Bark River Knives out of business

SteveC · **on:** March 24, 2026, 12:44:57 PM

Have closed their doors due to mismanagement and some controversy over using Chinese blade blanks on some of their models.

Bark River Knives
Mike Stewart

" LET'S MAKE THIS OFFICIAL .This is a Long Read but Important.
BARK RIVER KNIVES IS NOW CLOSED.
All business was concluded on Friday Afternoon March 20th 2026.
This Closing was long overdue - I should have done this over 2 years ago.
I need to say that all of this is 100% totally my responsibility.
As you have seen from the tons of posts I have been taking the heat since Friday.
There are many factors that lead to this but ultimately I'll take the Blame.
Please do not Blame Lesley Stewart or Jim Stewart for any of this.
In addition to my Mismanagement the Choice to use an Alternate Chinese Steel was my choice - not anyone else's Blunder.
Over the last 25 years we have made well over a million knives.
This blunder of mine only effected a few models
Here is the List of them.
Camp Bolo.
Fox River Skinner.
Highwayman 4.
Mini-Manitou.
Gladstone Hunter.
Bitterroot Caper
The Last two Club Knives as well.
We tested the steel it had almost the same edge retention of CPM 154.
It had the same toughness as CPM 154
It had even more Stain Resistance than CPM 154.
All of these were reground with our Convex Geometry.
All were reshaped them to a Bark River Shape
All were processed in our Shop by our Crew.
All of the handle materials were materials we currently use
All of them were etched just like all our models
All were inspected and boxed like all of our models.
By doing over 5 operations on each knife - they meet the criteria of Made in U.S.A.
Yes the steel was mis-marked.
Let me be clear that None of our Dealers knew about any of this and are 100% Blameless for this situation.
It is 100% my Fault.
Let me also clearly state that all other Bark River Knives have been made with the Steel that is marked on the blade - This use of import steel was only for a very short period of Time to keep our Employees working.
IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.
Jim Stewart will be opening his own Knife Company
100% Independent of Bark River Knives.
Jim has agreed to take over all of the Warranties that would normally go to Bark River.
When he is ready I'm sure he will make the Official Announcement.
I will not have a hand in his new Company.
All I can do at this point is Offer a Very Sincere Apology and with much regret fade out of the knife industry that I have spent the last 50 years in.
I want to thank all of the Folks that have Reached out to me privately to offer their support. It has meant a lot to me.
I wanted to wait to post this until our Dealers had a chance to react and post their positions.
I also wanted to make sure that all of our Employees were paid for working last week. I did that this morning.
My recent Health Problems and Lesley's Health Problems did play a part in all of this but I am not using that as any kind of excuse."

nate j · **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2026, 04:30:48 PM

Thanks for sharing this, Steve, though I’m sorry to read it. I had no idea BRK was in such dire straits.

For various reasons, I don’t have many BR knives. But when you hold one, you can tell it was designed and built by masters.

Like some others here, I’ve been “around” long enough to remember when Mike would sometimes post over over on the old KF. I had (and still have) tremendous respect for him.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2026, 04:45:37 PM

I have known Mike for a great many years.

I feel bad for his employees.

It's sad to see any business fail, and terrible for those that are dependent on it for their own income.

I don't want to pile on Mike's misfortune, but I'm surprised that he lasted this long this time.

Def

IMR4198 · **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2026, 04:53:14 PM

I never owned anything with this brand but appreciate the craftsmanship. The owner seems to feel that he committed an act of treason by processing Chinese sourced blanks. After reading how they were tested, I don't feel judgmental about this. I suspect business decisions and bad health had a lot to do with this closure. And... with a 50 year successful run, it can't be called a failure. I was glad that he made sure that his workers were paid. That shows class. Best wishes. G

SteveC · **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2026, 05:21:27 PM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on March 24, 2026, 04:45:37 PM

I have known Mike for a great many years.

I feel bad for his employees.

It's sad to see any business fail, and terrible for those that are dependent on it for their own income.

I don't want to pile on Mike's misfortune, but I'm surprised that he lasted this long this time.

Def

He was apparently kept afloat for the last few years by help from DLT purchasing steel for him and preorder deposits from them, KSF and a few smaller vendors.

SteveC · **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2026, 05:23:55 PM

Quote from: IMR4198 on March 24, 2026, 04:53:14 PM

I never owned anything with this brand but appreciate the craftsmanship. The owner seems to feel that he committed an act of treason by processing Chinese sourced blanks. After reading how they were tested, I don't feel judgmental about this. I suspect business decisions and bad health had a lot to do with this closure. And... with a 50 year successful run, it can't be called a failure. I was glad that he made sure that his workers were paid. That shows class. Best wishes. G

I think a lot of the anger is from the deception and marking the steel as other than what it was.

rodia77 · **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2026, 05:43:30 PM

Sad to see them go, I remember I was tempted by their knives for years, and long years ago, but ended up never getting one.

Now I read the QC wasn't as good as one would expect from such a company.

Quote from: SteveC on March 24, 2026, 05:23:55 PM

I think a lot of the anger is from the deception and marking the steel as other than what it was.

Pretty much unforgiveable in my book so closing was the right move.

stuntzombie · **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2026, 06:17:03 PM

I have no respect for Mike Stewart at all. He's a stain on the knife industry, and the fact people keep trusting him, when he's shown he's nothing but a liar time and time again, baffles me. Maybe this time it will stick, but I doubt it. People seem to have short memories in this industry. This certainly isn't the first time he's done this, not even the first time Bark River Knives was accused of just regrinding knife blanks from offshore and marking them as US made.

Mike's misfortune is his own doing, and I don't have one iota of sympathy for him.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #8 on:** March 26, 2026, 01:37:17 AM

Michigan Knifemaker Closes Shop After Admitting to Using Chinese Steel and Labeling It USA-Made https://share.google/WzYpTgkWSYiwozwEC

Def

Pacu · **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2026, 03:29:46 AM

I've been watching this unfold over on Bark River's Facebook page, Bark River Boys, and Bark River Problems. Lots of heated exchanges, loyalists and betrayed longtime users going back and forth.
I've looked at a few Barks and the Bravo and Gunny I was close to getting but always was on an Esse budget.

Bark River has some fine looking blades.

Looks like DLT is testing some of their blades in inventory to see if current stock of other models are of advertised steel as trust has been broken.