What Is a Barlow Knife Used For? History, Uses & Best Picks | CritPro
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What Is a Barlow Knife Used For?
One of the oldest American pocket knife patterns still one of the most practical for everyday carry and collecting.
The Barlow knife is one of the most recognized traditional pocket knife patterns in American history. Simple, reliable, and designed to be carried and used every day, the Barlow has been a working person's knife for well over three hundred years. If you have ever seen a pocket knife with a long oval bolster that runs about a third of the handle length, you have seen a Barlow.
In this guide we cover what a Barlow knife is, where it comes from, what it is used for, and which Barlow knives CritPro carries for EDC and collecting.
What Is a Barlow Knife?
A Barlow knife is a traditional folding pocket knife defined by its distinctive elongated oval bolster a metal piece that extends roughly one third of the way up the handle from the blade end. This extended bolster is the single design feature that sets a Barlow apart from every other pocket knife pattern.
Most Barlow knives are two-blade designs carrying a pen blade and a clip or spear blade, though single-blade versions exist. The handle is typically slender and fits comfortably in a pocket, making it one of the most natural everyday carry knives ever designed.
A Brief History of the Barlow Knife
The Barlow pattern originated in Sheffield, England in the late 1600s and takes its name from the Barlow family of cutlers who made them. The design found its way to the American colonies and quickly became one of the most popular pocket knives on the continent. By the 1800s the Barlow was a fixture of American working life carried by farmers, tradesmen, and frontiersmen alike. Mark Twain even referenced it in his writing as a quintessential American boy's knife. American cutlery companies produced millions of them through the 19th and 20th centuries, and the pattern remains in production today.
What Is a Barlow Knife Used For?
The Barlow was designed as a general-purpose working pocket knife, and that is exactly what it excels at today. Here are the most common uses.
- Everyday cutting tasks: Opening packages, cutting rope, slicing food, trimming loose threads the kinds of light cutting tasks that come up a dozen times a day
- Whittling and wood carving: The clip or spear blade on a Barlow handles fine carving work well, and the long bolster gives you good control for detailed cuts
- Fishing and hunting: Traditionally used for cleaning fish, cutting line, and general field tasks the two-blade configuration gives you a fine blade and a heavier blade for different jobs
- General farm and outdoor work: Cutting twine, trimming plants, opening feed bags the same tasks that made the Barlow a staple of rural American life for centuries
- Collecting: The Barlow is one of the most collected traditional knife patterns, with dozens of handle materials, sizes, and brand variations that make it rewarding to collect
What Makes a Barlow Different From Other Pocket Knives?
- The elongated bolster: More metal at the blade end means better balance and durability in a slim, pocketable package
- Two blades: Most Barlows carry a pen blade for fine work and a larger clip or spear blade for heavier tasks giving you two tools in one knife
- Slim profile: The Barlow is designed to slip into a pocket and stay there without bulk thinner than most modern EDC knives
- No locking mechanism: Traditional Barlows use slip joints, meaning the blade is held open by spring tension rather than a lock legal to carry in more places than locking knives
Barlow Knife Sizes
Barlow knives come in several traditional size designations. A standard Barlow runs around 3.5 inches closed. A Daddy Barlow is larger typically around 4 inches closed offering more blade length for heavier work. A Granddad Barlow is the largest size, built for buyers who want a substantial working knife in the traditional pattern. CritPro carries all three sizes across multiple brands.
Best Barlow Knives at CritPro
Best Overall: Rough Rider Amber Bone Barlow Stonewash
The Rough Rider Amber Bone Barlow Stonewash is the best all-around Barlow at CritPro. Amber jigged bone handles with a stonewash finish give it a classic look that holds up in daily carry, and the two-blade configuration covers every general use task you will throw at it.
Shop Rough Rider Amber Bone Barlow $19.95
Best Large Barlow: Rough Rider Rams Horn Big Daddy
The Rough Rider Rams Horn Big Daddy is the go-to choice if you want a larger Barlow for heavier everyday work. Rams horn handles and the Big Daddy frame give you more blade and more grip for tasks that a standard Barlow handles with less authority.
Shop Rough Rider Big Daddy Barlow $22.95
Best Budget: Rite Edge Barlow Two Blade
The Rite Edge Barlow Two Blade is the most accessible entry point into the Barlow pattern at CritPro. At $8.95 it delivers a genuine two-blade Barlow that gets the job done for light daily tasks without asking much of your wallet.
Shop Rite Edge Barlow $8.95
Best Granddad Size: Rough Rider Long Rifle Granddad Barlow
The Rough Rider Long Rifle Granddad Barlow is the largest Barlow in the CritPro lineup built for buyers who want a serious working knife in the traditional pattern. Red handles with a Long Rifle graphic make it a standout piece for collectors as well.
Shop Rough Rider Granddad Barlow $22.95
Best Collector Pick: Rough Rider Texas Star Daddy Barlow
The Rough Rider Texas Star Daddy Barlow is a standout collector piece that still carries every day. The Texas Star handle detail sets it apart on the shelf, and the Daddy size gives it practical blade length for real use.
Shop Texas Star Daddy Barlow $15.95
Best Premium Feel: Rough Rider Tuxedo Barlow White Micarta
The Rough Rider Tuxedo Barlow White Micarta brings a premium look to the traditional Barlow pattern. White micarta handles give it a clean, distinctive appearance that stands out from bone and wood handle options while still being a practical daily carry knife.
Shop Tuxedo Barlow $19.95
Quick Comparison Table
Is a Barlow Knife Good for Everyday Carry?
Yes the Barlow is one of the best traditional patterns for everyday carry precisely because it was designed for it. The slim profile disappears in a front pocket, the slip joint means no lock to fumble with for light tasks, and the two-blade setup gives you a fine blade and a utility blade in one knife. If you want a traditional pocket knife that you can use every day without thinking about it, a Barlow is one of the best choices available.
Browse the full Barlow knife selection at CritPro: Shop All Barlow Knives