All About Pocket Knives

Does anyone here collect Al Mar folders?

Hi rod,

I'm not 100% sure, but I think poster orvet (Dale) might collect some. Hang in there maybe he'll see this thread, and be able to help.

Bill

Hi Rod,
Welcome to AAPK
I had a long post almost completed, when I dropped my wireless trackball and my browser went back one page & I lost the whole post!

During the 1980s and up until 1992 I managed a cutlery store in Salem, Oregon. I also managed two stores in Portland that were smoke shops and men's gifts. Men's gifts of course included higher-end knives, of which Al Mar & Kershaw were our best sellers. As a result of my job I was often at Al Mar's office to pick up an order. I got to know Al pretty well.

When I went to pick up an order of knives, I would usually take a few cigars for Al. He liked cigars. If Al wasn't busy, we would go into his office and have a couple cups of coffee and smoke a cigar. I learned a lot during those times.

Anytime Al released a new knife, the first 200 knives were numbered for collectors and his friends. My number was 43/200. The person assigned to the number was given the right of first refusal on any new knife. I was raising a family of six children at the time and did not have the money to buy every new knife that Al came out with. I do have about 16 Al Mar knives, 10 of which are numbered 43/200. I also have a couple of knives that Al gave me.

Al was one of the greatest people you'll ever meet. He served in the army is a Green Beret and went to school in California and had a degree in design. He worked as a designer for Pete Gerber before going out to form his own company.

In August, 1992 I left my old employer and started a store in Milwaukee Oregon. The new store did not include cutlery. Al called me one day and said, "Hey, let's get together for lunch next week." I said, "Sure, but I am not in a position to do any purchasing at this time." Al said, "This is not about business, this is about friendship." He said he would call me the following week with a specific date and time for us to meet for lunch. I didn't get a call, but I didn't think too much about it. We were having a cigar sampling at the new store on Friday evening, and I knew Al was planning on coming. During the sampling one of the guys from Al shooting team, (Al sponsored a shooting team), said "I need to talk to you can private." We walked into the humidor and he said, "Al isn't going to be coming tonight, he died yesterday." What a tremendous blow! You could have knocked me over with a feather. Anyone who knew Al and called him a friend, still misses him to this day.

Unlike many of the shyster types who are known to be in the cutlery industry, Al was a class act. He was a patriot and a man of honor. If Al gave you his word on something, you could deposit it in the bank. His word was his bond and you couldn't find a better person to cover your six. On the other hand, he was not the kind of guy you want for an enemy.
BTW, another "Class Act" in the cutlery business is Les de Asis, the owner of Benchmade Knives in Oregon City. Les & Al were friends. Les actually made some automatics for Al. Al told me that Les was the only manufacturer in the USA who was capable of producing a knife up to his (Al's) standards of quality.

I have not purchase any Al Mar knives, since Al died. His wife Ann, and their daughter ran the business for a while. Now some guy owns it, who supposedly served with Al in the Green Berets. I say supposedly because I do not know this for a fact. The guy acted as though I was making him uncomfortable by asking questions, so I left. He did tell me they have changed suppliers from Huhey (sp) who made the knives for Al, to someone else. This raises questions in my mind, as Al had always said that Huhey was the best production knife maker in all of Japan. If Al thought Huhey was the best, then I would say he's the best. Although Al was a prolific designer, sooner or later they ran out of his designs. Now they are producing knives from other designers, and from a maker who is not Huhey. To me, these “new” Al Mar knives, are not AL MAR KNIVES.

When Al was alive and you bought one of his knives, you were buying the highest-quality production knife on the market. They were better quality than many custom knives in that time frame. The fit and finish, walk and talk and design of the older Al Mar knives are unequaled. I have seen Al Mar lock backs that are so finely finished that you can not even see where the back of the blade meets the lock. That was an exception not the rule, but most generally while you could see the line where the blade and the lock met, you usually cannot feel it. This is highly unusual for a production knife.

Sorry for the ramble, but the subject of Al Mar is a subject near and dear to my heart. I feel privileged to own a few of his knives. It is even a greater privilege to have known the man in call him my friend.

The short answer to your question is; "Yes." I do collect the Al Mar knives pre-1992.

Hope this was helpful, and I didn't bore you to tears.
Dale

orvet; WHYHA no thats some post. It took me 20 min. just to read it.

Well said and I wish I could spell that amny words.


rod You asked and I to will WELCOME you..
Kool way to learn here is ask. Then you make less bub boos.

ORVET

Thank you so much for your reply. I have read it 3 times so far and enjoy it more each time.

I have only been collecting knives for about 8 months but in the collection I have acquired in that time, ten knives are Al Mar. I have some that are prior to 1993 or at least that is what I was told. Don’t have any numbered ones.
It seems the more I get into this knife collecting and the more knives I see and hold in my hands, the more I appreciate quality.
I don’t know who is making the ALK knives today in Japan but the ones that I have held seem fine quality.
Btw, do you know who Bob Valade is? He has engraved a couple of my ALK knives.
Also, do you know any one who sometimes has the older AMK knives for sale. I don’t mean you; I can’t imagine you would ever part with your knives giving the close friendship you had and Al had.

Thanks very much for the welcome
Rod

Thank you Dale for taking the time to share that with us, it was very much appreciated and once again shows us how great folks are in this knifing business...

Sunburst

Rod,
I have heard of a large collection that belonged to a fellow in Portland Oregon. His name escapes me at the moment, but his number was 5/200. He passed away a few years ago and Jay Parker, and I think Kevin Pipes, came out here and purchased his collection from his brother. You'll find them occasionally on eBay. I believe Jay Parker is selling them.

