Not to make enemies, fully independent 2 x 2 is the best traditional slipjoint.

hank_rearden

hank_rearden

Joined
Jun 7, 2002
Messages
3,411
i mean two blades, two springs, no sharing common springs, no crinking, both blades should be bordered by brass/bronze spacers, and it seems the two blades should open from the same end.

1. i'm holding my medium stockman right now. it's a great utility knife with a choice of 3 different blades. it's serpentine with rounded bolsters (my favorite shape.) so what do i hate about it? well start with the crink. all three blades get scratched by the adjacent blade on opening. the extra-thick brass spacer between the springs don't provide enough clearance.
2. the middle blade (opposite end) sticks out too high in the closed position and that ruins the nice lines of the knife (it's a serpentine handle.)
3. having a 3 spring stockman solves the scratching problem but there's still the high-ride position of the middle blade. and if it doesn't have brass spacers, the action of the middle blade is poor.
4. what's wrong with opposite end blades each with their own spring? just for serpentines, the spring is asymmetrical. there's a stronger snap on the blade whose end points upwards, compared with that whose end juts downwards. so a jack configuration is ideal.

just my guess but the above issues are probably why threads about the peanut and the jack go well past practical thread length. i can't seem to stop holding my 6220 peanut and 62032 jack. the straight oriented blades, the sleek closed position, and perfect parallel actions are what makes a slipjoint owner happy. also easy to see why second-hand 6292 texas jacks are so expensive (the sucker that i am is sure to get one soon.)

[take cover!]
 
You're not making enemies...and if you are, I will be by your side :D
Straight blade, no crinking, no chance of blade rubs, and since for me two blades are more than enough 8and preferrably in the jack configuration), I'm in your team :rolleyes:

Fausto
:cool:
 
Here's a little fuel for your fire :D
Hunted for a couple of months before I found this baby in my price range...
and it was worth the wait ;)


IMG_2632.jpg
 
The stockman is my favorite pattern, but you're not wrong. I love how the sheepsfoot rides higher than the other two, but that's opinion. You are completely right about the spring snap on the upwards side being stronger. If i was collecting, I'd be angry about the scratches too. So no enemies here. But the stockman is still the "best" pattern for me.
 
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thems fightin words!:D
youre not the first to bring up the high ridin sheep or the crink, i think you'll get alot of people that agree with ya
Ive never been bothered by it or the crinked blade... my two case stockmans are 2 of my favs and my medium yeller is my constant edc has been since i got it years ago
regards
Gene, Crinked Stockman Gang;)
 
Hank, ya haven't said anything I disagree with. And this coming from a former stockman fan who carried one for a quarter of a century. The trusty two blade jack was THE staple among pocket knives when I was a kid. Peanut, Barlow, Texas jack, tear drop jack, harness jack, all were common. Heck, in Harold Peterson's book "American Knives" he stated at one point in his research, that according to the old records of knives shipped west, and sold through trading posts and general stores, the Russell Barlow was the most sold pocket knife from the 1850's to the later 1870's. That's a lot of knives in the pockets of freight wagon drivers, store keeps, stable hands, cowboys, miners, and whoever else needed a good knife on them.

Certainly my own experience with my chosen obsession bears that our. None of my peanuts ever had blade rub because it's impossible with the nature of the beast. As is off center blades to much degree. I only have one jack with the pen blade a bit off center, but with the brass liner there it's no chance to rub on the other blade.

There's another little plus that Imade mention of in another post. That of handle cross section. With a two blade jack with two springs, you get a slightly wider more boxy handleto hang onto. This is way better for some people or small knives, or both. I know that in my senior years, I like a slightly fatter handle to hang onto. It's like a Pilot G2 pen with the doctor grip vs a slim Cross century with a thin slick handle. An 'older' perosn is going to like the Pilot better. Just like a peanut or barlow is going to feel better than a slim pen with a single spring.

Yeah Hank, count me up there with ya for two blade jacks with two springs.

Carl.
 
