Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more
What’s the difference between 133 years and … 17?
Those are the respective lifespans of original Coca-Cola and New Coke/Coke II, a fitting reminder that while it’s easy to get excited about something new, it’s the classics that stand the test of time.
Measuring 7.36 inches when deployed, the streamlined BRLW G10 weighs 2.72 ounces.Böker
Which brings me to the latest folding knife from Böker, the BRLW G10, a release that smartly splits the difference.
It caught my attention with some of its materials, one of which is incredibly hot right now.
Yet, its design is so old-school (albeit radically interpreted) that it just might stick around as long as America’s favorite soft drink.
Classic looks
The design employed here dates back centuries, with even the website barlow-knives.com conceding that the history “has been difficult to trace.”
As you can see here, the bolster aesthetic is achieved through precision milling rather than a separate piece of material.Böker
That being said, the earliest known manufacturer is Obadiah Barlow, who some believe to have first crafted the knife in Sheffield England around 1670, with his grandson John Barlow bringing the design to America several decades later.
Additional claimants to the style include men named Luke Furnace and Samuel Barlow as well as the mysterious “Barlow Bros” — all of which appear in records dating back at least two centuries.
The BRLW G10’s snappy flipper disappears when the knife is opened, but is pretty low-profile when it is closed as well.Böker
In other words, what we can agree upon is that the design is quite old — and yet timeless. Key features include center-line symmetry running through the pivot, a rounded butt and an oversized bolster.
While the BRLW G10’s “bolster” is more of an aesthetic element, those other features are on display here, complemented by an integrated liner lock, a discreet flipper, a milled titanium pocket clip and a lanyard hole to accommodate additional carry options.
Contemporary ingredients
Perhaps more notable are this knife’s key ingredients, two materials that most definitely did not exist in the 1600s, 1700s or even 1800s.
The legally convenient 2.99-inch clip-point blade is made of CPM-MagnaCut, an insanely trendy super steel.
Thanks to MagnaCut steel, this blade could last as long as the knife’s timeless design. Böker
Thankfully there’s substance to back up the sizzle, courtesy of an as-yet unbeatable blend of high edge-retention, hardness, corrosion-resistance and toughness.
You can probably guess what the handle material is, but just in case there was any question: it’s G10, which offers a nice balance of low weight, solid grip and reliable durability.
Precision-milling also creates the wood grain effect on the lower two-thirds of the handle. Böker
Rather than a true bolster, this glass-epoxy laminate is precision-milled to mimic an extra-long bolster at the front and a wood grain at the back.
This particular approach mimics its forebear, the original titanium-handled BRLW, while also shaving $115 off the price — a fitting reminder that saving money never goes out of style.
Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.
