Bear Jaws 155L & Bear Jaws 155CO?

[DaveK]

That's what I thought. Cheers Smitty.

[1jump2many]

A standard 155, no lock, is what it looked like in the picture.  I thought the "CO" was something different.  Bear & Son's Cutlery's web site doesn't list the 155CO anymore, just the "L" in the 155.  Evidently they don't make the "CO" now.  That is pretty much what I was thinking, I will have one 155 with a lock and one without.

The 156 is the Super Bear Jaws, 4.5".  They only seem to be making it in the "L" version too.

[1jump2many]

My Bear Jaws 155CO arrived in the mail today     And it is actually a "CO".  I guess it is early stock or something.  The Company name on the box is not "Bear & Son's Cutlery", but "MGC Cutlery".  Does anyone know if that was the original name before "Bear & Sons Cutlery"?  Regardless, it is a well made MT, very much along the lines of the Leatherman PST, no locks like the 155L.  It also came with a nylon sheath that has "Bear Jaws USA" embroiderd on the flap.  My 155L & 156L's sheaths didn't have the embroidery on it.  I've attached some pictures below.

[DaveK]

Well I think Smitty's suggestion that the CO stands for "compact" is the most likely then.

Ad far as the packaging goes, I only have one box, and it's identical to yours, except that the bar-coded label says "157GT Gardener Tool".

[1jump2many]

Could be, that might have been the original term for it then.  I compared it to my 155L and they are both the same size.  There are differences besides the lock.  The tip of the pliers are slightly rounded over on the 155L but not on the 155CO.  Also the bracket that plier head swivels on is different.  On the 155L it is on the inside of the handles and on the 155CO it is on the outside.  I don't know if that is a design upgrade of due to the addition of the locks.  I think that the 155CO is an early model of the 155 Bear Jaws.  I actually like it better than the 155L.

[J-sews]

I didn't know about the CO designation. Thanks for the info Smitty, and thanks for the pictures 1J2M


Somewhere around here I have a few pics showing the differences between early- and late-model 155's.....

[1jump2many]

I didn't know about the CO designation. Thanks for the info Smitty, and thanks for the pictures 1J2M


Somewhere around here I have a few pics showing the differences between early- and late-model 155's.....

J-sews,

Please post them, I'd love to see the differences.  I just looked over the two 155's I have quickly and noticed the two differences.  I suppose if I looked them over more closer there are others.  The biggest is the "bracket" used to connect the plier head to the handles.  I'm calling it a bracket because I don't know the correct term.  The piece on each handle that the screws are on.  On the 155CO the bracket is attached on the outside of the handles.  On the 155L it is on the inside of the handles.  And then the tip of the pliers is rounded over a bit on the 155L an square on the 155CO.  I'm also wondering about the Company name difference.  It is the same company but the name is changed from MGC Cutlery to Bear & Son Cutlery.

[J-sews]

From the Bear Cutlery page (LINK) on the Multitool Encyclopedia:


Originally known as Bear Cutlery MGC, this company was purchased by Victorinox in 1999, the makers of the Original Swiss Army Knife. Rumors suggest that this purchase was so that Victorinox could gain access to the patented "outside opening blades" design of the Bear Jaws multitool, which was later incorporated into the SwissTool design.

After a few years of ownership, Victorinox sold the company back to one of it's original owners in 2004. The company's name was then changed to Bear & Son Cutlery, and continues to operate under that name to this day.

Bear & Son Cutlery maintains strict production control, and manufactures all components in addition to the finished tools in-house at their facility in Jacksonville Alabama.

[J-sews]

Comparison pictures, also from the Encyclopedia:

[1jump2many]

Thanks for the info.  I guess I should have looked around their site for an explaination.  That is interesting to know that Vic owned them for a while too.  Thanks again.  


Great Pictures too!  They show both the plier tip differences and the pivot "brackets" or bolster differences I was talking about.  I guess I got a new/unused early version.  I bought it on eBay and bought if for less than I paid for my 155L.  Although, I don't know if it is worth any more or less.  I would imagine the 155CO would be considered "retired' though.

[J-sews]

Thanks for the info.  I guess I should have looked around their site for an explaination.  That is interesting to know that Vic owned them for a while too.  Thanks again.  

I'm pretty certain they don't brag about that anywhere on Bear's actual website....

[Smitty44]

Congrat's on the 155CO,looks like you made out like a bandit!!!
 &

[1jump2many]

Congrat's on the 155CO,looks like you made out like a bandit!!!
 &

Thanks Smitty, and thanks for the info.  I'm surprised the guy that sold it to me wasn't advertising it as "no longer in production/retired" or whatever to drive up the price.  Instead he had it on the "Buy It Now" option.  That is how the retired Leatherman's are advertised and it usually works for the sellers.