TC Barlows?

[Halfneck]

I have 1 Charlow - a 3rd cut stag single clip blade from the recent run. I really wish I had picked up one of the sawcut bone single clips from the earlier runs (Primble's makes me drool) but I was too slow or didn't have the cash. Of the recent run I really wanted the walnut scales, but they sold out fast so I went with my next choice. I got it, sharpened it up, and carried it once or twice. Still found myself going back to my Eureka Jack. I'm glad I added it to my collection though as it is a very nice example of a Barlow.

Secondary market demand is driving the price up. Also it seems to me a lot more people on the various knife forums are dipping their toes into the Traditional waters. They read all the buzz about Charlows & set about acquiring one. For someone use to dropping the cash that upper end Spydercos & Benchmades cost they don't blink as much at the increased prices being asked.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I'm planning to happily pay to get my grail Charlow tomorrow morning... Am I grumpy about the price - not in the slightest. I want it, so I have to pay to get it, as I wasn't there or ready when they were released. It's really the same with anything, value is from the consumer perspective. I'm actually extremely happy that the exact Charlow I've always wanted, one of the first pictures of one I saw, may be making it to my house soon

Wish me luck, and of course pictures will follow

 

[meako]

Good Luck you Crazy Canuck!

Primble-I'm guessing you use something a little more -how shall i say it?- better? than a smart phone for your photography.

WARNING -do not upset a Kiwi- they've got a very sharp pointy beak and waterproof feathers. If they become confused or annoyed they use their massive,powerful, white legs to first dazzle the the opponent so it can't see and then kick it into touch.

 

[Campbellclanman]

I'm not aware that you have. I answered your question and then continued on with my thoughts on the direction of the thread. I apologize if it came across as me accusing you of taking part in that behavior.



Many people come here, myself included, because we don't know everything there is to know about knives. I love the fact that I can ask questions and not have people try to make me feel stupid for my ignorance.



When I read this I don't know how to interpret it other than an attempt to make somebody feel bad for not understanding the pricing on this particular knife.



Again, I've looked at this every way I can think of and I can't figure out how it was meant other than derogatory.

I've been on forums where I've asked innocent questions and been met with responses like this. I never went back. This forum is better than that. That's my only point.

Back on topic: To the OP, if you look at how emotionally invested the members of this forum are in the TC Barlow line I think you'll have the answer to your question.

Coryhess
Derogatory? My goodness my friend you are a precious wee petal.
I think it may be a case where you are looking far too hard into things and I can't be held responsible for your delicate state, I can't believe you think those comments you quoted (everyday comments ) were made to be derogatory
We were talking about prices about knives which is everyday discussions- sorry if I have hurt your sensitive feelings in saying that.
Please feel free to send me a pm instead of cluttering up a good thread where there ( was ) good discussion.
I will be only too happy to help you with any questions via pm :thumbup:

 

[Cory Hess]

Nah, I'm good. You didn't hurt my feelings at all. I'm not the one that asked the question, therefore it wasn't me you were putting down. I'll defend anybody as vigorously. Just my nature, I guess. If that makes me a delicate flower, so be it. I've been called worse.

As for the question of pricing, I look at it this way: Many people hold the TC Barlows as precious as a high quality custom slipjoint. Nobody bats an eye when somebody doles out top dollar for a custom, so why should it be any different for a TC Barlow? Put another way: If I were to contact a custom maker to have a barlow designed, I'd pretty much be hoping that it came out as nice as the TC line of barlows, so why not just put the money into one of those? Plus, the high demand leads to more high quality SFOs, such as Mike's Northfield barlows. So even though it may appear as though the high prices are detrimental to somebody looking to get into GEC's barlows, in the long run it only serves to guarantee that there will be more to go around for everybody.

 

[Pokerface]

Well Campbell, Coryhess has a point. It seems to me that you're the one that quickly gets his feathers ruffled. In this one below, Sherman01 and I were venting our frustration at how much the Barlows had gone up on the bidding site, and how none of these Barlows were up for sale beforehand…meaning that they were purposefully left out of the initial stock that was up for sale, then you came in hollering. Neither Sherman01 nor I made it a big deal, we let it go…but here you are again, spewing the same old stuff. It's called a difference of opinion. I don't have to agree with you and you mostly definitely don't have to agree with me, but leave the patronizing out of it.

"Sorry if I have hurt your sensitive feelings"…really?!?!?! That's you keeping these good threads alive?!?!?!

