What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

[Amos Iron Wolf]

I have been waiting for that one Amos!!
I knew the name was close, but it is such a great one!
And Roosters taste better!!

Lol. Heck, I think it was an excellent choice.

At least to me the Barlow brings to mind country life back in the early to mid 1900s. It fits right in with plug tobacco, Prince Albert in the old tin can (pranks included), cane poles, good ol boys and kids that wanted to be like them. Reminds me, I have some rope twist pipe tobacco around somewhere. I need to see if it's still moist enough to stuff into one of my Missouri Meerschaums and maybe sit out back with the dog and wish I was back on the farm.

You can always count on me to think in terms of concept and context.

Poor old roosters. That's what they get for a life of debauchery. They end up in a stew. Probably a moral morale in there somewhere, but I'll won't look for it.

 

[MrVandercar]

Sorry it's not a Barlow. I don't have one.... YET.

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[arizonaranchman]

As Sarah said above, I love how that Spey blade rides so low and sleek in the handle when closed. My single Spey in AB is on order and hopefully on it's way in fact Really looking forward to this one.

 

[sunandsteel]

if the wood is dented you can take either a few drops of water and put on the dent and allow the dent to raise then sand off...thus eliminating having to sand too much off. if that doesn't raise the grain enough try a damp cloth resting on the wood and an iron quickly touching the damp cloth just over the dent, this will steam the dented wood fibers and lift the dent right out. then sand and buff flush.

I just bought some 1500 grit sandpaper but is this going to scratch the wood?

 

[Pokerface]

I'm wondering if anyone has picked up the Chechen Rosewood Barlow. It seems to be the only one not mentioned thus far.

 

[sunandsteel]

What does the TC on the Barlow stand for? Is it Tom's Choice or Tidioute Cutlery?

 

[LEOGREG]

I just bought some 1500 grit sandpaper but is this going to scratch the wood?

NO. It will not

 

[LEOGREG]

What does the TC on the Barlow stand for? Is it Tom's Choice or Tidioute Cutlery?

I think both, also my son's initials which was nice of them.

 

[waynorth]

I'm wondering if anyone has picked up the Chechen Rosewood Barlow. It seems to be the only one not mentioned thus far.

I have sent most of them out, Armando, so we should see some pictures soon.
I have these three for two local friends, and me.
The wood seems to vary but all is interesting!

 

[dc50]

Thanks for the pic's Charlie, I'm waiting for the mail man, maybe by Friday it'll be here.

 

[jon_slider]

Usually the mark on a Barlow bolster is the name of the company that made it, but not always.

From left to right the following knives were made by
Tidioute Cutlery, Boker, Russell, Camillus, Remington

and regarding the question about 1500 grit sandpaper, I've used it on my Ebony, Blackwood, Walnut and Bone knife handles. Afterwards I polish the handles with my strop, or my most favorite polishing cloth, Sunshine Cloth, thanks to a recommendation from Stich.

 

[sitflyer]

.....! :thumbup:

 

[Pokerface]

Charlie, That top knife in the first and last scans has some great character in the wood, I really like it when a piece of wood can show two different aspects of itself like that captured in one cover! :thumbup:

I was going to say the same thing...That top knife looks great!

 

[Dr. Scott]

Oh...my...

Soup Bones are good....

But are they traditional?

 

[pertinux]

Oh...my...

Soup Bones are good....

But are they traditional?

Oh, very traditional. Here and there, Charlie (and others) have discussed and highlighted how the barlows of yore-- historically, the inexpensive, "working man's" offering of a given knife company-- often received what was considered less desirable bone (and even the leftovers)-- that with marrow showing. Modoc ED has at least one beautiful example on an older Case barlow.

To whit:

Here's a little history from the design phase of these Barlows....

The design was a year or so in the making - first speculation, then banter, and finally nitty-gritty, nose-to-the-grindstone study and finalizing of the design.

My idea of a Barlow is a simple, somewhat crude knife, very useful, and replaceable! Like the original spirit of the design. I even tried to get GEC to use up the "marrow" bone like the second picture of Ed's knife above - they have quite a bit of it, as you can imagine.

Old cutleries found it the perfect use of less than perfect material, as long as it was reasonably sturdy, and of course functional.

But GEC proposed there would be too many complaints from people who didn't "get it" so we opted for the Sawcut Bone. Sawcut originally was just that, "as it fell off the saw". It was indeed quite irregular, but provided a nice grip. Often a well loved/carried knife would get polished nearly smooth, with only a few furrows left, as seen on the old ones we now collect.

(But of course, Charlie did eventually convince GEC to use marrow bone on some of these barlows. )


~ P.

 

[Dr. Scott]

Thanks, Sarah!

I discovered this thread in July and read it all the way from the beginning, but that's a lot to digest over a few days' reading. But I've enjoyed it so much, I think I may start again at the beginning.

 

[gunstockjack]

This one arrived on a cold Thursday, and it's pretty special to me!



The two blade model is my favorite of the newest run; just a great blade combo and unsurpassed build and W&T.

Thanks Charlie!!!

 

[jon_slider]

Thanks for the pic, great color on the Bones. I see that the soup bone is sawcut again this time. The saw is a little different

First run of stabilized cowshin Sawcut on the right, smooth second cut unstabilized stag horn marrow on the left

smooth stag left, sawcut cow right

 

[JSCHENK]

I just bought some 1500 grit sandpaper but is this going to scratch the wood?

Nope, that should bring the wood to a high luster. Sand with the grain of course. 220 would be a fine grit for final shaping if needed, 400-600 clean up , and 1500 should buff the wood up beautifully. But all you should need is a final touch up of the mildly lifted fibers. I personally use #0000 steel wool for a matt finish. all that said 1500 will be great! I've found lemon oil to work well for reconditioning old exotic woods, but we have a few years before these TC's will need that.

 

[sunandsteel]

Nope, that should bring the wood to a high luster. Sand with the grain of course. 220 would be a fine grit for final shaping if needed, 400-600 clean up , and 1500 should buff the wood up beautifully. But all you should need is a final touch up of the mildly lifted fibers. I personally use #0000 steel wool for a matt finish. all that said 1500 will be great! I've found lemon oil to work well for reconditioning old exotic woods, but we have a few years before these TC's will need that.

I did the damp cloth with the iron part but still reluctant to use the 1500 grit sandpaper on the blackwood. What the hell let me give it a whirl. I use the knife anyway and not look at it all day.