Looking For A Barlow

Joined
Dec 29, 2005
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145
Am very interested in a good "working" Barlow with 2 carbon CV blades: Clip main blade and either pen or spey secondary blade.
3" to 3 3/8" long closed.
Does Case make one?

What do you think about the Russell barlow that I see advertised for $29? In particular, does anyone know about the steel in the Russell? How is it for taking and holding a really good edge? I know its stainless so I don't know how happy I'd be with it.

Thank you!

P.S. I did look through several older threads and didn't find what I was looking for there so wanted to post a new thread.
 
Boker makes some with carbon blades, nice knives and reasonably priced. I got one with redbone scales and its a solid, well finished knife, even has halfstops. Paid about 20$ NIB on ebay for it.
 
I'll second the Boker. Mine's a Tree Brand that I got off fleabay & it gets more pocket time than any other of my pocket knives. It's just a damn good knife!
 
What does everybody think of the AG Russell models that advertise they were made in Germany by Boker?
 
Same quality as the regular boker made ones with russells stamp (same knives, different stamp). They are decent knives! But if you want to save money buy bokers regular production ones ;)
 
Yep, I've got a Boker and it seems to be a decent blade. Both blades on mine are spear/pen pattern.

If you can find an older, US made, Schrade barlow you can't go wrong. Actually, it is hard to go wrong with any of the old Schrade carbon steel knives. They were just great, American blades. I was told it was the grandson of the founder who trashed the company. If so, he should be tarred, feathered, and thrown out of the country.
 
...spells 'Boker' to me. I collect Barlows and the Boker Tree Brands are fine, useful knives, with various handle materials available. If you're willing to look you can find older Barlows with carbon steel, most likely on eBay. But that'll take some studying on your part to know what to look for and probably more $$ too.

I ordered one of the AG Russell Two blade Barlows months ago and am still waiting for their reorder to come in. So we Barlow boys have lotsa company.

Good luck,

LANNY:cool:
 
On a semi-related note, I too would love to find a good working carbon-steel barlow... but I like the bigger ones, "daddy" or "gradaddy" barlows. Does anyone still make a carbon steel barlow in the bigger frame? (Extra points if it has a spear-point blade rather than a clip!)
 
Boker makes the Russell Green River Works barlow, and it is identical with the Boker barlow, for all intents and purposes. That includes 1095 steel blades (not CV).

I've purchased two Russell Barlows and was very satisfied with both. Very good fit and finish, and very nice looking. I gave one to my dad as a gift (smooth red bone) and he carries it every day. The one I kept has brown sawcut bone handles and I like it very much.
 
I would suggest requesting a copy of the latest Smokey Mountain Knife Works catalog. I recieved the l;atest one yesterday, and scattered throughout the pages, there were a number of Barlows I noticed they had 2 offerings from Westmark, bearing jigged (brown) Derlin handles. One featured two blades, and was 3 3/8" closed. The singled blade Westmark was 5" closed. The Westmarks are American made. They are priced at 16.99 and 18.99, respectively.

With a saw cut bone handles, they offer a 2 bladed Russell Barlow for 29.99.
 
All this talk of Barlows makes me think of the old Case XX pre-USA a neighbor gave me one year from his collection for Christmas. This was also the guy who took me out hunting a few times and encouraged me. I carried that knife for several years until it was stolen around '75 when I was 18 or so. I still miss it. It caused me to have a soft spot for Barlows. Good steel too.

Regarding the Daddy Barlow, I have one that was the first in what was supposed to be a limited series by Remington called the Musket Series. This one is Musket 1 and has bone scales and a carbon steel blade. I've kept it boxed and unused since I got it in 91 or 92. I'm still trying to find out if the series was ever completed and more about it. Remington and Smokey Mountain Knifeworks (who Remington referred me to) don't know anything, nor do the collectors I've come across. I have questions about it posted in another thread. I wish I knew more about it from a collector standpoint as I would hate to use it then find out the series was never completed and it was fairly rare and collectable. If it isn't then I want to unmint it and carry it sometimes. As far as regular and current production I haven't seen any, but haven't been looking. If I do come across something I'll be sure to post.

Shrade put out a "Scrimshawed" delrin scaled series of knives back around 79 or so that was reasonably priced and not limited edition that I'm aware of. I had the Barlow pattern one for a long time but sold it a few years ago when I was thinning things out. The blade had stained the first time I cut and orange with it so it lost any real collectability. If you can find any of them around for a reasonable price these had that lovely, Old Timer carbon steel and usually came very sharp and were easy to sharpen. Just like all those great, old, Old Timers. Pretty little knife and a good user that one.

