Bear & Son 2281R Rosewood Barlow Knife, Red, 3 1/2"

Really nicely done! Fit and finish is flawless. Scales seamlessly transition to bolsters. Zero gaps in scales, spacers or springs. Nicely executed nail nicks for blade deployment. Mirror finished blades presented with evenly ground edges. Blade alignment is perfect. Blades have firm spring function and have half stops. Made in the USA and they are made very well! I'm extremely pleased with this purchase and, if you get one of these knives you will be also!

Extremely happy with this knife. Cam VERY sharp. The fit and finish is great and can find no flaws on the one i received. Both blades well centered. The pull is a 7 on clip-point blade and an 8 on the pen blade. A little tough to open but will wear in. Excellent walk and talk- very nice solid snap. This has become my EDC for sure. Highly recommend.

I love the way this knife looks, and it's sized about like a paring knife when open. It takes and holds a good edge. The back of the large blade on mine is squared really nicely so it's a passable striker for a firesteel. The smaller blade is great for whittling, and there's a bit of a flare at the bottom of the handle that makes it very comfortable to use. Out of the box, the slipjoint spring is VERY tight. It took some oil and some working it to get it to loosen up. It needs to be washed after every time I cut fruit because if I don't it'll break my thumbnail next time I try to open it. If you use your knife for food frequently, maybe think about another knife... This one seems highly sensitive to food gunk.

It came razor sharp out of the box. Fits nicely in your pocket and rides deep. The weight is just right, neither too heavy nor too light. It has a 2 and 5/8 inch master clip point blade and a slightly smaller pen blade. It is made of 440 steel so it will be pretty stain resistant yet will be able to take and maintain a good edge like other high carbon steels making it a long lasting and durable product. The fit and finish is pretty good, but the bolsters, springs, and pins could be a little more flush. No edge is sharp on them, but you can feel it catch on a fingernail. There are no visible gaps and the blades are good and centered. The rosewood looks great. To top it all off it is American made and half the price of comparable American made knives. I'll honestly be looking to pick up more knife patterns from Bear and Sons after seeing the quality of this knife. You just can't beat this knife at this price point. I suppose you could collect it, but I will definitely be using this as an everyday carry.

So when I saw this knife offered I got really excited. The Barlow is the quintessential working man's knife. It came into being in the 1700s. I wanted a true to form Barlow knife reminiscent of the originals, the same spirit. There are so many cheap Chinese imports which I didn't want. As for Bear and Son I'd heard mixed reviews on their knives, some inconsistent QC and the like. However, they are a US based company and I gave them a shot. I am an avid knife collector, from Victorinox to Reeve and Hinderer customs. I know knives and I was blown away. The knife is very well made with no blade play and good snap on both blades. No gaps or obvious flaws. The rosewood is smooth and fits well. It should be noted that a true Barlow is a working knife so it doesn't have that Case polished collector's feel on it like a stockman with true sharp. That being said, it is pretty in the utilitarian context (as it shouldbe). It feels genuine. Like it wouldn't be out of place in a soldier's pocket at Gettysburg. It's perfect for what I wanted, a quality knife at a great price, made in the USA. Some may have gotten lemons and I can't speak to that, but will say the quality fit and finish are spot on with my knife. And it's NOT from China!! Great job Bear and Son, I'll be back for more. Thanks for reading Best wishes

Arrived on time. This is a good looking pocket knife. Quality exceeds price point. For a USA made knife, this is a bargain.

Good fit and finish. This is a stout knife. Disappointed that it didn't come very sharp. A small step up from an entry level, every day carry budget knife, so I guess the price is okay. Good looker !

Having owned a couple of other Bear & Son knives I purchased this without any hesitation because the other knives are superbly crafted and sharp as a razor. I don’t know what happened with this one it’s like they didn’t even bother to put the blades on the grinder. The slip joint are gritty and rough. The Rosewood does look beautiful but I will not be carrying this and would not recommend this to anybody else.