Help identifying old slip joint knives

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onebadv8

onebadv8

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I don’t know a lot about the older knives so any info would be helpful. Helping an older lady go through her late husbands things and she had some knives laying around. They could even be junk gas station knives for all I know.

IMG_7896.jpeg IMG_7895.jpeg IMG_7894.jpeg IMG_7893.jpeg
 
I see one cheap Japan made Sabre brand and three shell handle Imperials, all most likely 1960s or 70s. If value is what you are fishing for actual values cannot be discussed. None of those have any real value anyhow.....
 
Arathol said:
I see one cheap Japan made Sabre brand and three shell handle Imperials, all most likely 1960s or 70s. If value is what you are fishing for actual values cannot be discussed. None of those have any real value anyhow.....
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Not fishing for value just more of what they are.

Does the imprint Barlow mean anything? Is that an old brand?
 
Barlow is just a name. Its what that particular style of knife is called. Many knife companies made Barlow knives.
 
Well, they didn't start out as "junk".

The Sabre has been ruined by over-sharpening/grinding. The others look like they have plenty of life in them.

They are basic, low-cost, run-of-the-mill, mass-produced pocket knives. Nothing special or of particular value (unless perhaps sentimental value).

As far as brand and where they were made, the tang stamps tell their story.
 
The imperial barlow’s main blade has pretty nice geometry to it, I have one and it’s nice to use for slicing stuff.

The imperial in the 3rd picture I’m pretty sure has the same main blade as the barlow. I have one with the same paper looking handle material but it’s a 3 blade. Also a fun knife to use, I just really don’t like that handle material on it. I don’t know exactly what it is but it feels like a super thin plastic and it feels almost like a thick card stock. The material on mine is curling up where it meets the bolsters, i got it as NOS so maybe sitting unused for decades did something to it
 
onebadv8 said:
I don’t know a lot about the older knives so any info would be helpful. Helping an older lady go through her late husbands things and she had some knives laying around. They could even be junk gas station knives for all I know.

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The first was made by Sabre, a US company which had it's knives made for them in Japan. Likely dates from the 70's or 80's. The "pattern" would be a "Dogleg Jack". The main blade has been sharpened so many times it has lost its original shape. Somebody must have liked that knife and used it a lot.

The second is a "jack knife" pattern. Mabe call it a "straight jack". If I had to guess I would say it was made by Imperial Knife Company, because of the "shell style" type of handle on it.

The third is a "serpentine Jack", plainly marked as being made by Imperial. It also has a "shell style" handle.

The fourth is a "Barlow" pattern, also plainly marked as being made by Imperial.

Imperial was a US company. The "Imperial" tang marking was discontinued in 1988. There's a reasonable company history summarly on Wiki. The full history is rather convoluted.

Imperial Schrade - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org


All the knives were what we would call "users": Decent quality for a working man to use, but nothing amazing about them.
 
knarfeng said:
Imperial was a US company. The "Imperial" tang marking was discontinued in 1988. There's a reasonable company history summarly on Wiki. The full history is rather convoluted.

Imperial Schrade - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Click to expand...

Just did some reading on them. You're not kidding it's rather convoluted. Changed lots of hands, names, and then off to China. And then bought by Smith & Wesson... 😲
 
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