I just ordered a Boker Plus Barlow.

C

Captain O

BANNED
Joined
Apr 14, 2015
Messages
1,333
To the tune of $29.94 from a well-known source in Utah. While it may not be make in Solingen, Germany, the little knife looks promising. If it's properly hardened, 440C steel, regardless of it's origin, should prove to serve me well. (It should stay just as sharp as Case's Tru-Sharp steel). The knife should be in my hot little hands on Monday, June 6th 2016.

I'll let everyone know what I think about it when it arrives. :thumbup:
 
I have one. Good knife, but I prefer the Queen barlows. Of course they are much more expensive. I would put the Boker Plus in the same catagory as Rough Rider barlows (which I also have and like).
Rich
 
Rich S said:
I have one. Good knife, but I prefer the Queen barlows. Of course they are much more expensive. I would put the Boker Plus in the same catagory as Rough Rider barlows (which I also have and like).
Rich
Click to expand...

How so? While I know they're manufactured in Germany from Chinese 440C, how can you compare 440A to 440C? Something is missing.
 
Boker's web site says they are "German engineering, manufactured in Taiwan or China, unless otherwise stated."

From the looks of them, the style looks quite similar to RR knives. Specifically, the bone jigging reminds me of the two RR knives I have. I think the squared off bolster and straight long pulls gives the Boker a nice look, and more consistent with what I think of as a Barlow pattern, compared to the RR's rounded bolsters and matchstrike pulls.

The 440C should make the Boker a notch above RR, though I have no complaints about RR's 440A for that matter. Actual performance of the blades would depend on heat treat and hardness, but assuming they got that right, it'll be a good knife.
 
Last edited:
I had a small locking folder from them, from the "traditional" series. I would agree with the others, it seemed similar to RR in quality.
Maybe finished a little better, similar to the Case knives I have handled. RR makes a very similar knife, same pattern, but different scales,
so that lends credence to the theory. That particular pattern wasn't for me, but quality wise, it was a keeper.
 
I'm hoping that their heat treating is good enough to make their 440C steel take, and hold a better edge than RR's 440A. When I was a young man of 12, dad helped me get a great little Boker with Carbon Steel blades. Since the Barlow pattern is an "immigrant" from Britain that has since become a part of American culture, I can't wait to latch on to a great knife with roots in 19th century literature. (Thank you, Samuel Langhorne Clemens). :thumbup:

I can hardly wait! :cool:
 
Last edited:
The more I research the Boker Plus Barlow, the better I feel about the purchase. The 440C Stainless Steel should hold an excellent edge and ride well in the pocket. This should make it well worth the purchase price. Not bad for a Chinese knife.

The reports are encouraging.
 
I've got a Boker Plus Copperhead.
It's a fantastic knife.... the fit and finish is excellent, and it gets scary sharp.
I find that even with heavy cutting (lots of cardboard) it still holds a great edge.
It's one of my fav knives.
 
That's fine. I have the Barlow in my hands. The only complaint I have is that the shield is slightly off center. Other than that, it's perfect. The blades came reasonably sharp (some "touch up" should make them "scary sharp"). The Barlow's "walk and talk" is swift and snappy and the primary fit and finish are tight. This will make for a great addition to my EDC rotation.

I can recommend them without any heavy reservations.
 
After receiving my Boker Plus Barlow Jigged Bone Pocket Knife and whipping a very sharp edge onto the 440C blades, I am convinced that Boker's 440C blades from China are of excellent heat treatment and temper. This makes them an excellent value for pocket carry.

When I was a young lad, dad helped me buy a Boker pocket knife. It lasted a long time and I can't remember what happened to it. With the recent resurgence in people purchasing Barlow knives, I began to peruse the online vendors to see what I could find. While I liked the Schatt and Morgan, GEC and Queen offerings, they just seem a bit expensive for my tastes. I wish that I could afford one of these high-end Barlows, but I'm still saving money to buy a high-end, custom built, M1 Carbine in October. I looked long and hard at the Chinese-manufactured Boker Plus Barlow Jigged Bone Pocket Knife. After watching a number of You Tube videos reviewing the tool, I decided to "bite" and buy the knife.

It arrived today, and I really liked the appearance of the Barlow. The long bolster looks different than most of the earlier Barlow knives of days gone by. The "shield" on the left scale is about 3mm off-center, but that is the only gripe I have about the knife's appearance. I'm thankful for that. The "walk and talk" of the knife is strong and opening the main blade takes a bit of work because the clip point's nail nick is obscured behind the smaller pen blade. It forces you to use a long thumbnail to open the main blade. The strong back spring of both blades belies the quality that's been built into the knife. It took about 20 minutes to take a reasonably sharp blade to the point of being dangerous to handle without consummate caution. Their 440C steel is well produced and I have no doubt that it will hold it's edge in the field without much difficulty. If you have any misgivings about buying a Boker Plus knife made with their proprietary 440C steel "in-country" you can rest easy. The steel is excellent and will serve you as well as Case's Tru Sharp steel. Case's steel is 420HC. Buck knives and Boker's Chinese 440C steel is of similar composition to Buck's early steel, which was 440C prior to 1981. The Boker 440C steel from China will probably last longer than the inexpensive 440A steel from another knife manufacturer whose initials are identical to those of Rolls Royce.

I can heartily endorse the Boker Plus Barlow Brown Jigged Bone Pocket Knife. It's a good all around handy pocket knife. No wonder they've been a favorite of men and boys since The 1600's. Seeing all the men (and women) on this Forum that own nice Barlow knives, I figure that I'm in good company.
 
Thank you for the thorough review. After following the other thread, I'd been very curious to hear how you liked it. I'm happy to hear that you're very happy with it!
 
I've several Boker Plus knives and have found them all to be very well made and am quite happy with the quality and steel.
Rich
 
Rich S said:
I've several Boker Plus knives and have found them all to be very well made and am quite happy with the quality and steel.
Rich
Click to expand...

That's very reassuring, Rich. I like the knife a great deal. It is handsome, and well-built. So far, I'm happy with the product. If this is any indication of what's being produced in Boker's Chinese plants, it certainly bodes well for the other offerings from their line(s). :)

This is good news for the Boker enthusiasts among us. :thumbup: :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top