All About Pocket Knives

I'm doing a little research on Boker barlow knives for a blog post. I'm trying to identify ways to tell the age of the barlow knives.
The other Boker knives have tang stamps to help determine age. Not so much for the barlows. The older ones have only the pattern number stamped on the main blade. (i.e.: 492, 493, 494, 495)
Do you have pics of your old Boker barlow to share? If so, include a description of handle material, liner material, and number of pins in the handle.
Thanks,
-Blue

Here's a couple, Blue. A 493 and a 494. The 494 has steel liners. Both have saw cut Delrin.

Thanks Joe, Those are great! I'm still digging through catalogs, but a few things I've noticed already.
Boker USA used three handle pins on the older knives, but sometime between 1972-1975, they went to only two.
The pre-war Boker barlows all appear to have used steel liners up until sometime between 1941-1953. After that they went to brass. But sometime after 1975, they started using steel again (occasionally).
The handle material was changed from primarily bone to delrin in the 1960s.
Boker still makes the barlow pattern today - in tortoise shell handles, bone jigged in the modern patterns, and stag!
The modern barlow pattern designation - 492, 493, 494, 495 - weren't used until the 1940s. Before that the patterns were 201, 202, & 204 (also a short-lived 391-C)

Thanks Blue.
That's interesting info you have there.
I thought these knives were newer.
Those early pattern numbers are something to look out for.
The bolster stamp are sure different on these two.
I'll check back to see what more you come up with.
I hope to see some different knives.

There must be more Boker barlows out there!

Here's a well used older model 494 with bone handles, 3 pins & a steel liner.

Blue, I bought this one at a local gunshow 2-3 years ago. It was NIB in a small, silver paper box, so I assume it was recently made. OH

Ps Just went out to my shop to look it over good; there is no model number marked on the knife anywhere, however the box end is marked "493 GRC", it is 3-3/8" OAL (actually just a shade under) and has three brass liners. The box is marked on the side: Boker Baumwerk-Solingen.

Blue - You should jump on this one before it gets away. The rarest of the rare, a Boker Barlow with two pen blades. "I don't know folks. It may have been a factory error."

I sent a message to him with an offer of ten bucks if no one buys this two headed calf.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOKER-TREE-BRAN ... 4ab7df939f

I've been watching that one JerryD, but NO WAY am I gonna bid...

I've probably insulted him and I doubt he will even answer my message but I would give him ten bucks just for the curiosity of it.

Blue, here is a Boker 492 I bought today, it has a steel center scale and brass bolster liners inside the handles; the only mark on the tang is the 492 on the Spear blade. I assumed it was made in the USA as it was NOS with other 80's and 90's era knives, but it dosen't have a USA mark.

Thanks Ol' Hunter!
Great photo, by the way.
I'd say you're pretty close on the date. I'm thinking 1975-1981. Made in USA.
Of all the barlows, the ones with the spear point I like the best.

You are welcome Blue, thanks for dating the knife and confirming it's USA status. Thanks for the compliments on the picture - that was a spur of the moment experiment (forgot my Sony camera today). I was leaving the antique/collectible store this afternoon, where I bought several knives, when I noticed the parking lot bumpers were just old RR ties and the sun was behind some heavy cloud cover. I whipped out my Droid phone and took pictures of the knives with the built-in camera - just as good as my Sony digital I think! Here are two more shots I just took in the back yard to illustrate the steel/brass liners and a close-up of the bolster/model number. I'm with you, a Spear blade, especially with that long pull and swedge, looks classy on a Barlow. Thanks again, Old Hunter

Here's my two, a 493 and a 495. First thing I notice is the saw cuts go one way on the 493 and the other way on the 495. Second, look at the stamps on the bolsters - the 493 is more like it was machined in whereas the 495 looks like it was done with a stamp. Also, the 493 has a groove around the base of the bolster while the 495 doesn't. The frames look to be the same, and each has two pins, but the 493 has three brass liners while the 495 has two brass liners and a steel center liner. So there are some distinct differences.

Look at OH's 492. It's in much better shape than my 495, but shares all the characteristics I mentioned above - the saw cuts curve the same way, it has the heavy stamped pattern on the bolster, no groove, two pins and a center steel liner.

And I think FRJ's 493 has these characteristics too, the same saw cuts, the same steel center liner, no groove. His doesn't have such a pronounced stamped look to the bolster pattern, but still it looks more like my 495 than my 493. I'd say his 494 is later because of the fat tree.

And interestingly enough, the one that has the heavy stamped look to the bolster that is closest to my 495 is Gulo's which has three pins and a general aura of being much older.

