Lion Steel "Roundhead" Euro-Barlow

Buzzbait said:
I must say that I’m completely blown away by the Roundhead Barlow. This is more than just another exciting slipjoint. This is a piece of history. Other modern knife companies have been putting out slipjoints lately, trying to capture a piece of the traditional market, but have largely come up empty, with hideous looking designs. The Roundhead dead-on perfectly gathers both modern and traditional elements, and combines them into something amazing. People will be talking about this run, years from now, as when “everything changed”. The traditional curmudgeons will rile against it, as traditional knife heresy. The lovers will see it as the knife that finally brings the traditional knife into the modern era of materials and manufacturing. Personally, I’m a lover. The lightness and that magnificent steel really checks off some boxes for me. And that ram’s horn is flat out gorgeous beyond belief.


I’m patiently waiting for the first pocket clip add-ons to become available.
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So the options are either "lover" or "traditional curmudgeon" --haha! There is a very long history of modernizing traditional knives. Probably the best known example is the Buck 110. It doesn't seem so modern now but it was back in the 60s. Jess Horn is another of many examples. But there was a huge void that is filled by this collaboration with Lion Steel. I've been saying that someone needs to fill the void in this wide open market for years. Kudos to Mike for getting it done. They turned out well.

Edit: Not sure why the 110 came to mind first. Swiss army knives are probably the best known example by far. Swiss army knives have been modernized many times. The alox soldier knife is a well known example. That change occurred in the 1960s. Now they even make one hand opening knives with pocket clips.
 
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Who has tried to sharpen theirs yet?
I am glad I have diamond stones. Just take your time and know that the longer it takes to cut with stones, the longer it will take to wear.

I used my fine DMT, and a loaded strop. I didn't want to go too polished yet, that will be for further down the line.
 
NJBillK said:
Who has tried to sharpen theirs yet?
I am glad I have diamond stones. Just take your time and know that the longer it takes to cut with stones, the longer it will take to wear.

I used my fine DMT, and a loaded strop. I didn't want to go too polished yet, that will be for further down the line.
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I sharpened one using a 1x30 belt sander. I ran it edge trailing, so it convexed the edge. The progression I used was 600, 800, 1000, then a leather strop belt with white compound. The edge is exactly how I like it now, very sharp.
 
NJBillK said:
Who has tried to sharpen theirs yet?
I am glad I have diamond stones. Just take your time and know that the longer it takes to cut with stones, the longer it will take to wear.

I used my fine DMT, and a loaded strop. I didn't want to go too polished yet, that will be for further down the line.
Click to expand...
I actually haven't a clue how to do any knife sharpening let alone a Super-Steel like M390 :eek: I'm glad I decided to send mine to a professional before it gets to me. My knives rearly are used hard so the knife will probably stay sharp a very long time.:thumbsup::cool:
 
TheFactor said:
While were on the subject I thought The screws were different but not enough to make me pass . Now looking at the pictures they've grown on me and I like them .
Just think also on a positive note if you crack or damage a cover you should be able to replace them much easier with only some slight modifications for fitment im sure. Also custom covers can easily be an option now :thumbsup:
And you might be able to tighten them down if any slight blade play happens after break in to counter it .
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I am not so sure a new cover will be that easy, watch this video at 11:00...the inside of the covers are very precisely milled.

 
I wasn't paying attention when this knife first came up. Man, I think I wish I'd jumped on the carbon fiber. Something really cool about all space age or newer materials on a traditional design. Still, all the covers are looking incredible.

I'm wondering how thinly it's ground though. If I'm going to have m390 (and have to sharpen m390) I want a nice thinly ground blade so that it cuts really well. I got to handle one recently but didn't really check the grind. How have these been cutting for everyone?

I wholeheartedly agree, it would be great to see a clip point on the next run.
 
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coinbuysell said:
I am not so sure a new cover will be that easy, watch this video at 11:00...the inside of the covers are very precisely milled.

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Couldn't agree more and definitely would probably want to send it in for new covers if the option is available with the manufacture or whom ever would make the covers so it can be custom fit .
But with that being said im sure it would much easier to do then the traditional pinned .
 
t.willy said:
I actually haven't a clue how to do any knife sharpening let alone a Super-Steel like M390 :eek: I'm glad I decided to send mine to a professional before it gets to me. My knives rearly are used hard so the knife will probably stay sharp a very long time.:thumbsup::cool:
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I sent mine to a pro too @Jason B. He's putting a 15 degree edge on and thinning them out behind the edge. Hoping for a great slicer!
 
coinbuysell said:
I am not so sure a new cover will be that easy, watch this video at 11:00...the inside of the covers are very precisely milled.

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Eh, it's not that bad.
I am in the process of making some now, and the below has worked for me.

