Well @TnHunter356
Mine has it being made here in USA.
I bought this off a member here couple years ago.

It has the same type of box.

 

Well @TnHunter356
Mine has it being made here in USA.
I bought this off a member here couple years ago.
View attachment 966001
It has the same type of box.
View attachment 966002

Thanks

It's always something that I look for on popular brands that have gone to overseas production. I'm finding conflicting information or at least confusing information.

Here's two boxes from what are listed as US and USA MADE. On one box it states "Made in Gladstone, Mi USA" On the other it says "Marbles Outdoors Gladstone, Mi USA"

Pics of the similar boxes with "different info"

 

My old Marbles sheath knife has the patent date (pta'd 191C and Marbles Gladstone MICH) on the other side. Even the sheath is stamped MARBLES

CAVET EMPOR..............

 

The box says "Marbles Outdoors" and the address but I'm not seeing where it says "made in" anywhere on the box. Your pics are fuzzy so maybe I'm wrong but those don't make me think those knives were made in the U.S.

They are probably good knives or Marbles wouldn't have put their name on them. Have you tried calling and talking to someone at Marbles?

 

ALL marbles knives are now and have been for years made in China.

 

The box says "Marbles Outdoors" and the address but I'm not seeing where it says "made in" anywhere on the box. Your pics are fuzzy so maybe I'm wrong but those don't make me think those knives were made in the U.S.

They are probably good knives or Marbles wouldn't have put their name on them. Have you tried calling and talking to someone at Marbles?

The box says "Marbles Outdoors" and the address but I'm not seeing where it says "made in" anywhere on the box. Your pics are fuzzy so maybe I'm wrong but those don't make me think those knives were made in the U.S.

They are probably good knives or Marbles wouldn't have put their name on them. Have you tried calling and talking to someone at Marbles?

I've not. But, I'm gonna guess after seeing same knives in differently marked boxes, I'll stay away from the knives.

 

If you can convince the seller that these are not US made maybe you can get them for a better price. They are probably decent blades. Steel doesn't care where is was made. Remember some of the German and Japanese steels have excellent reputations. Even our friends in China can make good stuff if the price is right.

I have a short sword made of Soligen Steel and thats some tough stuff. Made in 1917 IIRC. I also bought a Chinese Jian sword and that metal is hard enough that getting a super sharp edge is a work in progress. Also excellent steel. I think I can chop you in half with it now.

I spent way too much time watching Forged In Fire. Those swords are some Bad Mothers if used right.

 

Here is a picture of my box.

 

Marbles production went overseas for a while. I seen a video were Mike Stewart quit when he heard they were moving production and started his own company. I think his new company has produced some marbles knives here in the US since then in limited runs. I have one of those. I forget if it is marked Gladstone or Escanaba.

 

The ones I've seen say neither. Only one side stamped on the ricasso, Marbles.

I'm gonna put them on the back burner and concentrate on some Blackjack originals instead.

 

@TnHunter356 - Those Marbles knives are not USA made!!! USA made Marbles knives will say so on the Ricasso and also on the box! I have a Marbles history book and also a family member in MI who was familiar with their production.

I had previously posted in another thread the info as to when large bladed Marbles knives came back to the USA for a period of time. I will try to find that info and re-post for you or PM if you'd like

I have a number of Marbles knives - USA and China made. . . .

 

@TnHunter356 - Those Marbles knives are not USA made!!! USA made Marbles knives will say so on the Ricasso and also on the box! I have a Marbles history book and also a family member in MI who was familiar with their production.

I had previously posted in another thread the info as to when large bladed Marbles knives came back to the USA for a period of time. I will try to find that info and re-post for you or PM if you'd like

I have a number of Marbles knives - USA and China made. . . .

Thanks

I suspected that they were not USA Made, but the printing on the boxes saying they were had me wondering. I'll gladly pass on them and look more closely at the others I found.

 

@TnHunter356 - I double checked on my limited Marbles resources - Marbles sold off rights and stopped manufacturing in 1979. In 1997, knife making - primarily fixed blades - in Gladstone was resumed and continued to 2010. From 1997 to 2002 (app) the knives are known as the Stewart-Lauerman era of Marbles knives - Stewart eventually started Bark River knives if I'm correct - I don't know who over saw the manufacture until the 2010 closing at Gladstone.

I did read some time back that some Gladstone knives manufactured in the period before 2010, simply said Marbles on the Rcasso and eliminated the Gladstone USA stamp - however, the boxes and enclosed paperwork and cardboard knife sleeves, still said Gladstone, MI USA - Boxes from China do not have this information on the box.

Last info I had from a local collector / knife retailer is that SMKW - has the current rights to manufacture the Marbles brand which is manufactured overseas

Probably just added to the confusion

I'm just a collector with interest and not an expert on Marbles knives - but that is the info I have access to.
Thanks

 

There is a Marbles Knife Facebook page if that might interest you. They seem to have a good knowledge base.

