What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

[RDaneel]

Fantastic soup bone, MCar! And a great wood now southpaw! :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[r8shell]

I found a pretty old one today. Anyone have an idea just how old? I need to take better pictures tomorrow when the light's better, but I'm too excited to wait. Empire Knife Co. Winsted, CT:




I searched this thread for Empires, and only see a few, and those have long pulls rather than a nail nick. I wonder which came first?

 

[Campbellclanman]

Nice grab there R8shell - looking forward to seeing more of that!

Cant see in the photo so well - is that Old ebony - or bone? Charlie will know all about the Empire brand, I am sure once he sees this we will hear from him!

 

[r8shell]

Nice grab there R8shell - looking forward to seeing more of that!

Cant see in the photo so well - is that Old ebony - or bone? Charlie will know all about the Empire brand, I am sure once he sees this we will hear from him!

Ebony.

 

[Atiger]

Congratulations on a fine acquisition - would love to add one of those to my collection sometime.

I found a pretty old one today. Anyone have an idea just how old? I need to take better pictures tomorrow when the light's better, but I'm too excited to wait. Empire Knife Co. Winsted, CT:




I searched this thread for Empires, and only see a few, and those have long pulls rather than a nail nick. I wonder which came first?

 

[paulhilborn]

What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

When you receive such a great gift as this from the man himself "Charlie" :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

A vintage "Empire Winsted CT" Barlow with ebony? covers that scream character. Centered blade with no wiggle at all and gorgeous deep stamped "EMPIRE" bolsters!!!

A gift I will treasure forever Charlie, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Here's a link to the story behind this great knife: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1134237-Thank-you-Mike-Charlie-and-Jack!!!

Paul

Rachael, I was the very fortunate recipient to receive an almost identical Empire Barlow from Charlie. We own a furniture store today the we renamed after my dad's furniture store called "Empire Home Furnishings" so after Charlie had read my post he had sent it to me...

I'd be interested to see the blade open if you have a chance:thumbup:

 

[Jack Black]

Nice find r8shell :thumbup:

 

[supratentorial]

Nice oldies :thumbup:

 

[r8shell]

Congratulations on a fine acquisition - would love to add one of those to my collection sometime.

Nice find r8shell :thumbup:

Thanks, guys. One of my favorite aspects to this hobby is fixing up and carrying 100+ year old knives. Every once in a while the blind squirrel finds a nut that's too rare to use, and I'm afraid this might be one. I haven't done anything to it but oiling the pivot and springs.

Rachael, I was the very fortunate recipient to receive an almost identical Empire Barlow from Charlie. We own a furniture store today the we renamed after my dad's furniture store called "Empire Home Furnishings" so after Charlie had read my post he had sent it to me...

I'd be interested to see the blade open if you have a chance:thumbup:

That is wonderful, Paul! A most generous gift from a wonderful guy. :thumbup:

Here's a few more pictures. It's in pretty good shape, but shows much more wear than yours. It snaps closed pretty well, though you can feel the wear at the half stop. No wobble when open.

 

[paulhilborn]

Thanks Racael, yours is a BEAUTIFUL Barlow with years of life left. The old knives seem (to me) to take such a scary sharp edge. Yes, today's knives get Sharp as well but the Old ones seem to get just that little bit sharper

I carry my Empire on special occasions, like on the day we started our Grand Opening with our new/old name:thumbup:

 

[blee]

I got into growing figs last year. Nothing ripe yet on my small trees, so I bought a few figs from the Farmer's Market today.

One of my favorite TC Barlows.

 

[Campbellclanman]

blee Sir- now that knife looks goooooood!

 

[blee]

Thanks, Duncan, I appreciate that!

 

[Augie]

Rachel, great find on that Empire, not common at all.

Bob, nice use of the Ancient, nice picture also.

 

[Augie]

Picked up this Catt over the weekend, well pocket worn, main blade has been shortened some but still tight and snappy.

 

[Jack Black]

I thought this exchange (and hopefully ongoing discussion) in the EDC thread might be better here :thumbup:

A couple of great knives, Jack! Interesting definition of Barlow under the I*XL....

(Hope you don't mind me quoting you here Dean :thumbup

Thanks Dean, it's from The Yorkshire Dictionary of Dialect, Tradition, and Folklore. I have heard it used, but we most commonly said 'Kings' when I was a kid. You don't get safer than a Barlow though :thumbup:

Adding a pic

Hmm, that is interesting. I remember using this in games here in Australia as a child, and it's still in currency - although here it's 'barley'. I wonder if this is a more archaic form that came over with the English colonists or vice versa. Here 'barlow' would not have a common word, given that that pattern of knife is known as a 'bunny knife.' In fact contemporary imported barlows from the Egginton owned residue of the great Sheffield cutlers will still commonly have the 'bunny knife' inscription on them.

That's very interesting Cambertree. Actually the names Barlow and Barley have the same root etymologically, and in the distant past, particularly when few people could read or write, they appear to have been quite interchangeable. The Sheffield cutler Obadiah Barlow may well have been born Obadiah Barley, the name recorded on his apprenticeship records. Knife aside, it's interesting that the word may have been in use continuously by children for several hundred years

Would I be right in supposing that even a long-bolstered jack knife with a clip-blade would have been referred to as a Bunny Knife in Australia? Do you know how long that name goes back? Contemporary Sheffield cutlers can get very confused about knife patterns ( ), but isn't the Eggington 'Bunny Knife' a short-bolstered Jack?

Would you mind if I copy this conversation over to the Barlow thread, as I dare say that one or two people, not least Charlie, will find it of interest there?

 

[Luger1952]

Augie/John, Nice Catt with such beautiful bone handles! I sure would like to see more of your Barlow collection. I saw your knife roll in the GEC Rendezvous Thread with all those wonderful Barlows but couldn't make out many of the bolsters. Anyway just thinking out loud Lloyd

 

[pearl2291]

Shapleigh Diamond Edge in the Pocket Today.

 

[Augie]

Augie/John, Nice Catt with such beautiful bone handles! I sure would like to see more of your Barlow collection. I saw your knife roll in the GEC Rendezvous Thread with all those wonderful Barlows but couldn't make out many of the bolsters. Anyway just thinking out loud Lloyd

Thanks Lloyd, I might try to take pictures this winter but would probably have to do in groups of 10 to get any detail.

 

[Augie]

Jack, thanks for posting the additional Barlow information and that I*XL has some wonderful old bone on it.

Scott, nice picture of the Diamond Edge, wonderful bone on that one also.