GEC #77 Medium Barlow Impressions

It's been four months now and it's still the one I reach for in my daily activities. It's been in my pocket since the day it was delivered. This medium Barlow is the most pocketable knife I've ever carried. It's smooth scales and rounded contours just melt into your hand so perfectly. Now that the warmer weather has arrived the carbon steel spring is darkening
and the blade is increasingly taking on pepper spots especially near the spine where it's exposed the most.

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I'm just carrying and using it, letting it age as it will. Right now it's in that awkward stage where it's mottled with pepper spots and varying tones of patina on the blade. I haven't forced it at all, just using it and letting it do it's thing.
 
The same goes for my stag forum jack. It came with pepper spots on the spine of the backspring and blade so I've been using it still and the dark spots actually are quite pleasing to me. As long as they don't develop into pitting I'm fine with any of that wear. One of my favourites.

Side note: I'm seriously torn between the 2 blade and 1 blade for the upcoming run. It's a trade off between the weight attributed to a two blade [I have a 56 dogleg jack (long pull spear/pen) which is a bit shorter than a 77 frame and it's a nice size width wise for the grift but already has some heft with two blades in a smaller frame] versus the daily usefulness of a coping blade in everyday tasks for me (carving wood, food prep, breaking down boxes are mainly my use for traditionals) I wonder if the coping blades may be brought on later on in other 77 sfo's from Mr. Latham

Please help sway me :D
 
Got the email last week about the spear point models, with long pulls. Reserved one blade with micarta and two blade with micarta. These will be users. If they have spear mains like the TC's...
 
arizonaranchman, i agree with your statements on the #77 and mine too is the Blackwood. I chose this one because it knew it would be slim. I do believe it is the smooth slim handles that make it so preferred. Many of the vintage Sheffield folders are slim knives. They had Stag that they could cut very thinly so even the old Stag hafted knives have this slender quality.
To me, a slim handle always feels better in hand. The 77 in Blackwood is indeed a very fine pocket knife.
kj
 
I have not gotten calipers out to measure, but of all my GECs, this one feels the slimmest.



It's a great choice for dress pants, church clothes, or tightish jeans.
 
kootenay joe said:
arizonaranchman, i agree with your statements on the #77 and mine too is the Blackwood. I chose this one because it knew it would be slim. I do believe it is the smooth slim handles that make it so preferred. Many of the vintage Sheffield folders are slim knives. They had Stag that they could cut very thinly so even the old Stag hafted knives have this slender quality.
To me, a slim handle always feels better in hand. The 77 in Blackwood is indeed a very fine pocket knife.
kj
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Yes, I agree! It's become my Grail :thumbup:
 
I reserved a single blade blackwood spear when they first announced, and yesterday I went back and reserved another 2 blade in red sawcut. October can't come quick enough!
 
bleh said:
I reserved a single blade blackwood spear when they first announced, and yesterday I went back and reserved another 2 blade in red sawcut. October can't come quick enough!
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I have a 2-blade in Red Sawcut reserved - can't wait to see it! The darker color red on the last run was just beautiful. :D
 
yup...I reserved a 2 blade in Red Sawcut also ( I think I have to check on that)...should match up with the single blade Wharncliff.
I have a maybe on practically everything else!

 
Got reservations in for an old red sawcut, canvas micarta and smooth ivory bone all of the two blade variety. I feel like I need to whittle it down to two choices but its hard! Once I see the soda scout in micarta it may help me make my decision.
 
It's the Micarta and coping blades that call to me. I've been wanting a Micarta handled Barlow for a long time. And a coping blade is an ideal secondary blade! :D
 
Dr. Scott said:
It's the Micarta and coping blades that call to me. I've been wanting a Micarta handled Barlow for a long time. And a coping blade is an ideal secondary blade! :D
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I need to stop checking this thread Scott. I know what covers I shall be getting but I'm constantly jumping between whether I should get a 2 blade or 1 blade in the micarta for work.
 
I will be able to get a better idea on the double or single blade soon. Getting my first GEC soon with the new TC Barlows and ordered both single and a double because I had no idea which one would feel right. After I get those I can make my decisions about this run in October.

There are too many really nice knives in the works right now!
 
Please let me know what you prefer texmex03, I only have one double blade knife I use on the regular but the pen blade doesn't see as much use as I would like.
 
Ryouchijtx said:
I need to stop checking this thread Scott. I know what covers I shall be getting but I'm constantly jumping between whether I should get a 2 blade or 1 blade in the micarta for work.
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Usually I would have gone for the single blade, Tim. But I'm one of the people here always begging for a coping blade, so my choice was predetermined.

texmex03 said:
I will be able to get a better idea on the double or single blade soon. Getting my first GEC soon with the new TC Barlows and ordered both single and a double because I had no idea which one would feel right. After I get those I can make my decisions about this run in October.

There are too many really nice knives in the works right now!
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The problem is, you might not be able to decide! :p I thought I liked the two blade knives, but I have now developed a preference for the slim simplicity of a single blade. I thought I preferred the #15 pattern TC Barlow, but the #77 Northfield really does fit my hand better. The only solution is to get plenty of each! :D
 
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