Question about rescaling a Colonial Barlow

Doug Add

Doug Add

Joined
Jan 9, 2012
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I have a Colonial Barlow that I bought when I was a kid, and I am thinking about replacing the cheap plastic scales with some nice bone or wood. Problem is the scales are clipped on, not pinned. How hard would it be for someone to remove them and pin some nice bone or wood? I know it will cost more than the knife is worth, but it was one of the first knives (if not the very first) I bought as a boy. I'm pretty sure the blades, once sharpened will perform admirably.

ColonialBarlow.jpg
 
Thanks, I'm reading the other thread now. My barlow has the tabs at the bolster end, but not the scale end.
 
You are right about the plastic scale being a thin covering over stamped metal. I was able to remove the scale on the pen blade side by gently pulling up on the bolster tab.

barlowscaleremoved.jpg
 
Ah, that answers it then. I was doing some more searching on old Colonial knives, and there is a variety out there. Some older ones apparently had snap-on solid bolsters and pinned scales. Others (most, I think) are like the one you've got, with stamped metal one-piece covers. The fold-under tab at the end is the dead giveaway, I think.
 
I bought one that a fella solder filled the hollow bolsters & then pinned on some nice wood scales. The knife has a good med weight feel to it now. The older baldes hold a decent edge and yes - it will cost you more to do the additional work on the knife than what it's worth - but it will end up great.
 
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If I decided to leave the blades/liners/springs riveted together and epoxy some bone or wood on, where would I go to acquire that scale material?
 
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