What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

genewiseman said:
10060432984_c5a2613743_z.jpg

This is a photo of a Daddy Barlow that I just finished. It is 4 1/2" closed with iron bolsters and liners with rough cut bone scales. I tried to make it as close to how it would have been made "back in the day". The only thing that I changed was that I used D-2 steel because I can heat treat D-2 better than I can heat treat 1095. It has been in my back pocket ever since I got it finished.
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Gene, that Daddy Barlow is... stunning. Very nice work! Back pocket is where it belongs! :thumbup:

And, congrats on your Remington. It is indeed amazing that the pearl has survived so well! Nice gift, Jon. :cool:
 
genewiseman said:
10060432984_c5a2613743_z.jpg

This is a photo of a Daddy Barlow that I just finished. It is 4 1/2" closed with iron bolsters and liners with rough cut bone scales. I tried to make it as close to how it would have been made "back in the day". The only thing that I changed was that I used D-2 steel because I can heat treat D-2 better than I can heat treat 1095. It has been in my back pocket ever since I got it finished.
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That's a really nice looking knife Gene.

- Christian
 
> getting rid of the rust, please, use this stuff

thanks CJZ, much appreciate you sharing the info on rust removal

Charlie, thanks for all the history on the walnut and ebony. The walnut is as old as I am, which makes it an antique.

What year do you think the Gabon Ebony is from?

> Do you have any idea how old it (Russell) might be?

Gene, I would guess its from the 1933-1941 era, so as old as the one pertinux has, with a curved tang stamp, unless the tang stamp has diamonds around the R instead of an arrow through it.. maybe post a pic of the tang. But Im not the expert, Bernard Levine is. I would ask his opinion.
 
waynorth said:
jon_slider said:
Great question, I cant find the quote but I think Charlie said it was from the 50's, hopefully he will enlighten me further.

Im also curious to learn when the Gabon Ebony on the second run Charlows, came into Charlies posession. iirc he got it in a trade in San Francisco, not sure when. Also not sure if its stabilized or not. Curious minds...[end quote]

Jon and Nate, The Walnut was indeed a gunstock blank some time in the 1950's, and stayed that way until it became Barlow handles in 2013. My brother John inherited it in 2003, when Mom passed.

The Gabon Ebony was from a hardwood dealer in San Francisco, who was a friend of my other brother Michael (who lives in Pasadena). It was some old stock that the fellow saved for instrument makers. Not quite big enough for guitar fretboards, it was perfect for our purposes. It was not stabilized, being dense enough for handles without any treatment!.

I've been looking for something interesting to put on the next batch.
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Thank you for this Charlie.

The next time I talk to him, I'm going to ask my father about his wood collection. He has a ton of old reclaimed wood, and maybe he has something that I could pass onto you. I'll let you know if I come across anything interesting.
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Thanks Nathan!!

I was once able to get Brazilian Rosewood - beautiful stuff - and expensive.
When you sanded it, you indeed smelled roses!
 
Gene - that Barlow is truly stunning. Excellent work.

My walnut Charlow continues to be one of the really "special" knives in my accumulation - in part because I love nice walnut and it seems to be such an uncommon wood to find available on knives these days. Thanks again Charlie, for offering up these unique and beautiful 'gunstock' Barlows.

gs8r.jpg
 
I was once able to get Brazilian Rosewood - beautiful stuff - and expensive.
When you sanded it, you indeed smelled roses![/QUOTE]

Brazilian rosewood...you are very fortunate to get your hands on that, lovely spider webbed grain, it makes the best guitars, and is THE most prized wood for a luthier / wood worker such as myself.
 
That knife looks nice next to your shotgun, Smithhammer! Next thing you know, someone is going to "checker" one of the Barlows!

I agree, Rosewood is one of the most beautiful of woods, jschenk!
 
Smithhammer said:
Gene - that Barlow is truly stunning. Excellent work.

My walnut Charlow continues to be one of the really "special" knives in my accumulation - in part because I love nice walnut and it seems to be such an uncommon wood to find available on knives these days. Thanks again Charlie, for offering up these unique and beautiful 'gunstock' Barlows.

gs8r.jpg
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What an awesome pic! Both in the way it's composed and it's content. I motion that it be declared "Pic of the Month". Very cool! :)
 
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I have carried this knife every day since I received it. It has fully initiated me into the Sheepfoot Clan. I love my spear point Charlow and will never, ever part with it, but I knew I would love that one based on my previous Boy's Knife versions. The sheepfoot blade is just amazing for my EDC needs. It has no point, but it is far from pointless...
(actually, it does have quite the point on it. One just needs to adjust one's angle of attack...)
 
SubSpace said:
IMG_0752.JPG


I have carried this knife every day since I received it. It has fully initiated me into the Sheepfoot Clan. I love my spear point Charlow and will never, ever part with it, but I knew I would love that one based on my previous Boy's Knife versions. The sheepfoot blade is just amazing for my EDC needs. It has no point, but it is far from pointless...
(actually, it does have quite the point on it. One just needs to adjust one's angle of attack...)
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Is that my knife? Sure looks like my back deck. Nope, here is my sheepfoot Charlow in my left front pocket.

Never thought I had any reason to need a sheepfoot. After about 6 weeks of EDC, now I can not imagine going without it!
 
Nice to see so much love for the Sheepsfoot lately - thanks mainly to Charlie and GEC (round of applause please!) - I don't think the uninitiated realise what a versatile blade shape this is. Certainly far from pointless :)
 
Great shots everyone, I am afraid that I cannot match the beauty of such shots, but I took a few shots of my Barlows while Sue and I travelled around England, while not taking any that really could make you say - "wow that's Big Ben" or anything identifiable like that...I sort of took some anyway..
Heres a shot I took in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, Glen Coe, my much loved Ebony Spear is pointing to the moors in the distance where a massive battle took place...



This one was taken as I took a good walk for a couple of hours through a lovely Forest in Loch Goil Head......



One of the gates at my Mother-in-laws old Church - this Church goes way back, its Centuries old, if you look closely you will see a Charlow in there....



Popped into my good mate Robbins place for a cuppa, he's showing me his favourite knife...


Ten guesses where I took this :-)
 
I've been wondering if this pattern would be conswidered a barlow. I have another one designed by Dan Gwynn that's similar and sold through "Montana Silversmith".

 
Clansman....That pic of Glen Coe,just wreaks!! of the good stuff my friend and im sure you had a quiet moment to contemplate your lineage...Excellent pic bro!............FES
 
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