Al Mar front-lock folding knives. Eagle ivory Micarta U.S.A. SEKI-JAPAN.
One of the first knives made by Al Mar back in the beginning. Eagle black Micarta
Serial number #120/200. We only have one of each knife to sell.
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. According to the Official Price Guide to Collector Knives.
The knives marked this way where made while Al Mar ran the company and
where generally produced at
the beginning of the company.
About serial
numbered Al Mar's: From the day that Al started producing knives
(1979) he ordered 200 from the factory on the first run. When those 200
came in they were sent out to the dealers. If the dealers response was
good then Al ordered some more. If the dealers respond was bad then that
was the end of the knife in production. Either way good or bad that means
that there are only 200 serial numbered Al Mar's of every knife that he
produced and this continues today with the current owner of Al Mar Knives. This of course makes each one of these pre-production knives
very desirable. The only thing better is a proto type Al Mar knife, and I
have only had two of those since 1991.
Many serial numbered Al Mar knives where made while Al Mar ran the company.
You will need to know about the early patterns to help you lock down any
knife’s time line. This pattern with the black Micarta was produced after
Al’s death.
Early copy from an Al Mar brochure:
This series incorporates the unique concept in lockblade
technology, the exclusive Front Lock, originally developed through the
joint efforts of custom knifemakers W.T. Fuller and Harvey McBurnette.
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.
No sale. The coupon does not apply
to this item.
Price
The descriptions below match the order of the knives above.
| Description |
Order # |
Price |
Al Mar Eagle ivory Micarta
front-lock, U.S.A. SEKI-JAPAN. It is near mint with original leather sheath and light carry
wear. It has not been sharpened. The blade is 4" and it is 5" closed. Model 1005WM is a
very early Al Mar not a current one it has been discontinued for years. With lanyard.
It would be great for scrimshaw.
The original leather sheath is in excellent- condition with small cut marks on the flap and needs a
good cleaning with saddle soap. The type of ivory Micarta used in this
knife is no longer in production. This knife probably was made in 1979 or 1980 and was one of
the first production knives made by AL Mar.
Period one knife*.
About Al Mar's marked U.S.A. SEKI-JAPAN |
FJ-00360 The new Eagle model
is smaller at 4-7/8" closed. |
$350.00
$339.95
$329.95 |
| Description |
Order # |
Price |
Serial number #120/200.
Al Mar Ultralight Eagle black Micarta
front-lock. It is mint in the box with part-serrated blade and clip. The
blade is 4" and it is 5" closed. Model 1005UBK2 is
a Al Mar model that came out several years ago. This is one of the first
of this model to be made.
Current List $139.00 for non serial numbered.
About serial numbered Al Mar's |
FJ-00361 |
$199.00
$189.95
$179.95
Largest
in the series |
Remember we buy knives like the one above.
Click here for the details.
Al Mar early mid-lock folding knives.
More Al Mar folding knives.
* There are three
distinct periods in the Al Mar Knives company:
1.
Al Mar founded and ran the company from 1979 to 1992.
2. Al Mar’s wife Ann and daughter Ryanne
ran the company after Al’s death from 1992 to 1996.
3. Gary Fadden, a fellow Green Beret and
friend of Al Mar owns and runs the company from 1996 to present.
If you have a correction or something to add to this short
time line please let us know so we can update this informal company history. |
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