Moore Maker observations

K

KimberComp

Joined
May 22, 2005
Messages
272
I've had a few slipjoints over the years but in the past few months they have bitten me hard. I've purchased mainly new but I managed to find a older knives that I liked. A few worth more than I paid, a few worth exactly what I paid, and few that I just spent more than they are worth. I bought Case, Queen, Schatt Morgan, Bulldog, Kabar, Uncle Henry,German Eye, and Moore Maker.

In my area I've not seen any Queen knives and just a few Schatt Morgan. I have yet to see any Moore Maker knives in my area. This was sort the reason I bought Moore Maker. Wanted to collect something different than the big C that is so hot locally. I've made my purchases of Queen, Schatt Morgan, and Moore Maker over the net. I've purchased some pieces of the other brands over the net and the rest locally. I own eight with 5 of them being limited 100 piece runs.

Now remember, I like the knives! I've found nothing really wrong with the Queen and Schatt Morgan knives I've purchase. I might just be lucky! Blades have been clean of scuff marks and basically the blades have been well centered. I would just like to make some observations on what I've seen in the Moore Maker line. Of the eight knives I've purchase 2 have blades that are poorly centered. Their not hitting anything. 4 of the knives have scuff marks, though very light, they are little larger than I'm use to seeing. Based on my limited experience, I would say that the Moore Maker line is good using knife but not at the same quality level of the Queen or Schatt Morgain. Sorry, just what I've seen to this point! Look at the pricing. The working line of Moore Maker is sort of competitive with others at the same level. When you move into their bone handle knives (like the yellow), they are at the very least priced equally to the Queen bone knives and often priced at the Schatt Morgan level or higher. Honestly, if they are going to charge these prices for regular bone production and higher for limited runs a certain level of quality should be expected. I'm assuming they are trying to draw collectors to their knives. Again, from my limited experience and I understand they are production knives they still need to make improvement in the quality of their knives. I think a little more attention will make these 1095 into superior production knives and I hope Moore Maker addresses this.

Tim
 
Yes! thank you ! good job with this post. I have had bad experiences with this company too, I agree about the blades being poorly centered. Queen is head and shoulders above Moore Maker.
 
shipwreck said:
Yes! thank you ! good job with this post. I have had bad experiences with this company too, I agree about the blades being poorly centered. Queen is head and shoulders above Moore Maker.
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Queen manufacturers Moore Maker knives (bone and stag) Camillus makes the horn and plastic models.
 
I have multiple Moore Maker knives. As noted, all bone knives are made by Queen and the Buffalo horn and Delrin handled knives are made by Camillus. Many of the models are just Queen knives with different scales on them.

Moore Maker knives are good and they have great customer service. Give them a call and let them know your concerns. I'm sure they will make it right.
 
My MM 5302 Jumbo Stockman is very well made, by Queen, the factory edges could have been better, but the knife is sweet!
 
I've purchased about nine Moore Makers, of which I think I still have seven. Four were made by Camillus (Delrin or Horn handles) and five were made by Queen (bone and stag). I would agree they're probably a little overpriced, but I think the QC is very good. In my experience the average QC is better than what I've seen from Queen or even Schatt and Morgan. That said, I will admit the standard Queen line is a better value.
 
I've had bad luck on my one purchase of a liner locking trapper from them (Big Bend Saddlery's online store). The backspring was fine strength wise. But the fit and finish was rather poor. Inspections of several at a gunshow, left me unimpressed. I'm too skeptical to buy one sight unseen.

Sending such a bad example overseas (Rod Neep) really bumps up the distrust level that I have of the outfit.
 
Comparing a MM Moose to a similar size queen I have, the D2 Carved Stag Bone Canoe, the MM is a bit better fit & finish wise.

The clip on the moose is not centered perfectly but it doesn't rubs anywhere. But the canoe has a little blade play on the main blade. and the bone doesn't match up to the bolsters quite as well. Pins and shield are set better on the MM too.

I rarely get a production slipjoint that is perfect. None of the ones I regularly use are. I tend to notice the imperfections in the ones I regularly use more so than the ones that sit in the box, and one of the best I have is the Queen 1095 Mini-trapper - and the clip is not centered perfectly on that one either.

Anyhow, right this minute I have 50 or 60 or more knives in a box, and a MM moose is in my pocket.
 
Guys,

I'll say right now that I'm a big fan of Moore Maker, so anything I tell you is colored by that. As I see it, there are two issues that folks have with the Moore Maker: Price and finish. As far as the first one goes, you can always buy your MM knives off of Ebay, since the prices there seem to be pretty good. For the second, I've spoken to Dave Moore a couple of times and I'm sure that he'd be happy to reselve any problems that you might have had with your knife. In fact, the second time I spoke to him it was because I'd bought a buffalo horn stockman from them and then decided that I didn't care for the horn scales. When I told him I wanted to send it back and why, he was very accomodating and said he'd be happy to exchange it for the moose pattern that I wanted instead.

I can understand why if you were in England you might not want to do that, but for the rest of us I think it's a good option.

James
 
I'm a fan also or I would not have bought them.

I also know that Queen makes their bone knives.

