Case Barlow is back

nwjavahead said:
Really hoping for CV and different scales.
Click to expand...
Tell Case. They have a contact form on their site.

Maybe if enough people tell them, they'll get it through their obnoxiously thick skulls that there are only about 23 people left on the entire planet who want their bling-bling "surgical" stainless.

"Ooooh - I hope it comes in stainless" is something I've never heard anyone say about any of Case's offerings.

I hope they figure it out before they go the way of the majority of the historic cutlery firms.
 
birdsbeaks said:
Tell Case. They have a contact form on their site.

Maybe if enough people tell them, they'll get it through their obnoxiously thick skulls that there are only about 23 people left on the entire planet who want their bling-bling "surgical" stainless.

"Ooooh - I hope it comes in stainless" is something I've never heard anyone say about any of Case's offerings.

I hope they figure it out before they go the way of the majority of the historic cutlery firms.
Click to expand...
Already sent, lol, here is hoping.
 
birdsbeaks said:
Tell Case. They have a contact form on their site.

Maybe if enough people tell them, they'll get it through their obnoxiously thick skulls that there are only about 23 people left on the entire planet who want their bling-bling "surgical" stainless.

"Ooooh - I hope it comes in stainless" is something I've never heard anyone say about any of Case's offerings.

I hope they figure it out before they go the way of the majority of the historic cutlery firms.
Click to expand...
Case seems to have the philosophy to build a bunch of different models to see what sticks. One thing I really appreciate about a company like Spyderco is they get feedback from their customers on new models and what people want. I wish more companies would follow this.
 
mbkr said:
I think Case builds what sells. CV/CS may be the preferred steel here on an enthusiast site, but I bet SS outsells carbon steel by by a considerable margin amongst the general population.
Click to expand...
I think we should try to stay focused on the upcoming Barlow, of which I have one backordered through the site that does that sort of thing 🐑👨‍🌾⛰️⛰️. Haven't heard any updates yet from them. 🤷

There's probably a more appropriate place to discuss the myriad issues arising from Case's business decisions - but I think it's a false equivalent to say that current sales data is indicative of market demand when the percentage of offerings are so lopsided toward SS - of course they sell more of what comprises over 90% of their catalog. If carbon made up 90% of their catalog, then they'd sell more of that.

Before I became an enthusiast, I was a member of the general population. They're not so different. 🤣
 
birdsbeaks said:
I think we should try to stay focused on the upcoming Barlow, of which I have one backordered through the site that does that sort of thing 🐑👨‍🌾⛰️⛰️. Haven't heard any updates yet from them. 🤷

There's probably a more appropriate place to discuss the myriad issues arising from Case's business decisions - but I think it's a false equivalent to say that current sales data is indicative of market demand when the percentage of offerings are so lopsided toward SS - of course they sell more of what comprises over 90% of their catalog. If carbon made up 90% of their catalog, then they'd sell more of that.

Before I became an enthusiast, I was a member of the general population. They're not so different. 🤣
Click to expand...
I expected someone would say that. Just as likely they build more ss because that's what the target customer wants. Since you don't want to discuss it here, I'll bow out.
 
GPO MAN said:
Here’s the purple bone barnyard jig. Main blade is super stiff. A little underwhelmed by this one. I wish Case wouldn’t use such a crappy box. Rough Ryder’s are cheaper and have much nicer boxes.

View attachment 2332313View attachment 2332322
Click to expand...
Looks good from here.

No noticeable recurves on either blade.

Tips look pointy.

Any gaps in the liners or play in the blades?

If no gaps and no play, I could totally overlook the underwhelming packaging. A missed opportunity to be sure - why not change to tubes, Case? (I must be delusional thinking that a cutlery company would care what people who actively participate in a cutlery forum would like...)

My biggest gripe is that I think that wide clip would look better with a nice thick patina on it. I suppose the upshot would be that as is, and with some good targeting, you could probably signal low-flying aircraft. 🤷🤣 It looks very, very shiny.
 
I picked up a smooth red bone barlow from a gun show a few weeks back. When they first released the Barlow from the vault a couple years ago, I ordered one in yellow Delrin and was underwhelmed by the proportions and overall design. Yes, it’s a barlow, but it just didn’t feel right.

