Imperial Prov RI USA Barlow

afishhunter · Dec 13, 2015

I was not sure if I should post this here, or over in Mr. Levine's forum. Anyway, if I posted this in the wrong place, will the moderators please kill this thread.

I have a standard Imperial Barlow, tang stamp:

Imperial
Prov RI
"USA" is vertical, after the Imperial and Prov RI.

Clam Shell(?) construction; the "bolsters" and handle are held on by a metal tab at each end.
Carbon steel blades. (Did they use 1095, or something else?

Is there any way to date this knife?

Thanks in advance.

Bob W · Dec 13, 2015

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/554106-Imperial-Tang-Stamp-Chart

Looks like a later construction, from 1956 to 1988 when the R.I. plant closed and production was moved to Ireland and stainless.
I probably is 1095, but I don't know for sure.

Those Imperial Barlows were the most common knife when I was a kid in the 1970s and early '80s. :thumbup:

afishhunter · Dec 13, 2015

Thanks very much.

deltaboy · Jan 10, 2016

I got about 6 of them. I love them.

Bloefield · Feb 7, 2016

Here's a few -Providence and Ireland.

edbeau · Feb 8, 2016

Most of these are Imperial or Colonial. I like advertising knives.

tongueriver · Feb 9, 2016

That is one barlific box of cutlery there! I see a couple of daddy barlows in there, also.

edbeau · Feb 9, 2016

They are fun to collect.

edbeau · Feb 9, 2016

The left daddy barlow in the box is a Colonial. Two in the front are imperial. Back left is a Camco.

deltaboy · Feb 16, 2016

They are great little Knifes and you can find them at times for under a dollar.

r redden · Feb 17, 2016

Ed that's a fine looking bunch of Barlows. I really like the advertising knives and you sir have a great collection of them. :thumbup:

edbeau · Feb 18, 2016

Thank you, r redden. As I said they are fun to collect.

deltaboy · Feb 25, 2016

They are great to find and they take a nasty sharp edge.