What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

[waynorth]

Originally Posted by waynorth

(Perhaps the next Ancient should have a spear blade!!??)

Charlie, going back to post 11509, is this a hint at what's coming up next...?

Did I say that???
I'm never sure, Armando!
Until it happens!!

First time I've posted these together

It warms the cockles, thinking of all those TCs residing near the ancestral home of the Barlow!! - Nice collection, Jack!!:thumbup:

 

[Jack Black]

It warms the cockles, thinking of all those TCs residing near the ancestral home of the Barlow!! - Nice collection, Jack!!:thumbup:

Many thanks my friend, each one of them is warmly cherished :thumbup:

 

[texmex03]

Did I say that???
I'm never sure, Armando!
Until it happens!!

Armando, He also said this in response to what I think is a PPP sawcutcopperhead TC that Phil posted a while back in post #11474

"Nice example, Phil!
When I saw it, I immediately called GEC, and changed an upcoming SFO to include that color!!


Shhhhhhhhhh!"

He is a sneaky fellow for sure.

 

[Sjostygg]

Day one.

Carried every day since.

 

[wundergussy]

Very excited to have scored this TC, and it's got kind of a funny story behind it. Upon receiving what had been a grail knife (first-run LPS TC with pen-secondary), I found that it was difficult to access the main spear blade because the long-pull was right behind the pen. I was still happy to have it, but it was never going to be an easy knife. And when the ivory 15's with LPS and pen-behind came out, I was talking to a friend and dreamt up my hypothetically perfect TC: it would have a Long-pull spear with pen-behind and my favorite covers: red Sawcut. Imagine my surprise when I was told that knife actually existed: the second run of LPS TC's had the pen behind after feedback about the difficult-to-access main. I suddenly had a new goal: track one of these down. And today, I have one in hand. And it is absolutely fantastic.

 

[waynorth]

Way to go for it, Gus!!:thumbup:

 

[5K Qs]

This old workhorse came in the mail today. I took some time to polish some rust off, and am very pleased it how good of shape it's in. Springs are tight, no gaps, pen is a little off center. It does have a hairline opposite of the center pin on the pile side. It's been used, but not abused. No idea when made or what the steel is, so any input would be helpful.

...
...

That Keen Kutter is spectacular, Mac!! :thumbup::thumbup: (The beer looks good, too; I've never met an Octoberfest I didn't like! )

Broken pen and loose handled old Barlow divorces pen and bone, gets new clothes, and is now a slim and cleaned up single !

Before:

After:

...

I asked Marko to take this old knife apart and discard the broken pen, then put me some Ebony wood on it. I told him my plans and that I wanted to bevel the wood to bolster junction like the originals were made. He agreed and left all the finish and beveling for me. The only real hiccup that occurred was a worm hole appearing during the sanding of the wood. Not a problem for an old knife with character. I worked on finishing this knife most of the morning and was pleased with the results. I love it more as a slim single too !

It's a miracle!! :thumbup::thumbup: Beautiful transformation, gentlemen!

...
and then ........... if that was not enough .......... he threw in this beautiful Keen Kutter Barlow as a gift:

Stunner! :thumbup: Very generous, Mark! :thumbup:

That Mark is going to go out of business following this kind of business model-HA HA. Beautiful tranformation Rob and the KK he threw in as a gift is a real beaut! Congrats

Best, Lloyd

I'm no economist, but I think Lloyd is onto something here.

- GT

 

[wundergussy]

Way to go for it, Gus!!:thumbup:

Thanks! This makes my seventh spear and, I think, twenty-second TC. Have one in the mail and one (a factory second) getting re-ground by Tom Krein. Still need a couple to let the OCD-demons rest, though! Trying to get every possible blade-configuration in both doubles and singles, but I keep finding these grails instead of the ones I "need."

 

[Augie]

Thank you Brad, Bob, Jake, Ron, Augie, and Charlie !!!

Charlie - I am stunned ! I thought you NEVER missed a trick !!!

Mark had a tall order on his hands for this one. My instructions:

1. Do not let that belt sander touch the patina on my bolsters. :grumpy:

2. Take it apart and discard the broken pen and lightly clean the parts without messing with patina. :grumpy:

3. Hide the pivot pin without hurting the bolster patina as much as possible. :grumpy:

4. Only use carbon steel pins and not big ones neither ! :grumpy:

5. Put Ebony wood and leave above bolsters and I will take them down and bevel the corners to the bolster. :grumpy:

6. Do not let that belt sander or sandpaper touch the patina on my bolsters. :grumpy:

7. DO not break my original bone handles and send them back to me with the knife and be sure to pay for Priority mail. :grumpy:

8. If you mess it up, leave the country. :grumpy:

9. DO NOT send bill. :grumpy:

So he did a admirable job of following my instructions and right at the end he decided it was going to be too purty and he jabbed it with an awl and told me a worm crawled in there.

and then ........... if that was not enough .......... he threw in this beautiful Keen Kutter Barlow as a gift:

That Mark, don't know what to say Rob, he really can screw up a knife, and then to try to make it up by just giving you something so old and worn out as that KeenKutter
And just so my grins don't come across correctly, Mark did an amazing job on the restoration and the KeenKutter is a real beauty, stunning knife and great photography as usual Rob.

