Schrade Imperial 278 Jackmaster Barlow Folding Pocket Knife for Outdoor, Outdoor survival, and EDC

This is my favorite. It's no-frills, practical, and does what it needs to do. I like the celluloid covers and the brass pins standing proud. Not too large and does not feel like a crowbar in the pocket. Cheap. It's a Barlow, a cheap Barlow. And I love it. If you are not experienced in sharpening knives, then I'm not sure what to tell you. These come dull right out of the box and the bevel will need to be taken down with a light to medium bastard file, and then you can move to a stone and get it as sharp as you ever want it. The steel is just stainless, it's not going to be the best, but it works, and if you are ever close to saltwater it will be ok. It's cheap. It's just a Barlow. A cheap Barlow. It's 'pretty' in a way of its own. Too many frilly and fancy knives out there now. I just wanted a Barlow, a cheap Barlow, and I got one. 3-year update: Still going strong. There is nothing about this knife that I don't like. It now has some "wear", but that only adds character. It has even been through the washing machine at least once due to forgetting to take it out of my pocket. This Imperial still holds its own with the older Imperials that became legend in their day. A truly great knife.

Repeat customer for these! My dad hands them out as gifts all the time!

There is a reason that this timeless design is so popular. The age-old Barlow knife has always been a functional, no-frills, 5 and dime item offering classic looks and good value. It's not S35VN or Carpenter CTS XHP steel. There's no carbon fiber or ballistic nylon handle. It's a Barlow knife; a cheap, handy, small knife with super-strong spring action, cheap stainless steel blades, knobby brass rivets, a brown plastic handle, and that unmistakably cool "BARLOW" stamped into the bolster (on both sides) that we all remember from childhood in the 20th century. It's priced so that if you drop it into the lake or snap off the tip doing something stupid, you can replace it for 10 bucks. It shows up with a mildly sharp edge. If it's not sharp enough for you, then, sharpen it. My only problem is with the handle. The plastic is a bit cheap and chintzy feeling. There's not even an attempt to provide a knurl for gripping, nor any wood-like coloration. It's just smooth, shiny, brown and brittle plastic. Charge an extra dollar for some impact resistant ABS plastic and this would be a five star product. As it stands, it's an amazing value EDC knife and might be right for you. It's a Barlow after all.

The case / handle is plastic and feels of low quality. The blades are sharp. For the price, it’s still a decent little pocket knife that provides nostalgia but I don’t have to worry about losing it.

Good price easy to put an edge on. Blades were very hard to open. It took some time to break in. It is the cheepest knife I own. But it is the one I have with me and use every day.

Ordered a Barlow penknife for mostly nostalgic purposes as my mom gave me my grandfather's Barlow pocketknife a long time ago, and plus I'd like a little penknife to carry around. However, this one is very disappointing as the Barlow grips have separated and no longer fully attached to the knife. It seems 2 of the brass pins have broken, so now the grips act like they are on a hinge. Very disappointing in this knife. I may order another in hopes I have better luck.

Classic Schrade Barlow design Gentleman's Pocket Knife. Got this as a gift for myself, I have a few Old USA Made Schrade Barlows but Collection Knives and bot for use. This one however, at LESS THAN $5 with FREE SHIPPING could not be passed up. Despite being a new Schrade knife and not US Made it is still a nice Pocket Knife for daily carry.

I got one of these for my dad, who had one just like it when I was a kid. The big blade was broken and the small blade had been sharpened down nearly to a toothpick before he finally retired it. This one is a lot better knife than you’d think for the price, and up for light work around the farm. This & a pair of channel locks will get you most of the way, most days.