Taken from page 38.
NJBillK said:
Ok, for those of you planning on making scales:

For an easy way to mark the pin location for clearance, use a dry erase marker or a paint marker since it will wipe easily or stay wet, and coat the pin/rivets.
Now press your handle material down onto the wet writing medium to mark the drill holes and take a small bite with a drill press and see if they line up. If they do, progress to the depth required.

One other option would be to mark a wooden paint stirrer, piece of micarta, or corian and drill those holes completely through.
This now offers a template to trace onto your new slabs, remove your material and get to shaping.
------
As far as shaping goes, pull your slabs off and trace them onto a piece of angle iron. Cut the excess from around the slab profile and mount the vertical part of the angle iron into your vice.

You now have a perfect handle sized work platform that will allow you to shape your handle slabs without marring the Ti liners.
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Ashe by God County said:
Not mine but I wish it was
oPsR6cE.jpg
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And this was on page 42.
 
NJBillK said:
Who has tried to sharpen theirs yet?
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I sharpened mine yesterday. I use the 30-degree setting on my Sharpmaker to set the initial bevel with my diamond hones, and than added a 40-degree micro bevel. I didn't even bother to go past the medium ceramic hones. I was totally happy with the edge, and absolutely zero burr removal required.
 
coinbuysell said:
I am not so sure a new cover will be that easy, watch this video at 11:00...the inside of the covers are very precisely milled.
Click to expand...

Those that have done this type of work will have no problem because it takes the eye and the mind for it. Those that think they are going to jerk slabs off and put slabs on in their garage - might proceed with caution.
 
NJBillK said:
Who has tried to sharpen theirs yet?
I am glad I have diamond stones. Just take your time and know that the longer it takes to cut with stones, the longer it will take to wear.

I used my fine DMT, and a loaded strop. I didn't want to go too polished yet, that will be for further down the line.
Click to expand...

Back in 09 I tried D2 for the first time and at the same time I ordered a KME system. Best knife accessory investment ever.
I profiled to 18 per side, started with a 320 diamond then 600 on the Santos. Same thing for the CF except I took it to 1500.

Thickness behind the edge came out to .024 on each one. I would have prefered .015 to .017 BTE but it still slices well. I'll send them to razor-edge-knives eventually but not till this winter. They have to be broke in first. :)
M390 holds an edge extremely well, much better than D2.
Like my other two M390 blades instead of working it till it's dull, I'll hit it with the strop from time to time and only rarely put the diamonds to it.
WTamswK.jpg
 
L.H.S said:
I wasn't paying attention when this knife first came up. Man, I think I wish I'd jumped on the carbon fiber. Something really cool about all space age or newer materials on a traditional design. Still, all the covers are looking incredible.

I'm wondering how thinly it's ground though. If I'm going to have m390 (and have to sharpen m390) I want a nice thinly ground blade so that it cuts really well. I got to handle one recently but didn't really check the grind. How have these been cutting for everyone?

I wholeheartedly agree, it would be great to see a clip point on the next run.
Click to expand...

Dean51 said:
Back in 09 I tried D2 for the first time and at the same time I ordered a KME system. Best knife accessory investment ever.
I profiled to 18 per side, started with a 320 diamond then 600 on the Santos. Same thing for the CF except I took it to 1500.

Thickness behind the edge came out to .024 on each one. I would have prefered .015 to .017 BTE but it still slices well. I'll send them to razor-edge-knives eventually but not till this winter. They have to be broke in first. :)
M390 holds an edge extremely well, much better than D2.
Like my other two M390 blades instead of working it till it's dull, I'll hit it with the strop from time to time and only rarely put the diamonds to it.
WTamswK.jpg
Click to expand...

Seems to be par for what people are reporting, BTE thicknesses in the .020"-.025" range. Doesn't surprise me for Lionsteel, I had a TRE that was very thick behind the edge from the factory. Although. .020" isn't terrible, but M390 can certainly handle thinner. With Diamonds, it is not any more difficult to reprofile than GEC's 1095 on natural stones. And that makes sense - an upgrade in steel deserves an upgrade in sharpening components.
 
t.willy said:
I actually haven't a clue how to do any knife sharpening let alone a Super-Steel like M390 :eek: I'm glad I decided to send mine to a professional before it gets to me. My knives rearly are used hard so the knife will probably stay sharp a very long time.:thumbsup::cool:
Click to expand...

When you get it back and use it to the point where it needs sharpened don't be afraid to try it. M390 may be my favorite super steel to sharpen. It's very easy to keep up with. If you're used to 1095 and such it'll definitely take more time, but it's not difficult at all even with simple equipment and it's quite easy to bring it to a near polished edge.

It's a learning curve, but one that's really not hard to overcome.
 
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