Fair price for Bear Damascus?

PeaceFrog

PeaceFrog

Joined
Nov 11, 2000
Messages
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I was at my local mall knife store (trying not to name it...) :rolleyes: looking at knives, and lo and behold, saw some nice looking Bear damascus balis...one tanto, and I think the other was a weehawk but am unsure. Anyhow, they were priced at about $75 ea...Seems decent to me, but then again their BM balis were all $180-$190, which just seems like a ripoff compared to all the internet prices. Of course, I am sure they have lots more overhead costs to cover (rent, salespeople's salaries, etc) so they're not shafting people to make a profit...Just do people think that's a good price for those Bears, or should I just save up and buy a BM off the 'net? The Bear tanto sure was pretty...but I bet a 47 would outlast it.
 
By some "Silly-Putty" to hold the handles together. It's overall strength specs are about identical to the handles on the Bears. :(


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
If you're lookin' for a good price on a Bear, then go here:

http://www.knifemart.com/bearbtfy.htm

Even though mostly everyone else here will condem the Bear, I have had one (the damascus clip piont) as my EDC for almost 2 years now without any evidence of the negative traits usually attributed to it. It is sturdy and has heavy handles, which I like. The size is about equivalent to a BM 42, but of course not the weight. If you want to get a BM though, you will recieve as good, if not better a knife with a company to back it up.
 
Peacefrog, $75 for a bear and $180 for a new BM are both way overpriced. And even if a bear was $30, it still wouldn't be worth the money. Bear balisongs are kind of like paper clips. You can take a whole box of clips, and bend them, one at a time until they all break. You'll find that the first paper clip may brake after 5 bends, but the second one breaks after 15, the third on the first bend. When the quality of metal goes down, so does the consistency of strength. That's one of the golden rules of engineering. It seems like Eva-Unit-02 got pretty lucky with that two year EDC. If I knew every bear I bought would do that, I may be more inclined to get one. But it's a chance you have to take.

I hate to tell people to save up and buy a new BM, because it's not my money, and it can be expensive for some. But, you will be pleased in the long run. It'll flip better than the bear, cut better than the bear, and will last you years longer than any bear. By the way, if you look around online, you should be able to snatch up a BM42 for around $120 or so. Have fun flippin'!
 
You can find Bear Damascus for $20 or less and they aren't worth that. I'd just save up and get a BM.
 
Boy,
A nice set of Mer's custom stainless handles sure would look nice with that damascus blade. :D

Not Mer
 
A new set of Eric's handles would look nice with that blade PeaceFrog....very nice :)

Check out the handles he did for Dawkind on a BM 139....AWESOME!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
What does a bear blade consist of? And what's there in length/thickness? As I understand, the damascus steel is 2 or more types forged and rolled into one...do the Bear blades measure up to what a set of Mer's handles would add?

Phil
 
I had a buddy who just bought a Bear damascus "tanto" and the welds actually came apart and it split right down the blade. This is in addition to all of my problems I've had. A good search involving my name and Bear should turn up like 10,000 anti-bear posts.
 
Damn, this certainly doesn't sound like something I want to buy then! Thanks for all the input, guys.
 
Too bad, so sad for BEAR MGC - I thought they were kind of nice-

what kind of Damascus steel is that, anyway?:confused:
 
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