What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

[TheApostleP]

I can see this humble Camillus Barlow, sitting on top of the top plate of a garage wall - for a couple of decades!!
Not really abused - just lonesome and un-used, un-loved!!
It cut a few things, but nobody ever sharpened it much, nor applied oil regularly - sniff!!!!

Come to Papa little knifey!! I will lube you well, and rub you down with an oily cloth!! Nice blades you've got there! Recurved clip - you look and snap like a class "A" Remington!!
I won't erase your patina - that's part of your character!! But I will give you a nice edge, and take you for a ride now and then!!
This is the first day of the rest of your life good buddy!!:thumbup:

What a beauty! She's in good hands now!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheFactor]

I'm glad I'm not the only one around here who talks to their knives.

The only time you have to worry is when they talk back [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[waynorth]

Thanks for bumping the post up to this page, Rob!!
And I am doing my best for this guy!
After a good oiling, the action smoothed out (it wasn't too bad to begin) and is strong and snappy - main pull 7-8, and pen 6-7 - just perfect!!
So, I was rubbing the blades with an oily rag, and a salesman's number popped up out of the shallow corrosion layer!! Interesting!!

Maybe this knife spent some time in a (luxurious?) knife roll before it was released into the harsh world?!?!
The main blade has a decent edge now, if not as sophisticated as one of Rob's fine cutting edges. I'll get to the pen another day. . . . . . .

 

[waynorth]

I'm glad I'm not the only one around here who talks to their knives.

Sometimes they are the only thing around worth listening to!!
(Not in my house of course!!)

 

[MJ71]

Quality. That ephemeral dimension which, as Pirsig says, we have great difficulty in defining, but no difficulty in knowing when it is absent. That, at least, is my basic understanding of one of the many points he's getting at in his classic work. So too, I think, with the humble Barlow. What makes a good traditional Barlow? My answer is: quality. It need have nothing to do with the brand, nor even the age, or history of the object. Although those elements can certainly give momentum to the quality train. Barlow quality, I tentative venture, is something that arrives and is judged through the senses: the weight, the finish, the sheen, the texture, the proportions, the optics. It's in the fact that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Quality is in the essential form and function of the things we enjoy using. For some time now, I've found it nigh on impossible to divorce quality and the GEC TC Barlow releases. These are singular in the way they command attention. In a throw-away-here-today-gone-tomorrow world, it's important that things of quality are made and that they endure. To Charlie, and everyone involved with these knives, thank you for your commitment to quality.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GE Jr]

I can see this humble Camillus Barlow, sitting on top of the top plate of a garage wall - for a couple of decades!!
Not really abused - just lonesome and un-used, un-loved!!
It cut a few things, but nobody ever sharpened it much, nor applied oil regularly - sniff!!!!

Come to Papa little knifey!! I will lube you well, and rub you down with an oily cloth!! Nice blades you've got there! Recurved clip - you look and snap like a class "A" Remington!!
I won't erase your patina - that's part of your character!! But I will give you a nice edge, and take you for a ride now and then!!
This is the first day of the rest of your life good buddy!!:thumbup:

That is a beautiful Barlow Charlie! I love that Sugar Daddy candy color that a lot of the old ones seem to become. It appears to me that the center pin is a bit closer to the bolster on this knife, and some of the other Camillus Barlows that I have seen (in pictures of) around here. My first thought is that they have a stronger pull, and maybe more snap because of this. Is this so...or maybe the springs are made shallower allowing a lighter action than it seems?

 

[waynorth]

Great mini-treatise on Quality MJ!!!

Glad you enjoy the details of that Barlow, GE!!!

I have never figured out all the ins and outs, about spring-pin placement, GE.
I do know that besides giving a more aggressive cutting geometry, a recurved cutting edge, as seen on this Barlow, and many other knives, most notable Remingtons, the recurve also avoids blade knock, or blade strike, against the pin-hump in a backspring.

 

[Atiger]

Posted this in the daily carry thread but it probably draws more interest here. Old Ulster "Easy Cut" with cracked ice handles.

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

 

[Augie]

Thats a rare one Atiger, nice find.

Charlie, that Camillus is a great find, looks to be unused, like you say,probably put away in an shed an garage and forgot about. The rust on the bolsters just looks like surface rust and should clean up OK. I use hand method that seems to work dealing with the rust without giving the knife the over buffed look.

I rub some of the hard green polishing compound on a scrap of leather and the gently rub the rusted area of the knife on it, it removes the rust and does polish some but the finish looks close to factory. The Case Tested I showed you at the Rendezvous was found in similar condition to your Camillus and I was able to remove the rust using that method. I'm trying to not remove the patina but deal with the rust. Before and after pics of the Case.

 

[waynorth]

Thanks for the tip, John! That's a beautiful Case!
It must take a fair bit of rubbing to achieve that level of removal. I am very cautious of removing too much. For instance, I could easily lose those numbers on the blade, which would not be good IMO.
I've a mind to wait, procrastinate a bit!!

 

[Campbellclanman]

Augie Sir- beautiful Case there my friend- I wonder what preserved the tip of the blade - as to not surface rust with the rest of the blade- in most cases we see the rust along the top of the blade where it isn't covered by the Liners etc- ( not talked about gassing off here with Cells - as we know that's rusts within).
I wonder if it was a greasy Thumb?

 

[Augie]

Thanks Duncan, I don't know what protected the tip, maybe had some manufacturing oil there, one of those 70 year old mysteries.

 

[paulhilborn]

Charlie, MJ, Atiger and John, such wonderful Barlows I'd say:thumbup:

Now an updated one from way back, you know circa 2014 not forgotten but had sat in my safe way in the back for sometime. While searching for a car title I was pleasantly reminded that this knife belonged to me and quickly popped the tube top and in my pocket with pride...what a BEAUTY, check out the swedge/swage on the pen

 

[TheFactor]

Very nice Paul !
I bet it was a nice surprise to find that baby again [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mrknife]

just got in!!!

thanks again Charlie!!

 

[TheFactor]

^^Another Beauty ! Man I love this thread !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[paulhilborn]

Jack listen to the distant chants..."use it" "use it" "use it" Just kidding buddy, she's a BEAUTY:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Ramrodmb]

just got in!!!

thanks again Charlie!!

Ha... Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ironbut]

Charlie, MJ, Atiger and John, such wonderful Barlows I'd say:thumbup:

Now an updated one from way back, you know circa 2014 not forgotten but had sat in my safe way in the back for sometime. While searching for a car title I was pleasantly reminded that this knife belonged to me and quickly popped the tube top and in my pocket with pride...what a BEAUTY, check out the swedge/swage on the pen

That is a nice one! Here's one that came in the mail yesterday. My new user.

 

[7thWVCAV]

Thats a rare one Atiger, nice find.

Charlie, that Camillus is a great find, looks to be unused, like you say,probably put away in an shed an garage and forgot about. The rust on the bolsters just looks like surface rust and should clean up OK. I use hand method that seems to work dealing with the rust without giving the knife the over buffed look.

I rub some of the hard green polishing compound on a scrap of leather and the gently rub the rusted area of the knife on it, it removes the rust and does polish some but the finish looks close to factory. The Case Tested I showed you at the Rendezvous was found in similar condition to your Camillus and I was able to remove the rust using that method. I'm trying to not remove the patina but deal with the rust. Before and after pics of the Case.

That's a really beautiful knife and you did a really fine job of bringing this gem back to life. Great work!