How does the GEC #15 Barlow compare to the Boys knife?

C

csisland

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Aug 8, 2013
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They are both showing 3 1/2 closed, similar in style, but the barlow has the bigger bolster. Does anyone have both and can tell me how each one feels?
 
Same knife, different bolsters. I have a sheeps foot two blade, feels great in hand, awaiting a single blade, and two boys knife variants, the #7 harness jack and the radio jack.

Regards

Robin
 
So it would just be a matter of aesthetics between choosing between the Barlow and Boys knife?
 
Both are perfectly smooth, no gaps or aesthetic flaws, and zero wobble. The actions on all of my #15s are the same. A strong confident snap, but well shy of nailbreaker status. The 15s are slightly snappier than the #68s.
 
csisland said:
So it would just be a matter of aesthetics between choosing between the Barlow and Boys knife?
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The Barlow and boys knife come with many blade configurations as well as bolsters and handle scales. The blade shapes will likely have something to do with the choice you make.

Regards

Robin
 
I really like this pocketknife, it's one of my all time favorites. I've been looking at the various configurations/variants and I cannot find one that I don't really appreciate. I'm fairly certain that whatever incarnation you end up with you will really enjoy it.
 
The #15 is the #15. Same size, same shape of handle. The variations are in number of blades, blade types, choices of handle materials, bolster styles, and blade etches. Pick the style you like best out of the different options. They will generally feel the same, though the Barlow's larger bolsters will tend to make the knife a little heavier since the bolsters are all steel, but I don't know if you'd notice the difference.

The #15 I chose was the Boy's Knife, spear main + pen secondary. It's got normal sized bolsters at each end. There is a barehead variety as well but is otherwise the same, depending on blade choices.
 
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Honestly, they don't feel much different in the hand to me. As others have said, it's the same knife.

n20q.jpg
 
No difference, except that the bolster and the spear points are barehead jacks on the barlows, except for a small run of "accidental" boys knives that were barehead jacks. IMHO the 15 is GECs most well made knife.
 
Nice knives Smithhammer. I collect the #15's and they are my favorite of all GEC offerings so far. The fit and finish is unbeatable for the price IMHO.

Csisland - I recommend the easy open, single blade #15 as seen in Smithhammers pic above. I have three in various handle materials, they are addicting. The TC large bolsters are real nice too.

Mark
 
I have a TC barlow with walnut and a boys knife with ebony, both with a single sheepfoot blade. The pull is slightly lighter on the boys knife, but I don't know if it's the same on all.

Personally I like the extra weight of the bolsters on the barlow. Both knives are excellent, and I hope more boys knives will be made soon.

On my kitchen scale the barlow weighs 2,05 oz/0,58 grams and the boys knife weighs 1,75 oz/48 grams. I don't know how accurate the scales is though.
 
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csisland said:
They are both showing 3 1/2 closed, similar in style, but the barlow has the bigger bolster. Does anyone have both and can tell me how each one feels?
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Yes I do have both a 49 gram barehead boys knife with spear blade and a 57 gram Charlow with spear blade, both ebony. The charlow bolsters adds 8 grams of weight. The boys knife feels lighter in the handle, and has longer wood covers. I prefer the Barlow's feel in hand, more balanced, less blade heavy than the Boys knife. Neither of these knives is available any more.

E0D9D73F-3115-41F8-808E-8C4A97F97915-9039-0000040958B7B3FF_zpse43bc717.jpg


I have not handled one of the boys knives with the head cap, like this one, and I do not know what it weighs. But just looking at it, I would guess it would have better handle balance than the barehead boys knife. But this knife with wood cover is no longer available.
Gevonovich said:
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If you want a sheepfoot blade, I recommend you buy this knife, before its gone. I have a Sheepfoot Charlow and find the blade excellent for cutting food, and it also works very well for poking olives and putting them in my mouth. It is hard to stab yourself by mistake. However, the sheepfoot blade sticks WAAY out of the handle when closed, which I dont like.
http://gunstockjacksknivesandcollec...53113eo-stl-huckleberry-boys-knife-ebony-wood
IMG_3770-500x500.jpg


If you want a Clip point blade, I recommend you buy this knife, before its gone, since the covers are bone, which also adds 8 grams, I think you will love the handle balance, and if you like bone, I think this is a beautiful color and jigging. And I personally favor barehead knives. This clip point blade is an absolute classic, Im sure you will love how it looks and feels.
http://gunstockjacksknivesandcollec...uckleberry-boys-knife-antique-yellow-jig-bone
IMG_3745-500x500.jpg


If you want a Spear blade, I recommend you buy this knife, before its gone, since the covers are bone, which also adds 8 grams, I think you will love the handle balance, plus it has a head cap, which you might like. The spear blade is arguably more retro than the clip, but some people dont like spear blades. I do, very much, I like retro, and I like that it looks less like a fighting knife than the clip point. Since I use my knife for food in a restaurant, I consider the spear less threatening.
http://gunstockjacksknivesandcollec...uckleberry-boys-knife-antique-yellow-jig-bone
IMG_3754-500x500.jpg


If you want the blade that sits lowest in the handle when closed, go with a Spey. You can still get a Spey in African Blackwood, here
http://gunstockjacksknivesandcollec...ow-sfo-single-spey-blade-in-african-blackwood
IMG_3269-500x500.jpg


If you want a barehead knife with a spear blade, and are happy with a crescent nail nick, buy one of the current run of Charlows. Decide if you want wood or bone covers. Here are your handle choices
AM515 said:
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So, decide what blade you like, then decide if you want a long pull or a crescent nick. Then decide if you want wood or bone. Then decide if you want one blade or two. Good luck, I hope you figure it out and post a pic of what you end up buying, and a review of how you like it.

As far as whether or not GEC will make more boys knives, my guess is yes. So far, every time they make a Charlow, they also make their own short bolster version. So the current run of crescent nick spear bladed Charlows will likely also be built with short bolsters, but GEC has not announced it yet. Im just guessing.

Similarly, if you like a knife with a bottle opener, you can buy a GEC Radio knife with clip blade, crescent nick, bare head and caplifter. Or you can buy Charlies SFO Diamond Radio Jack, that has a spear blade with crescent nick, capped head, and caplifter. These are also GEC's #15 frame. The Diamond is available now, dont wait, they will be gone soon. I dont know if you can still get GEC's Radio version. Since I like bareheads, I would pick the GEC.

Sonnemann said:
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If your next question is whether to buy wood or bone, I vote wood. Read more about that here
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1162745-Can-t-Decide-Bone-or-Ebony

for me personally, I like wood, barehead, and long pull. So the choice I would make, knowing what is currently available, is the Ebony Easy Open Sheepfoot, pictured above.

Good luck getting past analysis paralysis. Buy Something! :-)
 
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After that superb analysis...

Thanks again, Larson

Long Pull, End Cap, Ebony, Spear...pure classic!

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I can see why people collect these beauties!! They are all sooooo fine.
 
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