Made in Sheffield: Taylor's Eye Witness Barlow

www.taylors-eye...

[@John..18]

The TEW footage you show, is none other than Michael May,, he now makes his own knives, and I'm eagerly awaiting one of his custom knives,, All the best,, John (from West Yorkshire.),, 👍..

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thanks for letting me know!

[@johnhardwick213]

As a Sheffielder I am proud of the craftsmanship that still exists in the City

[@Lex5576]

I just received the hardwood version of this knife. It doesn't have polished blades or file work, but the exact same format. I am so pleased with the quality. Finally, a genuine British made Barlow with a blade that comes centered in the handle.....and without an astronomical price tag. No more Chinese made garbage for me. The half stop and lockup are awesome. I can see why the British make stiff back springs due to the locking blade laws there. Eye Witness knives aren't too readily available here in the United States. Now I wish I'd ordered several of these Barlows. I don't think I paid more than $35 for it. Eye Witness use to have their own webshop. I wish they'd bring it back.

[@peterpuleo2904]

Rough Ryder makes many knives of quite good quality--a Chinese product. I have a few and they look, feel, and perform very well.

[@throatpunch4789]

The stiff back spring is not a work-a-round the British locking blade laws its just a historically accurately way of making traditional pocket knives. They are the same way all over the world.

[@Careoran]

Finally, after so many years of waiting ... this beauty of a Barlow in Ironwood joined my collection!

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Congratulations!

[@JK13929]

Such a beautiful knife so well finished. Masterwork.

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thanks for watching!

[@TheStreamingEnderman]

Beautiful, Stefan! I just bought one myself. Can't wait!

[@johnnyboy63100]

Being a Sheffielder this video means a lot to me. Nice to see Sheffield craftmanship is known around the world. Nice video Stefan, your passion for knives really shows..

[@AussieMark909]

Wonderful looking knife. Great to see such a product still being made in Sheffield.

[@richardmcginnis5344]

really nice knife, i have an old taylor's eye witness double edge the story goes they were being made for american soldiers to buy before they left for france at the beginning of ww2. i got it with its original sheath with a name scratched onto the back of the sheath so it may have providence if i do the research for it

[@mangojack1]

Fantastic looking knife! Loved the footage and history as well 👍

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thank you!

[@slick_slicers]

The guy in the video is, I believe, Michael May, who now has his own shop, in his own name, in the Portland Works, in Sheffield. I have two of his excellent knives as well as 4 by Lee White who Michael trained at TEW!

[@broncodude6299]

Out of my budget, mainly because I would EDC that beautiful Barlow.

[@UKLegalCarryKnives]

Wow, you're something special, this was like a documentary with the music and the history, bravo man!

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thank you! If you like this kind of videos please watch my latest one on "Le Calaisien".

[@rabaile1]

I love your videos. I wish Daddy was still alive, so he could watch them, too. He loved knives, and he loved history. Your videos feature both. :o)

[@presterjohn71]

I have a couple of decent Barlow knives and after seeing this video I am inspired to add one or two more to the collection. They truly are a classic design.

[@rupertmcnaughtdavis3649]

My father had one of these in stags horn,but unfortunately, in 1960 ,as a six year old, I ground half the blade away on a rough grinding-wheel!

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thanks for sharing your story!

[@isaac_k98]

I live in Wakefield which is about 10 minutes away from Sheffield, it is actually quite sad to walk through it and see the HUGE factories and steel mills abandoned.

[@lauriemclaren8268]

Darn it Stefan! I’ve watched this particular video many times and have a soft spot for Sheffield steel knives and I couldn’t enjoy the knife vicariously anymore. So I bought one and got it last week. I am so glad I got it as it perfectly fits in non-locking blade length limits I have to live with at work. It’s so utilitarian yet elegant.

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Glad to hear you found my video useful, thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@peterpuleo2904]

Who did you buy it from?

[@lauriemclaren8268]

Peter Puleo: I bought mine from Fendrihan.

[@peterpuleo2904]

@@lauriemclaren8268 Is it an online or ebay site?

[@lauriemclaren8268]

Peter Puleo: fendrihan.com. Go to that site’s search function and type in Taylor eye witness. They have several examples.