My point in the whole post is simply the quality should be better if they want to charge the prices I have paid. I don't expect a perfect production folder but the Queen/Schatt Morgan knives I've bought have been very good quality. None of issues I've seen in the Moore Maker are present in my Queen/Schatt Morgan. Could I have been lucky with them and unlucky in the Moore Maker? Possibly! Again guys, I want to collect their knives. What I started doing after the first few is requesting the dealers check out the knives for those issues I've seen. The past three have been fine.
 
augustus88 said:
Queen manufacturers Moore Maker knives (bone and stag) Camillus makes the horn and plastic models.
Click to expand...


Yeah, but the numer of Queen and Schatt Morgain knives I have received have been of better fitt and finish. I have 5 Schatt Morgan knives and 13 Queens.

Again, I collect what I like more than worrying about making money on the knives. Of course, I've placed limits on myself such certain steels, certain handle materials, specifically on the Moore Maker buying the limited run knives. At some point they will likely be sold. No soon, and probably not in my life time but someone who inherits my collection will likely sale. These limited production knives need a little more attention paid to their fitt and finish. You guys collect! When you check out higher dollar limited run knives don't you ask about blade scuffing, centered blades, and conditon of the handle. Oh, and by the way, the handles and bolster of the Moore Maker knives have been excellet. It's the the attention to the blades that I have some issue with! I have a yellow handle Moore Maker and yellow handle Case CV that I carry. I've been very satisfied with both knives.
 
I agree that moore makers seem a bit pricey for the quality. It's kept me from buying them. Its a common feeling. I've had dealers try to pass of the cammilus made moore makers as queen-made or some even call them S&M-made to justify the price.
 
It just goes to show you that we are all going to have different experiences. I have several Moore Makers (8), several Queens (10), several Schatt & Morgans (4) and one Robeson. All made by the same company. I like my Moore Makers the best. All, notice I didn't say some, of my Queens have been the dullest out of the box knives I have ever bought. Some of them barely had an edge bevel at all. My S&Ms have blade rub or chips in the scales. I haven't had any of these issues with my Moore Makers. However, all of them have some issues with how the scales are finished and many have pits int the blades right out of the box. EXCEPT the Robeson. Its a buffalo horn rail splitter and it is great. Wish I could get a few more.


all that being said, I will continue to buy all of these knives because they are all some of the best out there.
 
roknjs, the moore maker I got looked alot lot the one in the link I posted above. If this IS the best out there in terms of traditional pocket knives, that isnt saying much.

To be honest this is the reason why I only carry "tactical" folders now, spyderco and emersons, you just dont have to deal with the dicey quality.
 
I was less than impressed with both of the Moore Makers I have owned. (one bone, one working knife) Fit and finish was average and both developed blade rub marks.

Here in Texas the Moore Makers are big with the cowboy culture. Rodeo Cowboys, ranch hands, saddlemakers, cutters, and wannabes all swear by them. Of course, they all buy into the quaint little myth that the knives are made one at a time in a little shop in Matador, Texas... You ought to see the look on a Cowboys face when I tell them their Moore Maker working knife was made in New York. Their first reaction is either THAT'S bulls**t, or somebody git a rope!! :D
 
"To be honest this is the reason why I only carry "tactical" folders now, spyderco and emersons, you just dont have to deal with the dicey quality."

That's a joke isn't it? I've had plenty of Spydercos with functional problems and have got to know their repair department. I've never had to send in a queen. Maybe a fit/finish problem, but never anything functional. When spyderco linerlocks get old, they get loose and finicky, won't happen with a queen slipjoint. After many years of having problems with spyderco, I won't buy a spyderco sight unseen, but I've bought all my queens, S&Ms and queen contract knives on-line. Don't know about emersons.
 
I recently purrchased one of their Ram's Horn trappers No. 8202 and was totally disappointed when the knife arrived. The blade springs were so light that I could open the blades with a easy movement of my wrist. I would be scared to carry the knife in my pocket without putting rubber bands over the blades to keep them from opening in my pocket. At $135 plus shipping I really expected a high quality knife.
 
I have one queen small stockman that has weak springs and
the main blade has some play. It also came very dull.
Because of this it took forever to sharpen... since it is D2.
The F&F was average.

I have a really old Schrade in carbon steel that still
has snappy springs... and this thing is like 40+ years old.
Also, the half stops on the Queen are also weak.
The Scrade has great half stops.

That being said I have a small Case serpentine jack. Weak springs,
the blades rub up against each other. Steel Sucks!

I carry a Vic Soldier daily and it has the best springs I've ever used.
Talk about a half stop! The half stop on the large screwdriver is awesome!

I really really want to buy more slipjoints. But I feel jaded now.
Only the SAK has met my quality needs.

I think I'm going to try a S&M (hoping the quality is higher)
and maybe Boker.

I don't ask for much. Strong springs, no bladeplay, no rubbing.

If a $21 Vic SAK can do it, I really expect a $50-$80 knife to do it as well.

Anyone have any experience with the Boker's?
 
Mick R. said:
Their first reaction is either THAT'S bulls**t, or somebody git a rope!! :D
Click to expand...

Mick - I'm involved up to my eyebrows in cowboy culture, and that is a typical reaction to many things ;)

I blame on the Pace Picante Sauce commercial.
 
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