The Great Barlow thread!

[David]

Sweeeeet stag 

[SteveC]

Thanks buddy 

[David]

🤠

[SteveC]

🤠

Great score buddy ! 

[LoopCutter]

Two new BARLOWs.

Labeled Queen Cutlery, these are USA made under the guidance of SMkW.

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Green is jigged bone, Red is smooth bone.

Both are 1095 carbon steel.

Tasteful bolsters and Queen emblems on the handles.

[SteveC]

Two new BARLOWs.

Labeled Queen Cutlery, these are USA made under the guidance of SMkW.

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Green is jigged bone, Red is smooth bone.

Both are 1095 carbon steel.

Tasteful bolsters and Queen emblems on the handles.

How is the F&F and walk and talk ?

[LoopCutter]

How is the F&F and walk and talk ?

Very good or better.

These are not the ROUGH Ryder style or priced quality.

These are right up there with what CASE is expected to delivered.

I am not sure if these are the first batch run from a couple years ago or a second run at the USA BUILD PLAN.

Last I was aware, SMKW had been using BEAR and SON for the Queen label runs.    And D2 was the steel.

These are not of that batch. These are 1095 Carbon Steel.  Price was very reasonable for USA BUILD WITH QUALITY that Rosecraft have been delivering with the the extra inspection effort of the overseas builts.

You have me hooked on trads, and I do look closely at Barlows when I cross paths with one.

Now undecided if I will share these as gifts or if they go on display???  The dye on the Red is light, but not Pink like, just uneven at the edges. The other is very nice.

[SteveC]

Very good or better.

These are not the ROUGH Ryder style or priced quality.

These are right up there with what CASE is expected to delivered.

I am not sure if these are the first batch run from a couple years ago or a second run at the USA BUILD PLAN.

Last I was aware, SMKW had been using BEAR and SON for the Queen label runs.    And D2 was the steel.

These are not of that batch. These are 1095 Carbon Steel.  Price was very reasonable for USA BUILD WITH QUALITY that Rosecraft have been delivering with the the extra inspection effort of the overseas builts.

You have me hooked on trads, and I do look closely at Barlows when I cross paths with one.

Now undecided if I will share these as gifts or if they go on display???  The dye on the Red is light, but not Pink like, just uneven at the edges. The other is very nice.

 They look nice although I'm not a fan of badges on Barlows.

Thanks for the report and congrats !   

[LoopCutter]

I do understand, these are not our father’s BARLOWS that were bought for $2 at the grain store, or $1 at the hardware store.   
These are made to look pretty first then cut.

[David]

Case Crossroads Barlow. Very light. Overall nice knife. 👍🤠

[SteveC]

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[SteveC]

[LoopCutter]

Two of three that arrived this afternoon.

Kentucky Bluegrass Bone Peach Seed Jig Bone
62009 1/2 SS, 7/30/25
(Top)

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(Bottom)
Bubba Gum Pink Bone Standard Jig Barlow
61009 SS, 9/23/25

[Swinger]

So.....after reading some cowboy/western books, I've been hooked on Barlows for a few weeks.  I've bought about 12 in the past 3 weeks, and keep getting more.  I prefer ones with advertisements, as it gives a glimpse into the past when a farmer bought seeds or even a tractor, and got a knife along with it.  Here is what I have so far.



top left, going down:
Colonial with NK seeds logo
plain Imperial that I cleaned up and will be a carry knife
Imperial with "Sperry-NewHolland" tractors
Imperial Diamond Edge with "Baders of Macomb, Inc." I think it was another seed company
Camillus 51 with "1935-1985 CFD" in a cloverleaf.....don't know what that was

Top right, down:
Colonial electricians with "Penolosa CO-OP Exchange"  nice double snap, but I don't like how the screwdriver tip pokes out of the handle, it's a carry knife
next 3 are "the Ideal" brand......I do believe these, while US made, were the very budget line of barlows.  The back half of the blade is completely flat, with no grind/bevel.  One came brand new, about as sharp as a soup spoon.  Not much fit or finish, but looks like tough, durable knives.
KaBar 1013, very used, still has a double snap but weak and some wobble.

[Swinger]

And for now, the pierce du resistance....1875-1975 commemorative Russel Barlow, number 188 with matching numbered box, certificate, and pouch.  Absolutely beautiful, high polish with smooth wood handles.  Little bit thick, and surprisingly doesn't have 2 snaps, just the full open snap.

[Swinger]

I'm still hitting ebay daily for barlows. 

