Whats the truth about the Bravo 1?

Hands down the BR1 is one of my favorite knives. Who knows about the story behind it???? I don't really care, the knife is top grade cutlery!
 
Smash05 said:
I have done a search for an NSN number for the Bravo 1 that came up negative. Means it wouldn't be purchased through regular channels for a military unit.
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Don't get hung up on NSN numbers. Busse sells lots of knives to military units, AFAIK without NSN designation.

hardheart said:
something about Stewart being an ex-con for not paying taxes
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And that has what to do with the Bravo 1?
 
resinguy said:
hardheart said:
something about Stewart being an ex-con for not paying taxes
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And that has what to do with the Bravo 1?
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It goes to the fact that Mike Stewart seems to be the only person at present with any knowledge (he's the one who relayed the information on the forums and in the ad copy) of the 'testing' that was supposedly conducted by the Marine Recon Training Unit in which several manufacturers' knives did not perform up to par, and only his Gameskeeper model is claimed to have survived. The Bravo 1 was stated by Stewart as having been a result of the recommendations the Marine Recon Training Unit made to him for a "real time hard use survival knife" for their purposes.
 
3Guardsmen said:
It goes to the fact that Mike Stewart seems to be the only person at present with any knowledge (he's the one who relayed the information on the forums and in the ad copy) of the 'testing' that was supposedly conducted by the Marine Recon Training Unit in which several manufacturers' knives did not perform up to par, and only his Gameskeeper model is claimed to have survived. The Bravo 1 was stated by Stewart as having been a result of the recommendations the Marine Recon Training Unit made to him for a "real time hard use survival knife" for their purposes.
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I still don't see the connection. Assuming that it is true re Mike being an ex-con, are you then asserting that because of that, his statements on anything are not to be trusted? If you want to say he is a liar, just say so.

So what if he is the only person who has relayed the info about testing? Who else do you expect to be talking about it? :confused:
 
resinguy said:
I still don't see the connection. Assuming that it is true re Mike being an ex-con, are you then asserting that because of that, his statements on anything are not to be trusted? If you want to say he is a liar, just say so.
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You asked what Hardheart's comment had to do with the Bravo 1. I explained what I thought he meant by it.

resinguy said:
So what if he is the only person who has relayed the info about testing? Who else do you expect to be talking about it? :confused:
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I'm always skeptical when a knife manufacturer is the only one with information about how their knife beat out every other knife in a 'test.' Then again, I suppose you believe everything told to you on the internet.;)
 
As for me I believe all the advertising I read, whether it's on the internets or in print -- especially if there's no evidence to support it. That proves it was really a secret test, right? Right?
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It was a snarky comment, my other alternative is to hunt down all the posts made by knifemakers who have called into question his business practices over the years, stated they will no longer deal with him, the debacle over refusing to refund thousands of dollars after he flat out stated he would not deliver the product, a PM I received from a gold member claiming to be a former employee who says he did in fact grind off Japan marks and peel off China stickers from Stewart's blades, and hunting down the link that does say he was hit with charges. I'll do it if needed, but this is not my info, and I in no way profit if MS is either legit or a snake oil salesman. Take or leave what I say with a salt dome.

But no, I don't put any stock in this story about Marines doing some high speed testing and then asking BRKT to make them something special.
 
3Guardsmen said:
Then again, I suppose you believe everything told to you on the internet.;)
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No, but I don't automatically assume it is false, either.

hardheart said:
It was a snarky comment, my other alternative is to hunt down all the posts made by knifemakers who have called into question his business practices over the years, stated they will no longer deal with him, the debacle over refusing to refund thousands of dollars after he flat out stated he would not deliver the product, a PM I received from a gold member claiming to be a former employee who says he did in fact grind off Japan marks and peel off China stickers from Stewart's blades, and hunting down the link that does say he was hit with charges. I'll do it if needed, but this is not my info, and I in no way profit if MS is either legit or a snake oil salesman. Take or leave what I say with a salt dome.

But no, I don't put any stock in this story about Marines doing some high speed testing and then asking BRKT to make them something special.
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Yes, I do recall hearing about some of that, thanks.
 
resinguy said:
I still don't see the connection. Assuming that it is true re Mike being an ex-con, are you then asserting that because of that, his statements on anything are not to be trusted? If you want to say he is a liar, just say so.

So what if he is the only person who has relayed the info about testing? Who else do you expect to be talking about it? :confused:
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If he is an ex-felon, what he says is impeachable and therefore not trustworthy on it's face (to me).
When it comes to knife business I would not trust what Stewart says even if his tongue came notarized!!!
But is he a liar; lying, bullshiiting, and embellishing are all different frames of mind, it depends on who says what, when they say it andc for what purpose. Everyone needs to draw their own conclusions, but I am of the same mindset as 3Guardsmen when it comes to Mr. Stewart and his claims.........
 
Buffalohump said:
Its getting a bit tired though, all these manufacturers who use the military to sell their knives. I mean come on, any soldier will tell you he uses his multi-tool WAY more than any knife.

