Bear and Son slipjoints?

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leeramundo

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Feb 18, 2015
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I was thinking about trying out one of their traditional slipjoints and was wondering if anyone has had experience with them. How would they compare to say GEC slipjoints?

Thanks
 
leeramundo said:
I was thinking about trying out one of their traditional slipjoints and was wondering if anyone has had experience with them. How would they compare to say GEC slipjoints?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Not a good comparison.
A Bear 4" stockman costs $30.
A GEC costs about $100

You do the math.
 
I've heard mainly poor reviews, on this forum and others, including Facebook groups. They are useable, but do not match the quality of a Rough Rider.
 
Miss and hit.
When B&S hit, they can be good but when they miss, they miss!
I hand pick mine.
 
I would use the word " junk " but that denigrates junk everywhere.
I bought the first one of theirs I saw that fit into my collections of 4-blade congresses and 4-blade Stockman pocketknives. It was over 70bux from SMKW and the first time I opened and closed the main blade it came down upon a liner and sliced it to bea tthe band. that blade was a sumbee to get out of the liner too. I filled out the warrenty card, wrote a nice we-gotta-a-problem-here letter to BEAR&SONS and sent it off. This was a few years ago and to right now I've yet to receive a response. Sometime later I found the SMKW invoice and sent it back to Kevin Pipes along with a letter printed in large block letters so Pipes could read it asking why he was selling such trash ? Never got an answer but did not expect one from Pipes. He is too busy scamming everyone in the jim Parker fashion. BE SURE and read the thread on here about Jim Parker !!!
AND I was so happy to see a new-to-me knife company when I bought that knife from BEAR&SON.....great hopes dashed on the knife edge of reality.
And so it goes...
 
If you can find the older Bear MGC and hold it in hand it may not be too bad. My first ever ebay purchase was a bear MGC Damascus and pearl peanut. It was my good luck charm during my first stint in university. A decent slipjoint, holds a good edge, but is a bit blocky compared to other peanuts. I've had poor service from their repair department, when a stag slab fell off of another of their knives. More than six months passed before I got it back (fixed blade hunter), and the new slab was extremely mismatched to the existing scale, so I traded it off. the peanut I think I won for less than $20, so it was a really good deal for what I got.
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They've made some beautiful Remington reproductions that I have seen in small hunting shops in PA. However, they're in clamshell packaging, you can look at it if you buy it, but obviously can't take it out if you're not buying.
 
Bear and sons knives are... not good from my experience.. I have a hand full I tried out and still have. It is embarrassing :D

I'll be selling them for a sweet deal though soon! Keep an eye out! L:D
 
i've seen a couple that were ok. some that were not. Not as good as Case. Actually I prefer a new Schrade to Bear, the Schrades are not great but definitely ok for everyday use.
 
Recently, I checked out a Bear and Sons at a local hardware store, a medium Stockman with wood scales.
I was shocked at how crudely it was made.. edges all over were really rough, the spey blade was cut into that shape (looked like they used shears) Now I have a huge appreciation for "handmade" knives, but this looked like something a kid made in metalshop.
I'm glad I saved my money and bought a large Case Stockman elsewhere.
 
leeramundo said:
I guess a better question may be, how do they compare to Case slipjoints?
Click to expand...

Like Case, the fit-and-finish can be hit or miss. Bear is more likely to miss.
Case has better steel it seems, and hands-down case has more attractive handle materials.

Neither is even close to the consistency of Victorinox nor the quality of Great Eastern.
 
I have 2 Bear and Son knives, a 2 blade Barlow and two blade trapper. They are good "user" knives, made at a specific price point in the USA by American workers who pay taxes and buy goods here. American manufacture adds costs, taxes, electricity, wages, regulation, health care, so at this lower price point you don't get as much quality finishing as some knives made in China or the higher end American knives: Queen, Case, GEC, Northwood’s, Canal Street etc. But, Bear and Son are good working knives, reasonable finish and do the job.

Bear and Son: Barlow, strong springs, good scale/bolster transition (no high or low points), attractive torched bone scales, blades not perfectly centered but not rubbing, blades came sharp, easy to sharpen - I keep light coat of oil on them. Like the Barlow alot. Trapper, medium/light springs, scale/bolster transition not as good (one high spot), attractive torched bone scales, blades not perfectly centered but not rubbing, blades came sharp, easy to sharpen. Compared to Case: I think Case has better finishing all around compared to Bear and Son, but they generally cost more, and they probably can reduce some costs due to higher volume. For example, for a high quality knife for the cost, value and nicely finished, would recommend a Case Trapper, SS blades.
 
Bear and Son should only be purchased if you can inspect before buying. I really want them to be good made in the USA knives, but I have gone through piles of them to find good ones (which I have bought). I did get some real dogs on line until I learned my lesson.
 
Bear & Sons makes crude knives. They don't even look right in pictures.

Case makes good knives for a good price. They aren't as consistent as GEC, but can be just as good more often than not. I do prefer hand picking them. GEC bone is much better dyed.
 
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