Rapid River Knifeworks

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Jun 26, 2021
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I stopped by this place several years ago on my way through the neighborhood. I browsed various knives there, many were quite nice.
Anybody familiar with this maker ?
 
I bought a mini skinner from them a few years back. It's a decent enough little knife with a very good fit and finish. It also came pretty sharp, had a nice sheath and well-finished snakewood grips. A friend's EDC is one of their small lockbacks and I think he's pretty happy with it. They had a very knife showroom, as I recall.
 
Back in May, 2023 I stopped by the Marbles knife facility to have my Marbles Woodcraft & Fieldcraft sheath knives polished and sharpened. Much to my surprise, the Marbles folks declined to do this because they don't do this anymore, however - there is a knife shop just up the road at Rapid River (MI) that probably could help me out.
So I drove further on Hwy 2 and stopped at the Rapid River Knifeworks, a beautiful facility and showroom.
Anyway, the owner said he would be more than happy to polish and sharpen my Marble's knives. His grandfather had been employed at the true Marbles shop for years. He expressed disappointment with the current Marbles Company, which apparently doesn't make blades here anymore and imports most/all of their knives from China.
Anyway, RRKW didn't charge me anything for their services because I'm a veteran.
I'll be stopping by there again this coming May on my next truck camper visit to the U.P.
 
I once spotted a Marble's in an antique shop in Tucson, for $5... only to discover that the price tag was obscured, and the real price was $500. Subsequently I bought a couple Campcrafts and a Fieldcraft from Mike Stewart, who was running Marbles at the time, around 25 years ago. All with stacked leather grips and 52100 steel with substantial, well-made leather sheaths. The current Marbles I've seen don't hold a candle to these. The original Marbles were die forged, I believe, like Roselli knives today.
 
You are correct, a night and day difference from "back when" all Marbles knives were actually made in Gladstone, MI.
 
Their little lock back knife looks interesting to me. More so if it truly is made in the US for the price they are asking.
 
I bought one of the Mini Yooper's a few years ago. I don't know why one would think they aren't made in the USA.




It did have one small cosmetic glitch:



It has the tiniest bit of blade play. About the same as my GEC 83.

Its a nice little knife. I love the UP outline on the bolster 😍
 
I bought one of the Mini Yooper's a few years ago. I don't know why one would think they aren't made in the USA.




It did have one small cosmetic glitch:



It has the tiniest bit of blade play. About the same as my GEC 83.

Its a nice little knife. I love the UP outline on the bolster 😍
Thanks for posting that. I'll add it to my ever growing list. :thumbsup:
 
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