It’s downright spooky how many great knives are coming out this October!
Traditional Pocket Knives Ohio River Jack
The well loved Ohio River Jack is back! It returns 10/10/24 with some nice upgrades: s90v steel, hollow grind, improved long pull, and others. See my video below for an overview review and comparison to the original run!
The Stinking Creek Sowbelly is a new model for RoseCraft Blades. These will be available Monday October 14th, both at dealers and direct at RoseCraft Blades. Andy Armstrong has taken the classic Sowbelly pattern and put his own twist on it. It has a single clip point blade and comes in both (beautiful) stag and black sandalwood. $80 for Stag, $62 for Wood.
Jack Wolf Knives’ release this month is a new model, the Bionic Jack. The Bionic Jack is the modernized version of the Cyborg Jack. It is scaled up, has a pocket clip, a bolster lock (or, on one version, frame lock), and one hand opening with a front flipper or the long pull. There’s several great versions releasing to all dealers, but the real hot ticket in my opinion is the KnifeCenter Exclusive in crystallized blurple anodized titanium. It’s intended to showcase titanium as a material, with several different finishes on the various titanium aspects of the knife. The Bionic Jack drops Friday the 18th, both at dealers and direct at Jack Wolf Knives. The regular versions are $350, and the exclusive is just a bit more at $360.
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2024 has already been a banner year for Great Eastern Cutlery. They have produced the quintessential #15 TC Barlow, the new #78 BulletEnd Barlow, the well loved #39 Colt Cutter / Horse Rancher, and the classic #47 Viper (among others) so far. Now they have a new pattern in production and it looks like another on the way with some old favorites coming back around also. Read on to learn what’s (possibly… probably?) on the way!
#32 Engineer
GEC is currently making a new pattern called the #32 Engineer. This is a large swell center multi blade knife, like an up-sized #33 Conductor. It offers a clip point main blade and a pen secondary on opposite pivots, both riding on a single spring. It’s being offered in Agate ESPL (a synthetic), Cocobolo Wood, Hemlock Jigged Bone, and Sambar Stag. Some of these have already dropped, so if you’re after one now is the time to be watching dealers!
#91 Large Stockman
The #91 is a new pattern and sure to cause a splash in the collector community. It’s a 4.38″ closed round ended serpentine. It seems they will be making it in a classic Stockman configuration with a clip point main blade and sheepfoot and spey secondaries. I am not sure if this will be considered a Sowbelly Stockman, but it’s certainly arguable based on the frame shape.
#81 Moose
The #81 is a serpentine pattern that GEC has run as a Stockman, a Muskrat, and a Moose. Considering the “City Stock” version that Charlie Campagna has shown is coming under his Waynorth brand, it seems they are doing a new take on the Moose with a full size clip point and a small spey blade. Many enthusiasts have been hoping for a re-release of the Abilene Stock Knife on the #81 frame, so it will be interesting to see what all versions they end up making this run.
#93 Swayback
The #93 is a swayback frame that GEC has used both for their Ramfoot and the Waynorth Lambfoot. Both these versions of the #93 are widely loved and there has been excitement for a possible re-release since the “What’s in the Hallway” picture began showing a line of lambs earlier this year. All About Pocket Knives has announced that their 2024 knife is on the #93 pattern, but there’s little solid information on the specifics so far.
To be clear, these are merely speculations. There is no confirmation from Great Eastern Cutlery of any of these patterns except for the #32. That said, my reason for expecting the other 3 patterns all amount to basically the same evidence. There have been SFOs confirmed to be upcoming for all three patterns. A Waynorth on the #81, the BladeForums 2024 knife on the #91, and the All About Pocket Knives 2024 knife on the #93. Does this mean that there are definitely regular full runs of these patterns coming also? No, but historically GEC does not typically do SFOs on a pattern without also doing a normal run under their own brands. No matter what actually comes to fruition, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of Great Eastern Cutlery knives!
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It’s been a busy few weeks here at Knife Thoughts! Here’s a quick review below.
Axial Alpine Giveaway Ends Today
In case you haven’t heard, Knife Thoughts just hit 6,500 YouTube subscribers and 600 Newsletter subscribers and we’re celebrating with a giveaway! I’ve partnered with Axial to give away one of their USA made Alpine fixed blades. The winner is drawn this evening 7/16/24, so make sure you enter at the linked page below ASAP! You can check out my Axial videos linked here, and don’t forget to use code “KnifeThoughts” if you buy an Axial knife.
Here are the videos I’ve posted since my last roundup article:
EDC “Days of the Week” Suggestions
On a little vacation this past weekend I got the idea to write an article outlining the different “every day carry days of the week”. Things like Micarta Monday, Wooden Wednesday, etc. I have a good number that I “observe” but I’d love to hear any suggestions you have! What are your EDC days of the week?
