What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

russde said:
Enablers one and all....not upset except that I missed the spear blades.
I've managed to find an ebony 2 blade clip and depleted the PP fund...oh well. The only thing I'd like is to change the etch to say "T hanks C harlie", and I'm already trying to gt my spiel down for when I explain where the ebony came from and how I actually 'know' the guy that provided it.
R

Forgot this: Charlie, I need to know how you pronounce your last name, do you give it the 'traditional' sound by blending the 'agna' together into one sound?
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Thanks for asking. I am a stickler for pronunciation, so I'll tackle this one.
CAMPAGNA: 3 syllables; Calm - Pon - Yuh.

Also; Bruschetta - (Italian appetizer); Brew - sket - tah. Yummm!
 
Add me to the list of very happy knife-nuts. I received the two-blade ebony I had on order, and it's as beautiful as I expected.

This knife is special in more ways than the usual, as I am anticipating the arrival of my first grandson. The docs said they will induce labor on the 19th if he's not born before then. This knife was bought with him in mind. My first knife was a Barlow, so his will be too :)

Thank you Charlie!
 
pertinux said:
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~ P.
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Sarah I really like that Russell. Thanks for sharing.
 
Nice looking Boker and Gary looks nice as well. I bet he runs the house. My cat "Duke"
does for sure...lol. Thanks for sharing...

Jason
 
Nice collection up there!!:rolleyes:

Nice ones down below too, especially the Daddies!;)
 
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Double, double, toil and trouble!
Fire burn, and Vinegar bubble!

It had to be done! This is a "second", with a tight pin crack. I wanted to see what it would look like in 10 years!

BEFORE:

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FRESH from the bath:

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RUBBED down, soaked in oil, and mopped off:

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Through all that, it retained a beautiful factory edge! I've got one pocket left without a knife - in it goes!!
 
Great photographs-- thanks!

I especially like this array:
Arathol said:
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You capture the nuances of color between the saddle brown and rust red especially well. :thumbup:

I have only recently realized a blade detail on the Northwood #25s, that the top edge is unfinished. Oh, my. I really like how GEC and the KSF folks "freshened" the spear blade.

~ P.
 
waynorth said:
Double, double, toil and trouble!
Fire burn, and Vinegar bubble!
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Charlie! Incorrigible!

Charlie said:
I wanted to see what it would look like in 10 years!
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I don't s'pose it occurred to you to... never mind. ;)

I must say, this does look really good:

Boily Boiler said:
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To what do you ascribe the darkening of the bone at the bolster, the vinegar bath or the oil rubdown (er, what forum are we in, again)?

The antique amber is likely to be my own "boily," but not because I'm a'gonna boil it. (:eek:)

I just feel an affinity for it, a lack of the "reticence" that I feel with its more refined-looking brethren, that portends many adventures ahead. :-)

~ P.
 
waynorth said:
Double, double, toil and trouble!
Fire burn, and Vinegar bubble!


Through all that, it retained a beautiful factory edge!
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Must have been due to the "fenny snake", though where you found one this time of year in your neck of the woods, is a mystery.
 
pertinux said:
To what do you ascribe the darkening of the bone at the bolster, the vinegar bath or the oil rubdown (er, what forum are we in, again)?

The antique amber is likely to be my own "boily," but not because I'm a'gonna boil it. (:eek:)

I just feel an affinity for it, a lack of the "reticence" that I feel with its more refined-looking brethren, that portends many adventures ahead. :-)

~ P.
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The darkening is another color experiment ~P, - tan oil dye - just before oiling - just to darken it some. It kinda begs to be played with. I hope you enjoy your coming adventures also!
 
knarfeng said:
Must have been due to the "fenny snake", though where you found one this time of year in your neck of the woods, is a mystery.
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A "fenny snake"* is just a state of mind, Frank!




*act IV scene 1, Macbeth
 
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...in the cauldron boil and bake

or maybe boil on the stove top? in vinegar?
Would this be safe for ebony? or should I just wrap the blade? I like the idea of getting the whole tang protected but wouldn't want to descale my new knife, especially since I don't even have it in hand yet.
 
russde said:
...in the cauldron boil and bake

or maybe boil on the stove top? in vinegar?
Would this be safe for ebony? or should I just wrap the blade? I like the idea of getting the whole tang protected but wouldn't want to descale my new knife, especially since I don't even have it in hand yet.
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All kidding aside, please don't boil your ebony knife! :eek:

Charlie's methods (and outcomes) have been documented in this thread here and here and here, in addition to these most recent pictures of his clip blade example.

For a similar, non-immersive approach, I recommend the information in this thread-- the handle in question is ebony. (One doesn't have to darken the blade(s) to the extent of the knife used as the example.)

...Boiling apple cider vinegar, careful application, cool water rinses.

~ P.
 
No worries, it was more tongue in cheek than actual submersion plans. I am planning to follow Ricks method, this will be my first 'on purpose' patina and I'll post up pics once it's done.
Best,
R
 
So my spearpoint Barlows all came pretty darn sharp out of the tube. How are the clip points as far as factory edge?
 
The sawcut tan 2 blade was sharp, took a great edge when I stropped it. The ebony single I bought had a great edge on it out of the tube. Overall, both designs were pretty good edge wise.
 
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