Anyone know anything about SABRE USA ?

Hickory n steel

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
19,918
I just got a Sabre 842 multi function knife (sak style ) for 50 cents and I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about them.
I'm sure it's nothing too special as even after cleaning it up everything but the spear blade is basically a nail breaker. Nonetheless I sharpened it up and dropped into my pocket.
 
If memory serves, "Sabre" was a line marketed by Colonial.
Most were made in Japan. But some were made in Germany and some in the US.
 
If memory serves, "Sabre" was a line marketed by Colonial.
Most were made in Japan. But some were made in Germany and some in the US.

My first thoughts were Victorinox then China when I saw the side, I'm glad I was interested in how thick the blade is or I newer would've opened it up and saw the tang stamp ( also glad the name was familiar )
From my experience colonial, imperial...ect were good simple knives that had it where it counted and skimped where it didn't to keep them affordable, so knowing its a colonial makes happy about the 2 quarters spent.
 
As I recall, they were an inexpensive line imported fom Japan and Germany about 50 years ago, and maybe more recently, as well. Nothing to write home about, but if you needed a cheap knife, they were readily available.
 
I don't have any info, but it looks "beefier" than a Vic. I like it!
Bruce

It's also made in the USA, which doesn't necessarily make it better but I like that about it.
It's 3.25" closed with a 2.5" blade , any idea what vic model it would compare to if at all ?

I'm also Curious as to the use of that chisel ground sheep's foot blade , reminds me of a nail trim blade ( fairly steep grind and not super sharp though )
 
I can never remember which SAK is which, so I have no idea what the similar Vic is. I did see that there is a similar Sabre USA, that is even marked 842, on an auction site. It looks like it has different tools though, which is weird. If it was a little cheaper, I would have snatched it up, but oh well.
Bruce
 
I can never remember which SAK is which, so I have no idea what the similar Vic is. I did see that there is a similar Sabre USA, that is even marked 842, on an auction site. It looks like it has different tools though, which is weird. If it was a little cheaper, I would have snatched it up, but oh well.
Bruce

Was it a recent listing ? Cause I tried to find it but got nothing, what did you search ?
 
Thanks man 👍 I'd love to have found that one instead, though it may be a bit fatter since they added the scissors. I'd much rather have the Phillips driver over the useless corkscrew.
The added thickness of the blade / tools is a good thing, it just won't be as pocketable as a Victorinox is with the same tool set.
Because the steel isn't specified with either I'm willing to bet that this would hold an edge about the same as a Victorinox ( didn't seem much different to sharpen then my vic gardner )
I kinda like the shield on that other one too.
You know what .
it just dawned on me that my least favorite color is red, and I've had a red knife in my pocket all day without even giving it one thought 😁
But I guess this is kinda " the color " for this type of knife so I don't mind, just like I don't mind a red toolbox.
 
My Sabres are mostly Japanese and excellent. I have a couple of Irish Sabres also; maybe Sabre was bought by Imperial at some point?
 
My first ever few knives were Sabre. They were very tough and well made (they survived a LOT of fifteen year old stupidity). They were sharp, but it was tough keeping them that way, probably due to the 440 stainless that was used; we didn't have cool sharpeners back then:) I had the knife shown and a larger Barlow pattern and used the living heck out of them. Both were lost through more teenage silliness, but they were good knives.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I have an Irish made Sabre trapper. Cheaply made decent knife with plasric covers and carbon steel blade. Got it in a pharmacy new in NH in the late 20th century.
 
SABRE was a brand name used for many years by Cole National, a consumer products company located in Cleveland. In the late 1960's, Cole also acquired KABAR and owned that brand for many years. KABAR knives were Cole's premium brand and SABRE was their low end brand. They also had a mid-range brand MONARCH.

For many years, it was common to see combined displays of KABAR and SABRE knives in hardware stores.

Over the years SABRE knives were sourced from Germany, Japan, Ireland, and the US. The very last ones that I saw in the late 90's were made in China.

As far as US manufacturers of the SABRE brand, Ulster made some in the 1960's to 70's. Later Colonial made quite a few. I think that the posted knife was made by Colonial, though Colonial did not own the brand name.

I have recently seen some inexpensive lockbacks with the SABRE brand, so some new company may have acquired the trademark.
 
SABRE was a brand name used for many years by Cole National, a consumer products company located in Cleveland. In the late 1960's, Cole also acquired KABAR and owned that brand for many years. KABAR knives were Cole's premium brand and SABRE was their low end brand. They also had a mid-range brand MONARCH.

For many years, it was common to see combined displays of KABAR and SABRE knives in hardware stores.

Over the years SABRE knives were sourced from Germany, Japan, Ireland, and the US. The very last ones that I saw in the late 90's were made in China.

As far as US manufacturers of the SABRE brand, Ulster made some in the 1960's to 70's. Later Colonial made quite a few. I think that the posted knife was made by Colonial, though Colonial did not own the brand name.

I have recently seen some inexpensive lockbacks with the SABRE brand, so some new company may have acquired the trademark.

Thanks for the Info 👍 so far I'm sayin' it was 50 cents well spent.
 
I posted this on another link, but that is the second Colonial I have seen on BF with a Victorinox type can opener, and wonder if they had a deal with Victorinox to use their style can opener? John
 
Back
Top