[@AussieMark909]

I have a two bladed Barlow pattern made by Rodgers in Sheffield. I think it dates back to the 70s or maybe early 80s. According to the internet they are still going and making some nice knives.

[@victoralejandro6154]

Great taditional knife! The combination of wood in a folder knife is timeless. Excelent choice for a gift. Thank you Stefan.

[@Lex-vs4un]

I wish good English made knives were as readily available as they use to be here in the US. Cheap Chinese made junk has driven true quality right out the door. The popularity of tactical style knives has kept our higher end American makers going strong, and Buck's investment in new equipment has kept them in competition as well. But it's still nice to see old style craftsmen make a masterpiece like the knife shown here. I don't mind paying extra for fine quality and craftsmanship.

[@slick_slicers]

After watching this the first time, I bought one of these. I now have 4 of them and I can see myself buying many more of these great knives. Mine were all made by Lee White, and signed by him.

[@TheStreamingEnderman]

@Slick Slicers And now you have 30!

[@slick_slicers]

@@TheStreamingEnderman and the rest!

[@thefoolonthehill9862]

I had one of these from the same brand...... The spring spine snapped whilst opening the knife, it had only ever been used to cut paper

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Yes, there are not many traditional cutlery companies left in Sheffield. My impression is that the decline of the industry was even worse than in Solingen, Germany.

[@aflatminor]

Superb video Stefan! I have a stag TEW Barlow knife that I 'won' in a raffle (Prize draw) at a British Blades meetup here in Sheffield some years ago.. My maternal grandmothers maiden name was Needham, It was either her grandfather or great grandfather that was the 'Needham' in the Needham Veal and Tyzack partnership, Apparently he married Messr Taylor's daughter and eventually took over the company when Mr Taylor passed away. My mum told me this some years ago but she passed away three years ago so I can't quiz her further. The knife was donated to the draw by a cutler from the company, Russel White, There were three knives donated as prizes by different cutlers, The other two were bushcraft type knives, My ticket was drawn out third and the TEW was left, It was the knife I most wanted but didn't think I would win it!!! Really enjoyed your video, Thanks :)

[@TheSkahead69]

Beautiful pictures beautiful knife! Thank you very much. Cheers

[@dwainsw4076]

Amazing process and craftsmanship. Thank you.

[@wattshappenin]

What a beautiful knife! That spine is just gorgeous! Great video as always, with such a lovely background to the knife and company. Thanks stefan!

[@pmewUK]

An excellent review of a classic British product. Thanks Stefan.

[@NicholasAarons]

Fantastic Story & Great Video of it being made. Thank you. Kind Regards Nick.

[@RikthDcruze]

just beautiful !!

[@d3pHc0n]

Thanks again for your video and thanks to Taylor's Eye Witness for the factory footage. It's great that you share examples of real handmade work in modern cutlery.

[@edcwatches]

wonderful knife and excellent video,really enjoyed watching

[@ringaleavo]

Excellent photography, highly recommend

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thank you!

[@69Phuket]

Great review Stefan. Ecky Thump! : (sounds Germanic) But it's Yorkshire for 'Astounding' (Outstanding) They got a battering from the Luftwaffe! But folks were hardy and times were hard.

[@owydiu]

Herr Stefan, you are the most professional KZbinr I have ever seen! Wonderful video, gorgeous knife!

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thank you very much for your kind words!

[@goutteagoutte7796]

knife & video are both wonderful ! thanks.

[@jerrymicheal8055]

Another great video Stefan I always enjoy your history lessons keep up the great work my friend

[@troy5690]

Thanks for sharing Stefan, loved the intro. The thumbnail tricked me because at first glance I thought it was a cigar in background. I was relieved when I saw they were just brown book spines.

[@Westyrulz]

Any Stationhand/Stockman or Jackeroo worth his salt would not be in the bush without his Taylor's Eye Witness knife!!

[@slick_slicers]

This is a lovely knife. I have two of them, one with beautiful buttery ram’s horn and the other with gorgeous, lustrous mother of pearl. They are hard to find these days, but I will buy more as I find them. There is a video of mine on my channel.

