What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

Wow! What an impressive collection. It must have taken a long time to acquire them all. Thanks for sharing.
 
A Charlow Sheep/Spear?!?!?! Awesome mock-up! And I told myself, "no more knives." I guess that won't be happening with all the imagined knives that I see here, as well as the GEC pictures that I keep seeing on their website.
 
I finally get to play! The Barlow has never caught my fancy, but as others here seem to kind of like them a little I knew I had to at least try it out, and so I think I filled both ends of the Barlow spectrum. A S&M File and wire granddaddy, and an Imperial with plastic scales, that had apparently never been used, just aged. Nice and thin blades, solid walk and talk for such inexpensive materials (once cleaned out of course). I just noticed while holding it and writing this post, that "BARLOW" is written upside down on one side compared to the other, (so that rolling it in the hand keeps it legible, but placing it spine down on a table and spinning it one side to the other makes it upside down on one side)- sorry if I forgot if it is mentioned earlier but is this common? I haven't held many specimens of this style before. From the $4 bin at the gun show it is now in the almost sharpened well enough to go into my pocket phase! I'm glad I can finally give this style a chance.

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Two Barlows, (and a white-haired pet) makes a collection!
Welcome to the slippery slope!!
Nice choices, BTW!!
 
CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
I just noticed while holding it and writing this post, that "BARLOW" is written upside down on one side compared to the other, (so that rolling it in the hand keeps it legible, but placing it spine down on a table and spinning it one side to the other makes it upside down on one side)- sorry if I forgot if it is mentioned earlier but is this common?
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yes, and it varies which side of the spin is legible, here you see a remingtons that reads bolster on the left and camillus bolster on the right
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gunstockjack said:
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That Barry -THAT is a very cool Shot ^^^^
I am going to carry Charlies Dads Walnut with me today - I am going on a huge Relay for Life - a cancer fund raising day - so Charlie- my most favourite and precious Barlow is with me on a VERY important day - Paul and I both cherish the Walnut Barlow for its massive significance.
That Red Bone Spear point is something pretty darn beautiful - the Clip point version is a huge favourite of mine, I have never owned a Spear version - always on the look out - in fact I have thought about it, and I am going to do it-change my signature to a "wanted.... :-)
That Spey is beautiful man.
 
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Thanks Duncan! And they are all 'seconds', so you can imagine how beautiful no. 1's would be. ;)
 
Beautiful pic Barry! What a colorful array!!
Seconds you say?? Sure don't look it from here!

I hope the Relay exceeds everyone's expectations, Duncan!! Nice going!!
 
Ballenxj said:
I've got to say if that's an original U.S.A. made knife, in my opinion you stole that one. ;)
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Oh it is for sure. :) You can see it on the tang stamp in the second picture. I have a thing for these old Schrades with the fancy bolsters. Not real big on the scrimshawed squirrel look but for that price it could have had a unicorn on there and I would have bought it!
 
Barry, knowing GEC it would be hard to tell the difference between a no.1 and a no.2 grade - they just look stunning - I love reading your posts thank you for what you do here my friend!

The title of this Thread - what makes a good Traditional Barlow...don't they say a picture paints a thousand words? these Barlows have overtaken the yesteryear standards...

 
jon_slider said:
yes, and it varies which side of the spin is legible, here you see a remingtons that reads bolster on the left and camillus bolster on the right
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Jon...your input is just fantastic...
here is another example of the Stamped Bolsters that are in opposites, a nice older user for my pocket - a warm welcome home to this very old Schrade..... still lots of use for this ol' girl coming up, and for a knife that has been there and done that-it still has lots more to give, Gorgeous old Bone- beat up and bruised and still comes out looking like this...man aren't these old knives just great!














 
What a GORGEOUS Schrade Barlow Duncan!!! The Covers equal the beauty of the blade and bolsters...So in total "What a Knife"!!!

Man lookin into that bone is like looking into my wife's beautiful eyes, here eyes are green by the way but simply BEAUTIFUL :p

Paul
 
Campbellclanman said:
Barry, knowing GEC it would be hard to tell the difference between a no.1 and a no.2 grade
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The TC Barlow is the one all others should be judged by! Just excellent overall!

I'm lucky that Charlie allows me to handle his SFO creations. The TC Barlow seconds are a great bargain, and the flaws are generally quite minor. I find that after carrying a few weeks, the flaw (if visible) is forgotten!

Thanks Charlie!!!
 
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Nice old Schrade, Duncan.
Paul, you are a lucky man!!;)
 
Campbellclanman said:
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Congratulations! I love your photos.
afaik Only long pull Remingtons with round UMC non italic tang stamps have the writing upside down when looking at the mark side, backspring on table. The TC avoids the problem by marking bolster text vertical.

Remingtons also seem to have the longest bolsters of any barlow Ive seen (not many), and I dont have Schrade or many others. How about your Schrade, is the bolster longer than your Charlows?

here is Remington next to Boker and TC
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and Remington next to Russell and Camillus
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That upside down Remington bolster stamp drives me crazy, lol. Just one more reason Charlie's TC Barlow is so perfect IMO, the "TC" bolster stamping looks good no matter how you view it. :)
 
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