FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions



Is Mar Cutlery owned or operated by Al Mar Knives?



No. Mar Cutlery is a totally seperate and unaffiliated entity that is owned and operated by the Mar family.







Does the Mar family have any connection with Al Mar Knives?



Yes. Ann Mar still owns 40% of Al Mar Knives, despite selling 60% of her late husband's company to Gary Fadden in 1996.



Is Mrs. Mar still involved in the day-to-day operations of Al Mar Knives?



No. As a minority shareholder, Ann Mar has very limited ability to be involved in Al Mar Knives unless Gary Fadden asks her to. In fact, Ann Mar has not been directly involved in the operations of Al Mar Knives for 10+ years.



Why is there now a second Mar knife company?



The primary reason is that Ann Mar wants to keep her late husband's vision, memory, and legacy alive. Given her inability to be directly involved in Al Mar Knives, she felt that starting a separate company would be the best way to do that.



Is Mrs. Mar suing Mr. Fadden over her interest in Al Mar Knives and his management of the company?



Yes. You can learn more about Mrs. Mar's suit against Mr. Fadden and Al Mar Knives at faddenmarlawsuit.com. In short, Mrs. Mar believes that her rights as a minority shareholder of the company have been violated. In part because she has not received any dividends or other payments from the company even though she understands that Fadden has been paying himself and his wife large salaries and bonuses and expensing personal items.



Is it true that Mr. Fadden has been running Al Mar Knives out of his house in Oregon?



Yes. Al Mar Knives has been leasing space in Mr. Fadden's garage for more than ten years now.



Will Mar Cutlery be making any of the knives that Al Mar Knives sold before Mr. Mar died in 1992?



No. Mar Cutlery will focus on fresh designs, ideas, and collaborations based on Al Mar's spirit and legacy.



Does Mar Cutlery expect to maintain an adequate inventory?



We'll do our best, but we do expect high initial demand for the new line of knives.



Will the new Mar Cutlery be making an automatic any time soon?



Yes. One is on the drawing board now!



Where will the new knives be made?



Mar Cutlery will source top-quality knives from vendors all over the world, but the first models will likely say "Made in the U.S.A."



Other than the website, where can we see or buy the new knives?



Look for them on the web, at shows, and in stores as we get Mar Cutlery rolling. We will put on a distributor or two as soon as it makes sense. For more information, contact info@marcutlery.com.



I have a store and want to carry this new line. Do you have a dealer program?



Sure! Just click on the email link and let us know you want to carry Mar Cutlery. We'll get the info to you right away.



Do you ship to customers outside the U.S.?



Of course! We're happy to ship our product to you wherever you are. As long as it is legal and you are willing to pay the additional shipping.