recommend inexpensive Barlow knife?

Bob W said:
You should be able to get an older Imperial Barlow in the secondary market (eBay) for $10 or less. I'd look for one with a USA tang stamp (not Ireland) to increase the odds of getting a nice knife.

Other brands to search for are Camillus, Ulster, and Sabre. Some of the Ulster Barlow knives were marketed under the Old Timer brand too, and you might be able to get a nicely used example for a reasonable price.
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I´d also recommend you the secondary market in search for a good Barlow pattern. I also found a Imperial Barlow on the bay for 3 € - and this in my location :eek: . You should have no real problem in the US getting a nice Barlow in that price point. What about the Boker USA knives? I have no idea about their prices, but these knives have a real nice appeal (at least) to me.
 
Schrade had a nice barlow for $13 and change. Also if you want to go
to a non-traditional barlow type, look at the Kershaw Crown.
Rich
 
Plenty of $10 barlows on (a website that doesn't pay to advertise here). They will be well used but still have life left.
 
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Pipeman said:
The RR brand is owned by an American company Who pays wages, and also wholesales to American companys and individuals who all contribute to the US economy.

Regards

Robin
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With you all the way on that, Robin. Besides, using the same tired xenophobic dogma that pops up every thread about RR, we could use that same reasoning to NOT buy Opinels, Swiss Army knives, Wenger, any knives made in Taiwan, knives made in Italy, Japan, Spain, and really... any knife that isn't the USA.

Back on track. I like the idea of buying a RR or something like it as they are a great value, which was certainly the spirit and idea of a workman's knife. Until the last decade when they were introduced as collectibles that brought all of us to $50 to $100 Barlows.

If you buy a RR (or whatever brand you fancy) that you can have delivered you will be able to assess the pattern for yourself, try it out in your pocket, and decide if it is for you. And you can do that as soon as a vendor taps your credit card. I have waited for MONTHS to find a knife on the used market to fit my specs (a 4" Boker Stockman with a match strike pull on the main, large rounded bolsters, red enamel filled shield... used to be at any sporting goods store) and never found one. Same when looking for a specific knife or pattern for friends.

Disturbingly, when buying on several of the sites that sell used knives, I have found that EVERY used knife is "rare", "scarce", "nearly unavailable", and "a limited production run". They ask a lot of money, and apparently they get it! So an inexpensive option that you can put in your hand now would seem like a good idea.

I have this one myself (image borrowed from the 'net)



and it is a dandy. The scales are terrific as I have never seen that pattern before, anywhere. The fit and finish is better than my Dan Burke Barlow. The main is hollow ground, so it makes this knife a real slicer. The steel takes a good edge and holds it better than my 1095 bladed knives, and as well as my other stainless steels in my traditionals. (The exception being the Queen D2.)

Get an affordable Barlow somewhere, try it out, don't wait a year to find the perfect knife. Start enjoying the pattern now and shop later for another if you really like the pattern.

Robert
 
I think a good option is either a new Rough Rider, which is readily available for under $10, in stainless, or look for something used. Those can be a little hard to find.The only ones I see very often at flea markets and pawn shops are the Imperial, Prov. Barlows. Even though they look like toys to me - the bolsters are not pinned through, but clipped on, and the plastic handles are sort of cheap feeling, the blades are good carbon steel. It does anything I need it to do, and I only paid $1 at a pawn shop.

ImperialBarlow_zps7bb9138b.jpg
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(I'm still planning on getting a TC Barlow some day)
 
Ive had and used up, lost, or given away a couple rough rider barlows. The ones i had were really well made. I like the 440a for a cheap user too.
 
Academy sports has bear and sons on a really good sale in Hiram, ga.
They have a website, not sure about barlow, but their sodbuster is $12.
Happy hunting
 
midnight flyer said:
Besides, using the same tired xenophobic dogma that pops up every thread about RR, we could use that same reasoning to NOT buy Opinels, Swiss Army knives, Wenger, any knives made in Taiwan, knives made in Italy, Japan, Spain, and really... any knife that isn't the USA.
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With all due respect, I believe that there's more to this than where the knife is made. I have bought four Rough Riders. The trapper is an excellent knife, and was a great value. I have a stockman that has considerable blade rub and a lazy blade. I have a whittler that came with a scale that had fallen off in shipping and two blades that I couldn't open at all. I glued the scale back on and worked on loosening the blades. Now I can open the blades, but none of the three blades has any snap at all. I also have a small whittler that came with a cracked scale, but is good other than that. For $10 or so a piece, they're fine. However, I have 4 different USA made Schrades that I've bought used for around $10 each. I'm only mentioning the country of origin because it's a different company than the foreign ones. Out of the 4 Schrades, 3 were good to go as soon as I got them with 2 looking and working like brand new knives. The only one with any problems was an 8OT that had a nailbreaker for a spey. I noticed that it looked like the kick had been ground a bit and that made the blade sit too low to get a good angle at the nail nick. I took a Dremel on low speed to the delrin and curved it out a bit so that I could get a better angle and now the thing works flawlessly. This is why I said that a Rough Rider to me seems like a good $10 knife. However, for $10 you can get a $40 knife with 90% of the life still in it. To me that's the better deal. If Rough Rider made a knife that was on par with a used Schrade I'd be all for them. They're much easier to find.