The above comments will happen with anything that is made with such precision, quality and massive on the side of Aesthetics - so its just the norm, and a knife is worth what anyone wants to pay for it.
Dont be too quick to knock that Dealer - if it is the one I am thinking - he has a LOT to do with the help of these knives behind the scenes - and dont forget - he is running a business that is just that - a business and they are there to make money.
This dealer also looks after the forum members extremely well, so lets leave the Politics out of this wonderful place we have here in traditionals - there not welcome, if you want the knife buy it-otherwise expect to be left out when a limited edition is made - I for one want and try to tell myself I dont need every one of these TC's ( but I do ), and have missed out lately - but I understand, and take on board the fact that if I now want a particular knife? - I am going to have to pay more for it - its all good, its called life.
I dont mind talking price - but dont come in here having a go at someone who you dont know who or what that person really does for this community, if you want to have a crack back at me - please do so by pm, but please kind Sirs - stop the dissing - you are bringing down this awesome thread.

 

[chisumr]

I think we can all agree that we just love Charlie so darn much, both for his knife designs and for his contributions to the forum.

I couldn't agree more Philllll......

 

[Campbellclanman]

Pokerface

Wow! and you say MY feathers are ruffled


My friend I didnt come in Hollering - it was you whos mouth was flapping away having a go at a Dealer - and you were making a big deal about it - that dealer has done so much hard work for this community and has done an immense amount of work with Forum knives etc - really looks after the members here, and you come in moaning about him because he is running a fair business??

So I certainly dont mind letting you know you are out of line,you and Sherman know nothing at all about the dealer whom we are so lucky to have among us, and going by the follow pm's after I placed my comment to you guys that there were a lot of people who agreed with me.

Thanks for the laugh though - "spewing the same stuff" :thumbup: ummmmm Duh its because the threads about the exact same topic


You will just have to learn like the rest of us that these knives have boomed in popularity - and this is a great thing because these knives deserve the recognition they are getting, I guess it comes down to this, if you want the knife - buy it for what its going for - if you dont - you dont want it bad enough, but your one of these who when they miss out and they dont want to pay because you are too tight so you have a moan about a certain dealer before even doing some homework.
Read Charlies look on this - it backs up everything we have been ( trying ) to get through to you.

If you wanted to moan you two should have taken it Carls lounge maybe - and this time grow a pair and name the dealer and dont hide behind obscurity by not naming him- and see the reaction you get, or are you a little worried you may find out where you stand?

Anyway........ heres a great SFO, again a special knife that is extremely well made - Eric did a grand job on these and they stand and hold their own next to the TC's

 

[festerfromnzed]

Onya Clansman.....Thanks to yourself and Charlie ive got my wee bit of #15 joy...Tipped hat to you both...Fine knives worth way more than asking price.....

FES

 

[Student762]

I lust after the #15, when I save enough and dig enough out of the couch cushions I will get one, preferably in saw cut bone. I think they cost so much because of demand. There really is no other reason than they are high quality and people like them so much they will pay high prices for them.

 

[Alnamvet68]

It would not. Acura is a separate line manufactured by the same company. Going from Honda to Acura is the same as going from Tidioute to Northfield. There is a price difference, but it's not on the order that the difference between a #15 boys knife and charlow is. Either way, if somebody asked why an Acura cost more than a Honda I'd probably try to explain all of the differences that make it worth more. I wouldn't lecture them about economics and tell them that they're out of touch with reality. It's an honest and innocent question that was asked. Many have asked the same question before. Again, even Charlie expressed surprise at how much they cost. There's no reason to jump down anybody's throat. I haven't seen anybody throw a tantrum about how much they cost, they've just asked why.

In reality, there is no Acura outside of the US...Acura's are simply additional models in the Honda lineup. The Acura Integra as we knew it was a Honda Quint everywhere else in the world.

 

[meako]

Onya Clansman.....Thanks to yourself and Charlie ive got my wee bit of #15 joy...Tipped hat to you both...Fine knives worth way more than asking price.....

FES

I said they waterproof not ruffled

Fes I got the clip point TC with antique bone. Most appealing.These knives have got soul.

 

[pmew]

I had a Charlow. Alas, due to personal circumstances I had to sell it but I know it went to a good home. I sold mine here on the exchange and I offered it at a price that I thought was fair given the demand and the fact that it was a user. I don't use the auction site, so I've no idea what sort of price they are now fetching. I'm not really a collector, I like traditional pocket knives to use and I don't keep any pristine. I don't have a large collection.

