Marbles knives

[bdhold]

there are still many nice US-made knives,
Bark River makes a great knife.



But Marbles has a knife tradition that is disappearing before our eyes.
I was on Smokey Mountain Knife (SMN) Works site today and saw $20 Chinese-made Marbles Bowie's.
Checked many of the normal vendors - KnifeWorks, Buffalo Arms, Cut Knife - Gladstone-made Marbles knives are going away and are limited or OOS at many shops.
When I went to the Marble's website, they don't list knife models anymore, but did show this commemorative

I liked it enough that I called DLT trading (now changing their name to Oregon Knife Shop, even though they're located in Menominee, MI)
they ordered it for me for a $10 discount and free shipping.
My point - if you want a Marble's Gladstone knife, now may be the time to find it - like North Haven Marlins, I think prices will only go up.

[Joel]

Ive got a Marbles, not too old 15 years maybe, a skinner with a gut hook, leather washer handle. It's just OK.

[bdhold]

on their limited edition knives, they go to A2 tool steel and are hand-finished - and sure hold an edge.
There is still a place for $50-80 knives not made in China, IMO.
Not everything has to be a $500+ Randall.

Given up my druthers, I usually pick up my Japanese knives.

[Blaine]

I think the Asians are making very good knives, but I just don't like seeing classic American brands being made over there. Make up another name for them, but don't call them Buck, Henry, Scharade, etc

[dkmlever]

The last Marbles knife I saw in action broke the tip right off just working a normal gutting.
It was a "newer" one made in China.

[BenT]

I picked up an american made one at a Hardware store last fall. The person had to dig for it under all the newer knives. Paid $60 for the fieldcraft with stacked leather handle. This reminds me that I need to pick up one for my son. I was traveling tthrough Gladstone two years ago on a family vacation . Stoppped at the store hoping to find peep sights. Lots of nice knives. The store carried alot of knives with handles that couldn't be bought in a catalog. Didn't have the money to pick up a more unique one, but wished I did.

[lthardman]

Marbles Knives actually split from Marble Arms several years ago. Since then, most of the Marble fixed blade knives you might have seen at attractive pricing have been imported. All of the folding knives were imported after that. To no avail, I guess, as Marble knives then declared bankruptcy. (Not Marble Arms, Marble Knives.) Now, I hear that Smoky Mountain Knife Works has purchased the rights to the Marbles Knives name. I suspect that you will see only Chinese made "Marbles" knives in the future, just like their Rough Rider brand.

If you can find the original Gladstone MI produced Marbles knives, buy them. Even those produced in relatively recent years will appreciate in value, and even if they don't they are great knives. This is a real shame, not unlike what happened to Schrade (Uncle Henry/Old Timer).