They all say "Marbles Gladstone MI USA" on the left side of the tang. Can you tell me, by the spacers, if they are pre-transition? Thanks.

Yes they were.

The Woodcraft on top was make in 1998 per spacers

The Ideal in the middle is a vintage knife, cant be sure when the blade was made but the spacers say it was handled in 2000. Did it come in a Bob Cat box? When Craig Lauderman took over he found a few hundred vintage ideal blades from the 30's and 40's in storage and handled them through the custom shop and my guess is that is one of them. Most, if not all were 5 inch blades. Does it say "Circa 1930" on the other side?

The bottom Campcraft was made in 2000.



These were all made in Gladestone MI and the top and bottom knives are 52-100 steel, the Ideal is what ever they used in the 30's and 40's. I dont know what its called but some people feel it was the best knife steel ever, REAL hard, but a bugger to resharpen.

In any event nice knives!!!

I've had a MArbles or two in my lifetime. Still have a Woodcraft....that steel is sharp! Only thing is that it's a convex grind and makes sharpening a little different than say a flat grind, which I tend to prefer.

Keith

Yes. All my Marbles knives (I have four others, besides those pictured above) came in a box like this: It says "Circa 1939." Does that mean for sure it's pre-2001 transition?Thank you, and thanks for the help.

In regards to the Stag/Stag Ideal, the knife in the middle. The blade was made in 1939 and left in a vat of oil to be assembled at a later time, that's how Webster Marbles did it, made a bunch stored them in a wood barrel soaked in some kind of oil and assembled them as needed. Bob Young, former forman at Marbles was with them for around 35 years he said there were a bunch of these barrels full of blades dating WAY back just waiting to be handled.

But to get back to you're question, yes its pre 01, all of those knived were handled by the custom shop in 99 and 2000. I had a twin to yours and like a dumb azz sold it, but I still have a leather/stag, or 2, in the safe.

DO NOT SELL IT, I see that knife ganing value in years to come. The blade is what everyone wants and the stag is much nicer than what was avaiable in 1930. Keep it, it's a real vintage Gladstone Marbles, the other's are real Gladstone Marbles just not vintage. By vintage I before after the factory re-opened with Lauderman.

Thank. I will keep it, along with all my pre-transition Marbles knives.

I have one other vintage Marbles knife made from a vintage blade. It's part of a matching pair that was offered the first year they restarted with knives in 1998. One's the Woodcraft you see above (manufactured in 1998) but the matching knife (fixed up just the same) was an Expert blade that was found at the Marbles factory and made into a knife to match the Woodsman above. I bought them as a matching pair right after they started doing this in 1998. Does the fact that it's part of a matching pair make it particularly valuable, or could I theoretically sell it separately without loosing out in price?

You can sell them separately and not hurt the value. I have had several sets I broke up. Seem more guys would rather buy just 1.

Small world - Bob Young is my great-uncle. His wife Betty and my Grandmother still play BINGO all the time. (they are sisters) I usually see him a couple of times a year. he made a set of smaller knives in the Marbles style for my son after he was born. One of these days I am going to take some vacation and have him teach me to make knives.

Bob is the last of the true craftsman in Marbles type knife making. Time spent with him would be time well spent!

So who was the brilliant guy who bought the knife????

I have a buddy who owns a gun shop and he is in the process of picking me clean on my knives, good thing you got what you did when you did.