Marble's Knives: "Made in USA" = Gladstone, Mich?

F

Finn-lander

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Apr 12, 2008
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About 20 years ago, my Dad bought me a Marble's Fieldcraft knife. For sentimental reasons it goes along on every hunting trip for field dressing duties. Sometimes I wish the knife was just a bit bigger. The Woodcraft seems to be the big brother of the Fieldcraft. Some retailers list the knife as "Made in the USA". Does that mean Gladstone, Mich? They used to make a quality knife. If they are all being made overseas now then I will look elsewhere for my next knife. Thanks.

Finn-lander
 
The MSA and Marbles knives marked "Gladstone Mich." are
made in the USA, and are decent knives...I own several.

All of mine have D2 blades, however they also use 1095.
 
Marbles has closed up shop as of a couple of months ago. Some dealers still have stock, but when that is gone there will be no more.
 
I am not especially knowledgeable with regard to marbles knives, but the marble's knife company has undergone a lot of changes in the past few years. Most of the older, vintage Marbles are good quality knives; under the Mike Stewart era (from approx. the mid-90's to 2001) Marbles produced some of the best knives around, imo. After MS left, and started Bark River, the quality of Marbles declined. At first they were still marked "Marbles Gladestone", but that was later changed to just "Marbles". They started importing some cheaper knives from China. A few months ago the Marbles knife company went out of business. You can find a lot better answers in the Bernand Levine folder here, or go to the "other" knife forum and ask Mike, who is knowledgable about Marble's knives, both then and now.
 
Which knives use D2? I know the MS era knives use 52100, but I didn't realize they had ever used D2.
 
knarfeng said:
Marbles has closed up shop as of a couple of months ago. Some dealers still have stock, but when that is gone there will be no more.
Click to expand...

....until somebody else buys the name and drags it through the mud a bit more. :barf:
 
I did a little more checking and my knife was made in 1998 and it was 52-100steel. The blade was stamped "Marbles, Gladstone, Michigan". I have called a few retailers and am on the hunt for some of the old stock. Sad, I grew up in the UP and took pride that they made such great knives. Hopefully I will find one before they are gone.
 
Check DLT Trading--they might have some old ones left. Or blanks and you can put your own handle on--I have a trailmaker that I put a scagel style handle on it.
 
jvarn81 said:
As far as I know all Marbles knives are now imported:(
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No, the "classic" line is was made in the USA (up until Marbles filed bankrupsey recently). These are knives like the Ideal, Fieldcraft, Trailmaker, etc. Carbon steel and natural handle materials (stacked leather, wood or stag)
 
Finn-lander said:
I did a little more checking and my knife was made in 1998 and it was 52-100steel. The blade was stamped "Marbles, Gladstone, Michigan". I have called a few retailers and am on the hunt for some of the old stock. Sad, I grew up in the UP and took pride that they made such great knives. Hopefully I will find one before they are gone.
Click to expand...

That's one of the finest modern-era Marble's made. eBay may be your best best. Lots of folks with quantities of old stock are holding on to them for now.
 
Finn-Lander.. with a screen name like that, of course you are from the UP of my state of Michigan.

One can find, in Michigan deer camps, lots of the original Marbles knives, and even some pin on compasses, gun cleaning kits, and match safes. Some of those items have been passed down from several generations.
 
If you want a great bargain in a D2 bladed knife made around Gladstone in the UP, consider Northwood Knives. DLT Trading and KSF both carry them. My Gladstone Drop Point Hunter is a keeper.

Stainz
 
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