All About Pocket Knives

I'm a case man myself but I ran across this one at a yard sale. Anyone know anything about F A Bower knifes?

FA Bower was a U.S. importer (not a brand name) located in Jacksonville Florida from 1950 to about 1985.

Knives were imported from Germany and Italy.


Tim

Sorry about my manners

WELCOME to AAPK


Tim

Welcome to AAPK!

I've had a couple of the smaller ones (normal sized, not the 5" "daddy barlow"). Springs were fairly good, blade took and held an edge about like a Case of the same vintage. Not a bad knife at all, but lacking the name-recognition of many of the larger manufacturers like Case, Camillus, Schrade, etc. The ones I've seen sell seem to usually go in the $20-30 window in good condition.

And welcome to AAPK!

You made me curious Jim. Wow! Prices have gone up.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... Complete=1

Never saw any Bower folders;just fixed blades.Here is my only one(2nd knife from the top) marked,"Original Buffalo Skinner" with a 9 1/2" blade.

bjamming i dont know about bower myself but i do have this little bower that i picked from mattox knives before the site was closed mr mattox had it listed as being made in the 1930s the knife is really well made with some nice bone handles here is a couple pics of it

to AAPK.

I've got one of those Bower barlows and I think they are great little knives. Snaps like a gator and has that excellent Solingen steel. Can't beat that IMO.


Phil

I've had a handful of different patterns, & the older ones always had really nice color of bone & jigging patterns. Moderate price range for the 50's-60's era knives.



http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... ge_id=3758

I think they produced a couple of respectable Remington Bullet trapper reproductions, too.
Charlie Noyes

RobesonsRme.com wrote:I think they produced a couple of respectable Remington Bullet trapper reproductions, too.
Charlie Noyes

Charlie: I believe you may be thinking of the BOWEN Knife Co that produced the Remington look-alikes.I have an R1306 I bought new and they are nice knives. For some reason I can't locate the picture;I'll have to dig it out and photograph it.

You are correct.

Bowen, not Bower.

Getting old is not for the aged.

Charlie Noyes

My uncle buys and sells knives,but mostly all case pre mid 70s, and one day he mentioned Bower as a reasonably priced ,and pretty good knife.

I ended up with 3 Barlow's,and a Stockman. The small 2 blade Barlow's I have seen come in different color,strawberry, light brown,medium brown and I believe I seen a pale white. These have F.A Bower imp.co on the front main tang and Solingen 65 on the backside. They have solid half stop ,and great snap.
I have a larger Bower Barlow which is a 2 blade aswell ,but the tang reads F.A Bower Dist.co.,and Solingen 35. Both of the Barlow's seem to be made of good carbon steel,and take a nice edge.
The Stockman I have ,has a Bower oval shield on the handle and the same on the tang with Solingen Germany on the reverse & has no half stop. The bone looks pretty decent,but it doesn't seem to be as old and looks like the blades are stainless? (Never sharpened)

I would love to be guided to some info. on the difference between or history of the import and the distribution co. knives.


** Looking to buy a Bower Solingen 93 "premium stock knife" etched on the main if the price is right,and in nice shape" **