As for every knife being listed as rare, I totally agree with that. I've seen knives that are still in production listed as "hard to find" and priced at 3x their suggested retail price. You definitely have to be more savvy and have more patience to find a good used knife for a good price. I also agree that you should get a barlow that you can afford from wherever you can before you dedicate a large sum of money to a pattern you haven't ever tried before.

I don't mean to be confrontational, and I don't want to derail the thread. I just wanted to give the counterpoint to all of the Rough Rider fans I see here that are claiming that they're "just as good as" whatever else is being mentioned. I haven't had that experience. They're a good value, but I have not found them to have the same quality as Case, Schrade, Camillus, etc.
 
Going to also recommend the Rough Rider. They're just too good to ignore. They are available in a wide array of colors and scales and jigging patterns. There are some smaller two Barlows, some even smaller single blade Barlows, some of which are lockbacks. There are a few large single blade Barlows. All with the RR name. If you want something handmade, Rough Rider knives are as handmade as any US made traditional slipjoint on the market.

The least expensive US made Barlows are from Utica/Kutmaster and Bear & Son. I think you could buy Barlows from either company for under $30. I would hesitate buying either sight unseen. As far as I'm concerned, the only selling point they can truly claim is that they're made in US. Fit and finish on these knives can be passable to unacceptable. Additionally, Bear & Son aesthetics always just look weird to me. Their lines are just slightly off somehow. I have a One Hand Jack Barlow from Bear & Son. I kind of like it because... it's just so funky. Despite the off center blade ( it looks like it's actually the handle that's curved), despite the gaps in the liners/backspring, despite the slightly lazy spring, despite the weird recurve/ wide belly blade ( that's at least functionally one arm opening), it's got a real oddball flavor. But it was luck to get one this functional. A lot of their knives have a real Pakistan-by-way-of-Alabama look and feel. I've seen a few Bear & Son knives over the years, and they are sometimes... pitiful. These companies wares may be hand made... they certainly look it.

Rough Rider are certainly great value. Possibly the best. I do have criticisms. Their blades are usually highly buffed. I prefer blades with crisp corners, lines and satin finishes, both as a matter of aesthetics and function.
 
I either have to infract a whole lota posters for breaking forum rules which they have been here long enough to know quite well, or let this go.

Political, Economic & Religious Commentary; Offshore Manufacturers & Brands:

This is not the "Political" or "Current Events" sub-forum nor is it the appropriate area for the examination of religious topics, beliefs or proselytizing.
We have many nationalities, faiths and beliefs represented here so please be considerate of the feelings of the other members of our community and keep religious and nationalistic messages and statements out of forum posts.

This forum is not the venue for diatribes on economics, political policies, customs or the governments (and entities) of foreign countries which are the home to various knife manufacturers.
We are a large international community and we want our "virtual living room" to be a comfortable and rewarding place for all to visit and participate in without feeling singled out or harrassed.
Bladeforums has "Political", "Feedback" and "Current Events" sub-forums available for those discussions and any such threads will be closed or moved to the appropriate venue.

We understand that many knives and brands/marks that were once produced here in the USA are now produced overseas, whether that offshore manufacture resides in Europe, South America or Asia.
Be that as it may, the Traditional Forum exists to discuss the knives (pro and con) as opposed to hosting rants about overseas manufacture in general or specific countries in particular.
We feel it is safe to say that we all want to see the U.S. cutlery industry thrive. If for some reason you cannot countenance purchasing knives manufactured overseas then by all means "vote" with your dollars but do not use the forum for promoting any particular agenda.
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Sticky: Guidelines For The "Traditional Folders & Fixed Blades" Sub-Forum

I am going to let this go.
But the discussion of US vs. non-US knives on any basis except quality of the cutlery will stop.
 
Cory Hess said:
However, for $10 you can get a $40 knife with 90% of the life still in it. To me that's the better deal. If Rough Rider made a knife that was on par with a used Schrade I'd be all for them. They're much easier to find.
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Can't fault your logic. My experience with RR has certainly been different than yours, but in fact I only own three of them. I am at the point with traditional patterns that I would much rather have an older knife than a new one. I am a SUCKER for certain old CASE knives.

