Bear Jaws Multi Tool Club!
Yes. Another MT club. Just Bear with me here. :D
Searched around MT.o and didn't see a club for the MT history-important Bear and Sons ( Bear Mfg.) multitools. They have many models, including the 155(& 155L)(with several variations like the 155EL and Sportsman), 156(& 156L), 157(& garden/bird shears), 153(mini jaws keychain tool), and produced tools for countless brands(like Craftsman, Toolzall, Crescent and many others). They pioneered the classic-design multi tool with all outboard implements as well. The finish of Bear Jaws is an attractive high-polish on the handles with a clean grind-polish on the tools(except the sides of the phillips drivers and files). Fit & Finish are great on the older Bear Jaws and a bit 'iffy' on some of the newer tools. All of them are robust and reliable, with excellent hardening of the stainless steel. The "L" versions of the 155 and 156 are controversial, with few liking the protruding unlock-levers, some indifferent to it, and most users not liking it. This can be remedied by grinding down the lever tang-bump or removing the lever(with unlocking accomplished by opening an adjacent tool to open the locking spring to close the tools).
They are produced all in-house in Jacksonville, Alabama. That is cool, because the area is not known for knife-making or multi tools. Bears Jaws are under-appreciated and not as well known as the other quality manufacturers in the business. Hopefully this thread will make a good vehicle to promote the Bear Jaws tools as a viable MT option, possibly encourage Bear to up their QC-game, and update some of their designs. I also hope that this thread will be a good place to show our Bear Jaws tools and discuss them.
Here is a group photo of my modest(yet decently varied) collection.
Top row: 157(Toolzall Maintenance Pro Stamped), 157SM(bird shears), 156(MAC Tools promotion), 156L, 155(Craftman 45201), and 155L(Craftsman 45521).
Bottom row: 155, 155 Sportsman, 155L(MAC tools promotion), 155L(mirrored handles), 155EL(Electrician tool with stripper head), Bear Pocket Tool(prototype tool -possibly the only one made), and 153(Keychain tool).
Tools closed.
(http://i.imgur.com/V4zN74S.jpg)
Tools opened.
(https://i.imgur.com/3iwfQgl.jpg)
Photos, information, and commentary are greatly appreciated for the Bear Jaws Club! :)
Edit: Typo corrections.