Barlow Knives?

Anyone make a correct repro of a Barlow knife? I Want something with croon steel, not stainless steel, something correct for early to mid 19th century.

Any ideas?

I don't think any are currently manufactured, that is PC types. There is a legend George Washington lost a Barlow the night they crossed the Delaware River.
Dang.
There are some drawings of Barlow PENKNIVES in Smith's 1816 Key (it was a tool catalog) but that really doesn't help much.
Bernard Levine, "The World's Greatest Knife Expert"- just ask him :grin: Posted some old pc Barlows. I'll try to describe as best I can.
The Bolsters were integral, not rivets or soldered to liners. The liner part is thicker than on a modern knife and the bolster was sloped. So if you started in front at a 1/16" thickness that then increases rearward to 1/8 or 5/64 to the scale and then immediately drops back to 1/16" in the liner area. Should be iron but mild steel is okay.
The pen knives back then had clip point blades but all the others had rounded- like on a Boy Scout knife.
The kick was square and narrow- no real ricasso area- not enough room for a stamp mark. The nail nick was stamped and semi circular, not ground. On a ground nick the nick is flat across the top and rounded on the bottom.
The scales were bone and often had skip line checkering- actually, check out George Newmann's Swords & Blades of the American Revolution- I think there is a Barlow with skip lined bone scales.
On the stamp- it probably should be horizontal on the blade, BARLOW. I don't think there was any trademark like a cross or peppercorns or crossed keys.

Not exactly a barlow, but very similar, is the pruning knife, which comes with a hawkbill blade. The are still being manufactured similar to old ones, and in carbon steel, here is a for instance:
http://www.worldknives.com/products/mercury-traditional-pruning-knife-895718l-436.html
http://www.worldknives.com/products/a-wright-horn-pruning-knife-awrghtbh-1052.html

Compare to these originals, 3 of which are from the 1770s:
http://collections.museums-sheffield.org.uk/view/objects/aslist/search@?t:state:flow=488b197e-b2ef-4c66-8abf-11196d0c0f0c

The hawkbill pocket knives were also used by sailors, as the shape is perfect for cutting ropes. There is apparently no difference in the knives, just in the use. Antique dealers generally call them all sailor's knives, as they demand a higher price that way.

Would Washington have owned one? Quite possible, as the were used everywhere for many different jobs.

I had to have one after reading "Tom Sawyer" many years ago.

Sorry guys I meant carbon steel, not croon steel! Autocorrect is not so good sometimes!!

Picked up a two blade "Russell Green River Works" marked barlow made in Solingen Germany, carbon steel, big R with an arrow through it on the long bolster, and red bone scales. This was new manufacture from a few years back. You might want to look for another.
Here's a link to one similar to what I have (mine is spear point, not clip):
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/10386-russell-green-river-red-bone-barlow

One thing to watch on them, over and above blade steel: Spring tension.

I carried one into the dust an cowpies when branding calves. Need a good sharp knife for turning bull calves into steers as well as dehorning and notching ears.

Don't recall where that one came from (hucked it way out in the bushes), but the spring tension was insufficient. The blade tried folding closed on me several times, and If I hadn't been wearing leather gloves I'd have done some serious finger hacking.

If the blades aren't good and stiff for opening AND especially closing, give the knife a pass.

There is a very minor amount of tweaking you can do.
Hammering over the pivot pin might tighten up a bit- basically becoming both a spring and friction deal. If too tight, a wedge in the slot and some taps might help- but all this is only to a degree.

My "degree" was seeing just how far that thing could fly! :rotf:

I started carrying a barlow knife at the age of 10. that was when you bought them on the counter of the general store for a dollar. used then on the farm and at scouts. I lost some on the farm. still have some around here. these were no china or jap. knives.