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I love Barlows. A Barlow is what ignited my interest in traditional pocket knives, and the main focus of my collecting to this day. I’m not alone; many knife enthusiasts consider the Barlow to be among the best patterns, and even non enthusiasts often know the name. But what actually is a Barlow? What makes a knife a Barlow… or not a Barlow?
I Like Big Bolsters and I Cannot Lie
The defining characteristic of the Barlow pattern is an elongated bolster. More specifically, the rule is typically given as the pivot end bolster being 1/3 the total handle length. A Barlow has no end cap, or butt end bolster. The Great Eastern Cutlery Barlows (so far….) have all held true to this rule, with the following bolster to handle length percentages: #14 36%, #15 36%, #25 33%, #77 36%, #86 35%. There is also the so-called Grandaddy Barlow, which is a larger and, particularly, longer version of the Barlow. While Grandaddy Barlows have extended bolsters as compared to other similarly sized knives, their sheer size would make a full 1/3 length bolster less aesthetically appealing. That said, the large Barlows GEC has made still stick close to the 1/3 rule, with the Northwoods Madison being 31% and the Remington “The Cowboy” at 29%. Case Barlow bolsters are also around 35%. Where does the percentage cutoff lie? How short is too short? It’s tough to say, but usually easy to see. For example, the currently being released GEC #78 Bullet End Barlow doesn’t indisputably make the cut to my eye, and it is around 26%. So the most distinctive feature of a Barlow is the extended Bolster.
Big Bolster = Big Durability & Big Aesthetics
So, why the extended bolster? The answer usually given is that it results in a stronger and more durable knife. The bolster is what the pivot pin is peened or riveted into, and maybe the extra metal allows for a more secure hold by the “mushrooming” from being hammered. Alternatively, the additional metal might allow for a more rigid handle and in turn less likelihood of the knife pulling apart. By moving the cover material, usually a much less durable material than the metal bolster, away from the pivot there is less flex and therefore wear at the transition between the bolsters and cover material or on the covers themselves. A more durable knife was an important feature when the Barlow was mostly seen as an affordable working tool. The extended bolster certainly also adds an undeniably unique aesthetic. I think this visual appeal is as much a reason for the extended bolster as the durability, at least among collectors. The extended bolster calls back to the golden era of traditional pocket knives, they’re place in history, and a time when they were ubiquitous as every day tools. No matter the original intent of the extended bolster, it is the defining characteristic of the Barlow and a recognizable hallmark among pocket knife patterns.
Variety is the Spice of Life… and Barlows?
While the extended bolster is a necessity, almost everything else about the Barlow can vary. Barlows have come in basically every blade shape (Clip Point, Spear Point, Sheepfoot, Wharncliffe, Drop Point, Spey, Razor, etc. etc.), though I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Hawkbill Barlow. Additionally, they can have a main blade and secondary, usually a pen blade, or even two full size blades. Any blades must all come from the same pivot end. Barlows can also come in several handle shapes. The most common shape is the regular jack, but a Barlow can also be a swell end jack, sleeve board jack, or even a curved jack. Sometimes you’ll see English made knives with extended bolsters on swayback handle shapes called Barlows, but that type doesn’t seem to have made it “across the pond”. The fact that most Barlows are in the shape of a Regular Jack has, in my experience, contributed to people misidentifying normal Jack knives as Barlows.
Barlows in Spirit… or in Name Only
With the rise in popularity of traditional pocket knives and slipjoints, and particularly Barlows, there has been a growth in the phenomenon of knives being misidentified as Barlows. I am fine with knives that have extended faux bolsters, often a different color of the same material or a different material than the rest of the handle (Micarta vs G10, etc.), being called Barlows. Are they purely traditional? No, but on that note I am also fine with knives using modern construction being called Barlows as long as they have a true extended bolster, like the Jack Wolf Knives Midnight Jack (and even the fully modern After Hours Jack!). I’m even okay with knives that just have aesthetic milling to give the appearance of an extended bolster being deemed Barlows, such as the LionSteel Slim Dom and Traditional Pocket KnivesLake Champlain Barlow. However, knives with a normal size bolster or no bolster at all just don’t pass the test for me. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see a knife that is vaguely shaped like a Regular Jack to be called a Barlow, especially when modern knife companies take cues from traditional patterns. I understand that definitions change, and that that is an integral part of the evolution of language, but I think it worth holding onto the distinction of a Barlow at the least having the appearance of an extended bolster.
A Barlow in Every Pocket
Now that you know what a Barlow is, I hope you decide to try one. A Great Eastern Cutlery TC Barlow brought me into the world of traditional knives, but the enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge shared by people (such as great patrons of the Barlow like Charlie Campagna, who is always sharing traditional knife wisdom such as on the Catch Bit Podcast) about this classic pattern is one of the main things that has kept me so engaged. If you find yourself hooked by the allure of this classic pattern, make sure you check out and apply to the Barlow Bearcat Club.
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In case you missed them, here are the videos I published this week:
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