How come newer Barlows are a bit rare? It's my favorite pattern.

Case still makes them, Bear & Sons makes them, Utica Cutlery Co. makes them, as do others. Do a litle looking around. They're everywhere and still quite popular.
 
I don't see them very much either and I agree with you. I've only seen one or two Case barlows, one with stag and the other with some bright orange bone. Not a huge fan of Bear and Sons but I'm sure their knives would be perfectly functional. Never thought much about the Utica offerings. Then there are high end ones. I think GEC makes or made some really nice ones. The Queen Dan Burke Barlow was probably my favorite that I've seen.

Honestly, I think your best bet for getting more is looking for old Camillus, Remington, Boker, and KA-BAR barlows. The Boker examples are my favorite old ones.They can be readily found and bought on Ebay. The Imperial ones always seemed pretty crappy to me.

For me, the barlow is a very interesting pattern. It was one of the first real "pocket knives" as we know them today. There was a day a long, long time ago when every boy dreamed of the day he would receive his coveted barlow knife. Even though they originated from Britain, they are pretty characteristic of America. They were even mentioned in books by Mark Twain. Barlows are the perfect example of working class knives, a category that includes knives such as the sodbuster. It was designed to be an inexpensive, easily-made, sturdy tool for the average-joe worker. I love em and would love to see more of this classic yet simple pattern.
 
Real traditionally styled Barlows are not nearly as prolific as they have been in years past.
Sawn bone handles, proudly stamped bolsters - some of the things that made them so desirable;
That's what I'd like to see!Barlows3KKs.jpg
 
Saw one of those Keen Kutter barlows warn down to toothpicks at an antique store. Despite being used for years it still felt solid. And I agree with you, they gotta have the sawn bone. And I love when the bolsters are stamped "CASE XX", "BOKER TREE BRAND", "Keen Kutter" instead of just "Barlow".
 
I have one made by Bear and it doesn't have any issues. I like it a lot. I do wish Case made some with CV.
 
Maybe cause the old ones lasted so long ;)

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OzarkCreekWalker said:
Saw one of those Keen Kutter barlows warn down to toothpicks at an antique store. Despite being used for years it still felt solid. And I agree with you, they gotta have the sawn bone. And I love when the bolsters are stamped "CASE XX", "BOKER TREE BRAND", "Keen Kutter" instead of just "Barlow".
Click to expand...

I've got one with the Russell R and arrow. I like the big ones; the little ones are too much handle for too little blade, for my taste.

http://db.tt/scSzgi48
 
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I just purchased a Boker 3 3/8" with a clip and pen in grey bone and carbon
Plain long bolster
A classic
And a very reasonable price

PM me for details
 
Had to chime in here because the barlow is my favorite pattern. Barlows were always the working mans knife in the old days and were usually made of cheaper material so they would be affordable to the masses. However, as many can vouch, they were a real workhorse knife excluding that fact. In my neck of the woods nice vintage barlows always bring less money than other patterns in most cases which works out just fine for me. Even though I do end up trading most of them for deals I cannot refuse. A dealer may not want a safe full of them but a hobby trader like me loves to see them in a roll. I also have noticed that most of the good vintage pieces have very strong springs when compared to other knives of vintage era quality, which still have great springs in their own right. I have a thing for REALLY strong springs. The baby baby barlows on the right are chinense made, not to ruffle any feathers. They are US classics and they have the strongest springs (baby barlows only, not US classics in gerneral) of any in the last 30 years. They are included for that reason ONLY.

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I like them small.

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I like them big.

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I like them orange.

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I also like them old. (This was my Grandfather's)

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Family.

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I sure love the stamped bolsters.
 
Apparently some Barlow style knifes are still made in Sheffield England, George Wostenholm, Commemorating 200 years of the George Wostenholm I*XL trademark) http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUK/Wostenholm/history/Wostenholm-history-01.asp, Joseph Rodgers (fully marked with the famous star & cross trademark, first registered in 1682) http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/collections/profile?constituent=5 , The Taylors Eye Witness Pocket Knife and Pen Knife has been a treasured possession throughout the world for over 150 years.

From what I can find these manufacturers use stainless steel for their knifes but the seem to be reasonably priced even tough I have not handled one and can tell anything about the quality.

Since I am not sure on the policy of retailers on the forum I do not post a link to were these blades can be obtained, but a search for sheffield and afformentioned manufacturers could be a way to try.
 
I had an old Samual Barlow (from Neepsend) according to BRL,s guide was from the late 1700's to early 1800's early on in my collecting. Out of any knife I have ever owned or will own I regret ever trading that one off. It was smalll with a razor type blade and integral iron bolsters/liners. The scales were I believe to be second cut stag. They were a bit warped from age but intact. The knife was solid with a full blade. I remember pulling it out of a wooden pail at the antique store. The blade had this film of red rust on it that I wet my fingers and wiped it off. When I saw Barlow on the blade my heart almost stopped.I picked it up for three dollars. It was all I had in my wallet. Cleaned it up a little more and the stamp had a scimitar with a touch mark or period. One of the biggests highs I've ever had in collecting knives.If anyone has any old issues of Edges from 90 to 95, there may be a picture of it in the column "what Izzit", I would be eternally grateful if you could come up with a picture of it.I remember sending the photo of it in.
 
pertinux said:
Is that wharncliffe original? I like that.

Refreshing picture. :)

The second knife sure is a looker....

~ P.
Click to expand...
Yes, the wharnie is original. It is a Queen Dan Burke Barlow. When I bought it I didn't realize how rare it was.
The DB Barlow is sitting on a glass of Wild Turkey 101. That's a staple in my house.
 
Stelth said:
Yes, the wharnie is original. It is a Queen Dan Burke Barlow. When I bought it I didn't realize how rare it was.
The DB Barlow is sitting on a glass of Wild Turkey 101. That's a staple in my house.
Click to expand...

Very, very nice. I especially like that you came into a rarity unintentionally, just because you liked it.

Still, it's no peanut. ;)

~ P.
 
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