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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Bear MGC
- Thread starter xbxb
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2001
- Messages
- 18,423
Unless it's changed in the last few weeks, they are USA made.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2001
- Messages
- 18,423
No problem!
Could you give feed back on their better knives.
I got a small stockman with oak handles and found the quality to be poor (polite).
Moore Maker that are marked B in the type number are made by Bear.
So I want to know what the quality will be like.
Thanks
I got a small stockman with oak handles and found the quality to be poor (polite).
Moore Maker that are marked B in the type number are made by Bear.
So I want to know what the quality will be like.
Thanks
i got two knives by bear, a small lockback and a small single blade peanut type knife.
both were below Case, for example.
my peanut style does not resist closing like i want it to, and doesn't sharpen very well...can't get it to feel sharp with anything but a lucky touch and a course stone, doesn't seem to take a fine polish well. the scales don't match well.
the lockback has some blade play when open, and the blade pivot is very loose (possible problem with blade popping open in pocket?).
i would say that these knives perform roughly on par with my 3.50 gas station slippies that i got a while back.
i think that if they used better blade steel alone then it would be alot better. they really just need to tune up their fit and finish.
both were below Case, for example.
my peanut style does not resist closing like i want it to, and doesn't sharpen very well...can't get it to feel sharp with anything but a lucky touch and a course stone, doesn't seem to take a fine polish well. the scales don't match well.
the lockback has some blade play when open, and the blade pivot is very loose (possible problem with blade popping open in pocket?).
i would say that these knives perform roughly on par with my 3.50 gas station slippies that i got a while back.
i think that if they used better blade steel alone then it would be alot better. they really just need to tune up their fit and finish.
Bear MGC is from Jax, AL - and owns Alabama Damascus, the largest Damascus blade maker in the US. I have several lockbacks and a Bowie. They use a 'dot' system on their tang to indicate year of manufacture. Mine were all made post 2000. To be fair, they are functional, if pedestrian. They seem to be harder to put an edge on with their 440 steel than my Buck 420HC steel, but a Spyderco 'Sharpmaker' will get them all to scarey sharp.
I have a 297, a 5" heftier 110-type, with oak scales - and a 597D with Indian stag and a Damascus blade (They use 512 layer Damascus - made there.). The former came sharp, the latter, not so much. I spent ten minutes changing that last week - five to find the SM, a couple to assemble it - the remainder to put a shaving edge on it. The carbides may keep it cutting when it feels dull, as that Bowie does, but they can be made to 'feel' sharp, too. It was $150 in the '04 Bear catalog I got from a south Alabama retailer - but ran me $34.50 + s/h on Evil Bay last month. The $52 297 was $24 on closeout locally, the cocobolo handled Damascus Bowie was 'sale priced' $100 from a familiar e-knife store several years ago. My second Damascus blade actually came from Jax, too - on the Kershaw Damascus Leek. My favorite - and third - a custom Buck 110 with teardrop Damascus - orders of magnitude finer than that 597D - and $20 over that Bear's $150 MSRP.
Now, where does their 'quality' fall? The 297 came with a fairly sharp blade - and a hint of play at lock-up - more than would be acceptable - or expected - from a Buck 110. Fully functional - and safe - and a bit 'bowed' (thicker in the middle) in the scales for a 'different' grip than a 110. I still don't know if I like it over a 110's grip, which is my 'standard' - probably not. The 597D came fitted like a custom knife - no play - great lockup - centered blade - neat scales and blade - a far cry from the 297. Maybe they are more careful with the higher cost units. Their leather holsters are US-made - a bit crude compared to the import sheaths, but highly functional.
The Damascus Bowie is huge... and, compared to the PRC-made 'fantasy' Bowies, a real bore to look at, despite the interesting blade. It will barely shave arm hair - and saw through hefty carboard like a chainsaw. I have a Puma Bowie, which is a fine knife. The Bear Damascus Bowie is a user - probably replacing a camp axe for most uses.
I will buy more Bear knives... certainly, if on 'sale' - and for use, not collecting. My Dam 110 is a looker... my Dam Leek see's some carry & use - that 597D is a hefty back-pocket carry.
Stainz
I have a 297, a 5" heftier 110-type, with oak scales - and a 597D with Indian stag and a Damascus blade (They use 512 layer Damascus - made there.). The former came sharp, the latter, not so much. I spent ten minutes changing that last week - five to find the SM, a couple to assemble it - the remainder to put a shaving edge on it. The carbides may keep it cutting when it feels dull, as that Bowie does, but they can be made to 'feel' sharp, too. It was $150 in the '04 Bear catalog I got from a south Alabama retailer - but ran me $34.50 + s/h on Evil Bay last month. The $52 297 was $24 on closeout locally, the cocobolo handled Damascus Bowie was 'sale priced' $100 from a familiar e-knife store several years ago. My second Damascus blade actually came from Jax, too - on the Kershaw Damascus Leek. My favorite - and third - a custom Buck 110 with teardrop Damascus - orders of magnitude finer than that 597D - and $20 over that Bear's $150 MSRP.
Now, where does their 'quality' fall? The 297 came with a fairly sharp blade - and a hint of play at lock-up - more than would be acceptable - or expected - from a Buck 110. Fully functional - and safe - and a bit 'bowed' (thicker in the middle) in the scales for a 'different' grip than a 110. I still don't know if I like it over a 110's grip, which is my 'standard' - probably not. The 597D came fitted like a custom knife - no play - great lockup - centered blade - neat scales and blade - a far cry from the 297. Maybe they are more careful with the higher cost units. Their leather holsters are US-made - a bit crude compared to the import sheaths, but highly functional.
The Damascus Bowie is huge... and, compared to the PRC-made 'fantasy' Bowies, a real bore to look at, despite the interesting blade. It will barely shave arm hair - and saw through hefty carboard like a chainsaw. I have a Puma Bowie, which is a fine knife. The Bear Damascus Bowie is a user - probably replacing a camp axe for most uses.
I will buy more Bear knives... certainly, if on 'sale' - and for use, not collecting. My Dam 110 is a looker... my Dam Leek see's some carry & use - that 597D is a hefty back-pocket carry.
Stainz
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2007
- Messages
- 203
I only have one which is a medium stockman with oak scales. I guess I was lucky because it's a good user. Nice feel in the had, strong springs, excellent walk & talk. Nothing fancy with unpolished blades. Fit & finish are good, but pretty? Not really. David