Barlows in America

S

sandmountainslim

Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
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I have read most of the Barlow threads here on the forum and on other forums and enjoyed all this pics of the pattern thru the years but one thing I have never seen addressed was how long they have been brought onto our shores.
Were Sheffield made Barlow knives a common import during Colonial times or was there a sudden influx of them (Oats, etc) in the 1830's? I know they were extremely popular in pre-Civil War times but exactly how FAR back in our history.
Any answers appreciated.
 
Knives of all kinds were in huge demand in fledgling America!
Inexpensive and sturdy, with a certain visual appeal, Barlows were an ideal useful knife to import into America in the early 1800s. They, and other folding knives were imported by the barrel until the American knife industry, largely populated by Sheffield cutlers, could get its legs under itself and get running.
The assuring appearance of the reinforced pivot guaranteed the pattern would always be popular to anyone who worked with their hands. It proved to be a "bread and butter" pattern for most companies. Helped by protective tariffs, American cutleries flourished through the turn of the 1900s, but were of course decimated by the dirty 30s. Nonetheless we still love our pocketknives in general, and our Barlows in particular, leaving room for a few American companies to flourish despite undercutting by imports.
 
I had a collection of about 100 antique and vintage barlows, including many English ones that you've mentioned. Still like barlows, but sold the collection years ago. Now I have about 6-8 all Rough Riders and a couple I saved from my old collection: Furness, I*XL, Remington, Queens. Barlows are the basic that every collection should have.
Rich

There's intelligent life in the universe;
I just don't know where.
 
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