What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

Let's play the guessing game...
One guess, they will produce another run with spear main, but with the pen blade behind the main.
Second guess, a straight main blade (sheepsfoot/wharncliffe) with pen behind.
Honestly, I'd like both, so maybe I'm not guessing, just wishing :p

Fausto
:cool:
 
Fausto you are a better guesser than the average Folk!
There is a short run of Pile-Pen Spears coming up at the end of April, for those who had a problem with the Mark-Pen Spears. (Are we developing a new Language here?? - - - I guess just a variation on the old one!).
Just 100 knives. Half Ebony, Half Sawcut.
 
Here you go Sarah---sorry for how dark some pictures came out :o

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Paul
 
The color on the Kutmaster and the color on some of the TCs look very much alike.
Nice knives, and nice pics!
 
The Tom's Choice showed up Monday. Very nice knife. I put it in a desk drawer along with some of my Case Barlows that I keep in the house. Thought I'd take a group shot. I'll bet ole "Huck" and Huck's friend "Jim" would have liked this knife too. Tom would've given them one too I'd bet.

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The red bone Case on the left with the nail nicks on the mark side is from the 1940 - 1964 era. The appaloosa bone Case was made in 1981. The GEC TC was of course made in 2013. The red bone Case on the right was made in 1970.
 
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waynorth said:
Fausto you are a better guesser than the average Folk!
There is a short run of Pile-Pen Spears coming up at the end of April, for those who had a problem with the Mark-Pen Spears. (Are we developing a new Language here?? - - - I guess just a variation on the old one!).
Just 100 knives. Half Ebony, Half Sawcut.
Click to expand...

One of each in my sights!
 
man all of these barlows are so beautiful. what do you guys prefer, single or double blade? i like the idea of having two blades but the single bladed barlows look like they are easier to get a purchase of with the smaller blade out of the way to open it.
 
waynorth said:
Fausto you are a better guesser than the average Folk!
There is a short run of Pile-Pen Spears coming up at the end of April, for those who had a problem with the Mark-Pen Spears. (Are we developing a new Language here?? - - - I guess just a variation on the old one!).
Just 100 knives. Half Ebony, Half Sawcut.
Click to expand...

Good idea on their part. It isn't difficult to get at the main blades on my two blade spears, but I would jump at the chance to get one of these barlows with the pen blade on the opposite side.
 
I prefer two blades. All of the knives shown in my picture above have two blades - a clip and a pen.
 
Single. But that is my overwhelming favorite, regardless of pattern.

- Christian
 
Paul and Ed, thanks for the great photos, those barlows show what I think Charlie was shooting for in this SFO.
waynorth said:
Fausto you are a better guesser than the average Folk!
There is a short run of Pile-Pen Spears coming up at the end of April, for those who had a problem with the Mark-Pen Spears. (Are we developing a new Language here?? - - - I guess just a variation on the old one!).
Just 100 knives. Half Ebony, Half Sawcut.
Click to expand...
Hooray!
I had no problem with the mark-pen spears...would like to find one still. But I will also be on the lookout for an Ebony pile-pen spear, to go with my Ebony mark-pen clip (oh, this is fun, how many ways can we put a hyphen in these sentences?)
R
 
paulhilborn said:
Here you go Sarah---sorry for how dark some pictures came out :o

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Click to expand...

Thanks, Paul, and no need to apologize! I really enjoy seeing both of them together. Thanks for all the different views. :thumbup:

xtonesterx said:
man all of these barlows are so beautiful. what do you guys prefer, single or double blade? i like the idea of having two blades but the single bladed barlows look like they are easier to get a purchase of with the smaller blade out of the way to open it.
Click to expand...

I usually (far) prefer two-bladed knives, just because; I seldom need both blades, but I enjoy fiddling with them and seeing how they fit in front of or behind each other as much as using them. To me, a two-bladed "jack knife," whatever the specific pattern, is a default go-to.

However, one of these latest single-bladed barlows has pounced on me and not let go. I am really enjoying its straightforward simplicity, the blade centered in its handle, the relatively lighter weight. And yes, the main blade is more readily pinchable/accessible than if it had a secondary in front of it (not that there aren't some Pile-Pen double-bladers coming, says the Charlie Bird).

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So, while I still prefer two-bladed knives in general, I love this knife.

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xtonesterx said:
maybe i should just get one of each :)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great idea. :)

~ P.
 
Thanks for showing us your Pile-Pen and Mark-Pen Case Barlows Ed! And they have Marrow Bone!!
Very Nice!!
I am trying to get GEC to do a run of Marrow Bones!! I mean, they do Primitive Bone, and other Ancient crude stuff, not to mention Gnarly stag. Why not Marrow I ask ya???
 
I understand the attraction for those single blades, Sarah. I have been carrying old Boily 1 since December, and added Boily II
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to my pockets as soon as they came in (after a little welcoming ritual!).
I guess combined, they equal a two blade, but they sure are nice on their own as well!
Yours seem to be much more photogenic, however!;)
 
I'm into the idea of having two of each because I can't decide which I prefer. If I had to choose just one, it would be the two-blade, but I can't get over how slim and elegant the one blade is. It's unnoticeable in the pocket, and feels like a quality gentleman's knife in the hand. The 2 blade, on the other hand, feels heftier or more solid when in use which I also really appreciate.
 
waynorth said:
Yours seem to be much more photogenic, however!;)
Click to expand...

Mine has been slightly more camera shy in its awkward adolescence, especially after I sliced open a grapefruit with it and then wandered off, who knows why, and returned later to a distinct "beauty mark":

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After cleaning the blade I lightly wiped it with baking soda paste and rinsed it again (to forestall anything truly unfortunate on the metal level), but beyond that look forward to seeing if/how it's swallowed up in more real-world patina going forward. Which, knowing me, might include forgetting it in a drippy citrus acid situation again! :eek:

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At least I haven't dropped it yet! I mean, again.

;)

~ P.
 
^^ Mwahahaha! I bet that was a Grapefruit pip too right?

Still, it's refreshing to see a few hackneyed knives in this thread :D
 
waynorth said:
Thanks for showing us your Pile-Pen and Mark-Pen Case Barlows Ed! And they have Marrow Bone!!
Very Nice!!
I am trying to get GEC to do a run of Marrow Bones!! I mean, they do Primitive Bone, and other Ancient crude stuff, not to mention Gnarly stag. Why not Marrow I ask ya???
Click to expand...

And they do it with their Calico Bone too Charlie as evidenced by the Calico Bone covers on one of my GEC 79 Whittlers.

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If GEC would put some Marrow Bone covers on these knives, I'd jump on them in a heartbeat.

Thanks for the kind words about my knives Charlie.
 
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