What Makes a Good, Traditional Barlow?

Beautiful Barlows everyone, and waynorth, that wonderful old group makes my heart flutter!!! :)

Here is one of the more unusual Barlow models that I have run across. It's a large fellow at 4-1/2 inches closed and has two unusual features. While not terribly uncommon, lockback Barlows are not often seen but
Russell did offer lockback blades on a few of their models. Most unusual though is the folding handguards which I haven't seen on another Barlow model. The front blade stamp reads "Ideal Products, Inc." which would have been a retailer and not manufacturer. The back of the blade tang read "Solingen Germany" and I believe it was made around the 1950s / 1960s era. It's a fairly well made knife all in all with nickel silver bolsters and folding guards, and attractive celluloid handles.

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I am not sure that Russell made the best Barlows but they were the first to make them in the U.S.A. and actually the very first Barlow that I bought was a Russell . It was and is not in the best of shape . Shown here with my first SEO&S .

So I have been looking for a Better one since at a price that I would pay . It finally arrived yesterday and I posted it on a few of the threads but thought it was now time to put on this thread . Not the best in the world but acceptable to me .



The arrow in the previous picture may look out of Focus but it is not. It was Double Struck and I Like it a lot .


Harry
 
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Old Engineer said:
I am not sure that Russell made the best Barlows but they were the first to make them in the U.S.A. and actually the very first Barlow that I bought was a Russell . It was and is not in the best of shape . Shown here with my first SEO&S .

So I have been looking for a Better one since at a price that I would pay . It finally arrived yesterday and I posted it on a few of the threads but thought it was now time to put on this thread . Not the best in the world but acceptable to me .



The arrow in the previous picture may look out of Focus but it is not. It was Double Struck and I Like it a lot .


Harry
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That looks like a very nice and early Russell Barlow.
 
Old Engineer said:
I am not sure that Russell made the best Barlows but they were the first to make them in the U.S.A. and actually the very first Barlow that I bought was a Russell . It was and is not in the best of shape . Shown here with my first SEO&S .

So I have been looking for a Better one since at a price that I would pay . It finally arrived yesterday and I posted it on a few of the threads but thought it was now time to put on this thread . Not the best in the world but acceptable to me .



The arrow in the previous picture may look out of Focus but it is not. It was Double Struck and I Like it a lot .


Harry
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I just recently acquired my first Russell, it was in a box of knives I bought for a odd Camillus tl29 that someone put together from unfinished parts. The blades haven't had edges ground,(future project)anyway more on it later in another thread. The Russell appears to have Iron bolsters as I can see grain in it as wrought iron would. The sad part though its in worse shape than your first,the pivot pin is broken and the main blade is missing :(. I'll be posting pics soon of my find with the other very badly treated knives in that box(quite a few are paki shi...stuff:poop:) Oh well 10 bucks for the lot,theres a Case XX era one arm barlow thats also in really sad shape. :(
 
Misplaced Hillbilly said:
I just recently acquired my first Russell, it was in a box of knives I bought for a odd Camillus tl29 that someone put together from unfinished parts. The blades haven't had edges ground,(future project)anyway more on it later in another thread. The Russell appears to have Iron bolsters as I can see grain in it as wrought iron would. The sad part though its in worse shape than your first,the pivot pin is broken and the main blade is missing :(. I'll be posting pics soon of my find with the other very badly treated knives in that box(quite a few are paki shi...stuff:poop:) Oh well 10 bucks for the lot,theres a Case XX era one arm barlow thats also in really sad shape. :(
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I am glad that you have your first Russell but un-happy for you that it is in very bad shape my friend . Hopefully you will be able to find pieces to bring it back to life . I would still like to see the As Is pictures .

Harry
 
I do not intend to bore you with my latest Russell Barlow but I have been comparing it with my first one . One thing I noticed with my latest was the Chamfer on both edges of the Blade Splines and it is also there on the first one .

My first one was carried so much that you could not see if it was originally Saw Cut Bone . Latest one shows that it was .

Compared Pin Locations and Bolsters ( Same )

I guess some Fakes had the wrong number of Fletches on the Arrow . Latest is 3 and you can barely see that the first one was also .


Harry
 
Old Engineer said:
I do not intend to bore you with my latest Russell Barlow but I have been comparing it with my first one . One thing I noticed with my latest was the Chamfer on both edges of the Blade Splines and it is also there on the first one .

My first one was carried so much that you could not see if it was originally Saw Cut Bone . Latest one shows that it was .

Compared Pin Locations and Bolsters ( Same )

I guess some Fakes had the wrong number of Fletches on the Arrow . Latest is 3 and you can barely see that the first one was also .


Harry
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I could look at these old Barlows all day
 
Old Engineer said:
I do not intend to bore you with my latest Russell Barlow but I have been comparing it with my first one . One thing I noticed with my latest was the Chamfer on both edges of the Blade Splines and it is also there on the first one .

My first one was carried so much that you could not see if it was originally Saw Cut Bone . Latest one shows that it was .

Compared Pin Locations and Bolsters ( Same )

I guess some Fakes had the wrong number of Fletches on the Arrow . Latest is 3 and you can barely see that the first one was also .


Harry
Click to expand...


Harry, my understanding from what I have read is Russell would use the bolster stamping die until it was worn out so the depth and sharpness of the bolster stamp will vary.
I just picked this one up that has had little use, you can still see original grind marks in blade and bolster. Mine was stamped with a worn die as it is not sharp and some of arrow fletch is weak or missing.
I love the Russell Barlows but finding any in high condition is hard, they came from a part of the country that believed in using a tool until you wear it out.


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Augie said:
Harry, my understanding from what I have read is Russell would use the bolster stamping die until it was worn out so the depth and sharpness of the bolster stamp will vary.
I just picked this one up that has had little use, you can still see original grind marks in blade and bolster. Mine was stamped with a worn die as it is not sharp and some of arrow fletch is weak or missing.
I love the Russell Barlows but finding any in high condition is hard, they came from a part of the country that believed in using a tool until you wear it out.
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Thank you for the information John . After looking at the pictures of your very nice new old Russell it is very easy to believe what you say . The Saw Cut bone is basically not touched but the Arrow Fletching looks very worn .
It seems like I remember reading a few years back that some people were making Fake Russels and had the Fletching count wrong . I know that there were a number of well known Repros that do not have the right number . I am sure those companies were not trying to fool people though . In fact , I just won some bidding this morning on one of the Green River ones made in Solingen . I now have only One Model left to find to finish my Quest for the Standard Sized Russels from Russel and Repros. That would be the 1933 to 1941 Russells .
Take care my friend and be safe out there .

Harry
 
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