I just can't find any of the old knives I would like to buy in usable shape that are affordable. I used to haunt the gun shows looking for used traditionals, but gave up as they were all in such bad shape or so expensive it was pointless. Some of those guys at the shows would literally take a large plastic box full of traditionals and simply pour them out behind the glass before the show started. But again, as soon as the show started every one had a "story" (how they could know the story behind 300 knives, I don't know) and was yet another very rare find. At the end of the show I would see them just toss them by the handfuls back into their travel box.

The pawn shops around here all sell on the big auction site. If they have something they feel they can get top dollar for, they never display it locally. I don't blame them for going to a larger audience, but that cuts me right out unless I bid on their auction like everone else. They even have a catalog of different knives and their condition and what they have sold for on the auction site so they can keep their pricing up as high as possible.

I guess kind of what I was getting at more than anything is some of the examples of Barlows are so inexpensive it would be better to buy now and try one than to wait (forever if it was me) to find a good deal on a used, trusted brand name.

Robert
 
I don't have experience with Bear and Son or Utica/Kutmaster Barlows but it *seems* that the synopsis would be that a Rough Rider would be a better knife for fit and finish and looks but that the former might have the better steel (at a higher cost). I personally, YMMV, can't get Rough Riders as sharp as a Case CV or an old Schrade for instance.

A good answer actually *is* to pick up a RR and then start looking used. Seems like you start looking and there isn't anything then you get a couple, sometimes you get a lot in one week......then you're satiated and it's just fun to look. It *can* be a drag at first.

Thing is, looking at the post count this guy prolly just wants to buy a good knife in a pattern he loves and came here for advice. The second, third, etc., knives are not on the radar. This was a lot like me some time ago.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/869837-cheap-carbon-steel-slipjoint

Another thing which has been alluded to is that if he doesn't require an actual Barlow many new possibilities open up. So there's that.

Shame, I really love Barlows myself.
 
I think rough rider is a better quality than case. (Nat a case fan at all, junk steel in my option) but not better than schrade or camillus etc. They take a fantastic edge, and for the money there just downright pretty. Where else can u get stag and file work for under $15?
 
The quality of the off shore stuff,these days is amazingly good. I myself use some imported products when I put some handles on blades for people. My bad on my second post to this thread, please accept my apology

The OP will have a nice Barlow to tote,in a few days. A custom hand made one. So I'm sure that he appreciates all the suggestions ,but he is about to embark on actual "field test" mode :thumbup:
 
VCM3 said:
The quality of the off shore stuff,these days is amazingly good. I myself use some imported products when I put some handles on blades for people. My bad on my second post to this thread, please accept my apology

The OP will have a nice Barlow to tote,in a few days. A custom hand made one. So I'm sure that he appreciates all the suggestions ,but he is about to embark on actual "field test" mode :thumbup:
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That is very generous of you Vince. I'm sure the OP will love the custom you sent him. :thumbup:
 
VCM3 said:
The OP will have a nice Barlow to tote,in a few days. A custom hand made one. So I'm sure that he appreciates all the suggestions ,but he is about to embark on actual "field test" mode :thumbup:
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That's what convincing me that is great forum with great members.

Anyway RR makes probably the best price/quality ratio in the market today for value knives.
I have many, and never went bad. Sometimes I spotted minor flaws, sometimes foundsomething unbelievably good.
But for that price, I cannot have any complaint. Except to not buy more.
:)
 
I'd like to make a comment here about our 'sport" ,it is a generalized thing...

Not too good at wording things but here goes ....

Someone new to these knives,IMO it is better to start off with higher quality upon first getting into it. Poorer quality can easily turn someone off from the get go ,and they may never return again.

Much like if you decided to get your young son or daughter into fishing. If you skimp on quality for their gear,like the rod & reel,it makes for a less gratifying experience,possibly frustration.

I truly believe that first time experiences will make or break the deal to come back.

I hope you can follow what I am getting at.
 
VCM3 said:
I'd like to make a comment here about our 'sport" ,it is a generalized thing...

Not too good at wording things but here goes ....

Someone new to these knives,IMO it is better to start off with higher quality upon first getting into it. Poorer quality can easily turn someone off from the get go ,and they may never return again.

Much like if you decided to get your young son or daughter into fishing. If you skimp on quality for their gear,like the rod & reel,it makes for a less gratifying experience,possibly frustration.

I truly believe that first time experiences will make or break the deal to come back.

I hope you can follow what I am getting at.
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:thumbup: You're a good man Vince.

Best regards

Robin

My apology to the mods and all for getting off topic.
 
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