models, that I'm hanging on too).

That said, the testing I've done on the newer models has proved to me that they are still very "slicy".

The new BR Kalahari Hunter




Big Mike

 

[Riz!]

I have had many Barkies. I have never had a problem with one of their blades that wasnt fully covered under their warranty and when I did send stuff in for correction, I got the knives back in a crazy fast turn around and never had to pay a penny. The only issue I ever had was a wood handle shrink and crack, which is not uncommon for any brand of knife and a piece of black liner chip out under the G10 scale of a blade. Both knives were rehandled for free and turned around in under a week.

Mike Stewart is a standup guy. His knives are first rate. His customer service and his group of dealers' customer service CANNOT be beaten or questioned. I have been on knife forums for a good amount of time, especially in the Bark River subforums and I have never seen Mr. Stewart be anything but polite to anybody. He willingly eats the cost of many things that any other company would tell you to F yourself over.

MY ADVICE TO ANYONE IS TRY A PRODUCT AND FORM YOUR OWN OPINION ABOUT IT AND ITS MANUFACTURER BEFORE YOU LISTEN TO ANY SHMACK TALK ON THE WEB. This goes for anything, from bicycles to blades.

 

[Thomas Linton]

A very high % of those who have negative things to say about Bark River have zero personal knowledge. They are just passing along hearsay.
Several of the attacks have shown no basis in fact.
Several negative posts over the years seem to have merit in the sense of relating legitimate problems.

The overwhelming weight of positive comments are dismissed by some attackers. So negative = received universal truth. Positive experience = no value. As a species we are like that. One "Oh shit" outweighs 100 "ataboys."

I own many knives, including many (dozens of ) Bark River Knives purchased over most of the history of the company. I have had no negative experiences except with a certain brand of sheaths they used. I allow that I may be lucky, but I feel entitled to relate positive experience.

The knives I own are optimized for cutting, as is my desire. I have used them for the whole range of camping and hunting tasks, including batoning wood on a couple of occasions. Most are still NIB.

My personal contacts with Bark River and Mike Stewart in particular have been uniformly friendly. That is not a reflection on any other person's contacts, but it is nevertheless the case. Inevitably, when someone is nice to you it colors your opinion of that person.

I note that knife world notables -- Cutlery Hall of Fame types -- have done business with Bark River over many years. A.G. Russell and Ken Warner come to mind. A.G. posts here regularly.

Others have severed relations with Mike Stewart with bitterness. Life can be like that. Parties to a business relationship that goes south are rarely objective - on either side.

In the end, Bark River makes products and services those products. If they did relatively badly at either, they would have died instead of grown to be a major player.

Sincerely,

The "Troll"

 

[Metal Made Fox]

I've seen Mike Stewart act pretty unprofessionally on the other forum (some would say he acts like a jerk).

He is a jerk, a HUGE jerk.

He is very arrogant/self centered and refuses to ever admit that he's in the wrong. He gives off the "Mr. know it all" attitude and when someone politely tries to correct him he immediately takes it as an attack and very rudely tries to engage in a heated debate. I do not like him, nor do I like his ugly looking knives.

EDIT TO ADD: Even if I did really like his knives I still wouldn't buy them. I would not want to own something that is related to someone like Mike Stewart.

 

[Icky Thump]

I wasnt rallying on anything. And you've yet to to really make a point other than you like BR and all rumors are unfounded for various reasons that you know better about. I was sharing my first hand experience and expressing some of the things Ive heard, objectively. I thought this was encouraged for the sharing of knowledge to warn of or discount wrongful behavior and or 'bad press". Encouraged perhaps until it contradicts what your personal opinions are, that is. And you imply Im the Hypocrite. You weren't even straight forward, implying and eye rolling until some like mindedness shows up. No facts, no linear debate, just assumptions, implications and arrogance. All this negative info posted, yards to be frank, and you come at me? My low post count perhaps?


Not much experience on the forums, but have become familiar w/ this act. Couple, few members, sliding around,shredding anything they dislike or dont agree w/. Usually the same type are pilot fish for whatever maker/manufacture/distributor. You know,.. fan boys.

This honestly has put me off the brand more than most of what Ive read. I actually spoke well of the brand, thought they made a beautiful product and had planned on more. Was in these threads for info on another maker/manufacturer I was looking for info on. I got a QRT-whatever, in a trade as a partial, which I would not have agreed to had I know some of the history. All on me, hadnt done my homework. So, Thought Id check in here, had some experience and some questions...Thanks for sorting for me.

 

[stabman]

Clax is good.



I don't have any other BRK&T knives, but the Clax kicks serious ass.
Good sheath, solid, looks good, feels good, and is fun to use.
What more could anyone want?

 

[Thomas Carey]

OK, let me get this straight.

Initially my post is met w/ sarcasm, implications and eye rolling.

Next, Im being accused of propagating gossip because I inquired about a rumor I heard concerning a company I had interest in?

Are you fellas fans, and trying to promote this brand? If so...your doing a hell of a job.

My advice is if something does not feel right to you then you should consider something else.

 

[jeepin]

He is a jerk, a HUGE jerk.

He is very arrogant/self centered and refuses to ever admit that he's in the wrong. He gives off the "Mr. know it all" attitude and when someone politely tries to correct him he immediately takes it as an attack and very rudely tries to engage in a heated debate. I do not like him, nor do I like his ugly looking knives.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[ukknifer]

He is a jerk, a HUGE jerk.

He is very arrogant/self centered and refuses to ever admit that he's in the wrong. He gives off the "Mr. know it all" attitude and when someone politely tries to correct him he immediately takes it as an attack and very rudely tries to engage in a heated debate. I do not like him, nor do I like his ugly looking knives.

EDIT TO ADD: Even if I did really like his knives I still wouldn't buy them. I would not want to own something that is related to someone like Mike Stewart.

stop using the freedom provided by this forum to serve knife enthusiasts to smear and destroy the reputation of good companies. I have heard this shit about every good knife company out there including Chris Reeves, Benchmade, Strider, Microtech, Kershaw, you name it. If you are successful, haters gonna hate. :thumbdn:

 

[Karda]

Need I remind all here to discuss the topic, not each other.....

 

[bigmark408]

He is a jerk, a HUGE jerk.

He is very arrogant/self centered and refuses to ever admit that he's in the wrong. He gives off the "Mr. know it all" attitude and when someone politely tries to correct him he immediately takes it as an attack and very rudely tries to engage in a heated debate. I do not like him, nor do I like his ugly looking knives.

EDIT TO ADD: Even if I did really like his knives I still wouldn't buy them. I would not want to own something that is related to someone like Mike Stewart.

My experience with Mike was some years back.

This thread caught my attention and this post is exactly how I felt.

Never bought his product after and wouldn't take it if it was free.

 

[Metal Made Fox]

stop using the freedom provided by this forum to serve knife enthusiasts to smear and destroy the reputation of good companies. I have heard this shit about every good knife company out there including Chris Reeves, Benchmade, Strider, Microtech, Kershaw, you name it. If you are successful, haters gonna hate. :thumbdn:

Do "good companies" try to rip people off like this? http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/585934-Bark-River-has-taken-16-000-of-My-Money

Oh and by the way do your self a favor... Never use the phrase; "haters gonna hate" again, and maybe the people in your life may just take you a bit more seriously. It makes you sound like an uneducated 13 year old.