When they asked Carlos Hathaway what he used his knife for in battle he said to spread peanut butter on his crackers while he waited for his next shot.
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Think you mean....Hathcock....
 
Ya know guys, I've spent twenty-four years of my life in the army, and other than that silly Buck bayonet, I've seen little to no issue of any edged weapon from any unit that I was assigned. I know, you're all wondering what units those were. Well, I'll just throw this out there and you can figure out; Bragg/Devons/Bad Tölz/Carson. Anyway, the bottom line is that just about every knife I have ever come across in the military was a local purchase by the individual soldier, with a few exceptions. You will find an NSN for the Ontario or Camillus USAF Survival knife, or as we sometimes call it, the Jumpmaster knife, and also the Benchmade AFO switchblade (I still have mine) of around 1998ish. There may be a few others like the Kabar for the USMC and Navy, but other than that, I am personally unaware of others. The Bravo 1 story to me does not sound unlikely, if you take into account that this was probably done by a group of Marines on their own, with their own money. The manufacturer does not claim that the Marine Corps or the Dept. of the Navy ventured into contract with the company; only that marines from a particular unit within the Corps solicited support to develop a specific model of edged weapon for a specific purpose. With that said, I suggest that the most important aspect of this debate is not the story at all, but the quality and function of the article itself. As an owner of a Bravo 1, I can only say that it is the best knife I have ever owned, that was made for a specific purpose, and doesn't cost more than a weeks pay. Its not a combat knife, not a fighter, thrower, or Rambo 10-in-1. It isn't fancy, just a good, solid, hard as woodpecker lips, survival/utility that has done all that I've asked and more. Who cares about the story? This blades performance far outweighs any alleged misinformation. Oh, and while I'm at it, Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps; I've never known a Marine I didn't like. Semper Fi
 
hardheart said:
It was a snarky comment, my other alternative is to hunt down all the posts made by knifemakers who have called into question his business practices over the years, stated they will no longer deal with him, the debacle over refusing to refund thousands of dollars after he flat out stated he would not deliver the product, a PM I received from a gold member claiming to be a former employee who says he did in fact grind off Japan marks and peel off China stickers from Stewart's blades, and hunting down the link that does say he was hit with charges. I'll do it if needed, but this is not my info, and I in no way profit if MS is either legit or a snake oil salesman. Take or leave what I say with a salt dome.

But no, I don't put any stock in this story about Marines doing some high speed testing and then asking BRKT to make them something special.
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I've been around here going on ten years, and the same stuff has trickled down to me about Mike Stewart. I don't think it was tax evasion BTW; it was bank fraud. Anyone can search GB&U and find the old threads with this info. Does it matter? Well, that depends on the holder. If all you care about is the end-product, then the Bravo-1 is probably a great knife for you. No one ever said Stewart doesn't put out a nice product. If, however, you care about the knife's origins in terms of design, royalties, marketing, etc., well that may be a different goat cart. I find it hard to hang onto knives that come from folks for whom I've lost respect. Stewart is a case in point. I've sold all the Bark Rivers I've owned, and I've even sold off my prized Blackjack Beckers. The original Magnum Camp was/is a gorgeous knife, but after finding out how Stewart screwed Jerry Fisk (and Ethan Becker) on the design royalties, it simply didn't have as much luster for me. If I thought Jerry Fisk would want it, I'd send him some cash from my two meager sales.
 
To add: Ever wonder why there's no Bark River booth at Blade? It would be nice if Mike Stewart would show up at a Blade Show so that folks might ask these questions, but my sense is that it's never going to happen. He's pissed off too many people in the industry. :p To wit, here's one of the most damning of those old threads. Mike Turber, BTW, used to own and run Bladeforums. And Jerry Fisk actually adds his perspective in the thread, one in which Mike and/or his son show up and post anonymously.

To answer the original question though, I honestly don't have intel either way. When I first read about the military tests and their decision to ask for a design based on the Gameskeeper (isn't that the right model?), I figured the story was plausible. However, if it is all hype, I would not be terribly surprised. If someone is able to get the straight scoop, I'd sure like to know what it is.
 
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gypsydoc5 said:
I suggest that the most important aspect of this debate is not the story at all, but the quality and function of the article itself.
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Spoken like the dozens of Strider apologists that began showing up here when the going got rough a few years back. I notice all three of your posts have been in this thread. How interesting.
 
The story is true.

When we came out with the Bravo in Stainless (an exclusive to us) some of the force Recon team wanted stainless. Mike called me and asked me to sell it to them at cost. Several called an ordered them.

FWIW.
 
Guyon said:
To add: Ever wonder why there's no Bark River booth at Blade?
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Yup. They should have a booth. Having a booth wouldn't mean that Mike Stewart has to show up. There are always Cold Steel and Strider booths at the show- yet mysteriously Lynn Thompson and Mick "Strider" never darken the doorway.

I generally won't buy knives from companies run by folks with questionable character. But in Bark River's case, I feign ignorance. The knives are just too good to pass up on. I figure there must be plenty of other decent guys on the payroll that deserve my dollars.
 
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