All About Pocket Knives

All,
I was wondering what you have found to be the most difficult patterns to locate in your experience with this brand. A top three would be great.

Thanks

This is an interesting topic.
The pattern that I've never seen (or that I can remember ) is an older barlow.
There's a few newer ones floating around.
I have an older Fan Brand barlow, but I've never seen an Eye Brand.

Another is a whittler (3-blade).
There's lots of newer ones, but I can't remember seeing an old one.

Thanks,

Keith,
Maybe some of the guys can help us here but I m not a bit sure there was an older Barlow pattern. Whittlers are out there, you just gotta find 'em. I ran one a while back on the bay but I think it was my last one. They sell pretty good.

Ray

the whittler i remember best was in black bone & was quite robust.a real treat was that the back springs were tapered to meet in the frame. no spacer. HiPower

Can someone post a photograph of a Whittler?

Here are some I found in my files.

Ray

Answering Mark's first question, a few of my top 3 most difficult to find would be:

1. Extra Large 6 in. Trapper in bone handles.
2. Two blade parallel budding knife
3. Yellow and White handle Melon Tester's

I think there are a few out there but it takes some real digging to find them.

As to the barlows, I found one with a "straight line" Schlieper stamp with black wood handles, and another one in nice bone handles with the C.Schlieper stamp plus an Eye etched on the bolster.

Joe D.

EyeBJoe, what era do you think that lower Barlow is from? The one with the eye on the bolster?

Handlewithcare, I am unable to be very specific as to the vintage of the bone handled barlow. I purchased the knife from Mark Cruse in the late 1980's in a grouping of knives that he allowed me to purchase as additions to my collection. A few of the knives in the group, including the barlow, were knives that Schlieper in Germany had sent to Cruse as possibilities for adding to the import line of products. For reasons unknown the barlow did not make the cut. My best guess and opinion is that it is a 1970's knife and would have made a great addition. I, also, would be interested in other specific info. from the group. There just aren't that many Schlieper barlows out there.

Figured I'd revive the topic...unfortunately, I've found no info concerning Schlieper barlows...definitely something I've never seen until I seen the pics Mr.Dobbs posted. Those are extremely nice pieces!
I do happen to have the big brother of jacks though...6" bone trapper...a massive pocket knife. Of course, this one is a little easier to determine its age being the date year is on the blade...and after a little internet research I've discovered it was 1 of 450...this one being #440.
My inquiry is, was this 6" pattern exclusively produced in '86...or was there multiple years it was released. Either way, it's one of my favorites. Pictures really don't do it justice...I mean, when you have this knife in hand...well, it's simply a lot of knife!

Perry

Great Knife, prairiedog. My memory (always subject to qualifications.......) is that Mark Cruse commissioned this knife as a one time limited edition run of 450 in 1986. At the knife shows in Texas of the day, Mark was being encouraged to produce a limited edition knife as it seemed that every other knife manufacturer was doing the same. The knife was a revival of the largest trappers that were part of the line of knives in the 50's and 60's. This pattern and size remains one of my favorite Eye Brands. The older examples are very difficult to locate. Nice find.

Joe D.

Thanks Mr.Dobbs...I bet the old ones are real lookers! I have the big stockman from that era...and I think I recall seeing the big copperhead...but I've yet to see the trapper.

Here's my whittler. It's hard to make out the blade etch now with the patina, but it's a two eye etch with an eye stamped on the tang if every blade.

Dad bought it used in the very early 80's or late 70's. It originally had Christmas tree celluloid scales and they started gassing out so I had Glennbad put some real nice red stag on it. Best I can figure it's from the 70's.

This is Glennbad's photo. It's better than mine.

Nice knife Colonel...always wondered if anyone had experienced gassing handles with Eye brand. I recall someone in a previous topic mentioning the instability of the Christmas tree handles....and EyeBJoe also has shown an example just recently of gassing handles. Regardless, the red stag was an excellent choice for replacement.
By the way, what part of Ky are you from??? I'm about 80 miles south of Louisville near Rough River...BigBlueNation!

Thanks Prariedog! Yeah the bolsters and shield had started to discolor and the scales were shrinking. I knew if I didn't do something it'd eat the rest of the knife. Thankfully there was no damage to the blades or liners.

I know where Rough River is! I used to pastor a church over in Grayson County near Canneyville. I'm a life long Barren County boy myself, just west of Glasgow.

Colonel, What a coincidence...I'm from Grayson Co...Leitchfield to be exact...heck, we're practically neighbors!

PerryWayne

Howdy neighbor! You ever go to jockey day in Leitchfield? I like to go when u can. We ought to meet up over there someday.