Bear Jaws 155L & Bear Jaws 155CO?

1jump2many · **on:** December 28, 2009, 03:03:23 PM

I have a Bear & Sons Cutlery Bear Jaws 155L and know the "L" stands for locking. Can anyone tell me what the "CO" stands for? Thanks.

DaveK · **Reply #1 on:** December 28, 2009, 06:22:45 PM

I've never heard of CO. Where did you see that?

1jump2many · **Reply #2 on:** December 28, 2009, 06:36:46 PM

Quote from: DaveK on December 28, 2009, 06:22:45 PM

I've never heard of CO. Where did you see that?

I found this on eBay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390126421839&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT I ordered one and although it may not show it right now, he does have another one for sale. I screwed him up trying to use a Gift Certificate my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas.

A word to the wise, if you ever buy someone a Gift Certificate from eBay make sure you get their PayPal email address. Even though the Gift Certificate covered the total price they still require you to access your PayPal account. So because my sister-in-law didn't link the GC to my PayPal email address it created some confusion on my part and I inadvertantly ordered two of them. I have since cancelled one and bought one. So in case you are interested in one, the second one should be available. I also asked the seller what the difference was between the "L" & "CO" but haven't gotten a reponse yet. It could just be that this "CO" model doesn't have locks. I looked around the Internet and didn't find any info.

DaveK · **Reply #3 on:** December 28, 2009, 06:45:13 PM

Interesting. It looks like the basic 155, I've no idea what CO might mean

1jump2many · **Reply #4 on:** December 28, 2009, 06:56:36 PM

Quote from: DaveK on December 28, 2009, 06:45:13 PM

Interesting. It looks like the basic 155, I've no idea what CO might mean

I just received an email response from the seller, he said he didn't know and that I should Google it.

I'm sure it's probably just a basic 155. I don't know where the CO comes from, I guess I'll check the box when it arrives.

AHB · **Reply #5 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:01:57 PM

COlor..

I bet it's Hot Pink when it arrives...

DaveK · **Reply #6 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:02:24 PM

Lol. It probably says something like "Bear Jaws 155 CO USA" on the box or something.

I'm pretty sure it's the bog standard 155 from the pics though. It's a fine tool too.

1jump2many · **Reply #7 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:02:45 PM

Quote from: AHB on December 28, 2009, 07:01:57 PM

COlor..
I bet it's Hot Pink when it arrives...

I can only dream..............

1jump2many · **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:05:52 PM

Quote from: DaveK on December 28, 2009, 07:02:24 PM

Lol. It probably says something like "Bear Jaws 155 CO USA" on the box or something.

I'm pretty sure it's the bog standard 155 from the pics though. It's a fine tool too.

Yeah, that sounds logical. I was hoping you would comment on the thread, I have you pegged as the forum expert on Bear Jaws.

I had my wife get me a Super Bear Jaws 156L for Christmas as one of my gifts. Nice tool, heavy and well built.

DaveK · **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:12:39 PM

Ooh blimey no - I know very little about them at all, beyond the few I have!

Bob's your man for Bear stuff (and everything else too in fact).

Smitty44 · **Reply #10 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:21:55 PM

155 CO 4in.= Compact, 155L =4 1/2 in. Super Bear Claws

DaveK · **Reply #11 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:23:39 PM

Oooh Compact sounds right, but the L in 155L is for locking, I'm sure. The Super Bear Jaws is the big dude isn't it?

Smitty44 · **Reply #12 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:39:36 PM

The Super Bear Jaws is the big dude isn't it?
[/quote]Yes it's 4 1/2 inch's,and locks,and the Compack is 4 inch's with no lock.

DaveK · **Reply #13 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:42:47 PM

That would be the 156L then?

The 155L is the Bear Jaws with locks?

Smitty44 · **Reply #14 on:** December 28, 2009, 07:58:54 PM

Quote from: DaveK on December 28, 2009, 07:42:47 PM

That would be the 156L then?

The 155L is the Bear Jaws with locks?

That is correct,and the 157SM is the one with bird shears,and the 155CO is the 4 inch without locks.

DaveK · **Reply #15 on:** December 28, 2009, 08:12:52 PM

That's what I thought. Cheers Smitty.

1jump2many · **Reply #16 on:** December 28, 2009, 11:29:05 PM

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 · **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2010, 06:39:50 PM

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 · **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2010, 07:29:10 PM

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 · **Reply #19 on:** January 04, 2010, 08:42:47 PM

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 · **Reply #20 on:** January 05, 2010, 03:31:21 AM

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 · **Reply #21 on:** January 05, 2010, 04:02:40 AM

Quote from: J-sews on January 05, 2010, 03:31:21 AM

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 · **Reply #22 on:** January 05, 2010, 04:09:09 AM

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 · **Reply #23 on:** January 05, 2010, 04:11:46 AM

Comparison pictures, also from the Encyclopedia:

1jump2many · **Reply #24 on:** January 05, 2010, 04:12:22 AM

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 · **Reply #25 on:** January 05, 2010, 04:15:27 AM

Quote from: 1jump2many on January 05, 2010, 04:12:22 AM

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 · **Reply #26 on:** January 05, 2010, 06:46:37 AM

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

&

1jump2many · **Reply #27 on:** January 05, 2010, 03:08:42 PM

Quote from: Smitty44 on January 05, 2010, 06:46:37 AM

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.

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Bear Jaws 155L & Bear Jaws 155CO?

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