All About Pocket Knives

Howdy, Anyone know the G96 Brand? It looks like the Buck 119. The 930 10.5" in length, but its made in Japan

G-96 (Jet-Aer brand)knives are pretty good quality knives that were made back in the 1970's and 80's. Don't know if they are still in business but they made many other products besides knives.
I have a couple of fixed blades and quite a few folders.

Howdy k7, Very nice set. The G96 looks like good knives. Do you think being made in Japan has an effect on the value? What do you think being made in Japan has an effect on the knives that were made in USA? Some guys wouldn't have a Japan knife in collection. There's not many U S A and German cutlery makers left. We had a stone co. go under, been here about 100 years.
Thank you, HB Be on the lookout for my post on a UNCLE HENRY 75TH ANNIVERSARY. Let me know what you think it is worth.

HILL_BILLY wrote:Howdy k7, Very nice set. The G96 looks like good knives. Do you think being made in Japan has an effect on the value? What do you think being made in Japan has an effect on the knives that were made in USA? Some guys wouldn't have a Japan knife in collection. There's not many U S A and German cutlery makers left. We had a stone co. go under, been here about 100 years.
Thank you, HB Be on the lookout for my post on a UNCLE HENRY 75TH ANNIVERSARY. Let me know what you think it is worth.

I did a post awhile back(can't recall in which forum)about this subject. Briefly it showed the progression from about 1891 when the tariff on imported cutlery was enacted.Back then the English cutlery was about the best around and the USA while making some good knives didn't feel they could compete. Strangely enough many of the cutlers employed by American companies were of either English or German descent.
After WWI there was flood of cheap German knives into this country and they were pretty much ignored;leading to the Germans improving their cutlery to the highest standards. This was also the time when the USA cutlery companies really shined.
After WWII the Japanese cutlery was some of the worst available and they were forced to either improve it or fold. They made improvements and now Japanese cutlery is among the best in the world.
We are now seeing the same occurring in China with their cutlery. There is a difference though in that many of their quality knives being sold for cheap money while others are commanding very high prices.
To answer your question;I don't think that being made in Japan has an adverse effect on the prices but rather finding someone who collects them. Many of the Japanese knives made in the 1970's were pretty high quality and that fact is only now being realized. Who knows where the market will go on them? The same thing is starting to occur with shell handled Imperials of the 1950's. For many years they were considered total junk and now they are becoming highly sought after.
Two examples of knives I have purchased recently:
A Marbles large trapper made in China. A really nice well built knife for not a lot of money.
An Al Mar Falcon. Of course Al Mar knives really set the bar high for knives made in Japan. I don't know if the quality is still present in the newer ones(mine is a 1980's era)as Al has been dead for many years now. I know the prices are still up there.

I think the G96 knives were of good quality; designed to sell against Buck but at a cheaper price point, using entirely adequate, but lesser cost materials. I have considered buying a few to keep with my Buck Knife collection. The ones I have handled are decent knives - certainly among the better Buck copies. OH