Sheesh, now I'm thinking of collecting barlows and the Old Timers before the changes in Shrade. Then I start thinking about canoe patterns. And the thread about Sodbusters has me wanting a few of those too. I always liked the look, but never had one. See what you guys started.:thumbup:
 
i may be getting 'Barlow fever' as well. last couple threads made me think how i used to carry one when i actually lived on a farm and -worked- for a living.
 
This may be the ultimate modern version of a Barlow. The Parlow by Mel Pardue.
Damascus blade, mokume bolsters, fluted black horn scales, fileworked backstrap, titanium liners, 2-1/2", liner lock mechanism.

(My apologizes for posting a thumb stud opening liner lock in the traditional forum)
 
What a great knife Thomason!! Is that yours? It's not exactly traditional but it bridges a gap somewhere! You gotta be a little numb not to appreciate the connection!;)



BTW Thanks for posting pics for me a while back, Thomason.
You nay have noticed I've finally figured it out!:D
 
My favorite, and first, Barlow was a strawberry smooth bone Robeson, probably made after WWll. It takes and holds a good edge, and is not as chunky as Case XX and others of that time period. I bought it used in the early 1980's but haven't carried it for 2-3 years. Robeson made nice ergonomic knives. Maybe I'll dust it off and put my old friend back in my pocket for a while! See pic of a Case XX and the Robeson attached.
 

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Thomason, interesting knife. I've gotten so used to lockers that it feels a bit odd these days to use a regular slipjoint. Yet, I love the traditional patterns with barlows and stockmans being my, ahem, traditional favorities, with an appreciation for the asthetics and carrying aspects of canoes. However, I appreciate the liner lock on my Old Timer trapper. So I can appreciate a locking barlow. Nicely done Damascus blades are appreciated as well.

Waynorth. I appreciate the rounded bolster on that Robeson. One thing I don't care for when carrying a barlow in a pocket are those sharp corners that tend to wear a pocket and sometimes irritates your leg. The Robeson looks like an easy to carry pocket knife.

With so much emphasisi today on "tactical" folders and fixed blades it is really nice to reconnect with the old, working patterns from a time when a good, basic pocket knife or traditional fixed blade was a well used, everyday item a man, or woman, considered a necessary piece of daily dress. How the different patterns often really did reflect what a person did and/or how they used a knife on a regular basis is fascinating. Growing up on a farm in Southern Ohio with Kentucky hill folk stock on my mohter's side probably had some influence on me concerning knife patterns. Finishing up my high school career in rural Central Texas probably added a little too. When I was younger I used to insist on carrying a stockman because I felt it made a statement about who I was. It just also happened to be darn useful too, but that was a little "secondary" to an impressionable young man.

Oh, I found this http://www.barlowgenealogy.com/Edson/barlowknife.html that I found to be interesting reading, coming from the genealogy viewpoint.

Nice sharing some time chatting with you all, rekindling some memories and remembering my knife roots as it were.
 
I have just seen this thread....

Where to begin with Barlows? wow, my favourite knife pattern.
I have really strong memories of my grandfather using a Barlow - a Wostenholm with a black handle and big 'silver' shield. He used it for everything, cutting baling string, peeling fruit, testing potatoes that had been in store to see if they were still ok to sell etc. He always used to say that Wostenholms were good knives and always used one of these or big old butcher knife for all the jobs around the farm.


I have Camillus, Case, Boker and Wostenholm Barlows, including a grandaddy Case that is huge.

I have to say the Bokers are my favourite Barlows, really. But I have seen some very nice old Case Barlows that look good.

Their carbon steel knives are all good, just got a big trapper and it is superb.

I am afraid you have to count me in with the Barlow boys.

I carry a Camillus barlow in my pocket most of the time... it gets replaced by a swiss army knife sometimes.
 
waynorth said:
What a great knife Thomason!! Is that yours?

No, the Pardue is not mine. I spotted it on his website once and have lusted after one for a couple of years, just never have followed through.
However, I do own these two. A PJ Tomes "Scagel" reproduction with a bit of a barlow look in 52100 and elk and a Gary Crowder in D2 and micarta.
I really like that Robson of yours.

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