Marbles #40 Outers Knife; TC#11

[Beaver]

I noticed on the large auction site a Marbles Outers knife, with what appears to be jigged bone handles.
The makers mark is the three line,
Marbles
Gladstone
Mich USA.

on the reverse of the mark side reads;
T/C No. 11
063

The label at the end of the Bobct box reads;
TC Knife No. 11
Marbles #40 Outers Knife
T/C Part No. 9213
Serial Number: 063

Is anyone familiar with this reverse side designations? Could this of been a special order from a distributor? Also, any info on date of manufacturing would be helpful. Based on the Marbles three line mark, i'm thinking late 1990's.

any help appreciated?

Jay

 

[wire eddge]

I noticed on the large auction site a Marbles Outers knife, with what appears to be jigged bone handles.
The makers mark is the three line,
Marbles
Gladstone
Mich USA.

on the reverse of the mark side reads;
T/C No. 11
063

The label at the end of the Bobct box reads;
TC Knife No. 11
Marbles #40 Outers Knife
T/C Part No. 9213
Serial Number: 063

Is anyone familiar with this reverse side designations? Could this of been a special order from a distributor? Also, any info on date of manufacturing would be helpful. Based on the Marbles three line mark, i'm thinking late 1990's.

any help appreciated?

Jay

Yes, these were a special factory order for the Thompson Center gun company and were made during the Mike Stewart era of marbles near or during 2000/2001. Are you sure it does not have the three line stamp with M.S.A (Marbles Safety Axe) instead of Marbles? Mine has the M.S.A. At the the time Dave Shirley owned the M.S.A trademark (as well as Scagel,Bowie Corp and Northwoods) and was the largest distributor of Marbles Arms knives. It possible Marble Arms supplied blades to Shirley and they were custom handled and finished or Shirley let marbles use the M.S.A logo on the knives-I'm not sure on this one. I also have a modern M.S.A marked A2 steel Ideal made for AG Russell knives during the same time period. The TC knife was a modern reproduction of the vintage "Outers" knife made by marbles in the past. Blade steel should be 52100 but I have never seen it mentioned what the steel was. If not 52100 then most likely 1095.

I have Marbles flyer with the info on your knife if you are interested in seeing it.
I have the same knife with stag handles, probably a left over from the TC run.