Bear & Sons?

[Mike J]

Has anyone here had experience with their products? I started noticing their knives for sale locally just recently & don't know how they stack up. I was interested in their upswept skinner that I saw for sale at a local hardware store. This is the same knife http://www.amazon.com/Forney-65042-Cutlery-Upswept-Skinner/dp/B009MLOJSM

I also noticed that it said the blade was made from 440 stainless. I remember being a kid & buying inexpensive foreign made knives at the flea market with 440 stainless blades. They were always easy to sharpen but never seemed to hold an edge well. While I am not a blade afficianado (sp?) like many of you here I have over the years owned & used knives made by Case, Shrade (both Old Timer & Uncle Henry before the company went overseas), Buck & Gerber (before they became importers). The past few years I seem to be buying Buck products since they are making things here again & I have been happy with the edge retention of the 420 HC steel they have been using. Will I be satisfied with a 440 stainless blade?

 

[Valkman]

Depends what kind of 440 it is, if it's 440C it's good stuff but they'd put that on there if it was. I wouldn't get it if it just says 440.

 

[Ron James]

In the past Bear and Sons used 440A. 440A is used by quite a few production knife makers. It is a compromise, it is not as hard as B or C but it is easier to machine. IIRC Boker uses a lot of 440A.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Depending on where you are in GA, they might be within driving distance - they're located in Jacksonville, AL.

 

[hso]

Just buy this - http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-USA...648?pt=Collectible_Knives&hash=item3cd3991c88

 

[Coyote3855]

Yup, get the original.

 

[Mike J]

HSO & Coyote I think ya'all are probably right. I hadn't seen one of those Old Timer knives in years & when I saw this one it reminded me of them. I have been using an old Uncle Henry folding hunter for dressing out my deer & this year I got to thinking it might be easier to keep a fixed blade clean. I may just wait a while. I just got a Buck 119 special & it hasn't been used yet.

 

[lobo9er]

my dad bought one of those at a gun show for $20 I think, for the cost for a knife that rides in his truck everyday to open stuff and cut a sandwich its a good little knife. websites says high carbon stainless so.... maybe 440B.

What was schrade using for steel then compared to now?

I take it back websites say 440 used to have it listed as High Carbon Stainless. Maybe it took a step down to 440A?

 

[Valkman]

The Amazon site says "High carbon 440 rust resistant blades", whatever that means.

 

[Slamfire]

I own a couple of their pocket knives and am happy with Bear and Sons knives. They are American made and that counts for something to me.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I have been looking at them . They seem to be a solid knife.

 

[hso]

Some of them are excellent, some are just so-so in style, but their quality is good and they are an American company doing their own manufacturing (pretty rare thing these days).

 

[Wil Terry]

THE one Bear&Son knife I bought was a four blade congress and it was a $75.00 piece of trash that was returned with a nice letter saying why I returned it. NEVER EVER got a response nor a refund. I also got the same response on this from SMKW where I bought it. I do believe both purveyers of this trash are in cahoots with each other.

 

[TNBilly]

THE one Bear&Son knife I bought was a four blade congress and it was a $75.00 piece of trash that was returned with a nice letter saying why I returned it. NEVER EVER got a response nor a refund. I also got the same response on this from SMKW where I bought it. I do believe both purveyers of this trash are in cahoots with each other.

well.... guess it was a piece of trash then....... sure would help a lot if at least took the time to state the problem with the knife. That would be worth a lot more than your opinion at this point!

 

[shootr]

I got a little one a couple years back and it's been fine. Wear is good, holds an edge. Solid little knife and at a great price, IMHO.

 

[jakk280rem]

I don't have any experience with their fixed blade knives, but have 3 or 4(don't remember exactly) of their folders. They use multiple grades of carbon and stainless steels none of which are sourced from China(440). They use 440A and I swear I have one marked 440C. Both are premium steels that were invented in Japan. 440A has less carbon than C, so is more stain resistant. I remember as a teen ogling dive knives that were made of 440A. In the mid 80's the knife market was flooded with Chinese junk knives marked simply 440 stainless and ruined the reputation of the A,B and C series of steels by association. Japanese makers then changed the formulation a tiny bit and renamed them AUS6, AUS8 and AUS10. 440A, B and C is still a premium steel used by many makers who want a blade that polishes up nice has good edge retention and is easy to sharpen and can be easily tempered. It is no longer considered a super steel though.

The Bears themselves are a decent knife, but suffer from a wide range of quality controls. A good Bear will be as good or better fitted and finished than a Case and is a bargain. At their worst they are barely better than a Frost or Steel Warrior. If you can buy in person and check it over before you buy, go for it. They are an American made bargain that belongs in an Americans pocket. But buying one sight unseen might be a risk that needn't be taken considering their are several competitors that have a better reputation for only a little more money.