bear and son Barlows?

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
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Can anyone attest to the quality of these? there's not allot dates at the rom to choose from if you are looking for barlow's these days and want to spend less than 100.00 bucks
I noticed the Bea and sons look good on line at least, other than that it seems that boker magnum bonsai is one of the only other makers before you jump up to Case, and Queen

any thoughts?
 
Hi,

I haven't owned their Barlow, but I've got a Stockman and small linerlock Pen. Sadly, I'm not overly impressed by their over all quality.

Have you considered Utica Kutmaster? Doesn't German Boker still offer a reasonable priced Barlow in their C75 carbon steel? I know I really like mine.

Dale
 
Dale, I was looking for some time for an opening about the Utica, and thankfully you've provided it here. Some months ago I stated that I I believed they were a decent American made knife. I stuck my neck out. After carrying for some time, I was not only proved to be wrong, but in fact as wrong as it gets. It very little time the smaller blades weakened considerqblty at the pin, not only moving side to side, but forward beyond the stop. The worst offense however was that this knife ((catskill stockman) was advertized as carbon blades. The main blade was carbon, the the two auxiliary blades were cheap stainless! Unbelievable. I couldn't stand looking at the knife anymore and finally threw it away. (....and no...I would not add insult to my own injury by shipping it back for yet another piece of junk. Live and learn, they blew a chance to get some "by American" men behind them.)
 
johnny1950 said:
Dale, I was looking for some time for an opening about the Utica, and thankfully you've provided it here. Some months ago I stated that I I believed they were a decent American made knife. I stuck my neck out. After carrying for some time, I was not only proved to be wrong, but in fact as wrong as it gets. It very little time the smaller blades weakened considerqblty at the pin, not only moving side to side, but forward beyond the stop. The worst offense however was that this knife ((catskill stockman) was advertized as carbon blades. The main blade was carbon, the the two auxiliary blades were cheap stainless! Unbelievable. I couldn't stand looking at the knife anymore and finally threw it away. (....and no...I would not add insult to my own injury by shipping it back for yet another piece of junk. Live and learn, they blew a chance to get some "by American" men behind them.)
Click to expand...

THIS NAILS IT DOWN TIGHT AND DEAD-ON-THE-MONEY !!! I did send my BEAR POS 4-blade knife back to them and never heard a single word in reply; NOTHING. Let it be known far and wide that I also sent all this information to SMKW asking why they'd sell such crap. NO reply from PIPES there either and have bought nothing from 'em since, nor will I ever do so. They should ALL be asamed of themselves for ripping of the American public in a most shameful way.
 
Bear and Son...I have to see and handle before buying. Because the ones I have seen looked well behind the curve.

Rough Rider has a few different Barlows. Single and dual blades. At least three different sizes. Very good quality. Low price.
 
I've done some reading through the forums and BnS seems pretty hit or miss with quality. Some people are fine with theirs, some hate them.

I've got a medium stockman that I carry during the week and I would say it's okay; a little bit of blade play on one blade, a to-me very minor imperfection in the spring lineup, but overall I actually kinda like it. 'Course, I know very little about slipjoints and also haven't really beat on it. Perhaps it'll disintegrate and/or set my pants on fire the first time I try to whittle something. For $28 perhaps I got ripped off compared to what someone very knowledgeable about slipjoints might be able to pick up, but I intend to continue carrying and enjoying it every day.

Until the whole pants fire thing, of course.
 
dalee100 said:
Doesn't German Boker still offer a reasonable priced Barlow in their C75 carbon steel? I know I really like mine.
Click to expand...

Indeed they do. I see 'em on that big online auction site all the time. Great looking knives.

-- Mark
 
Not impressed here either! find another line would be my suggestion, I bought one without checking it out, seen better offshore quality control than these. Looked at other Bear models since then and they do not seem any better. I'm not a fan of the glued scales with just the one pin utilised on the backspring.

Russell
 
Bear stinks. Period. Every Bear knife I have ever handled has been a complete piece of junk. I have the misfortune of owning only one knife that they made, a contract Moore Maker, and it is no exception. The quality difference between the Queen and Bear made Moore Makers is like night and day.

Rough Rider makes better knives than Bear and Son. I would never recommend a Bear to anyone.

Case still makes barlows, nice ones that can be had for much less than $100. Not in carbon though, unfortunately. You can get a nice GEC "barlow" for less than $100, FWIW. I think I paid less than $100 for my ebony #25 with steel bolsters and liners. Pretty nice knife, that one.
 
Well, I have a Bear 4th generation barlow in carbon steel and it is great. Nothing wrong at all, great fit and finish. Easy to get sharp.
Great walk and talk. I ordered mine online and it is fine. I guess I disagree with most people here about Bear.
 
I was in my local knife shop today and was looking upon their locking Soddy in carbon blades. The price was great but not one of many knives stocked had a blade that would not wobble excessively in the open position. I not talking alittle....a lot of wobble. Needless to say the B&S knives are still in the store. I doubt I would bother to even look at a product from this manufacturer again....Herb
 
i have a RITE EDGE Barlow that has great f&f,and strong springs.
I have never used it,but it really seems to be made well.Nice Wood
scales....Really nice 3 piece presentation box...
For what it cost,you could throw it away and not have much loss.
I am gonna say that it will do the job,but I can not know for sure
because I haven't used it.

You may want to research it though if you want a good knife for
little price.
I know the RR knives hold up well.
JD
 
I think BnS was hit or miss for a while as a working knife. Now it seems they are mostly miss. When I go to gun shows, I see one now and then, but not often. Their quality is doubtful, and certainly looking at the quality of fit and finish, the specimens I saw wasn't good.

One of the vendors I buy from told me that he wasn't going to stock them after he sold out his last purchase since he had so many returns and so many problems straight from the manufacturer.

That certainly killed even a passing interest in that maker for me.

Robert
 
I have four Bear & Sons Barlows & have no problem at all with any of them. So, from all the comments, you'll have to take it as 'hit or miss' ?? Two of mine have damascus blades & again, I have no complaint with the F/F. I'd say - handle it before you buy it, but then I'd say that with just about any factory made knife (Case included). Actually GEC is about the only company I'd buy a knife from without handling first.
 
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