The Barlow

There may be no more distinctive slipjoint pattern than the classic Barlow. Its lineage traces back to 17th-century England, first appearing on these shores 30 years before the Revolutionary War.

No matter how old you are, you probably have a childhood memory of an older relative or family friend using a Barlow pocketknife. Today's kids likely will tell the same stories, because many of us still carry a Barlow.

That's as it should be -- after all, the Barlow is the working man’s pocket knife.

Here at KnivesShipFree, we're understandably partial to the one-blade Northwoods Madison Barlow. Truth is, if we kept track of the slipjoints we carry most often the Madison probably would come out on top, and for good reason.

For those who prefer a two-blade Barlow, we can highly recommend Great Eastern's Tidioute #15 Sawyer Genuine Barlow and the Canal Street English Barlow.

Whatever you choose, when you pocket a Barlow you'll not only be carrying a classic knife pattern -- you'll be carrying on a tradition that goes back almost 400 years.