 

The knives are Rapid River Knife Works not Bark River.

 

There is a Marbles Knife Facebook page if that might interest you. They seem to have a good knowledge base.

Thanks - I will check that out for sure - wife has FaceBook . .

The knives are Rapid River Knife Works not Bark River.

Thanks for that clarification . . . My understanding has been that when Stewart left, he founded Bark River and then in 2009 to 2010, a group from the remaining craftsmen at Gladstone, founded the Rapid River brand. . . I certainly appreciated the info . . . one thing I've learned about knives and Marbles knives in particular is there tends to be conflicting information on historical stuff - keeps me wanting to study and learn from others

The following link is to an interview that was conducted in 2015 with Mike Stewart - who worked in the family business of Blackjack knives prior to Marbles. . . It outlines the story as to how he founded Bark River. . . Interesting read. I found his journey in the knife industry interesting.

Interview: Mike Stewart

Knife Knowledge | An interview with the founder and owner of Bark River Knives, Mike Stewart. Read more on our knife blog and shop our huge in-stock selection at KnivesShipFree.com!

www.knivesshipfree.com

Thanks

 

Very informative thread. Thanks.

 

Why are the OP knives colored rings in a different order than those knives marked made in USA with red in the center? Just an observation as I know little about these knives.

 

During the Stewart / Lauerman era at Marbles, the spacer colors changed year to year, u until 2002 when Stewart left. After that, I'm not sure how the spacers were placed -
Check this link for the spacer info from 1997 to 2002 if this helps

DATING 1997-2002 MARBLE'S KNIVES-SEWART/LAUERMAN ERA - All About Pocket Knives

Howdy all AAPK members and folk's browsing this great site....Jerry and I were conversing back & forth on the Marble's Woodcraft thread, and he said it would be nice for everyone to know the dates on this era Marble's knives, I agreed with him 10..

www.allaboutpocketknives.com

 

2001-2005 Marbles left the USA stamp off their knives. Bobcat boxes are legit USA made in Gladstone, MI. Not the Chinese versions. Hope this helps. Same great quality as the early knives, grab them if the price is right.

 

I'm glad you mentioned that !!! Thanks !

I completely forgot about the Bobcat photos on the box - those boxes say Gladstone USA on them. . . I'm blessed to have several of them. . .

Gladstone made knives also have this box on the larger knives:

 

I’m not an expert on the subject for sure but I’ve owned several over the years. If it’s a made in USA marbles they are pretty proudly stamped as such. I’ve heard about some non-stamped USA made ones, but when the truth came out they were made overseas. My rule is if it’s not stamped it should be considered an import. This is one that I picked up last week absolutely NIB, and the Marlin/Marbles I bought last month. Both are stamped as made in Michigan.
Regards,

 

I have a Marbles Ideal I purchased in Holland Michigan in 1968. It was not new then. The knife is not stamped made in USA. I have a much older Marbles Ideal (probably pre-1935) which has been worn down more than a quarter of an inch in width of the blade. it also is not marked made in USA. I wonder if the examples above are scams with the box only truthfully made in USA. Both of my old Marble knives are stack leather washers, with colored spacers. I was told way back when that the spacers were usually just whatever the assembler liked from the assortment on hand. The real Marble knives were made of a carbon steel that sharpened easily. The factory sheath was not very durable. The real Marble match safe is a device that still works perfectly. The reproductions are a sad, flimsy replica. I never liked the pin-on compass.

 

I have Grampa‘s Marble Ideal and it is stamped “ Gladstone Mich. USA. He probably bought it in 1910 to 1915 when building a campsite in northern Ontario.

 

The vast amount of knowledge on this site is great.

 

Please post some pictures of your older marbles that are not stamped, and I will probably be able to identify the time that they were made and where they were made. It’s possible that the stamp could be ground off those knives if they are original and they’ve lost that much due to blade wear. I have a lot of marbles stuff and I’ve been collecting For 50 years and would be happy to help you with any questions you might have.

 

Knives aren’t made in Gladstone anymore. ( grew up in “happyrock”). Up to the late 80.’s they were. My mom worked there

 

Yep!
I drug mine out the safe.

Made in the USA!

 

Good Post, with Great information, ...............Why do we all keep our Marbles knives in a safe ?..............

Thanks for the info.

Tom

 

I have an old Marbles Ideal knife and it's over 100 years old. It belonged to a relative who was a Civil War veteran. It was probably used when he went to Grand Army of the Republic reunions. It is pretty worn and my father got it when he was a kid. I put a new edge on it. But I am disappointed Marbles discontinued those knives. The ones they make now are not impressive.