Bear & son any good

W

william8284

Joined
Apr 30, 2010
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100
I have always liked the looks on thier trappers but never held one. I am getting really intrested now with thier 4th generation series having 1095.How is thier fit and finish compared to say a good Case? I love the fact that they are made in the USA. Does anyone have any of the 4th gen with 1095? How do you like them? I ask because I am looking at branching out from just Case and Boker tree brands. I just ordered a GEC and need some more trappers.I would love to get to handle one however I am currently out of the country for few more weeks and want to get get myself a Bday present. I know how lame getting myself a gift. I always get myself something:D
 
What I've heard their fit&finish is hit and miss. Best would be if you can go pick best one personally. When they're good, they supposed to be good, Case level, most of the time they are not what I've heard from these forums. They're older knives in the past have been good. I don't have any Bear and Son's as what I've lately read about them have made me think twice before getting in more recent knives from them.
 
If you can inspect it in person before buying, you might find one that is OK, but from years of looking at them in stores, I would never buy one without doing so.

They have recently came out with some nice looking bone handled pocketknives sold in Gander Mountain stores, and even through the clear plastic packaging, I could not find 1 out of the nearly 50 I looked at one day, that didn't have some kinds of significant flaw.
 
These are my only two Bear & Son knives. Bought both sight unseen from the Internet. Both have good fit and finish that is up to par with 90% of my Case knives. Both knives are carbon and both knives sharpen nicely. Both are Barlows and both are good, solid, knives. I have no complaints about either of them. Both knives have half stops and both have excellent snap.

Red Stag Barlow
bearsonredstagbarlow.jpg


Yellow Derlin Barlow
bearsonyellowderlinbarl.jpg


We were readying our Swamp Cooler for the season Tuesday and I happened to have the Yellow Derlin Barlow in my pocket. The cooler hold-down strap needed trimming and the carbon blade sliced it easily as well as carved a shim from a wooden stake for the rear corner of the cooler. No other knife I have could have done a better job.
 
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Ok so maybe I should just get more Case,Gec,Boker,and start getting Queen. I dont want to order a knife with that kind of reputation. I will get one if I can handle it. Thanks
 
Bear & Son is currently making knives for BSA (Bear MGC). As such I picked up a few. The Boy Scout Whittler, a Barlow and large lockback.

What I can tell you is my Rough Rider Sowbelly Stockman cut better than the Whittler. and has a much better looking white smooth bone scales than the imitation plastic jigged pattern scales on the Bear MGC.

The Large Lockback (4.5 inch) is a pretty good knife and the F&F is pretty good. The lock is very tight but then I hand picked it and took the one with the strongest lock.

I like the little 3 inch Barlow the best. The F&F is very nice. I like the laminated handles and the satin finished blades walk and talk quite nicely. Quite sharp and quite elegant.

I was able to pick and choose as I'm at the Scout store all the time. I do recall I passed on a different Bear Scout Barlow because the blade didn't lock cleanly in the half open position.

Overall I'm pleased with all three knives but it is disappointing that a Rough Rider Sowbelly bought at half the price works better than my BSA Whittler. Heck even a $7 Chinese made Winchester Stockman had a sharper blade. (the BSA whittler has its blades laid out like a Stockman, thus my comparisons)

If you're still interested try a BSA store and check out the BSA Bear MGC scout knives, where you should be able to inspect before you buy. Hope this helps
 
Okay, I'm going to make a rebuttal on my own post. I've been using the BSA whittler by Bear MGC for a week or so now The spring is too weak to keep the small clip blade open when putting the least amount of pressure on it. It folds anytime you need to twist it. I also had to sand off a small burr of plastic that was snagging the inside of my pocket. On top of that, I dropped it and one of the scales slipped lose and had to be snapped back in place. It'll be going back in the drawer after today.

My Camillus made BSA whittler doesn't have these problems. Heck, my Rough Rider whittler at 1/3 the price is a much better knife than this Bear. So much for buying American made. I'll be buying the Victorinox knives if I buy any more of the current BSA knives.
 
I do not think I would want to own any Bear and sons. Too many other brands with better reputation.
 
Bear and Sons quality is hit or miss. If you want a quality, USA made knife at the same price, go with the knives being put out by Utica Cutlery--their Catskill and Adirondack series.
 
I only had one & it was...OK. I've had worse, but many better, IMHO. Now, mine was a Heritage version from '06 or '07 (Actually, maybe earlier, because it had 440A steel & they've upgraded it).

I thought I've read that they've improved, though, but I think the suggestion of if you can get a hand-picked one might be sound advice. However, there does seem to be other very good & reasonably priced U.S. made slippies that one can get instead.
 
I have a small stockman in oak.
I got it early in my collecting

Now I really think it is poor form to insult a knife

This knife has so much character that it is idiosyncratic
It is one of a kind, so much so that I have grown quite fond of it.

But alas, I shall not be buying another Bear, how much joy can one take?
 
Case, Canal St.,Queen, Schatt&Morgan,Buck,and now Utica.I like pins in my scales and Bear lacks them in most patterns.There's plenty of other companies out there.
 
I heard they make the economy yellow delrins for moore maker - they good!

But of course it might not be true :)
 
Noddy said:
I heard they make the economy yellow delrins for moore maker - they good!

But of course it might not be true :)
Click to expand...

Knifeswapper could tell you. He's handled a few I believe. for the price they probably aren't bad.
 
I have a small yellow Delrin Bear and Sons 4th Gen trapper.

Hell I like it, I would buy another one.
 
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