I'm happy for you, that you like plain, straight jacks. You are not my enemy:rolleyes:, despite the fact that I like single spring, two blade, crinked, sunk joint congress knives!!
May we always have what we need, God willing.;)
 
jackknife said:
Heck, in Harold Peterson's book "American Knives" he stated at one point in his research, that according to the old records of knives shipped west, and sold through trading posts and general stores, the Russell Barlow was the most sold pocket knife from the 1850's to the later 1870's. That's a lot of knives in the pockets of freight wagon drivers, store keeps, stable hands, cowboys, miners, and whoever else needed a good knife on them.
Click to expand...

Just as a point of information, prior to 1875 there were a few early Barlow knives manufactured in the U.S. as well as the famous (English) Stannington Barlows. However, Russsell did not begin production on their Barlow knives until after the "Philadelphia Exposition" in 1876.*

*Source: "The History Of The John Russell Cutlery Co.", Bete Press, Greenfield Massachusetts
 
How dramatic (the OP's subject line). ;)

I am discovering that while I love many (and some days it feels like all) traditional knives, my favorite knives are two-bladed jacks, 3 - 3/14" long or so, most certainly including Barlows.

That does not render them "best" by any stretch, but I sure do like them. :)

~ P.
 
Blues said:
Just as a point of information, prior to 1875 there were a few early Barlow knives manufactured in the U.S. as well as the famous (English) Stannington Barlows. However, Russsell did not begin production on their Barlow knives until after the "Philadelphia Exposition" in 1876.*

*Source: "The History Of The John Russell Cutlery Co.", Bete Press, Greenfield Massachusetts
Click to expand...

If true, this reflects badly on Harold Peterson. You gotta check your facts!!

There is a lot of mythology in this business!!:rolleyes:
 
waynorth said:
If true, this reflects badly on Harold Peterson. You gotta check your facts!!

There is a lot of mythology in this business!!:rolleyes:
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So true, Charlie.

Here is just one supporting quote taken from the book:

"The first three statements, from 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer', no doubt refer to either the Stannington Barlow or an early American brand. Since 'Tom Sawyer' was published in 1875, the Barlow could not possibly be a Russell; "real Barlow" suggests Stannington (although admittedly "brand new" does lend credence of the idea of a non-Russell American Barlow.)"
 
I've never heard the term Stannington Barlow, Elliott. Do you have a link to any info??
 
waynorth said:
I've never heard the term Stannington Barlow, Elliott. Do you have a link to any info??
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From the "History of Barlow Knives" on the site barlow-knives.com:

According to Laurence A. Johnson in his article, "The Barlow Knife", that was published in The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc. in June 1959, the Barlow knife was probably first manufactured by Obadiah Barlow at Sheffield, England, around 1670. Obadiah's grandson, John Barlow, joined the business around 1745 and it was he who was chiefly responsible for developing the exportation of the Barlow knives to America. Another source says the barlow knife was also made by Luke Furnace of Stannington, which in the eighteenth century was a small village on the outskirts of Sheffield. Luke Furnace's name occurs in the Sheffield directories from 1774 and 1787, but not in the 1797 directory, so he was presumably dead by then. He put the mark "1760" on his knives. The original Barlow, after whom the knives are named, was working in Sheffield at the same time as Luke Furnace.

An 1823 directory of Sheffield, England cutlers (knife makers) shows Samuel Barlow on Neepsend (Street). In the Sheffield suburb of Stannington, Barlow Bros. is listed as a cutler. (The Heritage of English Knives, David Hayden-Wright, 2008)
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Thanks for actually posting it, Elliott!
Dispels a few myths, maybe!!:cool:
Interesting stuff!

I hope you don't mind your thread running off a little, Hank!!??
 
waynorth said:
Thanks for actually posting it, Elliott!
Dispels a few myths, maybe!!:cool:
Interesting stuff!

I hope you don't mind your thread running off a little, Hank!!??
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...Not to make enemies....:p ;)
 
Hank, I have never really seen anyone get mad at anyone for liking a certain knife here in the traditional section.
 
hank_rearden said:
i can't seem to stop holding my 6220 peanut and 62032 jack. the straight oriented blades, the sleek closed position, and perfect parallel actions are what makes a slipjoint owner happy. ...

[take cover!]
Click to expand...

Agreed on all counts. Don't worry -- if things get rough, I got your back, open (and very sharp) cv peanut in hand. :D

-- Mark
 
Don't sweat it, Hank. I like full-sized trappers with spey blades, and I don't think I'm off anyone's Christmas card list because of it.
 
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