I saw the red bone early in the morning and quickly set it back down, moving on to find another booth that sold older Case knives. Well, by the end of the day I talked myself into driving back and revisiting the barlow- I got a good deal on it and I couldn’t get it out of my head. Fast forward and now it’s quickly become my favorite carry for the time being. I still don’t love the stainless or the pattern in general (more of a serpentine frame kinda guy 😵‍💫) but there’s something rather alluring about seeing Case do the wider than usual clip point and a big bright slab of smooth bone dyed the most garishly red red bone I’ve ever seen. To top it off, the fit and finish is literally as close to perfect as I could ask.

No gaps, blade play, the springs are flush when they should be, even the end of the springs is ground evenly which I don’t usually see Case do. My only complaint is the dulled tip, which is solved in about two seconds with the bottom of a coffee cup. Point is I hope they do bring the Barlow back and focus on other designs that they can pull off as well as my example. When they do it right they knock it out of the park. That’s about the only reason I put up with the stainless 😉
 
I’m 100% sure that Case knows what their target customer wants, considering they sell hundreds of thousands of knives (maybe even millions?) every year. While I absolutely agree there’s a new breed of collector who prefers carbon (I’m one of them) I don’t hold any illusions that we are the norm or even close to it. I think Case would be well served by using carbon slightly more often in their most classic patterns, which will ensure that the “new breed” doesn’t ignore the brand.

I’d love to pick one of these up. I might even be happy with stainless. As a user it’s hard to argue with.
 
GaiusJulius said:
there’s a new breed of collector who prefers carbon
Click to expand...
When I was growing up in the 1970s and 80s, probably the tag-end of the slipjoint heyday, I clearly remember stainless steel being regarded as “cheap stainless junk”, at least among the folks I knew. Maybe that wasn’t the case everywhere, but a disdain for stainless is hardly a new thing.
 
Just Tom. said:
When I was growing up in the 1970s and 80s, probably the tag-end of the slipjoint heyday, I clearly remember stainless steel being regarded as “cheap stainless junk”, at least among the folks I knew. Maybe that wasn’t the case everywhere, but a disdain for stainless is hardly a new thing.
Click to expand...
I think mirror-polished stainless has a "bling" factor that I find unsuitable on what is to be a serious user.

We're living in an interesting time where stainless steels have really come into their own with toughness and edge retention that soundly exceed the classic tool steels - while also being entirely corrosion-proof in some cases.

Additionally, many makers and manufacturers have gotten away from mirror polished finishes (thank you 🙏) and offer more low-key blade finishes and treatments. Examples include Boker's acid-washed finish, which I find a little too rough when new, but still better than a mirror finish, and Case's very own "Stone-washed Satin" finish, as seen on their recent S35VN/Jigged Buffalo Horn offerings and which I consider a near-perfect treatment for a modern steel on a traditional pattern.

If this Barlow came in that steel and finish - I'd buy two (at least) right now.
 
birdsbeaks said:
I think mirror-polished stainless has a "bling" factor that I find unsuitable on what is to be a serious user.

We're living in an interesting time where stainless steels have really come into their own with toughness and edge retention that soundly exceed the classic tool steels - while also being entirely corrosion-proof in some cases.

Additionally, many makers and manufacturers have gotten away from mirror polished finishes (thank you 🙏) and offer more low-key blade finishes and treatments. Examples include Boker's acid-washed finish, which I find a little too rough when new, but still better than a mirror finish, and Case's very own "Stone-washed Satin" finish, as seen on their recent S35VN/Jigged Buffalo Horn offerings and which I consider a near-perfect treatment for a modern steel on a traditional pattern.

If this Barlow came in that steel and finish - I'd buy two (at least) right now.
Click to expand...
Yes that finish is fantastic. Gives the blade an aged look that it won't get on its own due to being stainless. Case is doing a pretty good job on those steels as well. My two examples aren't ran as hard as say, Spyderco does, but they aren't as soft as what you might see from a company just mailing it in on their heat treat either.

I should say however that I have yet to own a Barlow, and if I can track down an exemplar, I will purchase it!
 
pat9198 said:
This one just arrived, and it's a great example. Blades centered, nice firm pull, zero gaps which is shocking honestly, and springs are flush open and closed. There is just a little bit of blade play if I'm being honest, but not something I'd worry about. It's nice! :cool:👍

View attachment 2344179
Click to expand...
Pat great minds think alike! Mine came today too. I figured that I needed a purple knife! 😀
View attachment 2344226
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top