2 Bladed Barrel Knife

corinkayaker said:
The top one is also a Joh Engstrom. It would have had a bail originally and I will make another for it if the mood takes me one day, the middle one is made to take a ring as well, but I just have not made one yet... slack really, but it is off getting engraved with my makers name, serial number and year of manufacture. I like the idea of putting a year on them, hiopefully someone 100 years from now will be showing it and saying, "look at this lovely knife made 100 years ago.." Joh put a date on his, but it was the date of patent and thus useless (1874) He made barrel knives through to around 1915 so all I can say for sure about mine (and your grandfathers) is that it is 100 years old or older.
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Yes, on the other side are a large arrow to remind you which way to put it back in, the initials JE and the same patent number.
IIRC, he got it as a young man and carried it nearly his whole life. I figured it had to be about that old.

You should get a Knifemaker membership here. I'm sure you'd have no problem selling these lovely pieces.
Sterling Silver ferrules and Damascus....... tastefully done as you have, just make everyone drool. ;) :D
 
Karda said:
You pull the insert out of the handle and open your blade, then you stick it back in the handle. Voila! Instant fixed blade. The little lever there locks it in place either way.
Fitment of these parts must be close to avoid slop. It must be a bit maddening to get just right.
Many single blade BK's will have a bail on one end for a pocket watch chain, so they only remove and insert in one direction.
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Thanks for the tutorial, Karda! :thumbup::thumbup:
I appreciate your explanation of how to open a barrel knife.

- GT
 
I must add my kudos...stunning, stunning, stunning!!!:D Love the damascus pattern and never heard of ringed Gidgee. I will look it up.
 
WOW, that is a Clean machine. Such simple elegant form. Wonderful piece.

Best regards

Robin
 
Pipeman said:
WOW, that is a Clean machine. Such simple elegant form. Wonderful piece.
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Absolutely!

This piece would undoubtedly best be appreciated in-hand, releasing and re-seating the blade(s), but your craftsmanship and taste are evident from afar.

Thanks for letting us see. :)

~ P.
 
pertinux said:
Absolutely!

This piece would undoubtedly best be appreciated in-hand, releasing and re-seating the blade(s),

~ P.
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It is exactly this tactile nature of the barrel knife that has me drawn to them.

They come from a time when it was accepted that things took time to happen. They are the complete opposite of the one hand opening knives.

When these were produced commercially, it was the norm to need a pen and paper to send a message to a person in the next town, and that to get a response would tale a week or more.

To actually go to the next town you first had to saddle your horse, then ride there.

If you wanted to cut an apple, first you had to use two hands and 10 seconds to put your knife together.
I love the click they make as they lock up and feel of them in the hand, the handle smooth and totally different to just about any other type of folder. A real traditional knife in the true sense of the term.
 
@corinkayaker
I desperately want to learn to make one of these. If you want you can email me or post in shoptalk or whatever, but I really want to learn how to do this!
 
I also have an older Barrel knife my dad picked up somewhere. I love the look of this new one, now I need to start searching for one of these (off on another grail search....:) ).
 
That is an absolutely beautifully made knife! I agree with you on the tactile nature of barrel knives, I have an old one that I love to play with.
Dan
 
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