The only reason I know about this is that they came into a local cutlery store to pack the collection for shipping. A friend of mine who worked there said it was an amazing collection.

So, if you're looking for numbered Al Mar's, check with Jay Parker. Someone around here probably knows his eBay name.

I did a quick check of eBay and found an interesting Al Mar, #330095265990 It is one of the early ones, before Al started having Huhey make his knives. I bought two of them, like this except single bladed, years ago and gave one to my dad. I still have mine. Dad's broke and I took it into Al and he replaced with a newer model knife. He told me the older ones were not nearly as good quality as the ones made by Huhey. So this is rather rare. I don't think this series was numbered.

#290091530913 is an Al Mar/Rex Applegate collaboration. I think this was made a year or so before Al died come around 1990 or 1991. Al made two with three knives and collaboration with Rex Applegate. Rex was working with the British OSS, Special Forces, and redesigned the Sikes/Fairbain OSS dagger, which had a very weak tang. The war ended before the knife could be put into production but Rex had a prototype. Al produced the Applegate/Fairbain/Al Mar I think in 1989. The Smatchet was another of Rex Applegate's designs. I think I may have a copy of an article about him in an old Fighting Knife magazine.

Anyway, the Al Mar/Rex Applegate is the only one I know of currently listed on eBay that is a numbered knife, made before Al died.

I hope this helps,
Dale

Just as information...

I'm pretty sure this is Jay Parker's eBay persona (mvpknife)...

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrp ... sZmvpknife

Please feel free to correct me if this is incorrect.

Bill

Hi Bill/Dale
MVPKNIFE is Smoky Mountain Knife Works.
Is this where Jay Parker is located?
Rod

IIRC, Mack V Parker knife is being used by Jay Parker (The late Jim Parker's nephew), and they may run the Collector's Choice for SMKW. I know that purchases from eBay member mvpknife, come on SMKW letterhead Bill of Lading. So, I believe Jay Parker does handle that eBay store.

Bill

There is a seller named Silverladdie. He says his name is James Parker. I am not sure which of the clan he is.
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsilverladdieQQhtZ-1
The link will take you to a list of his auctions.

I hope this helps.

Dale

silverladdie is jim's son james, it was jim before he passed.

Very interesting reading, would love to see this in Knife World or the NKCA newsletter, very interesting reading and a nice bit of Knife history for all to share!
But! Remember you read it on AAPK 1st!!!

Silverladdie was Jim Parker's old ebay user name, if memory serves me correctly, which is a 50/50 shot . It is now being used by Jim's son James aka Buzz Parker.

You are correct re. James AKA buzz. I have purchased a few knives from him. Up until recently he had a good selection and good variety each week in his ebay auctions. Now he's selling Bulldog knives with the Buy IT Now method and as a result the knives at regular auction have decreased in variety and I believe quality. Too bad.
Don't believe I will find any Al Mar knives here.
Rod

I collect Bulldog knives but it's my opinion that quality has dropped way down. The 25th anniversary prototypes were great knives, better than the 2000 knives and 4th generation in my opinion. BUT, I won't buy a new one. With that black etch they look just like a bunch of Rough Riders. Real shame, I have a few 2005 and 2006 knives and I will customize them, maybe make some new blades, ah heck rebuild from scratch. The ONLY new one I like is the clip blade barlow and I have some to fix up. I really think that new barlow should have 2 blades. Dang, I'll just build some the way I want them, got plenty of steel and some titanium, brass, etc. I feel that the new ones aren't worth buying, just my opinion. Shoot I was getting some new ones on eBay cheaper than if I got them at Parkers.

Rod,
I have seen a few of the 5/200 knives on ebay. I don't remember the seller. It may have been MVPKNIFE.

Of course it is possible that they are keeping them for one of their own collections. Although, I think my friend said their plan was so sell most of them.

There is a fellow who advertises in Knife World that he buys Al Mar knives. I don't know if he sells them also or not, but you might contact him. You might also keep an eye on the classified ads in Knife World & Blade magazine.

If I run across any numbered ones, I will let you know.

Dale

It took me awhile to dig up this thread over at BF.....

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... 663&page=2

Posts #32, #34 and #42 should help answer some questions, and maybe an email to MVP might provide some information about older Al Mar knives.

I'm posting this as INFORMATION only...just trying to help fill in a few blanks.

Dale, thanks for the heartfelt post about your fond memories.

Bill

Thank you both Dale and Bill.......you guys are great.
Think I will be visiting AAPK more often.
Rod

I have a copy of an interview with Al Mar, published in 1989 Fighting Knife Magazine. I thought some of you might find it interesting.

Unfortunately I can't get it to post here. I will send Bryan an email & see if he can post it for me.
Dale

Good evening friends,

Here is the interview from Fighting Knife Magazine, 1989 sent to me by Dale... You will probably need to click the pictures twice to make them large enough to read.

I scanned some Al Mar ads from a few magazines I had from the late 1980s & early 1990s.

I thought someone might like to see what was in production while Al was still around.

Dale

I found something else that might be of interest to Al Mar collectors.
This is a T-shirt that Al designed. IIRC, Al said there are 12 colors on the shirt, and it was silk screened. Which means it had to be screened for each color, making it quite labor intensive and was $25 in about 1987.

Al was his own model for the Mongol Warrior in the picture.

Dale

If you get bored with Al Mar stuff let me know & I will shut up.

super stuff dale!

thanks Dale
Sure wish I had one of those t-shirts.
Rod