Anyone knows what's happening with Al Mar Knives?

James,
That is one rare and beautiful collection. I wonder if Robert Valade did the engraving.
The scrimshaw seems to be done by a Mr Schulte in 1982.
Ken
 
As I understand it, (from Ken's post) Al Mar's contract with Sakai allowed Sakai to sell the Al Mar knives they produced in their home market. After Fadden took control of the company in 1996, he unsuccessfully, tried to renegotiate this aspect of the contract with Sakai. Failing to reach an agreement, Fadden terminated his relationship with long term supplier Sakai and shifted production to Moki (also of Seki City).

I recently bought a new Al Mar Stinger marked SEKI-JAPAN (Sakai) from Japan, I assumed it was left-over NOS.

However, lately I'm seeing quite a few new listings on ebay for new "classic" Al Mar designs shipped "from Japan" (at rather high prices). So, perhaps, Sakai still has the right to make and sell the original Al Mar designs on their home market - which then end up being resold here on ebay. Sure would be a nice alternative to the chicom crap being pedaled under the Al Mar label since Fadden sold out to Edge Tech...
 
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I can only share my personal opinion. Adjacent to the G.Sakai Knife Museum there is a section where you can buy G.Sakai knives. There you will see lots of G.Sakai branded knives (and more H-1 steel knives than you can imagine) but also a section for OEM knives. There you can buy Spyderco Enduras and SOG Vulcans, among many others. But there are no Al Mars.
That said, I have occasionally come across G. Sakai made Al Mar models NIB in the hands of local dealers. Both fixed blades and folders, but not in any great numbers. They could well be NOS. As you say, I'll bet that they are being bought here in Japan and put up on ebay because of the high prices paid by collectors.
When Fadden was trying to renegotiate, he was spreading rumors that these were "fake Al Mars" because they weren't authorized. Which was false, as they were authorized under the original contract between Al Mar himself and G. Sakai, and made in the same factory by the same people. I've heard that there are some collectors who bought this line to differentiate second hand prices on Al mar knives pre and post 1992. Or maybe just "used" to their advantage in buying or selling. I don't know for sure as I'm not an AM collector.
But yes, I think it's a shame that the Al Mar Knives brand name has gone the way it has. But with things happening the way they are, who knows what may happen in the future.
 
However, lately I'm seeing quite a few new listings on ebay for new "classic" Al Mar designs shipped "from Japan" (at rather high prices). So, perhaps, Sakai still has the right to make and sell the original Al Mar designs on their home market - which then end up being resold here on ebay. Sure would be a nice alternative to the chicom crap being pedaled under the Al Mar label since Fadden sold out to Edge Tech...
I've wondered the same thing. It would be great to be able to pick up an older design. These new Al Mars hitting the market are extremely underwhelming.
 
I can only share my personal opinion. Adjacent to the G.Sakai Knife Museum there is a section where you can buy G.Sakai knives. There you will see lots of G.Sakai branded knives (and more H-1 steel knives than you can imagine) but also a section for OEM knives. There you can buy Spyderco Enduras and SOG Vulcans, among many others. But there are no Al Mars.
That said, I have occasionally come across G. Sakai made Al Mar models NIB in the hands of local dealers. Both fixed blades and folders, but not in any great numbers. They could well be NOS. As you say, I'll bet that they are being bought here in Japan and put up on ebay because of the high prices paid by collectors.
When Fadden was trying to renegotiate, he was spreading rumors that these were "fake Al Mars" because they weren't authorized. Which was false, as they were authorized under the original contract between Al Mar himself and G. Sakai, and made in the same factory by the same people. I've heard that there are some collectors who bought this line to differentiate second hand prices on Al mar knives pre and post 1992. Or maybe just "used" to their advantage in buying or selling. I don't know for sure as I'm not an AM collector.
But yes, I think it's a shame that the Al Mar Knives brand name has gone the way it has. But with things happening the way they are, who knows what may happen in the future.

Ken,

Thanks for your insightful input.

I'm just a newbie trying to feel my way around, but with 14 Al Mar labeled knives and 6 Al Mar designed Gerber Silver Knights - I guess I've become a collector of sorts. There is very little reliable information on Al Mar Knives. Things were probably status quo up until 1996 when Fadden bought a controlling interest in the company and severed long standing relationships.

It is pure speculation on my part that Sakai may have retained the rights to produce and sell "classic" Al Mar designs in Japan (maybe wishful thinking) based on what I'm seeing being offered "from Japan" on ebay.

James
 
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I did not know the tie in to gerber, interesting info. I picked up 2 silver knights at a gun store just because they were so well made.


thanks.
 
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One of few posts I've seen about Al Mar and Yuhei Sakai was this:

Fri May 10, 2019 5:45 pm
"About the Early Al Mar’s –
I checked all my Utility Series like the one on the left in the first picture, the two different patterns of the Utility Series in my store and a couple of them I sold and none of them had a USA-Seki stamp on them.
Al told me that my Utility Series in the first picture was from the first manufacturer that he had. I had purchased one for myself and one for my dad. When the spring broke on my dad's knife I took both knives to Al and asked him if he could fix the broken spring. That was when he told me, "Those were made by the first manufacturer I had, and they’re not that good. Let me give you a new knife." He was going to replace both knives and I said, "I really don't want to replace mine, it still works fine and I really like it." Al said, "That's fine, I'll replace the one with the broken spring. Huhay makes all of my knives now and he's the best in the world." That was the first time I had heard Huhay's name (I'm not sure of the spelling and I'm sure I have probably spelled it a couple of different ways, but it is pronounced like the English words "hue" and "hay"). I talked with Al on other occasions over the years and Huhay's name came up and it was always in the best context. I have no doubt that Al believed Huhay was absolutely the best knife maker in Japan.

