EDC a 77 (or how to devalue a collectors item)

If you want some dark patina in a "natural" fashion, cut up some Kiwi. I peeled a couple kiwi with my snakewood #12 and it really kicked off the patina. Much faster than cutting apples, and I cut apples regularly.
 
I feel the struggle, and ended up the same as you, I cant justify owning a knife I don't use. My ideal knife was ebony, clip and cap lifter, that didnt leave many optoins. I paid a bit extra for this knife but have carried it nearly every day for 18 months. I think they only made 15 or 30 of this combo total, but I dont regret my decision. I know doubt sacrificed some "value" but to me the value is in use, and I don't plan on selling it anyways.

Brand New



This was a few months ago, I really need to get an updated DSLR shot

 
It's been a few days since the last update so here we are. I'm coming to the end of two weeks of EDC and really have almost no complaints. The 77 Barlow continues to prove its versatility with this blade combination. Today, we sliced some breakfast, changed the oil, broke down cardboard recycling, and whittled sticks for a fairy bed (don't ask). Couldn't be happier with the knife so far.

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Well, here she is after a full month of daily carry. It's been a fun ride and the 77 has definitely met all my expectations. I'm glad I decided to use the knife and conduct this little experiment.

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I've sharpened her a few times (still working out the steep grind at the tip of the clip blade) and of course stropped a bunch. The only thing I've done to modify the knife is buffing the bolsters with a scotch brite pad to degloss them. Once the blades patina, I do not like a polished bolster so much. The walk and talk of the pen has improved significantly from initial feel. Of course the main has a good bit of patina and the ironwood covers seem to have darkened some but there are no issues to report with regards to quality or fit and finish.

I didn't baby the knife at all. It's been dropped, kicked, used plenty. It's a great setup for everything from quick food slicing to home improvement projects. Of all the cutting tasks over the past month, probably the most inauspicious one may be the last one of the month- Unfortunately I had to use the clip to slash a deployed airbag in my 6 month old vehicle after likely totaling it this morning. Don't worry though, no injuries other than my pride. :(:thumbsdown:

Thanks to everyone who has read and posted in this thread. I've enjoyed all the comments and insights. As usual, I've learned a few things, as well!
 
rswanson said:
Well, here she is after a full month of daily carry. It's been a fun ride and the 77 has definitely met all my expectations. I'm glad I decided to use the knife and conduct this little experiment.

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I've sharpened her a few times (still working out the steep grind at the tip of the clip blade) and of course stropped a bunch. The only thing I've done to modify the knife is buffing the bolsters with a scotch brite pad to degloss them. Once the blades patina, I do not like a polished bolster so much. The walk and talk of the pen has improved significantly from initial feel. Of course the main has a good bit of patina and the ironwood covers seem to have darkened some but there are no issues to report with regards to quality or fit and finish.

I didn't baby the knife at all. It's been dropped, kicked, used plenty. It's a great setup for everything from quick food slicing to home improvement projects. Of all the cutting tasks over the past month, probably the most inauspicious one may be the last one of the month- Unfortunately I had to use the clip to slash a deployed airbag in my 6 month old vehicle after likely totaling it this morning. Don't worry though, no injuries other than my pride. :(:thumbsdown:

Thanks to everyone who has read and posted in this thread. I've enjoyed all the comments and insights. As usual, I've learned a few things, as well!
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Sorry to hear about your car!!!

So what would you say are the upsides and downsides of your 77 Barlow, in comparison to other favorite knives in your collection?
 
Awesome knife ...It’s great you made it a user . I’m a collector that uses all of my collection lol...Having a knife sit and never used would drive me nuts , I truly cannot enjoy it unless I use it..
Sorry to hear about the accident, glad you walked away from it.
 
I enjoy these threads chronicalling the life of a knife. I hope you will continue to update the thread from time to time with pictures. It's a gorgeous knife.
 
Thanks guys for the kind thoughts. It was an unfortunate incident for sure- and completely my fault. All involved are fine, at least as of my leaving the scene.
Buzzbait said:
Sorry to hear about your car!!!

So what would you say are the upsides and downsides of your 77 Barlow, in comparison to other favorite knives in your collection?
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Buzz, honestly I'm pressed to think of downsides in comparison some of my favorites. I don't have a ton of traditionals- maybe a dozen or so. The closest is a Case 31SAB heavy jack. It's a clip and a pen and I find the sheepsfoot on the 77 Barlow more useful than the Case pen blade. I do like the Case, though. It's a beast with a very stiff pull and super solid construction. My only other Barlow is last years GEC forum knife and I the 77 is much more versatile but of course the 15 model is much lighter and disappears in your pocket. That's maybe the one downside of the 77- it's thick and certainly not the lightest slipjoint in this size range. I'm sure for a lot of folks, 1095 steel is a downside too, but I'm not too stressed over carbon steel.

As for upsides, like I've said in other posts the clip/sheep combination is just so useful and versatile. The 77 reminds me a lot of my Benchmade 940, which says a lot given the 940's reputation. There is just a lot of knife in one package.

The aesthetics of this iteration of the 77 Barlow are darn near perfect to my eye. It's balanced and proportional. The handle shape works so well with the blades. The butt end of my example has some symmetry issues. It's not evenly rounded but it's a handmade item so I'm ok with that. The ironwood just finishes the whole package. There are much more flamboyant examples showing up on the forums but I love the dark, subtle character of the wood with the tactile grain feel.

I'll be sure to revisit this thread every so often and post a new pic or two as well as any more thoughts I have as they come up.

~Russell
 
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