Marble's

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mkf2294

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Jan 1, 2009
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Hey any of you guy have an Marbles brand knives. I have seen them before but I wasnt sure of them. I mean they have been in business since 1890 something.
 
The current Marble's knives are Marble's only in name. The original company is long gone.

Others can speak to the quality of the current offerings using that brand.
 
mkf2294 said:
whats it bad. i mean ive never had one so..
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No, I'm not saying that since I have no experience with the current crop of offerings. I just wanted to make sure you understood that it's not the same company anymore. Just the same name.

Those who do have the current knives can give you a better idea as to the level of workmanship you may expect.
 
The current line of Marbles fixed blades are AFAIK still made in the US and are generally of pretty good quality (I've got a couple I am satisfied with). Their current folders, however, are IIRC made in China and are generally considered to be of poor quality. I don't own any, but the couple I have handled did not impress me.

There are certainly any number of similarly priced folding knives of better quality available these days.
 
I've got a couple of my grandfather's old Marbles and they're wonderful blades. Can't speak for the new stuff though.
 
mdauben said:
The current line of Marbles fixed blades are AFAIK still made in the US and are generally of pretty good quality (I've got a couple I am satisfied with). Their current folders, however, are IIRC made in China and are generally considered to be of poor quality. I don't own any, but the couple I have handled did not impress me.

There are certainly any number of similarly priced folding knives of better quality available these days.
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The current Marbles company has commissioned both domestically and foreign made folder models. The price is generally a good tell of what you're looking at.

Actually, I have found that the quality of their imported folders is very good for the price. No, not the best, but definetely good looking and functional. I generally like he couple I hae, and my swing guard cam out of the box shaving sharp, and has retained the factory edge well.

Recently, they have also begun importing a line of unique choppers/ machete type knives from Central America. Every reveiw that I have read of those indicates that they are worth the money.

Many people have also found at least some satisfaction from their new/imported hatchets as well.
 
mp510 said:
Many people have also found at least some satisfaction from their new/imported hatchets as well.
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Here I have a definite first-hand opinion, having purchased a chinese-made Marbles hatchet last year.

It is probably the biggest POS I have ever seen. :barf:

The wood of the handle is of extremely poor quality. The edge on the blade was so thick as to be unusable as it came from the factory and required extensive, tedious re-profiling before it would take a usable edge (which it won't hold for long), and the axe head itself was deeply pitted with rust when it came out of the box.

All in all not even worth the low price I paid for it. :thumbdn:
 
I've got some of their fixed blades, all purchased in the last couple of years. They are made in the US and quite good, if you like convex ground carbon steel blades (which I do).

The price is quite decent as well, I paid around $80 for a Woodcraft with stacked leather handle and stag pommel. So far it's turned out to be a solid performer.

My only complaint is the quality of their sheaths. They are made out of thin leather, with a plastic liner.
 
I have three knives that are "Marbles". Two are relatively recent US production pieces with the Gladstone, MI tang stamp. Of those one is a Woodcraft fixed blade with a stacked leather handle and convexed 52100 blade. The other is a stockman that I believe was made under contract by Queen. F&F on both of those is outstanding, they're real beauties. The third is a China manufactured sunfish. Although not on par by any means with the two US made models, it is actually quite nice, particularly at the price point. I find it's F&F is comparable to a really good Rough Rider and sadly superior to some homegrown products I've handled.
 
Hello gents,

My limited collection of Marble's consists of the #4 Safety Axe and a Handy Hunter, a larger version of A.G.'s Lil' Handy, with red maple burl and pinned india stag.
4 3/8" leaf shaped drop point blade of vacuum melted 52100 at 59-61 Rc.

Both have the Gladstone Mich U.S.A. stamp and I think they're from '02 or '03.

Doug :)
 
RandallFlagg said:
I have three knives that are "Marbles". Two are relatively recent US production pieces with the Gladstone, MI tang stamp. Of those one is a Woodcraft fixed blade with a stacked leather handle and convexed 52100 blade. The other is a stockman that I believe was made under contract by Queen. F&F on both of those is outstanding, they're real beauties. The third is a China manufactured sunfish. Although not on par by any means with the two US made models, it is actually quite nice, particularly at the price point. I find it's F&F is comparable to a really good Rough Rider and sadly superior to some homegrown products I've handled.
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Your right and the same here...
034-1.jpg
 
Check out the May issue of Knives illustrated for a comarison of the old Wood crafter vs the new US made and the new Chinese made copies. I own an original woodcrafter and the steel is amazing. I also own a few new chinese Marbles folders and I like them very much.

Regards

Robin
 
You got it Peter Parker, except the scales on my stockman are a royal blue bone with rope jigging. I'm impressed by it and am looking to pick up one of the teardrops at some point.
 
RandallFlagg said:
You got it Peter Parker, except the scales on my stockman are a royal blue bone with rope jigging. I'm impressed by it and am looking to pick up one of the teardrops at some point.
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If I remember right they called it Italian jigging, and the blade or blades advertised as ATS-34. The two sub blades on mine are definately carbon steel; the main blade is SS. I'm not a big fan of the cattle king size but I really like this one! I'm glade I got in on some of the last 52100 Marble's knives!!
 
I have one of their chinese made jumbo trappers. Fit and finish is very good, though the color of the handles could be better.

It actualy came sharp and the blades are good. Sharpen easy and hold an edge well.

Spring tension is probably a 3 or 4, a bit better than adequate but not terribly strong.

I'm happy as it's a very good knife for the 12.99 I paid for it on ebay.
 
Isn't it true that when the company resurrected their line of knives, and got the name out into the market once again, their inital offering of sheath knives were completed from a discovered stash of blanks from years and years ago? Something like a "new-old-stock" deal? I thought I read that somewhere along the way.
 
You did Haggismonger. I read an article in Tactical knives or it might have been Knives annual that Marbles had discovered some old knife blanks and were going to use them. The knives were on the brittle side and some would chip out at the edge. Seems the late writer Chuck Karwan did an article or 2 on them. Also, after Marbles were in full production Ed Fowler tested an old Marbles Woodcraft compared to a new Woodcraft with a new 52100 steel blade. Not absolutely positive on steel in new knife. But Ed stated they performed very well and the new knife was just as good as the old. This article was in a past Blade madazine. At that time the Lauterbach family owned Marbles and I don't know if they still do. Hope that helps.

RKH
 
mkf2294 said:
Hey any of you guy have an Marbles brand knives. I have seen them before but I wasnt sure of them. I mean they have been in business since 1890 something.
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had an ideal mod. 1952 current stuff has good rep. pat. ran out years ago many copies caution ' easy. to fake; old ones vaulable .
 
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