What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

[tmd_87]

 

[Old Engineer]

All this talk of Boker Barlows and such - I had to go and pull mine out.

It's an older one. I definitely prefer the old bolster stamps myself. I wish they still did that instead of putting shields on them like they have done more recently.

I also much prefer their older Bolster Stamping too Dylan . It looks to me that your older Boker is probably made in 1953 to 1960's , which is in the age that I much prefer and you have a fine example my friend .

Harry

 

[Fixall]

It may look different in hand, but I think I'm in agreement about the dark coloring. What I like about osage, is that it starts out such a bright orange, and darkens with age. They've kind of "forced the patina" with these. I wonder if some fine sandpaper could take it down to the natural color?

I'm in 100% agreement with you. I would have liked to see some plain osage like the blocks I have on hand. I'm sure sandpaper would work, but a lot there are some rather deep grooves that are blackened, so there would be a lot of material lost.

Top has been stabilized by K&G, bottom is natural.

 

[JTB_5]

I'm really enjoying seeing all of these Boker barlows come out of the woodwork! The Solingen factory (especially,) really makes a great knife! I've read rumors that Boker might stop making traditional knives in Solingen. That would be a shame, and I hope it's untrue. The new integrals lead me to believe that Boker will hopefully continue to produce traditional knives in Solingen. I watched an interview with the head of Boker saying that he would love to bring more Solingen made knives to the U.S., but that the high import duty makes it difficult because of pricing. It would be beyond cool to see a Boker factory opening up in the U.S. in my opinion (however far fetched it may be) and really think Boker could easily bridge the gap between Case and GEC's U.S. offerings and fill that niche.

Here's my Solingen Boker barlow spear point in bog oak (up to 8,500 years old!) and acid washed, C75 steel.

The Osage Orange #15 TC also came in the other day. Fit and finish is about as good as it gets. I've had good luck with the recent GEC releases for whatever reason. I like Osage and was really excited for this, but I don't know how I feel about the way they did the black coloring on these. I'm going to think on it, but I might finally have a TC that is a contender to be recovered. Now I just gotta find the right piece of mammoth ivory...

Now THAT Boker might make me want to carry a barlow. Oh my it is a beauty!

 

[Sacto]

This one looks better the more it’s used.

I'm really enjoying seeing all of these Boker barlows come out of the woodwork! The Solingen factory (especially,) really makes a great knife! I've read rumors that Boker might stop making traditional knives in Solingen. That would be a shame, and I hope it's untrue. The new integrals lead me to believe that Boker will hopefully continue to produce traditional knives in Solingen. I watched an interview with the head of Boker saying that he would love to bring more Solingen made knives to the U.S., but that the high import duty makes it difficult because of pricing. It would be beyond cool to see a Boker factory opening up in the U.S. in my opinion (however far fetched it may be) and really think Boker could easily bridge the gap between Case and GEC's U.S. offerings and fill that niche.

Here's my Solingen Boker barlow spear point in bog oak (up to 8,500 years old!) and acid washed, C75 steel.

The Osage Orange #15 TC also came in the other day. Fit and finish is about as good as it gets. I've had good luck with the recent GEC releases for whatever reason. I like Osage and was really excited for this, but I don't know how I feel about the way they did the black coloring on these. I'm going to think on it, but I might finally have a TC that is a contender to be recovered. Now I just gotta find the right piece of mammoth ivory...

View attachment 1506107

These Osage ones look great to me. JOELSM yours looks to be getting worked in nicely with the handle color evening out a bit.

 

[jmgruber]

I'm really enjoying seeing all of these Boker barlows come out of the woodwork! The Solingen factory (especially,) really makes a great knife! I've read rumors that Boker might stop making traditional knives in Solingen. That would be a shame, and I hope it's untrue. The new integrals lead me to believe that Boker will hopefully continue to produce traditional knives in Solingen. I watched an interview with the head of Boker saying that he would love to bring more Solingen made knives to the U.S., but that the high import duty makes it difficult because of pricing. It would be beyond cool to see a Boker factory opening up in the U.S. in my opinion (however far fetched it may be) and really think Boker could easily bridge the gap between Case and GEC's U.S. offerings and fill that niche.

Here's my Solingen Boker barlow spear point in bog oak (up to 8,500 years old!) and acid washed, C75 steel.

I ordered one of these this afternoon and won a 492 on eBay tonight. The Boker traditional collection begins.

 

[JOELSM]

These Osage ones look great to me. JOELSM yours looks to be getting worked in nicely with the handle color evening out a bit.

Thanks Sacto - mellowing nicely IMO. I have had it in my coin pocket since the day I purchased it. That pocket seems to be wearing it in.

 

[Fixall]

I ordered one of these this afternoon and won a 492 on eBay tonight. The Boker traditional collection begins.

One of us! One of us! Lol, seriously though, I think you're going to love them. Be sure to post some eye candy!

One more for tonight and then I'll post the other ten or so over the next couple of days. This one is the 2019 150th anniversary Boker barlow in 440c and Curly Birch. They also made these in Green Curly Birch, but I'm just not a fan of most dyed woods. 150 of each were made and they were individually numbered, which I think is always a nice touch.

 

[Pt-Luso]

 

[untytled]

It never ceases to astonish me how GEC can make a barlow (arguably one of the most useful/capable tools both past and present) so visually appealing at the same time. It almost seems wrong.

 

[jwb01]

 

[bigfish64]

I'm really enjoying seeing all of these Boker barlows come out of the woodwork!

Here's my Solingen Boker barlow spear point in bog oak (up to 8,500 years old!) and acid washed, C75 steel.

One of us! One of us! Lol, seriously though, I think you're going to love them. Be sure to post some eye candy!

One more for tonight and then I'll post the other ten or so over the next couple of days. This one is the 2019 150th anniversary Boker barlow in 440c and Curly Birch. They also made these in Green Curly Birch, but I'm just not a fan of most dyed woods. 150 of each were made and they were individually numbered, which I think is always a nice touch.

After some of the exchanges I saw yesterday in another thread I thought we could lighten it up a bit. We’ve all heard of “Dueling Banjos” how about some “Dueling Bokers!”
Here you go Fixall!
My Bog Oak:View attachment 1506596
And my Anniversary in Curley Brown Burch, notice the serial number!

Your turn!

 

[Old Engineer]

Harry

 

[Un-Chained]

Kinda corny.... yet a monster

 

[K33ncutter]

Harry

Wow! Those two look great.

 

[JohnDF]

Those are beauties, Harry.

 

[Old Engineer]

Those are beauties, Harry.

AND K K33ncutter
Thank you very much my friends .

Harry

 

[Pt-Luso]

 

[Corto_Malt]

 

[Un-Chained]

I don’t have many Barlows.
This strawberry saw-cut is one of my favourite knives, period.