What steel is in my Marbles Trailcraft

[AAA]

I'd just received a Marbles Trailcraft (72158010) from the closeout sale of Smokey Mountain. This is my first Marbles and I was wondering which steel is in my knife? Is this still the 52100 that everybody said is so great? How can I tell for sure?

Thanks

 

[Alberta Ed]

If it takes a patina real fast, is easy to resharpen, takes and holds an uttterly fantastic edge, it's 52100. Otherwise, it's Excaliburalchemitewondersteel, the newest no-name sorta-stainless alloy from the new "improved":barf: Marbles.

 

[AAA]

I'd just called up Marble's and they told me that the old steel will have laser etched logo while logo on the new steel will be stamped.

Is this consistent with your understanding? I thought that old logos were also stamped. Anybody can confirm this?

 

[blademan 13]

The new ones have just a single word stamped in them, "Marble's". There is no reference to Gladstone or MI. I would assume that if they were clearing them out you have a 52-100 model.

 

[Buzzbait]

Originally posted by AAA
I'd just called up Marble's and they told me that the old steel will have laser etched logo while logo on the new steel will be stamped. Is this consistent with your understanding? I thought that old logos were also stamped. Anybody can confirm this?

This is consistent with what I've heard. I'd go by the type of etching, as there do appear to be some 52100 Trailcrafts out there with just "Marbles" etched on them. I just acquired one myself. It's a heck of a knife. You can also judge the date of manufacture by the color combination of stripes on the handles, but I don't know what combinations are what year.

 

[AAA]

Thanks for the info. However, I am still confused.

1. The logo on mine just say Marbles.
2. I have dual red bands on either ends of the handles.
3. The logo is laser etched.

So, the first 2 conditions indicated that this is one of the newer knives, but I am still not sure if this is the first batch with the new steel or the last of the 52100.

 

[Buzzbait]

Rats. I just sent one of the Alchemite MC Marbles out in the mail today. I can't remember what the tang stamp looked like. But it sounds like if the tang is laser etched on your Trailcraft, it's a 52100 model.

But if you'd like to be even more confused... My Fieldcraft from a couple years ago is stamped and not etched. My guess is that maybe Marbles moved to laser engraving the last couple years, and just switched back to stamping.

But anyways, how do you like the Trailcraft? What kind of handle does it have? The one I just got has the GameGetter cocobolo handle.

 

[AAA]

I used it to peel an apple yesterday and it does develop a patina, so, it's a good bet that it is 52100.

The Trailcraft that I got had bone handle and is very shape right out of the box. So far, I am happy with it and thanks for all the inputs.