Would I buy another? - Probably, but not at inflated prices and I would most likely not get there in time.

I really liked Charlie's walnut gunstock handles and asked him about them shortly after the sheepsfoot run were released, but he told me that he didn't have any left. So be it. I know that some people really cherish them for mint collections and that they will scour the interweb looking for them.

For me, I would like to have another one, but it will only be one. I will use it, and it will develop a patina and I will sharpen it, blunt it and re-sharpen it as it requires. I don't take joy from the sealed tube in my house, but from the beautiful pocket knife slicing the apple in my hands. Thats just me.

paul

 

[arizonaranchman]

pmew,

Yep, they deserve to be carried and used. I have two and cherish both. They are among my very favorites in my small line-up of about 15 traditional pocket knives.

Today it's the single spey in African Blackwood and the trusty yellow Peanut

 

[Markesharp]

Charlie truly loves great slip joints and his passion is shared freely with others. He started the road to these winderful knives
with this > http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1009441-What-Makes-a-Good-Traditional-Barlow
he showed great knives from his collection, asked for opinions, listened to what people thought. The Barlows he has produced are right up there with the early knives that they were designed around, the mystique was created. The rest is history Oh and, he does the greatest labels ;-)))
As for "people" buying and flipping, Naaaa, not for the most part. I follow the big auction site and most of the Barlows are for sale by GEC dealers, good on them for making a few surprise dollars, it doesn't happen that often.

Best regards

Robin

This is the best post on this thread and everyone should read it....twice. Charlie and GEC did a great job of making a modern version of a "Traditional Barlow" for everyone us knife knuts to enjoy.

As I read through this thread this morning, you would have thought a bunch of high school boys were arguing over a girl or who's car was faster than the others.

I would like to say more but I will just leave it at that.

 

[Jack Black]

For some reason, I thought this was an old thread...I wondered where everyone was!

Wow, I hope you had a chair in one hand and a Primble-whip in the other before you posted that! :thumbup:

I've never bought a Honda, but I did once pay more than 50¢ for a Half Dollar coin. My wife thinks I'm nuts, but for the most part, I'm a happy nut.

It IS a nice one! :thumbup:

I think we can all agree that we just love Charlie so darn much, both for his knife designs and for his contributions to the forum.

X 100 :thumbup:

Here's my first Charlow, a gift from the man himself



Talking of chairs and whips, how long is it since Frank went on holiday?!

 

[arizonaranchman]

That's a real beauty there Jack. The long-pull spear from the early Charlow days is, to me, the Grail Charlow. :thumbup:

My Precious...

 

[dgebler]

Sorry, I know I'm late to the party, but am I correct that there will be future TC Barlows coming? I am just getting into the traditional scene and have missed these beauties (I especially love the sheepsfoot...incredible). I am pretty much out of the loop and don't know who Charlie is or where to look for one. I assume there will be chatter here when a new batch comes out, but is there anywhere I should pay attention to? Is Charlie associated with KSF or do they carry these? Sorry for the newby questions just trying to figure this out in hopes I will be lucky enough to score one in the future. (has there been one with a sheepsfoot long pull main blade and a secondary pen blade? that would be my grail...)

 

[Jack Black]

That's a real beauty there Jack. The long-pull spear from the early Charlow days is, to me, the Grail Charlow. :thumbup:

My Precious...

Thank you sir Lovely :thumbup:

I was kinda slow with the Charlows, (partly because I thought they were bigger knives than they are) and typically disorganised. I really do treasure this one, and the others I have, particularly the ones I was gifted by Duncan and Stephen. There's something SPECIAL about these knives, like they have special powers!

 

[Primble]

Good Luck you Crazy Canuck!

Primble-I'm guessing you use something a little more -how shall i say it?- better? than a smart phone for your photography.

WARNING -do not upset a Kiwi- they've got a very sharp pointy beak and waterproof feathers. If they become confused or annoyed they use their massive,powerful, white legs to first dazzle the the opponent so it can't see and then kick it into touch.

Meako - I do use an older 35mm DSLR and macro lens.

I hope you had a chair in one hand and a Primble-whip in the other before you posted that! :thumbup:

Here's my first Charlow, a gift from the man himself



Talking of chairs and whips, how long is it since Frank went on holiday?!

Beautiful Barlow Jack and I expect Evan would not allow me anywhere near that drawer, if I lived close to him.

I had seen that gaudy drawer before!

You should be careful about posting that ebony spear though - it is similar to posting a picture of a beautiful girl and expecting nobody to pay attention.