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I need help : Does anyone know any information on the Al Mar Pathfinder/ Quest blades

B

Broken Arrow

Joined
Dec 1, 1999
Messages
651
I need help! I was wondering if anyone know if Al Mar still makes the Pathfinder/Quest blades? If they do make them still, how much? If not how much would they go for as a used blade? Also, what are the models do they make, and what are the dimensions? One final question, do they actually hold up to hard use or are they meant to do only light work? Thanks in advance.
 
Moving to general to help get you more responses.

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I don't think they are in production right now. At around £140 there may be some still collecting dust in the back of a shop somewhere.

I broke one by taking a huge cresent chip out of the blade. Too much damage to fix. I'm not completely sure if I hit something hard on the ground or the blade had twisted in the hard wood I was chopping at the time.

For anyone trying to produce a similar type knife there are some serious engineering problems. Al Mar was trying to produce a hard wood machete. Hard steel, hefty blade at a length that could produce real power. I don't know of any maker that has succesfully produced one yet. The Blackjack (now defunked) produced something near with its Marauder II, but used a much softer and forgiving steel. The fix has produced knives more akin to hatchets: shorter and stouter.
Even modern steels with the best heat treatment cannot handle the forces involved. That is if you want a hard keen edge.

Busse Inf steel may be up to it but Busse has stopped short of producing anything over 12 inches. If they did, even they would either beef it up or expect some to fail.
Manufactureres hate their blades to fail, to the point where even small folders tend to be over engineered. You cannot blame the manufacturers when, once a blade failes, everyone is all too quick to write off the knife and manufacturer.

I would love to see more knives fail because they were made to cut.

The Pathfinder, was never my preferred blade. There may be some out there that have given years or sterling service. As an example of Al Mars pioneering work it is a superb example of how he was trying to push the boundaries of knife making and design.
 
Howdy Broken One!
Al Mar isn't making anything particular exciting these days (in my opinion) and I know that the Pathfinder's been discontinued for a few years.
For what it's worth (FWIW to the puter freaks) Brigade Quatermasters offered it for $250.
Lorena Bobbitski, that psycho, has one. She's not willing to sell it since she uses it for fileting minnows.

Hope that enlightens,
VG

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[This message has been edited by Vampire Gerbil (edited 07-05-2000).]
 
Sorry for the commercial post. But, I think it is appropriate. My last mint ALMAr Pathfinder is in Bruce Voyles next auction. It is a combat Machete. Meant for soft to medium material. I used one in Guatamala for three months and had no trouble except it is aB***ch to sharpen safley due to the size.

Cheers,

ts

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Guns are for show. Knifes are for Pros.
 
Brigade Quartermaster sells a clone called the Pathmaker for $99.99. It's made of AM6 steel (whatever that is) and RC 57-59.
 
BMWGS80. I put mine to work in the UK which has harder wood. The damage was done almost immediately. It could have been a one off fault.
My reasoning for a hard wood chopper is that the Pathfinder is made of a quite hard steel and the blade is fairly heavy. I would think that it would breeze through lighter stuff, but be quite tiring.
Would the Pathfinder be your first choice if you went again?

 
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