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do you guys think that bear and sons is up with the quialty as the other top brands such as case ;great eastern;queen;and others'what is you alls take on that??

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on April 19, 2011 at 1:36

Stephen ..

I've a damascus 4.5" (closed) butterfly stamped "BEAR MGC" over "..USA.." 2 dots on either side of the USA. It is both functional and pretty !!!

I've also a small stockman scaled in rosewood that is stamped "BEAR MGC" over "....USA...." 4 dots on either side of the USA. I like it !!!

I've a Case 52052D .. the blades of which very likely came out of the AL facility that would later become BEAR MGC .. ‘n still later .. Bear & Son .. I really like that knife !!!

I do not own any current “Bear & Son” production .. I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase one .. I simply haven’t.

Mr. Ken Griffey (President of Bear) has personally responded to an e-mail inquiry I'd submitted in the past. I more recently corresponded with Mr. Griffey during a club knife project. I found him knowledgeable, professional, & pleasant to communicate with.

I hope this helps.

:D ale

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on April 19, 2011 at 3:13

Stephen ..

I do hold the 2 BEAR MGC stamped knives in high regard .. and for comparison .. I do own a few CASE & QUEEN .. but not a single GEC .. yet !!!

'n I say "yet" because I've heard naught but good about GEC.

:D ale

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on April 20, 2011 at 20:56

Hey Dale,

Whats it take to get you try one?

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on April 21, 2011 at 1:21

That new whittler might.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on April 21, 2011 at 3:07

JJ has a point .. it is a nice whittler .. and out of a bunch of knives .. I've only one wharncliffe blade !!!

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Permalink Reply by Ricky Ray on April 23, 2011 at 13:00

I don't think the Bear knives have the same quality as the GECs and the like. But I don't think that is where they have tried to position themselves either. I think they are more of a low-cost, made in the USA, user brand. A lot of people seem to be put off by the fact that Bear only has a single pin on the handles. The edges are a little rougher and the blades have a bit less polish put into them. But if you want a user, that is fine! I like the Bear brand, and they do seem to be trying to elevate the quality somewhat. The Heritage series looks pretty good!

Here are a couple of my Bear razor jacks.

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Permalink Reply by Billy Oneale on April 23, 2011 at 19:44

I have about 5 or 6 Bear knives. They are good for an EDC that looks good. The Heritage series is what most of mine are. They are not as good quality as GEC or Queen, but they are a lot less expensive also. I have one that is a green stag razor trapper that I really like for the look.

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Permalink Reply by Billy Oneale on April 23, 2011 at 20:50

The green stag wasn't a razor, just a small trapper with damascus blades.

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Permalink Reply by stephen tungate on April 23, 2011 at 22:39

thanks guys for your replys it sure is good to have a bunch of great people that you can depend on when your in doubt.thanks again.....

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on April 23, 2011 at 22:58

I must admit .. my BEAR MGC do indeed lack that final "fit-n-finish" that I see on my CASE & QUEEN.

Great from a using standpoint .. just slightly lacking in the final "fit-n-finish".

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on May 10, 2011 at 13:01

The advice I received long ago in regards to Bear & Sons was not to buy a B&S unseen. If you can can handle it and check the fit & finish before buying it, you'll probably be satisfied. Something to do with Quality control The Bear & Sons I own are all Boy Scout knives. I own the 5 inch lock back (similar to a Buck 110), the Barlow and the Boy Scout whittler. I like all three however they do have some issues.

I was quite upset when I dropped the whittler and the cheap plastic scale popped loose. I was able to snap it back own but that shouldn't happen. I also had to file off a small burr of plastic where it kept snagging in my pocket. Quite frankly the wood handle whittler made in China had a better fit and finish than the Bear & Son for the Same price.

The other two knives are quite nice but the "frost wood" style scales are a bit dated on them. I've had sharper knives right out of the box but I think I got a good deal on these knives.

I especially like the Barlow. The blades walk and talk and have a nice satin finish. When I bought the knife I picked it out of group of three knives. One had blade wobble on the main blade right out of the box. I showed it to the scout rep at the store and he sighed and shook his head. The other two had tight blades so the decision came down to the scout logo. I took the one that had the logo squared off. A person shouldn't have to do this kind of comparison shopping when buying an American made Boy Scout Knife.

The 5 inch lock back was pretty decent but was also the only one in the store. It also looked pretty good in the store. After I got it home and gave it a closer look see, I noticed numerous small scratches on the bolsters. Nothing too much and the kind of stuff that would happen after carrying it for a few weeks in your pants pocket but annoying to see on brand spanking new knife. That could've happened however from just showing it at the Scout Store so I won't fault B&S for that one.

In all I'm satisfied with all three of them and it was nice to be able to get Boy Scout Knives made in the USA again. I'm not sure if Bear & Son still has the cotnract but I hope they do and I also hope they have done something to improve quality control.

Toby