Al Mar tool Pics and first impression.

[Crouton]

I bought this Al Mar tool as a potential user, and right off the bat I can't see myself carrying it, but it is very nice.
This one was a daily carry for someone, and I am happy with that, so I don't mind using it.  It has no major dings but plenty of fine scratches.

First impression is that it's a tool of substance and quality.  It's got big thick blades and even the spacers are thick and chunky.

Here are the pics:

[J-sews]

Wow, nice pictures!

Most impressive feature on the Al Mars to me is their hollow ground knife blade

[Zed]

I really like the look of these tools they look very functional and well built, very cool pics as well   

paul

[Sean]

Good job on the write up and pics! 

[MultiMat]

"Potentially user"  .
Ben's taken over Crouty  .
Great pics mate , they are a ripper of a MT to have in your collection. Me , I am not sure how robust the pliers are if you really cranked on something  .

[AHB]

Great pics.. 
I would love to get my hands on one like that someday.. 

[Mercury]

Seems that the pliers would be a little difficult to use, they don't look extremely functional.  all in all, it looks like a bare bones beefed up swissgrip copy.  Maybe I'll pick one up and test'er out.

[J-sews]

Seems that the pliers would be a little difficult to use, they don't look extremely functional.  all in all, it looks like a bare bones beefed up swissgrip copy.  Maybe I'll pick one up and test'er out.

Bring your Visa Gold Card

[Mercury]

I can't seem to find one online.  Are they expensive?

[J-sews]

I can't seem to find one online.  Are they expensive?

They were made back in the late 80's / early 90's. Being Al Mar's, they were quite pricey at the time, and only went up from there. I've seen new ones go for over $200  It's more about beauty than function though, as most folks find more modern multitools to be more useful.

[sawman]

It might be more useful if the pliers were needle-nose. Those don't appear to give much gripping area.

[Mercury]

A true collectors item then.  Maybe sometime down the road.

[Styerman]

I packed one for about 3 years off and on . Some piece of toejam stole it . It had by far the best /most usable blades I have ever encountered on a multi . The pliers were good cutters , and very strong . If I still had it it would still get an airing . It is inspired by , but is not a faithfull copy  of the SOE escape tool . There was also a plierless version with a saw as opposed to a serrated sheepsfoot blade . Engraved specimen's have been seen . Early ones had nylon sheaths , later and tarted up versions had very well crafted leather pouches .

Al Mar also made some homages to  classic military knives  , IIRC the Fairbairn Sykes , the Smatchet , the SOG ( Studies and Observation Group , not SOG ) field knives . Al was a Vietnam Era Special forces vet , and a long time designer for Gerber back in their hayday . The one Al Mar I regret not scoring was a repro of the officially denied , possibly modified "Baby Fairbairn " , a 5"version of the standard FS .

Al Mar was a class act , who died too soon , I am honored to have met him once .

Chris

[MultiMat]

I packed one for about 3 years off and on . Some piece of toejam stole it . It had by far the best /most usable blades I have ever encountered on a multi . The pliers were good cutters , and very strong . If I still had it it would still get an airing . It is inspired by , but is not a faithfull copy  of the SOE escape tool . There was also a plierless version with a saw as opposed to a serrated sheepsfoot blade . Engraved specimen's have been seen . Early ones had nylon sheaths , later and tarted up versions had very well crafted leather pouches .

Al Mar also made some homages to  classic military knives  , IIRC the Fairbairn Sykes , the Smatchet , the SOG ( Studies and Observation Group , not SOG ) field knives . Al was a Vietnam Era Special forces vet , and a long time designer for Gerber back in their hayday . The one Al Mar I regret not scoring was a repro of the officially denied , possibly modified "Baby Fairbairn " , a 5"version of the standard FS .

Al Mar was a class act , who died too soon , I am honored to have met him once .

Chris

Chris I have spent a fare bit of time trying to find out a bit about Al on the net , most references are to Blade magazine articles but not the articles themselves  .Do you have any links or references with info about Al Mar the man  .
The story about the man who took over Al's business(a good friend of Al's I think) was a very interesting read(his run in with thugs vs machine gun).
 
I have the 4X4 & Quickclip Al Mar MT's they are things of beauty & I agree with you on the blades .

 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Very cool

[ryan1835]

It looks really cleverly thought out, i like it.

[sergemaster]

Amici,
I remember that SOG also made this WW2 pattern OSS tool back in the 1990's and is quite hard to find also.

As for Al Mar, of what I remember is that he was a Vietnam vet and quite a bad ass as well either with his hands or a sword, then tragically died of some form of cancer just when his knife company was taking off. His widow ran it for a bit before she sold it off also back in the 1990's..

I remember reading quite about him in Blade magazine as well as SOF every once in a while.. That's on knife brand I never owned but I hear great things about the Al Mar Eagle, a OHO preferred by some for EDC.

Cheers,
Serge