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Latest Mar Private Reserve Folder Brings Big Steel Upgrade

July 19, 2018

Nemesis Knives is readying the third release in the Mar Private Reserve Series. The MPR-3 brings a classic Mar look to an affordable price point while still offering impressive materials and performance.

Jeff Hall, Founder of Nemesis Knives and owner of a treasure trove of never-before-seen Al Mar knife designs, believes that the MPR-3 blends characteristics of two famous Mar folders. “If Al’s Eagle and SERE folders had a baby, it would be this knife,” he says with a laugh. “It merges the best DNA of both designs.” The MPR-3’s 3.6-inch blade echoes the drop point of the SERE (but is also available in a tanto), as does the flared guard, but the narrow, neutral handle and overall slimness is pure Eagle. These hybrid characteristics add up to a handsome 3.4 oz. carry that is also a rough-and-tumble user. “It’s both heavy duty and sleek – a rugged EDC folder,” says Hall.

Tanto and Drop Point MPR-3

Tanto and Drop Point MPR-3

Those who have followed the MPR series will notice that this third model sports a significant material upgrade. The MPR-1 and -2 both utilized VG-10, but Hall bumped up the steel to S35VN for the MPR-3. The added performance is delivered at a price that’s only marginally higher than the knife’s predecessors. “I really strived to make this a great value,” Hall tells us. “This is a classic, long, slender Mar design, but in materials you couldn’t get before. I think S35VN is really going to capture a lot of interest at this price point.”

According to Hall, the push for performance is an important aspect of Mar’s legacy. Innovation in design and materials was a core element of his knife making credo. “Today’s buyer doesn’t understand that Al was at the forefront of the industry when he was alive,” Hall explains. Like any great designer, Mar continually pushed himself to experiment with his knives. “He was constantly designing and introducing innovative, interesting products when I was working with the Mars in their heyday.”

To honor that legacy, Hall intends to keep pushing out fresh Mar designs, drawing on his massive reservoir of unproduced material. The response to the first two MPR models has indicated that the knife world wants to see more. “I think all of the excitement for Al’s work is over here in our camp now,” he says. “We’re the only outfit that can introduce new designs of his. Everything else is just a retread of something everyone has seen for years.”

The MPR-3 is expected to ship shortly, and U.S.A.-made MPR fixed blades are close behind.

Knife featured in image: Nemesis Knives MPR-3

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