Bark River Knives, a well-known knifemaker based in Escanaba, Michigan, has shuttered its business in the wake of revelations regarding the steel used in some of its blades. The fixed-blade knife manufacturer has now admitted to using Chinese steel in several of its models, even though the knives were labeled and marketed as CPM 154 steel and made in the USA.
Bark River’s owner Mike Stewart made the announcement via Facebook on Monday and said the company had concluded all business as of Friday. Stewart also took full responsibility, saying “it was 100%” his fault and that he had made the cost-cutting decision to keep Bark River in business.
Stewart made the post amid fierce backlash from knife buyers, dealers, YouTubers, and other critics. Stewart did not respond immediately to a request for comment from Outdoor Life, and it’s unclear what exactly led him decided to confess, though rumors had been spreading online in recent days. It is clear, however, that the LLC behind Bark River has been in legal and financial trouble since before the start of this year.
In case you wanted a second voice on the matter. This is a pretty good summation of the situation at the now defunct BRK. Definitely the biggest publication from beyond the knife industry itself.
Jim Cobb has an article coming out tomorrow as well, with some insider interviews with former employees.
Read the whole thing at OutdoorLife.com
https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/bark-river-knives-chinese-steel/
Read the full article here