BARLOW KNIFE
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BARLOW KNIFE:
$3.99
ANTIQUE BARLOW 2 BLADE KNIFE. VERY NICE. COLLECTABLE.The term “Barlow” has two meanings when it comes topocketknives. First, it is a style of pocket knife. Second, there was the Barlow company in the USA that made and imported pocket knives, key tags, money clips, and other quality gift products, and put your logo on them. If you are looking for either of these two “Barlow” destinations, you have come to the right place.1. Whatis a “Barlow” style pocket knife?A barlow style knife has one or two blades, a huge metal bolster, and a comfortable tear-drop shaped handle.The blade or bladesare attached at the small end of the handle. Even though the first barlow knife was made in Sheffield England in the 1600’s, it wasmade by several American shops soon after, and has become just as American as “apple pie”. George Washington was known to have a barlow knife. Mark Twain referred to a “real Barlow” in his Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in 1876. Barlows have long been gifts, treasuredby young American boys. At least onesongwas written about the barlow knife.Mark Twain wrote about the barlow knife in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer…
“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
John Russellmay have beenthe first American to manufacture Barlow knives. The John Russell Company, now the Russell Harrington Cutlery Company of Southbridge, Massachusetts, first mass produced Barlow knives at their Greenfield Massachusetts, factory in 1875. They were called the Russell Barlow knife and instead of the word BARLOW on the bolster, they were stamped with Russell’s mark, an R with an arrow through it. Today these Russell Barlows are valuable antiques. (2)
Now several companies make barlow knives,and they aresoldon this web page:[link removed by ]. Case, Bear & Son, Boker, Robeson, and Rough Rider all make the barlow style knife currently. The Russell barlow knives were discontinued around 2009.
2. What is the Barlow Company?
The Barlow Company, which madepocketknives, among other quality gift ideas, started about 1930 in the United States. In 2003, Barlow stopped giving their products a Lifetime Warranty. About 2005, Barlow was bought by promotional product giant, Norwood. Norwood has kept the Barlow line in tact, but is gradually using their “Norwood” logo in place of the “Barlow” logo. Barlow-Norwood sells only through promotional products distributors, like Advantage-Advertising, LLC. Their knives are available on[link removed by ], owned byAdvantage-Advertising, LLC. Ironically, Barlow-Norwood does not currently produce a barlow style knife, but they have in the past, and could possiblyresume in the future. Norwood has many finebusiness gifts and promotional corporate giftsavailable with yourlogoimprinted on them. Included aremetal key tags, money clips,pocketknives,multi-tools,tape measures, picture frames, and clocks. Some of these items are available on[link removed by ]BARLOW KNIFE:
$3.99