So who know? It's a fascinating subject and I hope you'll keep us informed as you continue your research, Blue.

trail, that is awesome!
I have only seen one other Boker Barlow with a ringed bolster like that!
Here's a pic. Note the saw marks match yours. All the catalog evidence I have seen for pre-WW2 Boker barlows have ringed bolsters, but they don't have a tree on them They have BOKER in block letters.
In the early 1950s catalogs, both a ringed bolster and smooth bolster are shown. But I don't know if that indicated sawed bone vs. smooth, or a 492 vs. 493 pattern. I suspect the former. But again, there is no tree on the early 1950s Bokers. They have "BOKER" in a cloud, with "Made in USA" above.
Here's a sample. I don't find evidence of barlows in the 1960s catalogs I have. That doesn't mean they weren't made though. I strongly suspect they were.
I'm wondering if the ringed bolsters and tree combination like yours might indicate a late 1950s - early 1960s knife.
PURELY speculation at this point.

Thanks for sharing that one trail!
Are the handles on your 495 bone? Is the 493 delrin?

Here are a few of mine. The top 493 was given to me by my Papaw several years ago, but I don't recall exactly when. His is the well used one, with one of his "mods" he would do. He wanted the point more inline with the handle.

They both have 3 brass liners, and 2 pins. Tangs have 493.

gruntmedik,
How many years did it take for your grandfather to wear that bolster down? That's a real prize! Back to that ol' sayin' "If knives could talk". It's great that you have one from him that is like his. Treefarmer

That is a true "pocket worn" knife right there, what a classic.

I'm not sure how long it took, but he carried it daily, and he had it before he gave me mine. It rode in his pocket with coins, keys, and at least one other knife. He had several pocket knives, and by several, I mean it would have been easier to judge his knives by poundage, versus counting them. He used his knives, and used them well. I have a couple of his old Imperials that are all but used up.

He had an old Boker Whittler pattern in his pocket when he died. My younger brother has that one.

I do remember that when he gave it to me, it had a pocket slip that came with it.

Hello, late to the party, found this 494 on ebay, now trying to learn what the blade steel is.. and a date of manufacture..

The blade looks stainless. It has a steel center liner. Sounds like this is a Delrin scale, thanks for the info!

Welcome to AAPK Jon. Let me bump this up and maybe you'll get an answer to your question.

Hello Jon, welcome to AAPK. Look back in this thread and you will find most answers to your question are bedded in the discussions. The handles on your knife are Delrin, I guess the approximate age of your knife would be mid 1970's, I think the blade steel is stainless (have a 492 in my pocket right now and I would guess the blades are stainless - not a spec on them.) OH

Ps I like your knife - great blade configuration.

Thanks for the info, yes, my 494 with thin tree has delrin handles and stainless blades. I was hoping someone would tell me the kind of stainless (Sandvik?), but nobody has chimed in with that info.

I recently saw another 494, with the Fat Tree on another forum, and the person who showed it indicated it was carbon steel. By the look of it, I agree.

Here is another one:
I see this knife on ebay at the moment, at a very inflated price, and the owner claims it is carbon steel and made in germany. It has a fat tree.

Can anyone here confirm that the fat tree boker 494's were German made and that the fat tree bokers are allways carbon steel?

here is a quote of his description
"This vintage Barlow knife features two high carbon steel blades, (1) sheep foot blade 2-1/2” long and (2) a 1-7/8” long secondary pen blade.
...
The handles, bolsters, brass spacers, brass frames and steel back-springs are well aligned showing the quality of workmanship of a vintage German made Barlow knife."

I didn't think any of the Boker Barlow's were stainless--I carried a 492 I bought new in the 90's and know it was carbon steel blades-are you saying it depends on the shape of the tree if it's carbon or stainless ?
I've got a 493 & 494 I'll dig out later I'm thinkin both are USA and both carbon steel

> are you saying it depends on the shape of the tree if it's carbon or stainless ?

yes, I am asking if the fat tree denotes carbon. The 2 carbon steel 494's I know of have fat trees.

My thin tree 494, also pictured above is definitely stainless. I dont know when the fat tree started, or whether it was made in USA.. (I suspect it is a USA model and that the vendor is mistaken claiming its german made.)

Im only asking those who know more than I do. Im just posting pictures, and noticing a pattern, in a very very small sample of the three 494's I have mentioned, my stainless thin tree and the two carbon fat trees.

Note I am only talking about delrin handled knives with 2 pins, Im not talking about older models with bone handles and 3 pins, that were definitely carbon, not stainless.

Another variations that seems to imply carbon blades, is 3 brass liners, and also ringed bolsters.

My delrin handled 2pin, stainless bladed 494 and the carbon steel 494's I know of, all have brass outer liners, and steel center liners, with fat trees on the carbon bladed ones.

the variations then are
1. ringed bolster, rare, carbon blade
2. three brass liners, carbon blade
3. thin tree with steel center liner, stainless blade
4. fat tree with steel center liner, carbon blade

None of those 4 variants are marked made in USA, but this forum says they are USA made Bokers, other forums think they are german if it does not say USA, as also claimed by the vendor of the carbon 494 I posted. Personally, I think this forum is correct, these are USA made Bokers..