All About Pocket Knives

Some time ago the Barlow pattern really captured my imagination. There is something so utilitarian and functional about them that I cannot help but admire them as a well-designed tool. They fit the hand so well that they seem a natural extension of one's hand. Yet, they can be very elegant as well. Most of the older Barlows were made as tools and not as collectors’ items.

Levine's #4 describes the Barlow as, "a cheap sturdy pattern intended for older boys." However, the Barlow has endured for 200 plus years. It is a pattern that I collect and usually carry in my pocket.

Let's see some of the Barlows that you have. I will start this thread by showing a few of mine.

Dale

Nice ones Dale, Here are a couple of mine, I've showed them before on different areas of this forum, so please excuse the repetion. I am thinking about rehandling the Ulster, although I'm still not sure if I should or not.

here's two that I have.

Rusty1

here's mine. a 1980 stag and a xx usa with redbone

Good old Barlows...nice ones gents.

Here are a few of mine...

Bill

I have a bad case (no pun) of Barlow deficiency. Thankfully I have you all to show me what I am missing. Those are great old knives. The Barlow must be one of the truly venerable old patterns IMO. Thanks s-k

all my barlows. 2 kabars, 1 imperial and a Queen #22. Never had a barlow till my son said how much he liked them. Once I got a few , Iwas hooked.

Those are some impressive Barlows gents, I especially enjoy the older Ulster..

Here are a few more to share. One matched set, and one user.

Bill

A great start gents! I will have to send Charlie an email, I know he has just a few.

I will have to get busy with my scanner and post more of mine.

Dale

I may have showed these before. Case, Boker and Queen.

Love them Barlows! After carrying one for years, I discovered that there was quite a variety out there, and one led to another. . . . . .
First: small, regular, and extra large! Then some venerable Russells, all old except the last one; and finally, too numerous to mention. . . .

Great stuff Charlie!
I am glad you found the thread. I was getting ready to send you an email, because you had said before that you would be interested in a Barlow thread, and I had seen some of your Barlows in other forums. Nice collection.

Dale

I thought I would put a couple more on here this morning.

Dale

For more info on the Prince Albert Ulster Old Timers, check out Larry's site, Collectors of Schrades: http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/
Larry has an excellent articles on the history of the PA offer and a recent update to the history which answered a lot of questions for me. Thanks Larry

DV

Dale, did Ulster make those barlows ONLY for the tobacco promotion, or were they regular stock also? Can one differentiate between promos, and regulars if any?

Charlie,
Here are pictures of two Ulster Barlows that were not made for the Prince Albert promo.

The PA promo Barlow says "OLD TIMER/BARLOW" on both bolsters in Ariel style font. The tang is stamped ULSTER/U.S.A./10OT and this knife has brass liners.

The two other Ulster Barlows that I have have ULSTER/BARLOW in cursive type font on the bolsters with an arrow between the words Ulster & Barlow, (see pics).

The clip blade is a #10. The tang reads: ULSTER/U.S.A./10. It appears to be the same knife as the 10OT for PA promo, except it has steel liners instead of the brass.

The spear point is a #11, also with steel liners. The tang is stamped ULSTER/U.S.A. and 11 is stamped on the pile side tang of the master blade. None of the three have any stampings on the small blade.

I just found picture in a 1960 catalog (from Larry, IIRC), of a #12 Ulster Barlow with a Sheepfoot master blade. All three models are shown in the catalog. I posted a copy below, but is isn't a very large pic. If you click on it, it will open in another window and if you click a second time it will be big enough to read, (at least on my monitor).

I really like Ulsters and Barlows................so, if anyone has a #12 that they want to part with, just let me know.

I hope this helps.
Dale

Ah, thanks for clarifying that for me, Dale!! I have a couple of Ulsters, so now I have to find them, and see what I own!

well, it looks like I have one of the three, now to find the other two . Really nice knives everyone, dig those old russels Charlie.

You guys are getting a head of me barlows , bartender knives all kinds of stuff frankly I think it is great I will try to get around to pulling out some of this stuff. However for right now . I just got home from picking up a knife ( what else ) . I have been out quite abit a lot of stuff around. I was researching it and came across this old Russell barlow pic. So while I was at it I figured I would post a pic of the one I just found, tell me what you think it is unmarked but I would guess fairly rare ( it it the first one like this I have come across ). I have my opinion but i want to verify it before saying however i know there are some civil war buffs and other knowledagable people out there so how about this time you tell me what you think it is age an value ect. I have gotten some amazing stuff this last couple of months I may have cut back on my food or drink. I guess that means I won't be eating as much. Looking forward to some opinions. LT

I just happened to have one of the Prince Albert cans handy.

Sorry did not mean to usurp the thread It just came to mind about the old stag knife as i was posting the russell pics. Did not occur to me it might be impolite until I was eating supper ( which was also breakfast very busy). Soo on that note here are some barlows I just snapped whatever i saw first I have quite a few. the 80th Schrade issues came in real jigged bone and staglon, the little white barlow has the original die next to it and the number is the one I picked when I bought it on the job it was my age then 37. As your can see it was the prisons 50th anniversary so by now the prison is probably a 100. A keen kutter by Schrade contract. The rest to go with the Prince Albert can and whatever I saw first before the floppy in the camera filled up. LT

This is one pattern I do not have yet!{barlows} I need to get busy. Nice knives guys!
Randy

Ahh...........
I knew you wouldn't disappoint us LT!
The page of Russell's you posted..........where did that come from? SWEET old knives!

It is not impolite to post a pic of such a knife as the old stag.........at least not in a knife forum. I like it!!!!!!!!!

Rem Collector- Your pic of the Prince Albert tin reminded me that I have two different tins that had the Ulster Knife offer in them. I will post scans of them. The backs appear to be the same, but the front is different. I don't know which is earlier, but here are the scans. Notice that the price was written on the tin on the right, probably in grease pencil........ $.30 that was quite some time ago.

Dale

Lt , I really like the picture in the picture[ MVC-021S.JPG]
See ya Randy

Wow!
I can't believe this thread has not had a post in almost 3 years.
I thought there was a longer Barlow thread, but couldn't find it.
This one will work Just fine!

Farther up on this page, (nearly 3 years ago), I posted the three patterns of Ulster Barlows from a 1960 catalog and mentioned that I was looking for a #12, with the sheepfoot master blade.

Well, I finally got a good example of one, though it is not stamped with the model number.

Unfortunately someone cleaned it pretty heavily, but the blades are not too bad.

Let's see more Barlows guys!

Dale