 

[Primble]

Thank you GT and Augie. I am pleased with the end result on the NYKC and I love the Keen Kutter. Augie, you might remember that NYKC Barlow from the Rendezvous. I think I showed it to you.

 

[Campbellclanman]

That Mark, don't know what to say Rob, he really can screw up a knife, and then to try to make it up by just giving you something so old and worn out as that KeenKutter
And just so my grins don't come across correctly, Mark did an amazing job on the restoration and the KeenKutter is a real beauty, stunning knife and great photography as usual Rob.

I have to Echo what you say Augie my friend, Primb's Photography of those lovely knives is breathtaking - Marks Generosity is overwhelming - I too have been very happy recipient of Marks kind warmheartedness.
That Spear Keen Kutter is a beautiful knife- just superb, and the restoration under Primbles conditions!!! Geez I have heard of working under pressure but........

Great stuff guys - this kind of magic can only happen here!

 

[jprime84]

Sorry for posting this photo everywhere lately. I was just excited to get the project finished.

Custom Imperial Barlow somewhere from 1956 to 1988.

 

[knowtracks]

Sure are some beautiful knives showing up in this thread lately! Thank You all for keeping this thread alive and breathing for so very long :thumbup:

It has been over a year since I actually contributed to this thread with pics, so I suppose it's time to step up to the plate and pull my share of the load.
All of these knives have been posted many times and in most cases with better photography than I can provide, but that ain't gonna slow me down! So in the next few posts I will get caught up to the latest release.

I last posted after the Rendezvous of 2014, since then Charlie has commissioned 25 knives to add to the ever growing TC family. His next release was the 2nd Year Anniversary Barlows, 4 knives to celebrate the TC's Birthday as though it was a surprise that his idea was still alive and well. Or as The Man himself put it " Whooda Thunkit"???
These are some of the most beautiful knives in the whole TC line IMO, the Red Soup Bone and 3 Brazilian Rosewood examples. The Very RED Soup sports a long pull clip blade as does 1 of the Rosewoods. The other 2 Rosewoods have a long pull Sheepfoot and a Spear with standard nail nick.
Personally I could NOT resist the Red Soup and added a factory second to EDC. I love the deep rich Red GEC achieved and the striking contrast with the Black of the marrow bone. If any of you are familiar with Native American culture you know that Red and Black are War colors, they symbolize blood and death! Here is my EDC Red Soup....

This is the pretty one I set aside for the collection.....

Here are the 3 Brazilian Rosewoods. To do this wood justice I needed more light than this overcast day provided. In person and in some of the other pics posted in this thread the colors just "POP"

And of course the Birthday tube, both front and back celebrating the second year anniversary! The Front Label Bucket says "Charlies Soup" and Red seems to be the color of choice. Red tennis shoes, handkerchief, party hat and a Red rose to stir the soup. Additions to this label include Anniversary Banner, Chef's Hat and a green party favor to make noise with!!

Back label has a few words from our Grateful Barlow Dreamer and of course.......a Cake!!

More to follow............
Dave

 

[Campbellclanman]

Awesome! Lovely knives Dave......Ok....Chair, Popcorn....Im set...bring 'em on Dave Sir....

 

[waynorth]

I'm on the edge of my chair also!!

 

[chisumr]

That makes three of us....let's see em Dave!

 

[knowtracks]

After the 2nd Anniversary Barlows release came the time of the Sheepfoot!! The Sheepfoot and the Clip have always been competing for the top spot in the usefulness category in my book and I'm glad I don't have to pick just one and stay with it.
There are 7 knives in this release, all have French or long pull. There are both a single and a 2 blade version in Antique Yellow Jigged, Tan Jigged Bone and Palo Santo wood. Also included in this release is a single blade Amber Soup Bone which fits right in with the bucket that states "Mutton Stew"
The single blades....

2 blades to follow......

Dave

 

[knowtracks]

The label for the Sheepfoot has our Barlow leader apparently looking back to a time when kings were crowned and the "revolution" was in it's infancy. The Blues had a baby and they called it Rock n Roll
The Mutton Stew label has a "Real Sheepfoot" Banner, Huck has a halo and an Elvis doo while Tom sports the blue swede shoes!! A couple of Ewes were added and Huck has a soup ladle for the Mutton Stew......

The rear label has our Friend reminiscing his younger day and looking forward to what may be?????? Personally I think the last line is Very prophetic......."Great Legends Endure" which is what you are building My Friend, for both the TC and Yourself.:thumbup::thumbup:

The 2 blades.......

Up next.....A New Day!!!

Dave

 

[wundergussy]

Great posts, Dave! The 2015 sheeps are excellent; love the jigging and the Saulo Panto is a wonderful addition to the pattern. Also, I think the soups have some of the nicest covers in the brief history of these knives. You're making me reach for a sheep this morning!

 

[wundergussy]

And so I will