Buzz that's a beauty! It wears that patina so well! A truly classy classic!I totally agree. This last run of 77's is pretty much the perfect Barlow, as far as I'm concerned. Perfection. If the next run was identical, but with some different cover options, I'd be all in like a poker player, pushing my giant pile of chips into my shopping cart.
Since getting this ironwood, there hasn't been a single day that it hasn't graced my pocket.
Travman
- beautiful knife. I have the same knife patiently waiting an edc rotation. It’s a forever knife as I have named it the “lottery” knife.
I'm glad to hear you were able to get one. It took me a while to find one too. I was on the standby list a few times and finally one came through.
I think I went 0 for 5 tries on the 77 lottery. Then out of the blue I get an email from Mr. Latham offering me a choice of the leftover 77’s that people did not pay for after winning the lottery. That shows what a solid guy Mr. Latham is.
I like the last run very much. I especially like the treatment of the covers; the squared end and chamfered edges were not only a delight on the ironwood, but also on the smooth pink bone. I really love my pink one for this reason. It's been rare to get this treatment on smooth bone! I still wonder how it would look on micarta...not sure, but it would be interesting to see a prototype!
My one critique on this last run is the coping blade peeps out in front of the main blade. From looking through these comments no one seems to care too much, but it struck me as odd the first time I saw it and, to be candid, it still seems a little odd now. It's not terrible, of course, but it just looks a little less...planned and polished than the other two-blade models in the past. While I think the knives from the last run represent some of the best covers we've seen on the #77 barlow, I do believe that the #77 spear + coping is the best #77 to date. It looks so slick and squared-away. I'll add a pic soon.
Couple thoughts....
--I wonder whether we would see that "coping peep" if the non-pinch-able clip was used (the same clip as used on the BF Stag Jack). Since the "pinch-able clip" is not pinch-able in a clip + coping configuration, there would be no loss in gong with the non-pinchable clip and we might gain an (aesthetic) advantage of having a "peepless" coping set up. A matchstriker longpull would look pretty cool on the non-pinch-able clip. Has that ever been done?
--Of course, love me a crescent-nail nick with a hand-drawn swedge! It would be wonderful to see a single clip #77 with a standard crescent nail nick and a hand-drawn swedge. Can I hear an "AMEN!?"
I believe the best #15 barlow to date is the reg jigged clip and/or the walnut clip, from the run that saw the crescent nail nick.
--Anyone have an interest in a one-arm #77 barlow??? It seems these are not as popular when in stock, but once they do sell out, they become really sought-after....posthumously, so-to-speak.
I think you're probably right about the micarta. Great pics! Really shows off the two knives. I guess we won't see much canvas on NFs anymore. Beautiful examples,The secondary on my micarta runs dead even with the clip blade. But due to the shape of the clip, it does appear to run a tad high.
I’m not sure if I’d want squared off micarta covers. The weave of the micarta tends to get pretty rough where it isn’t smoothed out. I personally love the look of the rounded micarta covers, especially after they’ve become polished with use.
But I do agree that the spear/coping run was extraordinarily good. Everything about the knife was executed to perfection. The pull on the main blade was just a bit too strong for me personally, but only by a small amount. I really like the pull on the latest clip/coping run. It’s exactly where I like it.
Buzzbait
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knifeswapper
)......... Will we be seeing another run of 77 Barlows this year?
I like the last run very much. I especially like the treatment of the covers; the squared end and chamfered edges were not only a delight on the ironwood, but also on the smooth pink bone. I really love my pink one for this reason. It's been rare to get this treatment on smooth bone! I still wonder how it would look on micarta...not sure, but it would be interesting to see a prototype!
My one critique on this last run is the coping blade peeps out in front of the main blade. From looking through these comments no one seems to care too much, but it struck me as odd the first time I saw it and, to be candid, it still seems a little odd now. It's not terrible, of course, but it just looks a little less...planned and polished than the other two-blade models in the past. While I think the knives from the last run represent some of the best covers we've seen on the #77 barlow, I do believe that the #77 spear + coping is the best #77 to date. It looks so slick and squared-away. I'll add a pic soon.
Couple thoughts....
--I wonder whether we would see that "coping peep" if the non-pinch-able clip was used (the same clip as used on the BF Stag Jack). Since the "pinch-able clip" is not pinch-able in a clip + coping configuration, there would be no loss in gong with the non-pinchable clip and we might gain an (aesthetic) advantage of having a "peepless" coping set up. A matchstriker longpull would look pretty cool on the non-pinch-able clip. Has that ever been done?
--Of course, love me a crescent-nail nick with a hand-drawn swedge! It would be wonderful to see a single clip #77 with a standard crescent nail nick and a hand-drawn swedge. Can I hear an "AMEN!?"
I believe the best #15 barlow to date is the reg jigged clip and/or the walnut clip, from the run that saw the crescent nail nick.
--Anyone have an interest in a one-arm #77 barlow??? It seems these are not as popular when in stock, but once they do sell out, they become really sought-after....posthumously, so-to-speak.
Interesting you say that Taylor. I entered every single drawing (lottery) and came up zero. And even after all of that Mike offered me a "second" which I of course jumped all over. It is absolutely unequivocally one of my most treasured knives. And I might add the ONLY 77 barlow I own. Wouldn't trade it for anything. While I found the whole ordeal exasperating I greatly appreciated the efforts he went through to see that some others were able to acquire one.
Ya, I never landed one in any of the raffles but I did get the exact cover I wanted from a generous member here. I think it was fun and exciting waiting to see if I got drawn.
