Alabama-made Knives

[trail]

The knife companies of Pennsylvania, New York and New England have always made up the backbone of the American knife industry. But every region has been able to boast of it's own factory. The upper midwest had Marbles, and the Rocky Mountains had Western. It seems like the Pacific Northwest was a major spawning ground of new manufacturers after World War II. The South has always been a hotbed of knife carrying and collecting, and the region has a plant that has built up a lot of heritage in its relatively short existence. Jacksonville, Alabama has one of the newest and most modern knife-making operations in America. Now I am going to venture out on a limb and briefly describe the history of this plant as best I can, knowing that my description is rife with errors, in the hopes that some of our old heads will come in and correct me and make this thread a good, accurate piece of history.

Jim Parker built the Jacksonville plant while he owned Case, perhaps with the intentions of someday moving all Case production to Alabama. When that fell through with the bankruptcy of Case, Parker built his Parker Edwards knives there and eventually sold the plant to Ken Griffey and his partners, who incorporated Bear MGC. They sold out to Victorinox after a while, but Griffey bought the plant back and changed the name to Bear & Son. I know they have done some contract building there, so it seems plausible to me that the Jacksonville plant has produced knives stamped Case, Parker Edwards, Bear MGC, Bear & Son, Moore Maker, Keen Kutter and perhaps Camillus, Remington and others.

I recently bought a Parker Edwards trapper from an AAPK dealer, and I'd like to lead off this thread with a couple of pictures of it. Then I invite everyone to post their pictures of Jacksonville-made knives and fill us in on any historical details that will help us better understand the history of the plant. I know that the membership of AAPK is a treasure trove of information, and many members probably remember when the plant was first built. Also, thank you Rangerbluedog for selling me the knife and helping me get my thoughts together to start this post.

[knifeaholic]

I may be wrong, but I believe that Parker opened the Parker USA plant in Alabama awhile before he owned Case. He did have some Case knives produced there - these were standard Parker patterns that became part of the Case line. Some of them actually remained in the Case line for a long time after Parker was out of there, and Case brought production of them in house. I believe that the 225 pattern lockback was one such knife that may be the only one remaining in production at Case.

Another couple of tidbits about knives made in the south - Case in the 1950's set up two manufacturing plants in Nashville, Arkansas. One plant produced all of Case's scissors and shears and produced scissors and shears for other companies under contract.

The second plant was for the final assembly and finishing of pocket knives - the parts including the blades, handles, liners, etc were produced in Bradford and shipped to the Arkansa plant for completion. This plant was in operation until maybe the mid to late 70's. The scissor operation may still be going but Case divested from it many years ago.

Kabar also had a plant in Georgia in the 50's. They made an attempt to move all of their production to that plant but the idea failed and all production was moved back to Olean NY.

[rangerbluedog]

Thanks Trail,
Nice photos and excellent topic. Here's a Keen Kutter made in AL in 1993. Looks STRIKINGLY similiar to a BEAR model 507 mini trapper!

[Aimus Moses]

Wasn't Fain Edwards (a custom knife maker), Parker's partner in Parker-Edwards Cutlery? I thought Edwards continued making some knives at the Alabama plant for short time after he split with Parker when the partnership dissolved. Yea Blue, that Keen Kutter has the Bear & Son look to it doesn't it. I don't know if any of you have had to deal with Bear & Son Cutlery's customer service but let me tell you it is great. Mr. Griffey is an upstanding guy that will go out of his way to help you. I figured I'd get a machine and then an employee to deal with when I contacted them but Mr. Griffey handled my problem himself and treated me as if we were neighbors for years. He even contacted me after his work hours one night just to let me know that my problem was taken care of. It's getting rare to talk to a real person anymore these days, you usually have to listen to a recording and push 25 numbers before you get to a real person or to the answer to your question. I give Bear & Son's customer service an A+.

Aimus

[rangerbluedog]

Here's one made by our friends in Jacksonville. I really like this one. Bear model 898, Pearl Razor!
Made in 2004, if I read the tang stamp correctly.

[trail]

Thanks, Aimus, that was going to be my next question - who was Edwards? Your mention gave me what I needed to do a google search, and I found that Fain Edwards was a noted Alabama knife maker and Damascus maker. He and Parker started Parker-Edwards in 1984. So Edwards is the Jacksonville Damascus connection, the reason that Bear & Son advertises to this day that they are "the only commercial knife manufacturer offering knives with Damascus blades."

