All About Pocket Knives

Did Marbles make folding knives before their current incarnation? I look online and find vintage axes and fixed blades, but no folders.

Dan

The Marbles 4 1/2" Safety Folder dated from 1903 to 1941 as far as I know.

I believe [but could be wrong] the same knife that Gary refers to above was also made in the USA in the 2000's BEFORE they began to make them in China.
Also; the old ones are very collectible!

the original co. produced and imported several folding pattern besides the safety.

And of course there were some Japan made Marbles made during the time Jim Parker hijacked the name in the early 1990s.

Heres some old orginal marbles from BR Levines 4th edtion

There was the 4 or 5 years when Queen Cutlery made Marbles folders, the quality is excellent on these...Don't confuse these with the current China made knives...

Here is an example..

http://cgi.ebay.com/MARBLES-MSA-2002-ST ... dZViewItem

Sunburst

I went and dug out the two Safety Folders I own-both are from 2003. Both are made USA...which may be one of the years 'SUNBURST' refers to above, tho I don't know.

To further muck up the question, here is the only two folders from the 2004 "Marbles Outdoors" catalog. The trapper does look 'Queen' to me, or at least nicely done. No mention of the price. The black knife is hardly worth a second look to me, but I include it anyway.

sunburst wrote:There was the 4 or 5 years when Queen Cutlery made Marbles folders, the quality is excellent on these...Don't confuse these with the current China made knives...

Sunburst

what are the years and/or styles of these? thanks!

I used to know that but forget...But I will find out for us...

Sunburst

I bought this one on e-Bay awhile back.If you looked really close,you could see where they had attempted to remove the CHINA mark on the back of the blade.Seemed like a pretty decent quality knife for the money.I paid a total of $21 for it including shipping.

Dan, Dave Shirley up at the Northwoods Knives Store leased the rights to use the Marbles name from 2000-2005. He produced a variety of different slip joints with different handles and had to pay a royalty fee of $30.00 each knife to Marbles. They were stamped M.S.A. Marbles, Gladstone, Michigan, on the tang. The M.S.A., stood for Marbles Safety Axe. Very high quality knives and are sought after by collectors since Marbles is now global and made in China. The Marble folders that Ole Dave had were assembled by Queen Cutlery and had AIRDI-150 (Crucible D2) steel blades. A.G. Russell advertises his Marble trappers for $175.00.

Here is the one I got from our good friend in Florida. thanks Sunburst!

Hey I know that knife... I'm just glad it's in good hands...Take care my friend..

Sunburst