What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

Man I can't keep up with you all in this thread. Too many great knives and pics to single out everyone but thanks all of you.
 
Thanks for responding to my inquiry Charlie. I like patina especially when it's even. I've noticed that i get the most patina from cutting and peeling apples for my kids. Apple cider vinegar makes sense. I was afraid of putting 1095 under running water, I got over this fear when my 54 big jack became incredibly stiff to open from cutting apples. I tried to make sure I air dried the knife in a few varying blade open positions before oiling and closing for storage. I will try the air compressor or hair dryer as well next time. Thanks again.

-Brandon
 
That indoor photo from last night did not do the patina on this knife justice at all. Here's another shot, taken outside.

IMG_5139_zpsfp0ebwwh.jpg~original
 
Another ancient with one of Charlie's new ancients. M Furness&Sons, blade stamp is interesting, not sure what to make of it, stamped 1760 or 1780,not quite sure and maybe a pair of fish hooks? Not stamped England so I would assume pre 1890.
Looks pretty good with Charlie's new one.

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IMG_4015_zpsfnsvy6vq.jpg

IMG_4020_zpshjmshk91.jpg
 
Very Nice Augie!

I just got thru tearing apart a KK and a NYKC barlow to remove the broken pen blades. I used my "MARRRK" OVB gifted to me by Phillllllllll to scrape the liners and backsprings. Barlows helping Barlows. :D

IMG_1719_zpstqfntfuo.jpg


I want to send them to Kentucky for Primblizing! :eek:;):D:D
 
waynorth said:
Nice pics, Jeff and Tim!!
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Thank you Charlie, means alot~

waynorth said:
I have been accused of boiling a knife, all in good fun of course!

What I did was microwaved some apple cider vinegar just to the point of bubbling/boiling, using a slim juice glass.
I inserted the carefully cleaned knife blade first, and jostling it occasionally, let it turn black. The blade was open, so handling it with paper towels, I pulled it out, and stuck it in handle first for a while.
When I got the metal parts as dark as I could, I flushed it many times in hot water, and rubbed it with a soft cloth. Flushed it again with the blade in all three positions, blew it dry, rinsed the joint with WD-40, which takes the moisture out, blew it out again (hair-dryer on high), then flooded the joint with mineral oil, wiped oil onto and into everywhere, then rubbed it again with a soft cotton cloth. The metal blade. spring and liners have a nice patina, but the bone got "furry" from being wet, so I fine sanded it down to my liking, rounding the "butt" slightly.
Voile' - perfect pocket knife!!!
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will try this eventually :D

Markesharp said:
Very Nice Augie!

I just got thru tearing apart a KK and a NYKC barlow to remove the broken pen blades. I used my "MARRRK" OVB gifted to me by Phillllllllll to scrape the liners and backsprings. Barlows helping Barlows. :D

IMG_1719_zpstqfntfuo.jpg


I want to send them to Kentucky for Primblizing! :eek:;):D:D
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Would love to see a full shot of the workshop sometime Mark :D Great barlows
 
Markesharp said:
Very Nice Augie!

I just got thru tearing apart a KK and a NYKC barlow to remove the broken pen blades. I used my "MARRRK" OVB gifted to me by Phillllllllll to scrape the liners and backsprings. Barlows helping Barlows. :D

IMG_1719_zpstqfntfuo.jpg



I want to send them to Kentucky for Primblizing! :eek:;):D:D
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Wonderful job, Mark!! Primble is not going to like those pivot pins showing, so I guess its time for some magic!;):D But he might make more than the pins vanish;)

By the way ....nice stiddy!!

Augie

I love this Furness as well!!:thumbup::thumbup::D The stamp on the bolster is different than your previous one:confused: It would be great to see them together in a shot
 
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Ryouchijtx said:
Would love to see a full shot of the workshop sometime Mark :D Great barlows
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You just seen it Tim! There is not much to it. :)

philllll said:
Lookin' good Mark!
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Thanks for the knife Phil! :thumbup:

Gevonovich said:
Wonderful job, Mark!! Primble is not going to like those pivot pins showing, so I guess its time for some magic!;):D But he might make more than the pins vanish;)

By the way ....nice stiddy!!
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Thank you Gevo! I just finished the pins while I was on the phone with Rob. Shipping tomorrow........I hope I get my knives back!!!:eek::confused::D
 
Augie said:
Another ancient with one of Charlie's new ancients. M Furness&Sons, blade stamp is interesting, not sure what to make of it, stamped 1760 or 1780,not quite sure and maybe a pair of fish hooks? Not stamped England so I would assume pre 1890.
Looks pretty good with Charlie's new one.
IMG_4020_zpshjmshk91.jpg
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Congratulations Augie :thumbup: The stamp is 1760, which was the original mark of Luke Furnace (the spelling of names changes commonly in England in this period) in 1787. The '1760' mark appears to have been used by his forebears, most recently by the second Matthew Furness, who died in the first decade of the 20th century.

In the late 1880s, Furness Barlows were shipped to the US by Sheffield cutlers B.Worth & Sons. After the introduction of the McKinley tariffs, they looked for other markets.

According to papers in the Hawley Collection (Sheffield Museums) cited by Geoffrey Tweedale:

"All members of the family, father, mother, and children - even at eight years of age - took part in the work. The covering of the scales of these knives were usually made of bone, sawn to size and shape, without any further filing. They were then dyed a very deep purple in a bath made from a decoction of logwood chips. After drying, the scales were pinned to the metal parts."

Your knife could be as old as the mid 1870s Augie :thumbup:
 
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My ancient arrived the day prior to leaving for a trip so I didn't have a chance to really look at it until today. Once again, great job and I can't wait to see whats next!

 
PWork, Phil, Gevo, Mark and Jack, thanks so much.
Mark, nice work on those 2 knives, sure are a lot of old barlow's out there with broken pen blades. Someone earlier in this thread made the joke that Charlie's next TC would be a 2 blade knife with a broken pen from the factory:) Bet they would still sell out in less than a minute.
Jack, thank you so much for the information, my pictures don't show it but the bone still has a slight purplish hue to it. The knife, for its age does not show much wear and the bone is twice as thick as my other ones. Do you know if the stampings under the 1760 are fish hooks and if so what they mean?
 
Augie said:
Jack, thank you so much for the information, my pictures don't show it but the bone still has a slight purplish hue to it. The knife, for its age does not show much wear and the bone is twice as thick as my other ones. Do you know if the stampings under the 1760 are fish hooks and if so what they mean?
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You're welcome Augie, that's fascinating :thumbup:



I'm not sure what those are fish hooks or not (they look more like fish hooks on your knife than the squiggles here!). I have to go to a meeting now, but will see if I can come up with a definitive answer later :thumbup:
 
Thanks again Jack!:thumb up:
Gevo, here are some more pics with the other MF&S and a GF&S. The bolster stamps do look a little different, I would imagine they were done by hand and will vary from one knife to another.
It amazes me that all three of these knives still have no blade play and snap like a new TC.

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