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Al Mar Road Runner with black Micarta
handles and marked U.S.A. SEKI-JAPAN. It is mint with the great original
sheath and box. The blade is 3-1/2" and it is 7-1/4" overall. Model 5002
and has a full tapered tang. I think
it is one of the first 3000 to be made because of the full tapered tang.* It comes with the original fine leather sheath made by Tex Shoemaker & Son of San Dimas, California. The sheath is brown leather. This is a very early Al Mar and the only one like it I have ever seen except in photographs. Get it before it is gone! A great find! About Al Mar's marked U.S.A. SEKI-JAPAN: The first 5000 of the utility series are marked U.S.A. SEKI-JAPAN then after the first 5000 the tang mark was changed to SEKI-JAPAN. *The first 3000 Fang I's had full tapered tangs, while subsequent Fang I's were not tapered according to the Official Price Guide to Collector Knives. Al Mar was working for an industrial design firm in Los Angeles in 1967. Gerber's first designer retired about this time and Al Mar joined Gerber Legendary Blades in 1967 or 68 (American Blade magazine Dec. 1976) after Pete Gerber gave Al the task of coming up with an aluminum handle for a kitchen knife. Pete Gerber thought the project was very successful and offered Al the position of design chief. Did you know that Al is credited with designing the Gerber Mark I. He left Gerber in 1979 to start Al Mar Knives and he died in October of 1992. Al was 54 years old. The new owners have now discontinued most of the original models and moved to other makers on the remaining models. This leaves the knives made while Al was in control of the company very desirable and collectible! Mar is Chinese for horse.
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