Please give opinion on Bear and Son Cutlery knives

C

Coffee Black

Joined
Jun 2, 2008
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44
Hi, I can't do a search here. I'm interested in getting a fixed hunting knife from Bear and Son Cutlery. But before that, I'd like to know what you all think of their knives in terms of quality and built. If the blades hold the edge well, etc.
 
I personally have not been happy with the few Bear & Sons I have handled. I had one stockman for awhile that was OK, but I had to go through 7 o r8 in the store to find one that was decent enough to buy.

I'm not totally ruling them out, but for me Bear & Son knives are a "buy only in person, never order online where I can't hold them first".
 
I used to be happy with them.

BUT they will not honor the warrenty on ANY of their butterfly knives, including the high end ones.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
I personally have not been happy with the few Bear & Sons I have handled. I had one stockman for awhile that was OK, but I had to go through 7 o r8 in the store to find one that was decent enough to buy.

I'm not totally ruling them out, but for me Bear & Son knives are a "buy only in person, never order online where I can't hold them first".
Click to expand...

+1. Bear & Sons is pretty overrated, IMHO.

Bear Claw has pretty much summed up my opinion of them; I haven't bought one yet because of the issues I've seen with them, and I've looked at them occasionally for more than two years now. They are making Boy Scout knives now, since Camillus closed, and from what I've seen they're not up to the same quality standard.

thx - cpr
 
The sad part to me, is that they have put out some knives with really nice stag, but when all the rest of the parts of the knife aren't even fit together right, the best stag in the world can't make up for it.
 
Thanks for the input. The reason I'm asking you all this is because it's the only brand I can find available in stores here in my country. I don't find any Emersons or Busse or CRKT, etc. Ordering online is ok, just that the local laws regarding knife imports are simply too strict.

The only good knife I found so far is a Surefire Echo at a local ACE Hardware. But the price is an equivalent of US$486. Waaay overpriced compared to the listed price of US$300 on Surefire's website. I guess it's the price to pay for having it safely in your hands and not stuck in the customs and imports department.

I guess I won't be looking at a Bear and Son knife.
 
Below, at the top picture's bottom, is a Bear MGC/Bear & Son knive - made near here in Jacksonville, AL. I have a smaller fixed blade - and the Damascus Bowie in the second picture below. They also make their own Damascus - and the one used in the Leek below, too. I would rate their QC at below Buck's, of course - but certainly better than many others. All of my Bear folders, including the large #597D shown, were delivered in quite good shape - well-centered and fairly smooth opening, if a bit stiff when new. I didn't get the opportunity to 'handpick' any of my Bears.

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Stainz
 
I've only owned one of them. I wasn't happy with it and sold it to some dumb shmuck at a pawnshop for more than it was worth. I'll never buy another one.
 
Anyone find that they run there steel a little soft? I had a bear bowie that just wouldnt hold an edge well. It just seemed like the RC was too low for the knife and the edge would fold or dent easily.
 
When I think of Bear & Son knives, I think "erratic build quality" based on the several I've seen.

I do have a couple of nice knives that were manufactured by Bear & Son, but one is a Remington, and the other is a Moore Maker.

Both are nice slipjoints, but both were obviously QC'd to a much higher standard than is typical for Bear & Son.
 
I have a Stagg Hunter that has field dressed and skinned at least two Elk and two Mule deer ever year for the last 12 years.

I guess you can do that with $500.00 knives just as well.
 
I had to return 3 Bear & Son knives I bought SMKW in '08. One of the blades was only sharpened on one side. One had a Lot of blade play. I don't remember what was

wrong with the third one. None of them should have left their factory with these defects.

You Couldn't Give Me a Bear & Son Knife.:thumbdn:grumpy::eek::eek:
 
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