I'd like a mint condition Kabar 1013, just because 10/13 is my birthday......so meant to be.

I'd like another Russel or 2, I don't mind used ones.

Probably a Western, and a Boker, and a Case XX or 2.

Also, still looking for advertising ones.  I just like them.

Here's a question:  Looking through ebay, and some of my old knives that came from my fathers side; they were probably from the 60s and 70s......just what did people use to sharpen their knives back then???  Grinding wheels?  And were they ground down daily or something?  My god, some blades have gone from a usual clip shape into something that looks like a hoof pick.

Case in point...pun intended, here is a Case XX, I think a 5 star


the small blade is obviously broken, but what did they do to the main blade???  Also...even so heavily used, this Case is SOLID.....the double snaps are so strong they're practically violent.  I'm thinking of having this one fixed and making it a carry knife, just because it's so strong, solid, and old school.  Only thing is they'd have to replace the small blade with a full size.

[SteveC]

Congrtas on your growing collection Swinger   

Barlow's are addicting 

[LoopCutter]

Impressive assortment of BARLOWs!

I remember my grandmother had four or five in her kitchen drawer.  Pulled from 5 or 10 lb bags of flour.

In my youth, sharpening seen do done with a metal file, the. Stropped on a leather of a harness rig.  Big grinding wheel as well when putting an edge on a axe or shovel or sickle.   

My grandfather bought maybe 10 knife blanks in the spring.  We put our edge on it and attached our own handles with what ever scrap we found.   That was our blade for daily chores, planting, weeding, corn picking, harvesting pumpkins, squash, and clearing. Then slice corn stalks to seek corners for ice fishing.
By Christmas the blades were more like splinters. 

[SteveC]

C. Johnson and an Ulster

[David]

    

[Swinger]

so pretty much.....if there WAS a collectable barlow on ebay the past few months, I've bought it.



Top left down:
Yellow trucking colonial, some rust
plain white colonial
Paymaster Seeds, some use and rust
colonial electricians style but 2 blade, 2 snap, from "Rapps Variety's Store, 1948"
new made from china, but a nice collectable Ram Horn grip from Marbles
baby barlow "America 250"

Right side, down
nice little red baby barlow, 2 snap, Imperial
heavily sharpened and pitted Boker
less sharpened but quite some patina Boker.  I'm going to clean that one up
Remington branded, 2 snap, some light rust that I'll clean up
Schrade "tractor up", supposedly made in 1990
solid 2 snap Western, light patina.

The red baby and Western are now in a carry rotation, even though I still carry my SAK much more.
Not pictured is another Imperial branded with "new holland" tractors logo
and also not pictured, BECAUSE IT WAS LOST BY THE POST OFFICE.......a VERY nice single blade Russel, got it for around $82, and just disappeared into the ether after being scanned in at my local PO.  So somewhere between the PO and the truck, it just disappeared.  Yes I filed a claim and got a check for of course less than I paid....but I want the knife.  You obviously can't just buy another one like that.  I'm thoroughly pissed about it.

[nate j]

so pretty much.....if there WAS a collectable barlow on ebay the past few months, I've bought it.



Top left down:
Yellow trucking colonial, some rust
plain white colonial
Paymaster Seeds, some use and rust
colonial electricians style but 2 blade, 2 snap, from "Rapps Variety's Store, 1948"
new made from china, but a nice collectable Ram Horn grip from Marbles
baby barlow "America 250"

Right side, down
nice little red baby barlow, 2 snap, Imperial
heavily sharpened and pitted Boker
less sharpened but quite some patina Boker.  I'm going to clean that one up
Remington branded, 2 snap, some light rust that I'll clean up
Schrade "tractor up", supposedly made in 1990
solid 2 snap Western, light patina.

The red baby and Western are now in a carry rotation, even though I still carry my SAK much more.
Not pictured is another Imperial branded with "new holland" tractors logo
and also not pictured, BECAUSE IT WAS LOST BY THE POST OFFICE.......a VERY nice single blade Russel, got it for around $82, and just disappeared into the ether after being scanned in at my local PO.  So somewhere between the PO and the truck, it just disappeared.  Yes I filed a claim and got a check for of course less than I paid....but I want the knife.  You obviously can't just buy another one like that.  I'm thoroughly pissed about it.

Nice collection; looks like the barlow bug bit hard!

It’s a shame about the one the PO lost…

[AzteCypher]

I'm a sucker for a Barlow.  A good classic design in my opinion.