The Barlow knife

Ironman

Ironman

Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
402
hi. I really like the Barlow pattern. It was my first knife as a kid. I would like to collect them. Any certain brands or models that I need to get? How about the best to use for EDC?
 
case has some nice ones. I have an imperial that is a good user. it's no case, but for the few dollars i gave for it, it is a good knife.
 
I'm impatiently awaiting the arrival of a Russell Barlow in green sawn bone.
Will post more info when it comes:thumbup:
 
No need to wait, I've two of the Russel Barlow's in green sawn bone. They are a fantastic carry knife. Really nice finish, good looking and a good deal at $25 - $30. Would make an excellent EDC. However, it's a gimmick knife - a reproduction made by Boker and sporting the old Russel markings. Not really a "collectable" barlow, but a great little pocket knife for sure!

If you're looking to collect Barlows you might want to pick up a book on the subject, read up on the origins (3 different theories that I know of) and come back and school us.

Also, you may want to check out this thread on Barlows - some real nice examples shown here...

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=475810&highlight=barlows

Good luck,
Kevin
 
I have a few Barlows, my two favorites are a recent Boker with carbon blades, and green jigged bone handles. My other favorite is a AG. Russell with 1095 blades and canyon bone handles. Both are great users, and have wonderful fit and finish. I also have a daddy Barlow from SMKW, one of the Russell marked ones they sell, that is also a rugged workhorse that makes fast work of most chores. Joe
 
Barlows are a connection to our American past. Nothing makes you feel all Tom Sawyerish or Huckleberry Finney like a Barlow in your pocket or even better, one in your hand in use.

I only have one, a modest CAMCO with 1095 blades that are a little too soft to take a really sharp edge.
 
[in QUOTE=rhino;4710166]Barlows are a connection to our American past. Nothing makes you feel all Tom Sawyerish or Huckleberry Finney like a Barlow in your pocket or even better, one your hand in use.
That is probablly the best and funniest comparison I've ever heard before. I gotta say Im gonna have to try and use that line sometime in the near future!!!!!
 
I like barlows too. I bought one no name brand on Ebay and it was like 5 dollars. The blade is carbon and stout...not even a cuttable edge on it just barely a triangular edge to the blade. It has a bone handle and closed it is like 3 or 4 inches. It took a very long time to try to get it sharp and really I am still trying to perfect it. But if I find a quality one reasonably priced I would consider picking it up.
 
rhino said:
Barlows are a connection to our American past. Nothing makes you feel all Tom Sawyerish or Huckleberry Finney like a Barlow in your pocket or even better, one in your hand in use.

I only have one, a modest CAMCO with 1095 blades that are a little too soft to take a really sharp edge.
Click to expand...

Er, I was under the impression that the BARLOW was originally an ENGLISH knife from Sheffield popular with farm-workers etc and this popularity was matched in the US by the German/American cutlers. Maybe I'm wrong?
 
You are correct, Will, that the Barlow is an English pattern (originated by Stannington cutler Obadiah Barlow in 1667) copied and popularized in the U.S. by Russell as well as other companies.
 
Old Obadiah Barlow made knives in Sheffield with the long bolster. In the late 1700s the family name became synonymous with the pattern. The Barlow family ceased making cutlery in 1798 but other companies continued making the 'Barlow' knife. Many of these were exported to the US in the 1800s and were featured in the works of Sam Clemens' (Mark Twain); The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in the 1870s-1880s. They were a relatively inexpensive working knife and also marketed as a "boy's" knife.
 
Blues said:
You are correct, Will, that the Barlow is an English pattern (originated by Stannington cutler Obadiah Barlow in 1667) copied and popularized in the U.S. by Russell as well as other companies.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information Blues. Knives in old Obadiah's time would have been friction type folders. The spring for folding knives was not invented until 1725. I imagine that it was after this time the Barlow family produced the knife we currently know.
 
Diamond Dog said:
I like barlows too. I bought one no name brand on Ebay and it was like 5 dollars. The blade is carbon and stout...not even a cuttable edge on it just barely a triangular edge to the blade. It has a bone handle and closed it is like 3 or 4 inches. It took a very long time to try to get it sharp and really I am still trying to perfect it. But if I find a quality one reasonably priced I would consider picking it up.
Click to expand...
Not to burst your bubble, but that's probably one of the Pakistani knives people like to :barf: about. Don't feel bad, I bought one, too. :) Description is exactly like yours, no markings on blade. If I remember, the pen blade wasn't too bad, but the main blade took me forever to get it sharp, too.

I haven't used it much, so don't know if/how the edge holds up, but I didn't expect much for $5, and wasn't disappointed.

For "nice" Barlows, I have a S&M that I'm pretty impressed with, and an oddball Queen with a sheepsfoot blade, aluminum body, and weird "internal" spring. Kinda neat, but I paid too much for it. Also have a Boker Razor, and that's pretty cool.

-- Sam
 
smiling-knife said:
Thanks for the information Blues. Knives in old Obadiah's time would have been friction type folders. The spring for folding knives was not invented until 1725. I imagine that it was after this time the Barlow family produced the knife we currently know.
Click to expand...

Thanks, S-K, for that very useful bit of info. I didn't know that date and it's certainly a good one to keep in mind. :thumbup:
 
willgoy said:
Er, I was under the impression that the BARLOW was originally an ENGLISH knife from Sheffield popular with farm-workers etc and this popularity was matched in the US by the German/American cutlers. Maybe I'm wrong?
Click to expand...

It was originally an English pattern, but that doesn't mean it's not part of our American heritage. I was referring specifically to the mentions of the barlow knife in the works of Mark Twain. It doesn't get any more American than that.
 
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