Fixed and Folding

Al Mar Knives

Written by Mick Williams

Al Mar Knives is a long established, production knife company. While tactical knives are a small part of the Al Mar line, the company has made maybe one of the most famous early tactical folders, the SERE. Based on the well designed SERE, Al Mar has expanded its line through updating the design and material to match the needs of 21st century users.

The SERE folder concept began in 1979 when Colonel Nick Rowe of the U.S. Army Special Forces asked Al Mar to design a folder that would function as a capable tool for his cadre at the Survival Escape Resistance Evasion (SERE) School. The original SERE folder was a large folder with a lockback mechanism with a 440C blade and Micarta handles.

This was a ground-breaking folder because a group of hard operators designed it for hard use with the best material available at the time. It was one of the first folders really designed to fill the gap between addressing the needs of a fixed blade and the convenience of a folder. Al Mar Knives has kept up that tradition with the SERE 2000 folder and backup series of fixed blades.

SERE 2000 Tactical Folder

The SERE 2000 uses a 3.6-inch VG-10 spear point blade. The blade is available with a ceramic black coating, and the test model came with this coating. The coating has held up well and does a good job of protecting the blade. The blade is also available in stainless steel, but we like the practical protection and aesthetics of the ceramic coating.

The VG-10 blade was wicked sharp out of the box and stayed sharp after repeated use. VG-10 is a relatively highly wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant alloy steel used in many factory knives. VG-10 is composed of carbon, chromium, cobalt, manganese, phosphorous, molybdenum, vanadium, and silicon. Carbon and chromium are the basis of any stainless steel, both give the steel the tensile strength and wear resistance, but it is the chromium that makes a steel “stainless” (in quantities of 10% or more). Chromium greatly increases the steel’s ability to resist corrosion.

Two other elements that help prevent corrosion damage are silicon and manganese, which remove oxygen and gases from molten steel. It is frequently a reaction to the trapped gases that brings about corrosion on blades. Vanadium and molybdenum are important compounds in supporting the carbon in proper binding for maximum tensile strength, hardness, and toughness. They do this by binding with carbon to minimize the size of the carbon grains. This results in less space between the grains giving the steel a tighter overall structure, supporting its strength and toughness.

VG-10 has good edge retention because of this wear resistance and strength and can have a sharp edge on it. The blade spine is .15 inches thick at its base and with a narrowed swedge at the point. By giving the blade a think spine with a swedge at the point, the SERE strikes a balance between blade strength and penetration potential of the point. The swedge is unsharpened; however, the narrowing of the spine effectively reduces friction during penetration.

The blade has dual thumb studs for ambidextrous operation of the knife. The pocket clip is reversible and is mounted on the back of the handle. With the placement of the pocket clip and the blade sitting deep in the handle when closed, the SERE 2000 is compact and out of the way in the pocket. The slim profile doesn’t take up a lot of room, and the knife sits deep, making it somewhat less obvious to the casual observer.

G-10 and Liner Lock

The handle on the SERE 2000 uses G-10, our favorite material for handle. The G-10 is well textured, providing good purchase on the knife. The edges of the handles are smooth and rounded, making it comfortable.

The handle reflects that the knife was designed for hard use with end-user input. One of the biggest criteria for a functional useful knife is the design of the handle; it is the component of the knife that interfaces with the user. If a handle is uncomfortable, a user simply won’t use it or will only use it for light tasks. The handle of the SERE 2000 is comfortable and fills the hand, making it easy to use.

The SERE 2000 uses a stainless steel liner lock, and it has a very solid lock-up. The lock is well machined and locks up perfectly every time. In one of the more embarrassing test I have done of a liner lock, the SERE 2000 was left in a pants pocket and when through the laundry cycle. While in the dryer, the knife opened and penetrated into the tumbler, then lodged between the back wall and the tumbler. This totally locked up the dryer, and it was along the axis of the lock.

The liner lock was strong enough to completely lock up my Kenmore and suffered no damage. The knife had to be pulled out the dryer with two hands. But no worries, the dryer is back in service. Both the blade and the lock are still in good form and function with no problem. The SERE 2000 was designed as a go-anywhere backup tool for professional users. It is compact and tough, living up to its name and legacy.

Backup Series Fixed Blades

While Al Mar is well known for its folders, it also has a deep line of fixed blades. Two newer models aimed at the law enforcement market are in the Backup Series. The idea of the Backup Series is a small, compact, lightweight fixed blade knife that is readily accessible for emergency use. The Model 1 is a 4-inch Americanized Tanto point, fixed blade made from AUS-8 steel. AUS-8 is common steel used in many production knives; it has very good edge retention and can be very sharp. AUS-8 is best used for cutting tools; it does not stand up to hacking or prying as well as VG-10 for instance. For a backup defensive blade or as a tool focused on cutting, AUS-8 works great.

In the Model 1 blade is .160 inches thick to strength the Tanto style blade for non-cutting task. This keeps the thickness all the way to the tip to support the tip. While the blade is thick, it is quite sharp out of the box and has no problem with cutting task. The handle is black Micarta slabs screwed to the tang. The handle is radiused and contoured to the hand, with a deep finger choil on the front. The handle is comfortable in reverse grip, an important feature for a knife designed as a defensive backup weapon. Many training systems emphasize using the knife in a reverse grip, and both the Model 1 and 2 work well in the reverse. Being a Tanto blade, the Model 1 is a great at penetration and thrusting motion.

Model 2 Fixed Blade

The Model 2 is a 3.5-inch hawkbill blade, with a deep curving edge. This is one of the best designs for weapons retention or close-quarter edged weapons use. It is very efficient for slicing, hooking, and ripping on curved lines. In a reverse grip, a hawkbill is hard to deal with from an adversary perspective. A hawkbill is also an excellent design for rescue work as well.

The curved line of the Model 2 is excellent at cutting seatbelt and lines because the edge feeds into the material as you pull through the cut. Also the curved point allows the point and edge to be away from a victim if something is in close contact with him. Obviously, with the curved point, it is not effective at thrusting. The Model 2 has the same handle design as the Model 1 and is comfortable to use.

The only downside to the Backup Series is the sheath; it is a well-made leather sheath. I would prefer Kydex or Conceal-X with a much smaller profile. Also, it is more durable against the elements. A Kydex sheath set-up for inside the waistband, on concealable armor, or carried on the trouser belt behind the duty belt would be ideal for these knives. In speaking to the folks at Al Mar during the SHOT Show, they are working on this issue. In the meantime, you can have sheath done by Survival Sheaths or Brown’s Kydex’s, two excellent sheath makers.

Al Mar continues a great tradition of providing well made, well designed edged tools. Representatives are now looking at how they can fill the needs of law enforcement as they have many other professional users.

Mick Williams is a sergeant with the Bloomington Police Department. He is a member of the department’s tactical unit in addition to his assignment as a patrol supervisor. He is a certified instructor in firearms, defensive tactics and emergency vehicle operations. He can be reached at mick.williams@comcast.net.