What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

Another rough and ready old Schrade
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Newb to the porch question - is the Boy’s considered a barlow or because of the smaller bolster it’s something different? Thanks

The boy's knife is just that - a boy's knife, or a regular jack knife, or a swell-end jack knife. Barlow patterns are made by the longer bolster. The longer bolster really does make the knife feel different. It's heavier, the metal feels different in hand. Not all boy's knives have steel bolsters and liners, either.
 
The boy's knife is just that - a boy's knife, or a regular jack knife. Barlow patterns are made by the longer bolster. The longer bolster really does make the knife feel different. It's heavier, the metal feels different in hand. Not all boy's knives have steel bolsters and liners, either.
Thanks - some must take liberties with semantics, looking at you Boker o_O
 
Thanks - some must take liberties with semantics, looking at you Boker o_O

You'll also see a lot of custom makers and other *modern traditional* makers calling knives "barlows" lately that are nothing more than shadow pattern jack knives - they don't even have bolsters, but because they're swell end jacks and because barlows are typically swell end jack frames, and because barlows are really hot in part thanks to threads like this one...
 
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