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Folding knives have been around since metal first started being worked by man. These early folder were friction folders like the one I talked about in a previous post. Fast forward to Sheffield England in the 1670's. In a shop in Sheffield a knife maker named Obadiah Barlow designed and made the first jack knife that would later bear his name. In 1745 his grandson, John Barlow, joined the knife making firm and because the person chiefly responsible for exporting the Barlow to the new lands in the Americas. These knives were made to be cheap and tough, back then most had a single carbon steel blade, scales made of cow bone, and a large thick bolster for strength. Soon they became the American knife of choice and were so popular that John Russell began making then in the newly formed United States in 1785. As the country grew the Barlow knife spread west with the settlers. Mark Twain referenced it a few times in his books...
"Mary gave him a bran-new "Barlow" knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was inconceivable grandeur in that - though where the Western boys ever got the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its injury, is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps."
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
"All the stores was along one street. They had white domestic awnings in front, and the country-people hitched their horses to the awning-posts. There was empty dry-goods boxes under the awnings, and loafers roosting on them all day long, whittling them with their Barlow knives; and chawing tobacco, and gaping and yawning and stretching - a mighty ornery lot."
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Today the pattern is made by quite a few makers both here and overseas. Most today have two blade with either a clip or spear being accompanied by a pen blade. However sheepsfoot, one hand man, wharncliffe, and others have made appearances as well. Scale materials are as varied as they are in any other pattern knife but smooth bone is still the most common. And while still an inexpensive work knife from many makers you can also spend just about as much as you want to on some. Prices on new can range from a few dollars to several hundred and if you want an original from Sheffield or Russell the sky can be the limit.
The Barlow pattern has long been a favorite of mine and indeed the first real knife I owned was a Barlow. In fact it was an Imperial with a clip blade and it is still in my possession over 40 years later.
Currently I own more than a dozen Barlows and they each get a turn occasionally in my EDC rotation.
A few of my favorites include this very unusual Barlow from Schatt and Morgan it was a limited edition made with 2 equal sized blades, one clip and one wharncliffe and scaled with stag...
Another is this Fighting Rooster with it one hand man main blade and picked bone scales...
The Barlow is still a favored knife today among folks who work outdoors. The main blade can handle just about any chore it is given and the pen blade can handle the fine work. It is still the same hardworking robust knife that Obadiah Barlow designed over 340 years ago. It was the first knife for many boys who grew up before the computer age and were traded in school yards, used for mumblety-peg, and many of our first overnight camping trips without the parents along. It is as much a part of my personal history as it is part of American History. In today's world of high speed, low drag tactical knives it is a breath of air that can bring back memories of campfires, bamboo fishing rods, cleaning that first rabbit or squirrel. By taking care of it you proved you were ready to take care of more expensive thing like a 22 single shot.
It was a rite of passage.
"Mary gave him a bran-new "Barlow" knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was inconceivable grandeur in that - though where the Western boys ever got the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its injury, is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps."
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
"All the stores was along one street. They had white domestic awnings in front, and the country-people hitched their horses to the awning-posts. There was empty dry-goods boxes under the awnings, and loafers roosting on them all day long, whittling them with their Barlow knives; and chawing tobacco, and gaping and yawning and stretching - a mighty ornery lot."
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Today the pattern is made by quite a few makers both here and overseas. Most today have two blade with either a clip or spear being accompanied by a pen blade. However sheepsfoot, one hand man, wharncliffe, and others have made appearances as well. Scale materials are as varied as they are in any other pattern knife but smooth bone is still the most common. And while still an inexpensive work knife from many makers you can also spend just about as much as you want to on some. Prices on new can range from a few dollars to several hundred and if you want an original from Sheffield or Russell the sky can be the limit.
The Barlow pattern has long been a favorite of mine and indeed the first real knife I owned was a Barlow. In fact it was an Imperial with a clip blade and it is still in my possession over 40 years later.
Currently I own more than a dozen Barlows and they each get a turn occasionally in my EDC rotation.
A few of my favorites include this very unusual Barlow from Schatt and Morgan it was a limited edition made with 2 equal sized blades, one clip and one wharncliffe and scaled with stag...
Another is this Fighting Rooster with it one hand man main blade and picked bone scales...
The Barlow is still a favored knife today among folks who work outdoors. The main blade can handle just about any chore it is given and the pen blade can handle the fine work. It is still the same hardworking robust knife that Obadiah Barlow designed over 340 years ago. It was the first knife for many boys who grew up before the computer age and were traded in school yards, used for mumblety-peg, and many of our first overnight camping trips without the parents along. It is as much a part of my personal history as it is part of American History. In today's world of high speed, low drag tactical knives it is a breath of air that can bring back memories of campfires, bamboo fishing rods, cleaning that first rabbit or squirrel. By taking care of it you proved you were ready to take care of more expensive thing like a 22 single shot.
It was a rite of passage.
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