All About Pocket Knives

The barlow is such a classic that I don't think there's a pocket knife manufacturer that hasn't
produced one, from Trevor Ablett to the nameless chinese knockoff.
My aim is to match quality with price and to find a new barlow as close as possible in quality to the old ones.
I don't dispute the Case quality, but I suspect that there may be a cheaper one with
comparable quality but less prestige.
OR, is it realistic to consider an old one which is still not too vintage to use? After all, they were probably the most prolific pocket knife in the U.S.
What do you recommend from your experience of quality barlows, forgetting price?
I consider this forum the foremost authority on pocket knives.

For a great knife at a very reasonable price, I'd suggest one of the Schrade USA barlows. You can get a good deal on one if you watch for them on ebay.

Phil

Maybe a Bear and Son? I havn't bought any of the newer ones, but the MGC's used to be pretty decent knives for fair money.

Thanks fellas. Those are good pointers.
My research turned up Utica Kutmaster knives made in USA but I'm not familiar with that company..

Utica still makes a good Barlow.

glenn wrote: Utica still makes a good Barlow.

Good to know glenn, and Bear & Son in the same price range.
As usual, AAPK is the best.

I received a Utica Premium Stockman for Christmas. Top notch!!

Check this out. $27 not including shipping and made in USA. - http://www.knifecenter.com/item/UT24779 ... nch-jigged

jerryd6818 wrote:I received a Utica Premium Stockman for Christmas. Top notch!!

Check this out. $27 not including shipping and made in USA. - http://www.knifecenter.com/item/UT24779 ... nch-jigged

I'm a little suprisewd about the "one" review stating that the springs were wimpy.
I had a Utica Muskrat for a while that had wicked springs.

Carbon steel for 27 bucks. I'd give it try.
Gotta be better than some imported crap.

MyDogsHunt wrote:

jerryd6818 wrote:I received a Utica Premium Stockman for Christmas. Top notch!!

Check this out. $27 not including shipping and made in USA. - http://www.knifecenter.com/item/UT24779 ... nch-jigged

I'm a little suprisewd about the "one" review stating that the springs were wimpy.
I had a Utica Muskrat for a while that had wicked springs.

Carbon steel for 27 bucks. I'd give it try.
Gotta be better than some imported crap.

I just dragged my stockman out and one blade is soft but the other two are IMO satisfactory. No, they're not gators but I don't have a problem with them. Different strokes for different folks. Maybe it was just the knife he got.

I'm real fond of my Bear barlow but I think a Utica would be a good choice too. Your idea of buying an old classic is good, since there are plenty of reasonably priced ones out there. Personally, I think the Bokers are some of the best.

Just to let you know there are more options, there's this Wostenholm.
The spring on this is pretty strong.

Here's another I*XL Barlow with a twist. It's got blades like a trapper. HELL of a knife.

Boker Grand Canyon was $30 shipped


As mentioned, Schrade USA reasonable prices on auction market.
Particularly on scrimshaw versions or 206 ending out of prime time.
Go with 1983-86 Heritage if you want bone instead of delrin

I have several nice Boker, Case and Kabar Barlow pattern knives...none were expensive and all are great....Boker and Kabar are crbon steel...Herb

I'd look for an older Case or a German made Russell or Boker. Even a CAMCO. I bought these on eBay, they're all nice knives and none were expensive.

A knife collector friend told me he read of a knife club years ago that wouldn't allow you membership unless you owned a Russel Barlow. Must be good stuff

I'm also seeing Russell Green River Solingen barlows on Amazon.
In my experience any production knife except Victorinox carries some risk.
Once I asked a company to check the snap on a knife before shipping and they emailed me back to say
they thought the snap weak and it was the last one in stock so they cancelled the sale. One lost sale can
translate into a loyal customer.
Thanks fellas. I don't want the fun of the chase to end yet, so I'll hold out with my sweet SAK with it's
super smooth snap and continue the search.

Edgewise wrote:I'm also seeing Russell Green River Solingen barlows on Amazon.
In my experience any production knife except Victorinox carries some risk.
Once I asked a company to check the snap on a knife before shipping and they emailed me back to say
they thought the snap weak and it was the last one in stock so they cancelled the sale. One lost sale can
translate into a loyal customer.
Thanks fellas. I don't want the fun of the chase to end yet, so I'll hold out with my sweet SAK with it's
super smooth snap and continue the search.

Edgewise, I don't want to hijack this thread but could you elaborate on the bolded sentence please. When I look at those knives it's hard to take them seriously, although I know I'm wrong. Are you saying they are a "cut" above the rest? Just curious. I'm still learning

Joe B, after four years, I'm still very much a learner myself.
I usually buy top brand production knives but have had a few disappointments
in the past. These have included more than one knife with weak snaps and one
beautiful stag stockman with no snap at all on the main blade. I've had a whittler with slight wobbles on the small blades,
and two other knives with slight wobbles on the main blades. I've had a large sodbuster with the wooden
slabs separating from the liner, and a few that needed pliers to open, (better that than no snap at all).
I've had a sheepfoot with the blade so uncentered that it rubbed the liner on one side, and another with a blade that
couldn't open fully, leaving it at an unusual angle to the handle, like a rifle barrel and butt.
I have more SAKs than any other single brand and every single SAK is totally predictable with no surprises.
They open and close very smoothly and their snap is firm without being hard. I suppose that's
automated assembly versus handmade,and I understand that, so this is an explanation of my comment more than a complaint. But it has eventually curtailed my readyness to buy. I live abroad so these knives are only available to me online.

Thank you, Edge, for the response. You answered my question. Sorry for changing the subject.

Now back to the regular program. Barlow quality.

I don't have a Barlow yet. Isn't Barlow a pattern or style of knife that is made by more than one company?

Is there a company called Barlow?

This is Barlow 101 for me

Joe B wrote:Thank you, Edge, for the response. You answered my question. Sorry for changing the subject.

Now back to the regular program. Barlow quality.

I don't have a Barlow yet. Isn't Barlow a pattern or style of knife that is made by more than one company?

Is there a company called Barlow?

This is Barlow 101 for me

Now I'm talking to myself

I quote myself to say, I just reread the whole thread and my dumb questions were answered.

I think I've been told to read, read, read. So I'll read instead of post dumb questions

Somewhere in the dim recesses of my memory I seem to recall that there is, in fact, a Barlow brand or at least was at one time.
Barlow is a term applied to the pattern but I suspect some marketing genius made use of the term as a brand to capatilize on the familarity of the word.

I hear you woseyjales and I've had some stale bread in my time too but when the weak snap is due to assembly instead of gunk, return international S&H cost is compounded by customs import duty and VAT. That's why I chose the reputable companies. I liked the irony of your Victorinox 'barlow' recommendation but I didn't mention at the start that my main reason for wanting a Barlow is to be able to walk around with a real piece of U.S. history in my pocket and do some show and tell at every opportunity, especially in this pocket knife desert I live in . This is why a Cadet doesn't measure up and why I'm attracted to the Russell Green River barlow. Of course THAT piece of history is made in Germany but if Sheffield can figure so prominently in U.S. knife history, I don't see why Germany can't find a place too.
Joe B, if by 'dumb' you mean you still have all that exciting knife information and history to discover, then I'll say bring on dumb.