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| The Finch 1929 |
The
classic American Barlow knife has a handle that’s about 3 ½ inches long, a long
top bolster, and a subtle teardrop shape. A typical modern knife has a locking
blade, a fast-opening mechanism, and a pocket clip. And never the twain shall
meet, until lately. Or should I say finally. The modern and traditional knife
worlds are coming together thanks to some innovative designers and some willing
customers. If you are anything like me, you’ve been waiting for this. Traditional
knives look great but can be, at times, inconvenient. On the other hand, modern
knives have great conveniences but are ugly as sin.
There
is no better example of a neo-Barlow than the Finch 1929. It has the right
look, the right dimensions, and taking a bold leap into the Space Age, a pocket
clip. It’s also a flipper with a locking blade. Heavens forefend. They don’t call
it a Barlow, probably because they don’t want to get mired down in endless
questions of genuine authenticity, but rest assured, it’s a Barlow. Come to
think of it, if the guy who invented the Barlow had thought to himself, "wait,
this is too modern for 1670," we never would have gotten such a grand old design
to begin with.
Are
there any drawbacks to this new design? None that I can see. I’ve been
carrying one for months and it does everything my other 12 Barlows can do, but it’s
faster to open and easier to find in my pocket. I do think the opening
mechanism on a traditional slipjoint will probably last longer, long enough to
leave to my grandson, but he can buy his own knife. Heck, by that time, they
will probably be cuttings things with tiny lightsabers from the Smokey Mountain
Laser Works.
The 1929 is a bit on the pricey side. I bought mine last year for $125.oo, but there are other, less expensive neo-Barlows out there. There is the Smith & Wesson “Executive Barlow” that the Amazon blurb says is for “Outdoor, Tactical, & Survival,” but I wouldn’t go that far. It is, however, a swanky little Barlow with, hold your breath now, assisted opening. "O brave new world!" It’s also dirt cheap, around 23 bucks.
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| Smith & Wesson Executive Barlow |
Then there is the Rosecraft Blades Castorea which is nothing more than a big ol’ Grandaddy Barlow that flips, locks, and pockets with the best of them. It sells for a mere twenty dollars. Yup, Rosecraft quality for a couple of sawbucks.
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| Rosecraft Castorea |
There
are even new Barlows out there with modern looks and old fashion mechanisms,
though I’m not sure why. It reminds me of the time when Sarah Bernhardt, a famous
beauty, met George Bernard Shaw, a famous intellect. She suggested they combine
their glorious attributes by having a child. He answered, “But what if the child were
born with my looks and your brain?” So, I will leave those recommendations to
someone else.
