The barlow knife is about as traditional and simple as pocket knives get.  Mark Twain spoke of the barlow knife in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.  A barlow knife has a large, long bolster on one end, sometimes with a maker’s mark stamped in it.  It typically has a single spear or clip blade but is sometimes accompanied by a pen blade.  Sawcut, brown bone is the most common handle material on vintage barlows but fancy versions had stag, jigged bone or even pearl.

1940 – 64 Case XX barlow w/ sawcut bone

The barlow knife is very much a part of Americana even though the knives themselves originated from the Barlow family in Sheffield, England.  In the 17th and 18th century, many members of the Barlow family including Obadiah, John and Samuel made many simple pocket knives.  They were inexpensive to produce, very utilitarian and were soon exported to the American colonies.  Many of these knives are stamped with the name BARLOW on the blade or the tang.  Eventually, United States knife manufactures began producing these knives in the late 1800s and early 1900s including Russell, John Primble, Cattaraugus, Remington, Case and many more.  I appreciate any traffic to the links below as I earn a comission at no extra cost to you.

View on eBay

EARLY REMINGTON (#RB041) SINGLE BLADE/SMOOTH BONE "BARLOW" POCKET KNIFE- L@@K

$74.99  
End Date: Monday May-05-2025 21:04:01 EDT
Buy It on eBay for only: $74.99
Buy It Now on eBay

Case XX 1970 10 Dot Barlow Razor 61009r

$349.95  

Buy It on eBay for only: $349.95
Buy It Now on eBay

SHAPLEIGH BONE BARLOW KNIFE

$150.00  

Buy It on eBay for only: $150.00
Buy It Now on eBay

Case XX Usa 65-69 Dot Barlow Razor 61009r

$349.95  

Buy It on eBay for only: $349.95
Buy It Now on eBay

Case Barlow Knife Natural Bone 61009 SS NIB #90139 Sheppard Hills Exclusive

$99.76  
End Date: Wednesday May-07-2025 18:22:13 EDT
Buy It on eBay for only: $99.76
Buy It Now on eBay

Vintage Winchester Arms Co. Knife Circa 1919-1942 Smooth Bone Daddy Barlow Nice!

$94.88  (26 bids)
End Date: Thursday May-08-2025 23:00:01 EDT

Bid

VINTAGE SAW CUT HANDLE rare ULSTER USA BARLOW 2 BLADE FOLDING POCKET KNIFE!

$49.99  
End Date: Thursday May-08-2025 03:59:18 EDT
Buy It on eBay for only: $49.99
Buy It Now on eBay

VINTAGE 1940-64 CASE XX #6143 Pocket Knife Grand Daddy Barlow

$56.05  (18 bids)
End Date: Monday May-05-2025 14:30:47 EDT

Bid

VINTAGE CATTARAUGUS BARLOW KNIFE

$185.00  

Buy It on eBay for only: $185.00
Buy It Now on eBay