[trail]

Rangerbluedog, here's a country cousin to your 898. This one is a 298R, made in 2006.

[knife7knut]

Here's a couple:A Bear MGC folder and a Parker-Edwards damascus survival knife.

[trail]

I don't own this knife, I just found this picture on the internet, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if this were a Jacksonville knife. Bear is making the Remington replica scout knives, and the Damascus blade suggests they might be making this Remington as well. Anybody know for sure?

[Aimus Moses]

Yep Trail, that's a Bear & Son made knife. Nice one too. I think Bear & Son is moving forward with their knives. I don't mean to say their older knives aren't good. They seem to be putting more detail on their knives now than they did before. I have to say, their carbon steel bladed knives are good. Holds up as good if not better than Case's CV blades IMHO. If you haven't used one to work with, try one out. I was surprised with them.

Aimus

[trail]

Moore Maker out of Matador Texas sells a lot of good ranching tools including pocket knives. It is my understanding that Queen makes most of their more expensive knives and that Camillus made the lower end. With the unfortunate demise of Camillus in 2007, Moore Maker had to find a new supplier, and our little plant in Alabama stepped up to the plate. This new trapper is identical to a Bear and Son yellow-handled 4th Generation, except for the tang stamp, the shield, and the handle being a bit deeper yellow color. I'm real happy to have it as the latest addition to my collection.

[rangerbluedog]

NICE 'UN TRAIL!
BEAR seems to be quietly making an impact in the U.S. knife industry.

[ROOSTRTALE]

Here is a few Alabama knives I have ,two Damascus.

[trail]

Great knives! I've always liked razor jacks and the long bolsters on those make them even better.

[trail]

Here is a Bear 554 1/2 Little Trapper. This is an example of current production from the Jacksonville plant. It has the new tang stamp that supersedes the old Bear MGC stamp with dots for the year of production. This one has no dots so I'm not sure how or if they will indicate the year going forward. I think the shield is specific to the custom heritage line, and it is nicely inletted flush with the handle.

[ROOSTRTALE]

Nice piece ! Your camera takes a great picture

[trail]

Thanks, ROOSTRTALE. I bought a new camera recently, and it's amazing how far they have come in the last few years.

Steve (knifeaholic) mentioned earlier in this thread that Case still made at least one pattern, the 225, that originally came from the Parker USA plant in Jacksonville. Bear makes their own version, so we have the two knives, one made in Pennsylvania and the other in Alabama, sharing the same DNA.

[rangerbluedog]

While I don't know for certain this is an Alabama made knife, Mossdancer posted this Harley Davidson knife in another thread. Looks like a Bear or Parker Edwards to me - especially note the laminated handle material, the single pin in the handle, the blade finish, and the light colored tang stamp. All remind me of Bear/Parker Edwards fingerprints.
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =4&t=18239

[pickup man]

Moore Maker out of Matador Texas sells a lot of good ranching tools including pocket knives. It is my understanding that Queen makes most of their more expensive knives and that Camillus made the lower end. With the unfortunate demise of Camillus in 2007, Moore Maker had to find a new supplier, and our little plant in Alabama stepped up to the plate. This new trapper is identical to a Bear and Son yellow-handled 4th Generation, except for the tang stamp, the shield, and the handle being a bit deeper yellow color. I'm real happy to have it as the latest addition to my collection.

If it is identical---which it is--why does the Moore Maker cost a lot more?

[edgy46]

Moore Maker out of Matador Texas sells a lot of good ranching tools including pocket knives. It is my understanding that Queen makes most of their more expensive knives and that Camillus made the lower end. With the unfortunate demise of Camillus in 2007, Moore Maker had to find a new supplier, and our little plant in Alabama stepped up to the plate. This new trapper is identical to a Bear and Son yellow-handled 4th Generation, except for the tang stamp, the shield, and the handle being a bit deeper yellow color. I'm real happy to have it as the latest addition to my collection.

If it is identical---which it is--why does the Moore Maker cost a lot more?[/quo


Contract knives are often worth more than the actual makers brand. Camilus was known as the knifemakers knifemaker, Queen built most of the Case Classics. Also the final finishing makes a knife, and this is all hand work. This hand work adds to the cost. (jmho)