Are Al Mar knives worth the cash?

B

Blastermaster

Joined
Oct 29, 2014
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73
Hey guys, I was lurking (again) on BladeHQ, and particularly the Al Mar section. I saw the Talon Folding Pocket Knife...then I saw the price tag, a whopping 170 dollars! Evidently its only an AUS-8 too! This sets off my ripoff alert but then again I don't know much about Al Mar knives. I get that american manufacturing adds cost to anything, but that seems ridiculous for an AUS-8 blade. Maybe the price lies in the cocobolo with brass liners or perhaps just amazing workmanship. What's your guys' experience with Al Mar knives?
 
Awesome! Don't judge a knife only by the steel type. There are many variables that come together to make a good knife.







 
Yes. I have an Eagle and Falcon and they are solid little high-quality knives. The AUS-8 sharpens up nicely. I have found them well worth the money.
 
Al Mar, The company makes a very good product. More important than the type of steel is the correct Heat treatment and the design of the grind to match up with that steel etc. I'm a maker and I have an Al Mar, Nomad in my rotation of EDC's.
 
I kind of think of Al Mar knives as a hidden treasure. Theyre definately not mainstream but their worksmanship is top notch. I kind of consider them semi custom or semi handmade because they do a lot of hand finishing. I actually have only owned one example, which is an early SERE 2000 mini, but you can tell that they spent a lot of time sanding the edges of the scales and liners (with a belt sander and other equipment of course). Unfortunately I got one with a coated blade because I bought it used and got a really good deal on it, but the satin finish on their blades are beautiful as well. Definately a hidden diamond.
 
They are great knives. I'm about to get another one.

Right now the Cutlery Shoppe has a good deal going on their Al Mar Eagle HD exclusive in orange G-10.
 
This thread has convinced me to check out their knives. :thumbup: thanks for the info.
 
Al Mar knives were started in late seventies. I bought a Falcon with steel liners and bolsters and Ivory Micarta handles and were made with RSC30 steel that was made in Japan by I think Moki knife company. I have owned several over the years. Al died way to young in the late eighties I think. His knives were way ahead of his time and could be considered the Father of tactical knives. The lightweight Falcon and Eagle knives are excellent knives and I find AUS8 steel holds an excellent edge and are worth the price.

RKH
 
I have the Falcon and Hawk UltraLights. Great knives, excellent slicers. Great fit and finish. The other thing I like about my Al Mars is the way the blade and the handles flow together. They look good both open and closed.

I often use the Hawk when I have to wear a suit and tie. I put a nice clip on it so I can use it as my tie clip.

Ric
 
I like em.
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Blastermaster said:
Hey guys, I was lurking (again) on BladeHQ, and particularly the Al Mar section. I saw the Talon Folding Pocket Knife...then I saw the price tag, a whopping 170 dollars! Evidently its only an AUS-8 too! This sets off my ripoff alert but then again I don't know much about Al Mar knives. I get that american manufacturing adds cost to anything, but that seems ridiculous for an AUS-8 blade. Maybe the price lies in the cocobolo with brass liners or perhaps just amazing workmanship. What's your guys' experience with Al Mar knives?
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If you worry too much about materials you'll miss out on some of the best knives ever made. AUS8 and VG10 are excellent steels as long as they are heat treated properly.

You're correct that the price is based on amazing workmanship. Al Mar knives are made in one of the best factories in Japan. Their fit and finish is custom quality. If you want a beautiful tactical folder, the SERE2000 oozes quality, or if you want something lightweight they have several frameless lockbacks that are almost weightless.
 
Al Mar was one of the little known greats of knife making and design. He was the designer that made Gerber knives a good thing in the 1970's, and when he left, they started a downward spiral. He served in the Special forces, volunteered for a special assignment in Vietnam with an all Asian unit that worked deep "in idian country" as they put it. Al Mar was a high speed low drag operator before any of the modern tactical people who use the term were born. He incorporated his field experience, and background in the martial arts including Kendo, into his knife designs.

Most of the modern tactical knife designers could learn form him and his work. Google his name and read about him.
 
I am a huge fan of most of Al Mar fixed blades, but be advised a few of them have handle designs that I consider completely non-ergonomic, most notably this deceptively proportioned 6 3/4" SOG blade, whose handle is bad to the point of making the knife totally unuseable imho, even for someone with giant hands: The first time I have come accross such an extreme and unusual handle issue:

almar-sog.jpg


This one has a significant handle design problem as well, just not as bad, and is less deceptive if you look at the depth of the handle near the guard (Al Mar Pathfinders have a similar issue apparently):

al_mar_bowie_serie_special_3009.jpg


I have the large Special Warfare, and this also does have a strangely oversized handle, but here in that case the handle feels quite right, and the knife is probably the best fixed blade I have ever owned, and I have had most of them:

AMK_Special+Warfare+Broch_1024.jpg


The extremely large handle (an incredible 5.6 inch long guard not included, just the wood part) is actually mostly large in length, and its size seems to enhance the grip for me, while allowing an extreme rearward grip that is still secure, due to the shape.

The best designed dagger I have seen is probably the Al Mar Shadow IV, but one side of the center grinds were badly off-centered on mine (very badly), even though it was one of the mirror-polished first 200 run. Despite this, the mirror finish still ranks in my mind as one of the most incredible I have ever seen, just very flawed in shape. The finish on the Special Warfare is a beautifully smooth satin, and the best such finish of any knife I have ever owned... Blade finishes on Al Mars are really second to none.

The Eagle sheaths they typically come in will never scratch those blades even after 25 years, which is unique to those "fuzzy inside" Eagle sheath inserts: Unlike Spec-Ops, the inserts are custom-made to fit tightly each Al Mar blade designs, and these sheaths generally are one of the true highlights of these knives: Even the leather ones often display an exceptional attention to detail, appearance and function (but often not quite as good as the Eagle nylon sheaths) and, barring exceptions, Al Mar is in my opinion the premier maker to look at for sheath-knife interaction. One that leaves the blades rattle-free yet scratch-free, even after decades...

Gaston
 
It took me many years to buy a SERE2000, because I didn't want to spend that much until I could handle one first. I finally got one last fall, and yes they are absolutely worth it.
 
I couldn't help it!!!!!!:D Saw the zdp-189 Eagle in Orange and its on the way!!!! They have the same one in blue also and may have to melt some more plastic if the Orange is as good as I think it may be!!! I have thought about a sere 2000 for awhile but these are not going to last long!!!!
 
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