Bark River Knives
Bark River Knives (formerly Bark River Knife & Tool) out of Escanaba, Michigan, is a family owned and operated business, just like Randy's Hardware. Led by Mike & Lesley Stewart, the founders of the company, who are joined by their children Jim and Jacquie. This family has spent collectively centuries in the knife business - from working for large-scale manufacturers, to being a one-man shop operation, they have truly seen and done it all. Bark River Knives was founded by Mike & Lesley after Mike decided he had had enough of companies offshoring and he could do it his way, right there in Michigan. From the now famous barn in his backyard in Bark River, Michigan, to their current shop which is full of modern equipment and tens of skilled craftsmen and women, they have never lost track of their goals of making top-quality American knives.
Stewart Family of Bark River Knives - L to R; Mike, Jim, Leslie, and Jacquie
Their mission, as stated on their website is:
"Bark River Knives is a family-owned business whose goal is to produce the finest semi-production cutting tools available on the market. These products are aimed for use by outdoorsmen and others who need real performance in the field. At Bark River the emphasis is on maximum performance of its products. They use a blend of traditional and contemporary designs and styles. Manufacturing methods are also a blend of modern and traditional designs and styles to gain needed tolerances while maintaining the subtle features that have produced exemplary cutting implements for centuries."
Here at Shenandoah Mercantile, we have used and sold Bark River Knives (under a different business name) for almost 10 years. In that time, we have been to the Bark River shop in Michigan twice and met every member of the Stewart family. Each time they have welcomed us to their facilities and invited us to build knives with them, eat with them, and stay as long as we'd like. They are truly a caring and kind family.
Not only that, but their knives speak for themselves. Before becoming a dealer for Bark River Knives, we bought several and used them hard. In fact, the reason we signed up to become a dealer was because it was becoming so expensive to buy as many as we were buying! Soon we found that there were many people around us who were looking for the same high-quality craftsmanship in knives that we were. Bark River not only builds knives that will last long enough for your grandkids to use, they also build them in a way that the knife will blow your mind the first time you go to use it. This is due to the extra time that Bark River takes to train their staff to grind and sharpen each knife, not in the same way that almost every other knife is ground and sharpened, but they use what's known as a convex grind.
"Bark River Knives is a family-owned business whose goal is to produce the finest semi-production cutting tools available on the market. These products are aimed for use by outdoorsmen and others who need real performance in the field. At Bark River the emphasis is on maximum performance of its products. They use a blend of traditional and contemporary designs and styles. Manufacturing methods are also a blend of modern and traditional designs and styles to gain needed tolerances while maintaining the subtle features that have produced exemplary cutting implements for centuries."
Here at Shenandoah Mercantile, we have used and sold Bark River Knives (under a different business name) for almost 10 years. In that time, we have been to the Bark River shop in Michigan twice and met every member of the Stewart family. Each time they have welcomed us to their facilities and invited us to build knives with them, eat with them, and stay as long as we'd like. They are truly a caring and kind family.
Not only that, but their knives speak for themselves. Before becoming a dealer for Bark River Knives, we bought several and used them hard. In fact, the reason we signed up to become a dealer was because it was becoming so expensive to buy as many as we were buying! Soon we found that there were many people around us who were looking for the same high-quality craftsmanship in knives that we were. Bark River not only builds knives that will last long enough for your grandkids to use, they also build them in a way that the knife will blow your mind the first time you go to use it. This is due to the extra time that Bark River takes to train their staff to grind and sharpen each knife, not in the same way that almost every other knife is ground and sharpened, but they use what's known as a convex grind.
Check out this simple illustration of two cutaways:
What you'll notice right away when using a convex blade, when it's done right like a Bark River, and when you're used to using a traditional knife like most of us are, is that it cuts like a dream. As you can see on the image, that gentle slope makes for a gentle slicing cut. Also, because the edge increases in width faster than a traditional knife, it will act much like an axe does and works very well when cutting apples and separating cheeses and meats.
Lastly, most people have a difficult time trying to keep the angles just right on a traditional knife. In fact, many times a person will round off the angles and after a few sharpenings, the traditional grind will look very similar to a convex. The advantage to having a convex from the get go is that there are no angles to worry about. The only "sharpening" that is needed is a regular stropping on a piece of leather with some sharpening compound on it. Even then, the angles are not crucial since the blade is one long, continuous curve. It truly is an easy edge to maintain.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly for many Bark River users, is Bark River Knives' famous One Condition Lifetime Warranty. This warranty covers the knife and sheath for pretty much ever for anything you could possibly do to it (and I have seen people do some pretty remarkable (read "stupid") things that Bark River has replaced or fixed) EXCEPT if you loan the knife to a badger and the badger damages the knife. That is the one and only condition. Of course, if you are being attacked by said badger and in the act of defending yourself your knife becomes damaged, your knife is still covered by the warranty 100%. It is only NOT covered if you actually give permission to the badger to use your knife.
If you'd like more information, you can check out their website or come over to their Facebook group and join the club. The Stewart family is very active in this Facebook group and others and is always answering questions there. As always, we don't mind your questions at all and stand ready to help in any way.
Lastly, most people have a difficult time trying to keep the angles just right on a traditional knife. In fact, many times a person will round off the angles and after a few sharpenings, the traditional grind will look very similar to a convex. The advantage to having a convex from the get go is that there are no angles to worry about. The only "sharpening" that is needed is a regular stropping on a piece of leather with some sharpening compound on it. Even then, the angles are not crucial since the blade is one long, continuous curve. It truly is an easy edge to maintain.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly for many Bark River users, is Bark River Knives' famous One Condition Lifetime Warranty. This warranty covers the knife and sheath for pretty much ever for anything you could possibly do to it (and I have seen people do some pretty remarkable (read "stupid") things that Bark River has replaced or fixed) EXCEPT if you loan the knife to a badger and the badger damages the knife. That is the one and only condition. Of course, if you are being attacked by said badger and in the act of defending yourself your knife becomes damaged, your knife is still covered by the warranty 100%. It is only NOT covered if you actually give permission to the badger to use your knife.
If you'd like more information, you can check out their website or come over to their Facebook group and join the club. The Stewart family is very active in this Facebook group and others and is always answering questions there. As always, we don't mind your questions at all and stand ready to help in any way.