A few years later when the new owner had taken over the company (Gary?) I talked to him at the OKCA show and I ask you if Huhay was still making Al Mar knives. He told me, "Oh no, we got rid of him, Huhay was f---ing Al."
I found that idea incredulous! The impression that I got from our conversation was that he had found someone to make the knives for him cheaper than Huhay and went with the lowest bidder. That is one of the most un-Al Mar things I have ever heard because Al Mar is all about Quality.

I don't know who made/makes Al Mar knives for the new owner, I only know all of the Al Mar knives that I have purchased since Al's death (in October 1982) were ones were made in 1992 or before. I'm sure the new one is are quality knives, but it is very difficult for me to believe that Al could have been so mistaken about the person who made his knives. I think anyone know how Al well would feel the same way."

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_forum/viewtopic.php?f=116&t=58884&start=405

The poster mistook Yuhei (pronounced you-hey) but it gives a picture of Al Mar's relationship with G.Sakai.
The one thing this that catches me is a mention of an earlier (first) maker for Al Mar, which I have not been able to uncover.
 
Has anyone seen Al Mar knives stamped with "Product of Japan?"

I'm familiar with:

U.S.A SEKI-JAPAN Manufactured in 1979 sold 1979-about 1982
SEKI-JAPAN Manufactured 1980-1997
MOKI/JAPAN 1997-2006
FM Co/JAPAN 2007-to present This stands for "Fadden Mar Company"

But I've never seen one simply marked "Product of Japan" before.

James
 
James,
Are you a member of bladehistory.com?
I can not get into the site with any browser without being blocked with danger alarms.
Might be a ceritficate problem.
 
Hi Ken,
Bitdefender blocks the site for me too - I have to click that I accept the risk to get through - I don't know why. The only danger is to your wallet.
I'm not a member of bladehistory.com. Bladehistory.com is part of ePragueKnives.com an online knife retailer based in Idaho.

Edit: Warning: I placed an order with ePrague and they immediately charged my CC. They then, arbitrarily, cancelled my order and said they had refunded the purchase price. It has now been 10 days and they STILL have $124 of my money and I have no knife. So, perhaps, there is a reason why their site is blocked... DO NOT do business with ePrague.

Edit: To be fair, after two weeks I finally got my money back. They sucked the money out of my account the second I placed the order, but it takes two weeks to issue a refund..?

James
 
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If anyone is interested, the clip on. The clip on my mini SERE broke and I emailed them and asked if they had any parts around. I got a response and they did send me a new clip with screws for around 15 or 20 bucks. My point of posting this I guess is to let the community know that apparently there is still a light on there. This transaction was 3 months ago or so. D

Over the past several months, I've tried four times to contact the new Al Mar Knives through the "Contact Us" page on their website to try to get a replacement pocket clip for one of my Falcons.
Crickets. Zero response
Apparently, any light that was left has been snuffed out - or, maybe, Fadden is still in charge of customer service...
 
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Though I've had a few over the years - and sadly sold them not knowing, as I do today, what I really had, I do have one small Al Mar knife left and was curious as to what model it is. I will likely offer it for sale once I know more about it, and please forgive me if this isn't the place to ask - but given the brain trust of Al Mar followers in this thread, the wealth of knowledge was just too much to resist.

I bought it years ago at a show, from Gary Fadden and never used or carried it. It is marked, "AUS-8 MOKI/JAPAN"

Al Mar L.jpg Al Mar R.jpg Al Mar Closed.jpg
 
I just got the new Al Mar 40th anniversary SERE,it was half off the advertised price,so for 35.00 it was a bargain. on the plus side, the blade was spyderco sharp, slices paper out of the box like a razor blade. feels good in the hand,centered blade early lockup. The cons; pocket clip is too big,and the tip of it is raised pretty high.looks funny when in the pocket. It has the same thumb notch in the handle as the older sere's but no thumb lugs. i find that odd.the blade is advertised as 3.6", but its 3.5, and has a huge tang which looks strange.so the cutting edge is only 3" while the handle is 5" long.Its Pretty well made all around but i wound up selling it the same day.The other sere's offered are going to be similar.If that tang wasnt so huge and didnt take away from usable edge, and the pocket clip wasnt so big i might have kept it. whether or not their other offerings are worth getting im not sure,but they are nothing like the Seki City knives at all.
 
Though I've had a few over the years - and sadly sold them not knowing, as I do today, what I really had, I do have one small Al Mar knife left and was curious as to what model it is. I will likely offer it for sale once I know more about it, and please forgive me if this isn't the place to ask - but given the brain trust of Al Mar followers in this thread, the wealth of knowledge was just too much to resist.

I bought it years ago at a show, from Gary Fadden and never used or carried it. It is marked, "AUS-8 MOKI/JAPAN"

View attachment 1383666 View attachment 1383667 View attachment 1383668
It’s a Hawk Ultralight - I believe the model# for that particular version is 1002UBK2

Hope this helps.
 
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