Colonial Knife Co Providence R.I.

Yeah I really like that Barlow. I have bid on a couple but haven't won one for the right price yet.
 
B.Mauser said:
Hi major works. That is so neat! I love to hear about someone that has had the same Colonial since they were a kid. And your first knife too, very cool.

Your imitation saw cut delrin handled Barlow is a Colonial Model #21.

I have 1 Colonial Anvil peanut and 1 Imperial hidden lock knife that my grandfather gave me when I was 11 or 12. They are the only knives that somehow survived my childhood. :D

Thanks for sharing that with us!
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Yeah, I've had that knife a long time. Not sure when I got it but I couldn't have been more than 12 or 13. It lives in a desk drawer here at work now and I use it now and again to cut fruit for lunch. I wasn't real gentle with it either. I seem to recall throwing it to try to stick it in a tree, stuff like that. But yet it survives.
 
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I was surprised to come across this, so maybe I haven't posted it here yet.
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Love that Melon Tester! It brings back childhood memories, as well as those of the local "Green Grocer" (produce manager at the supermarket).
 
I've never seen a melon tester in professional use, myself.
I used to carry one plain-edged and one serrated-edged for emergency picnics. Those were Kutmasters though.
 
Finding a knife you didn't know you had is fun for sure. Its like getting a new knife for free.

That's a neat one scrteened porch. I dont remember ever seeing one that says melon tester. Mostly company names.
 
I am working on adding Colonials patent information to my website and I keep seeing something that gives me a chuckle.

The lawyers Colonial used for all their patents are Barlow & Barlow. What a perfect match. :D

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Here's a couple melon testers that I picked up during my time working as a meat cutter back in the 70's and 80's. The salesmen would come in to show their product then hand out a few knives and other Ad items like lighters, ashtrays and keychains.
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Old Hunter said:
They were born to be attorneys to a cutlery firm! OH
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They sure were. :) I wonder if that's why Colonial chose them or was it just a happy coincidence?




wazu013 said:
Here's a couple melon testers that I picked up during my time working as a meat cutter back in the 70's and 80's. The salesmen would come in to show their product then hand out a few knives and other Ad items like lighters, ashtrays and keychains.
SlLxcGb.jpg
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Hi wazu013

Sounds like they were pretty popular in the meat department as well as over in produce. I think that's so neat how you got these and that you still have them.Thanks for sharing that.

There were 2 models of these and it looks like you have the larger one. Model #601 were the small ones and #701 the large. They were made from 420 stainless.


scrteened porch said:
I think I've also seen them called "sausage samplers".
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Cool, I can see them doing a good job at that as well.
 
B.Mauser said:
They sure were. :) I wonder if that's why Colonial chose them or was it just a happy coincidence?








Hi wazu013

Sounds like they were pretty popular in the meat department as well as over in produce. I think that's so neat how you got these and that you still have them.Thanks for sharing that.

There were 2 models of these and it looks like you have the larger one. Model #601 were the small ones and #701 the large. They were made from 420 stainless.




Cool, I can see them doing a good job at that as well.
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It was pretty common for a salesman to come in with a ham or sausage and drop it on our bench and slice it up for sampling. They did a great job. We always said that we didn't get paid much but we would never starve.
 
My first couple of knives as a child were colonials. I actually work with a guy who's great uncles owned the company back in the day!
 
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I bought this today along with a couple others, a case and an Imperial, for $30. I was told this Barlow is a colonial, and this is the place to find more information about it. Anyone know how old it is?

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Jonny D said:
My first couple of knives as a child were colonials. I actually work with a guy who's great uncles owned the company back in the day!
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Hi Jonny D. That is really neat! Oh boy I would have a thousand questions for him. :D
 
Gunther85 said:
f7785af726e5ed8ad26f76a462c715af.jpg


I bought this today along with a couple others, a case and an Imperial, for $30. I was told this Barlow is a colonial, and this is the place to find more information about it. Anyone know how old it is?

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Hi Gunther85. Welcome.


Yes, your Barlow knife is a Colonial. What you have there is an Old Cutler Model #720 with Buckskin handles. It was made between 1977 and 1998. There is no way to tell you exactly when, that's as close as it gets.

The Old Cutler knives were one of Colonials attempts to make a nicer knife than the value knives they were most known for. Its a great knife.

I would clean it up with mineral oil and very fine steel wool. That can make a big difference with the faded ones. If you clean it up come back and show us how it turned out. :thumbup:


Here is your knife in Colonials last catalog from 1995.


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Old%20Cutler%201995_zpsagvmlcsc.jpg
 
B.Mauser, thank you very much for the information, it's a really nice little knife. Here is a picture after I cleaned it up, DeoxIT made the bolsters shine in a couple of minutes

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Deltaboy- very nice. I'm starting to like these knives, I want to get more in the traditional style. What make of single blade should I look at? From reading on the traditional forum, everything from different makers seems very similar , who is the top current maker of traditional style folders?

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