Grampas old folders

BryFry

BryFry

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My grandfather passed in 1982, when I was 7. A couple years ago my mother was going through some boxes in her garage when she came accross some of gramps things including several knives. Knowing my love of knives she gave them to me.

Among them were a Kabar, and an Imperial Barlow folder. These had obviously been used hard before sitting in an old garage for 25 years, and were so corroded and rusted that I could not even open them. So I soaked them in WD-40 for two days, then began to clean them up.

I worked hard to get them back to useable condition and thought I'd share the results...
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I must say that I am impressed with the Barlow, it is still VERY tight, and solid, the blade snaps shut so hard it's caught me pretty good on the finger. It also sharpened back up to scarry hair popping sharp with ease. :)

Quick question though: is "BARLOW" a manufacturers name, or is it the style of the knife?
Also is there a way to determine the age of either of these knives?
 
The best I can do on the Imperial is that the stamp was used from 1956--1988.
 
Barlow is a type of knife and those knives are from middle to late seventies. I remember looking at a Kabar very similar to the one shown at Montgomery Wards in 78 or 79.

RKH
 
Those knives have come up very well after your overhaul. Nice to be using something an ancestor used.
 
Barlow is supposedly named after an English cutler, Obidiah Barlow, who is said to have invented the Barlow knife in 1670.

God Bless
 
Hi,

Those are two wonderful knives. There is nothing that binds one to their past like such personal things. They are priceless. Cherish them.

dalee
 
Nothing like knives passed through the branches of one's family tree! Those are great knives and I'm sure they will serve you well...heck probably your son or grandsons too:thumbup:
 
That is way cool. My grandpa died when I was 25 in 1988. I have his retirement watch to remember him by. I keep it close, but to have a knife that he used, would be so much better. Great thread, you made me think of my grandpa.
 
cj65 said:
That is way cool. My grandpa died when I was 25 in 1988. I have his retirement watch to remember him by. I keep it close, but to have a knife that he used, would be so much better. Great thread, you made me think of my grandpa.
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I wish I could have a knife my grand dad owned. He passed in 97. My aunts gave me his pickup and he had two lucky hors shoes under the seat. I still have one and gave the other to my dad. Great knives.
 
That is awesome!!:thumbup:
Your grandpa had good tastes in knives too!!
Thanks for sharing......
 
General question: is that KABAR a Muskrat pattern? I haven't seen one with two different types of clip blades like that.

thx - cpr
 
Your grandfather like mine had good taste in knives! I use to have two stockmans like that Ka bar Muskrat. I gave them to a couple of decorated vets that go to our church. Great knives!
 
I have that exact same barlow. That was my first knife- my Dad gave it to me just before I turned 7. I was with him when he bought it at Sears in 1980- it was about $3, IIRC. It was one of the recommended knives for the Cub Scouts at the time- which was why he got it for me, Dad was an Eagle Scout. I took good care of that knife, and it's still in good shape- though it's not in as good condition as the one in the OP, the scales have shrunk considerably. Not a bad knife for $3!

Nice knives! The time you spent restoring them was time well spent. Hopefully you'll pass those knives down to your kids! I have several knives and guns that my grandfathers owned, and they mean a lot to me.
 
Awesome!! That KaBar would get a leather pocket pouch for protection and go in my pocket if it were me. That way, every time I took it out I would be able to picture the history involved in that knife.
 
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