What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

DirtDawg said:
When I was a youngster, Imperial, Colonial, and the occasional Barlow with Japan stamped on the blade were all I knew. So yes, for some of us, that's about as traditional as it gets.
As far as "good" goes, heck, if it had both handle scales, and at least one blade wasn't broken off, it was as close to "good" as it got.
Seriously, as beautiful, well constructed, and near perfect as some on these pages get, I'm afraid I cannot even relate to some of them. They are, and always will be, just plain out of my league. Keep 'em coming though kids, I really do enjoy looking at them and drooling on my keyboard.
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Maybe somebody should make sure you have a good Barlow .

Harry
 
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Picked up an interesting plain bolster Winchester barlow. Winchester barlows are not easy to find in good condition, the plain bolster one is slightly longer, about 1/8" and has a slimmer profile and slightly longer blade. Not sure which is older the plain or the Winchester logo one.


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The Barlow boys are in town, and they brought their weird cousins of the family with them. These guys can get a little screwy at times.

Four of these look to have factory grind and never been sharpened. The remaining one had very light use, so I touched up the cutting blade on the Sharpmaker. All are in great shape, but the lower one in the photo seems to have had less friendly storage accommodations in its lifetime. It's beginning to clean up nicely though.

It's amazing the minor variations in these knives. I wonder just what time period these may have been manufactured. Colonial Electrician's Barlows - may be considered by some as non-traditional in the Barlow sense, yet they are still traditional folders.20231224_125706-E14-B-DDS.jpg
 
DirtDawg said:
The Barlow boys are in town, and they brought their weird cousins of the family with them. These guys can get a little screwy at times.

Four of these look to have factory grind and never been sharpened. The remaining one had very light use, so I touched up the cutting blade on the Sharpmaker. All are in great shape, but the lower one in the photo seems to have had less friendly storage accommodations in its lifetime. It's beginning to clean up nicely though.

It's amazing the minor variations in these knives. I wonder just what time period these may have been manufactured. Colonial Electrician's Barlows - may be considered by some as non-traditional in the Barlow sense, yet they are still traditional folders.View attachment 2434143
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Those Barlows are very different . Never saw a Liner Lock or an Electrician before . Very nice my friend .

Harry
 
2013 Saddle Brown Sawcut bone - Geniune Barlow
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