Looking for barlows...

F

Franciscomv

Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
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I want to add a couple of barlows to my rotation. I've been using a Case in carbon steel and loving it, a Lionsteel Dom (also a very handy user) and have a Remington Grandaddy Barlow (made by GEC if I'm not mistaken) on the way. What other brands should I be looking at?

My preferences are rather simple:

-Carbon steel or decent stainless (not 420 series or whatever Case's Tru-Sharp is).
-Made in the US, Europe or Japan (basically, not in China).
 
1) Ulster #10 (clip point)/ #11 (spear point)/ #12 (good luck) Sheepsfoot. The #12 is about as rare as rooster tooths in North America.
I heard the #12 is more common in Brittian and Europe.
I've only seen photos of the #12.

2) PRE-QUEEN Russell
Pre bankruptcy Queen made "Russell" and Queen barlows are nice, too.
Pre-Queen Robeson (Queen made have the same names, but not the same features;
a Queen made Robeson "Pocket Eze" does not have the sunken joints the model/series was known for.
3) Camillus
4) Utica.
5) If shell construction is o.k. there is Imperial and Colonial. Same 1095 blades as their more expensive knives
6) Schrade Old Timer and Uncle Henry. Also, pre-depression/pre-war Imperial, that have a rocker pin, and have real bolsters.
7) Western States/Western Cutlery made in Colorado.
8) Camillus
9) Store Brands; Sears, Wards, Grants, hardware stores, etc.
19 OVB (Our Very Best)
Offshore - Germany and England
Bóker Tree Brand, German made Bulldog Brand, IXL, Wright & Son, Eye Witness, ...

Pretty much every major manufacturer of traditional slipjoints produced the Barlow.
 
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Russell...

9FqOORy.png
 
afishhunter said:
1) Ulster #10 (clip point)/ #11 (spear point)/ #12 (good luck) Sheepsfoot. The #12 is about as rare as rooster tooths in North America.
I heard the #12 is more common in Brittian and Europe.
I've only seen photos of the #12.

2) PRE-QUEEN Russell
Pre bankruptcy Queen made "Russell" and Queen barlows are nice, too.
Pre-Queen Robeson (Queen made have the same names, but not the same features;
a Queen made Robeson "Pocket Eze" does not have the sunken joints th model/series was known for.
3) Camillus
4) Utica.
5) If shell construction is o.k. there is Imperial and Colonial. Same 1095 blades as their more expensive knives
6) Schrade Old Timer and Uncle Henry. Also, pre-depression/pre-war Imperial, that have a rocker pin, and have real bolsters.
7) Western States/Western Cutlery made in Colorado.
8) Camillus
9) Store Brands; Sears, Wards, Grants, hardware stores, etc.
19 OVB (Our Very Best)
Offshore - Germany and England
Bóker Tree Brand, German made Bulldog Brand, IXL, Wright & Son, Eye Witness, ...

Pretty much every major manufacturer of traditional slipjoints produced the Barlow.
Click to expand...
I'd love to find a couple of those! Old slipjoints are hard to come by in my country, there isn't much of a used market. But I'll keep my eyes peeled when I travel.
cbach8tw said:
Just me but I think a Boker classic Barlow is a must.View attachment 3152187
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Are those current production? Very nice.
dsutton24 said:
Russell...

9FqOORy.png
Click to expand...
Lovely collection, the wear on the blades is just perfect.
 
Franciscomv said:
I'd love to find a couple of those! Old slipjoints are hard to come by in my country, there isn't much of a used market. But I'll keep my eyes peeled when I travel.

Are those current production? Very nice.

Lovely collection, the wear on the blades is just perfect.
Click to expand...
No, those are older I got jn a box trade awhile ago, but they are still similar to current Bokers.
 
Those are some beautiful knives. I like the look of Queen barlows but had very bad experiences with their edges, I've got a S&M lockback and a stockman they made for RAT, both are lovely but came with absolutely blunt blades. They needed grinding with a belt sander, not mere sharpening.

That Ka-Bar looks fantastic. Copper is lovely.
 
Mens Abdita said:
I was about to post my copy of this one. I might be wrong but it seems that B&S doesn't get much attention around here. Which is a shame since they make some nice, relatively interesting stuff!
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I think the reason they don’t get much attention is because the quality of their traditional knives is not great in general. This large Barlow is nice, but the 2 large stockman knives I purchased both had serious quality issues (bent liner, scale way too thin on one side, pitting on the blades, recurve grinds…)
Franciscomv said:
It does look very nice. I heard the quality can be a bit spotty. Would you say their QC is similar to Case's or is it worse?
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So far my experience with Bear & Son has been mixed as I mention above. I can sort of give them a pass, though, because they are on the budget end of the market, and the 2 stockman knives I purchase are both fully functional, comfortable in the hand and pocket, and at least came passably sharp. I don’t really know if Case’s QC is better or worse, but the quality of the one single Case knife I have purchased -a large stockman - was atrocious, and a huge disappointment, especially at double the price of the Bear and Son. It came with the worst edge of any knife I have ever purchased (at any price point), the main blade had a lazy spring, and the sheepsfoot rubbed the main blade so badly that I had to file the spines of both to get it to where you didn’t have to worry about the main blade not closing all the way on occasion. I hear they have some good examples, but at that price it shouldn’t be a hit-or-miss thing.
 
Just Tom. said:
I think the reason they don’t get much attention is because the quality of their traditional knives is not great in general. This large Barlow is nice, but the 2 large stockman knives I purchased both had serious quality issues (bent liner, scale way too thin on one side, pitting on the blades, recurve grinds…)

So far my experience with Bear & Son has been mixed as I mention above. I can sort of give them a pass, though, because they are on the budget end of the market, and the 2 stockman knives I purchase are both fully functional, comfortable in the hand and pocket, and at least came passably sharp. I don’t really know if Case’s QC is better or worse, but the quality of the one single Case knife I have purchased -a large stockman - was atrocious, and a huge disappointment, especially at double the price of the Bear and Son. It came with the worst edge of any knife I have ever purchased (at any price point), the main blade had a lazy spring, and the sheepsfoot rubbed the main blade so badly that I had to file the spines of both to get it to where you didn’t have to worry about the main blade not closing all the way on occasion. I hear they have some good examples, but at that price it shouldn’t be a hit-or-miss thing.
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Yikes! I am sorry you had such bad experiences with both of those brands!
 
Rookie82 said:
All the Tuna Valley barlows from 2021-2025 used 154CM steel blades. There is about 12 different handle material options made over those years. Here is an example of one made in Olivewood.

2024-tuna-omn-olivewood-01lo-jpg.2649066
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Were these made by GEC? Beautiful knife.
 
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