[@marycahill546]

Gorgeous knife. I am tempted ...

[@slick_slicers]

The video at the end features the hands of Michael May at wok. Do you know who made yours? It’s probably on the letter that came in the box containing the knife. I’m trying to trace knives made by Gavin Wright. He only made 7 or 8 before his sudden and tragic death in 20!9. I have one of them, but it would be nice to find the others and feature them in a video. Michael May, by the way, is now a little mester on his own in Sheffield ( michaelmayknives.com ). I’ve now 5 of his and 20 Taylor’s.

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thanks for sharing this information!

[@TheStreamingEnderman]

@@StefanSchmalhaus I GREATLY recommend you get a knife from Michael May. He's a master at his craft.

[@bangalorebobbel]

wow, great knife, and wonderful video - making my evening! thanks a lot, and thanks also to the man who got the idea to name that company eye witness limited ... ;-)

[@TonicLime1]

Beautiful. Thanks for another great vid!

[@richklangen1833]

Have the budget one....and I love it

[@BardofCornwall]

Thanks for another great video, Stefan!

[@partagasblack]

Amazing video. What camera are you using Stefan?

[@Warthogg1]

Hello Stefan - how do I buy one of these spectacular knives from here in the USA? I have been to the link you provided & downloaded the 2019 catalog, but i do not see any way to order the barlow I want. Do I just contact the factory sales dept. via email?

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Yes, please contact them directly.

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

A cigar might actually burn longer than the books. ;-) Thanks for stopping by, Troy!

[@felixthecat2589]

Hey Stefan, I am a knife noob, but I have a small collection here. I mainly to whittling and carving and although I have special carving knifes, I enjoy going through the process with a small pocket knife, my question is, other than cost, why would a company make a single blade folding knife without a locking system? The 90 degree spot is not enough to make the knife safe for use in any other situation besides cutting food, am i wrong? please bring some light to me! best!

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Inbloco Quarteto Slipjoints with non-locking blades have a centuries-long tradition and there's still a great demand for them. Plus, in many countries there are legal restrictions which don't allow you to carry a folding knife with a lock.

[@felixthecat2589]

***** Thank you for clarifying that!

[@johnsabilia7728]

Where can l order one of theses?

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Please contact Taylor's Eye Witness directly.

[@HorizonsleatherBlogspot2012]

Beautiful!

[@paulie4x1]

Stefan, Perhaps you could help me, I bought a nice looking Wilkinson Sword INOX 3blade Canoe Patern Slipjoint Pocket Knife, it appears to be rather well, but I can't find any info on it, I don't care about the worth as much as I would like to know the type of steel, Thank You in advance, , ,

[@kobuntolerance6484]

Hello. Where I can buy this knife? Thank you

[@slick_slicers]

By the way, did you know that the hands in the TEW video belong to Michael May, now a ‘Little Miester’ in his own right - www.michaelmayknives.com

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

No, I didn't know that. Thanks for letting me know.

[@peterpuleo2904]

Great name for a knife !

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

What's so special about the name Barlow? 🤔

[@peterpuleo2904]

@@StefanSchmalhaus No. I meant "Taylor's Eye Witness". It sounds intriguing.

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

@@peterpuleo2904, yeah, but that's the brand name, not the name of the knife.

[@moofush1]

Really enjoyed this....

[@edlechleiter7042]

This blade shape is like that of a small seax found in the Thames .

[@thornwarbler]

What a great video....................Thanks

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

+thornwarbler I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@raymondwilliams2609]

Stefan Schmalhaus When are you going to do some more reviews, Stefan? You're very much missed!

[@tennesseesmoky9012]

Great video!

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Thank you!

[@isaac_k98]

It might not be high end steel, but most Buck knives are made of 420 and no one says eww to them.

[@aplesmith5544]

Great review, as always Stefan. You are an inspiration! Viel Spass!!

[@will_fisher]

you can find this knife on premiercutlery.co.uk, under Pocket Knives > Premier Collection with Worked Back

[@Optionsaregood]

Really nice, thanks Stefan.

[@333turdferguson]

Please note the beautiful filework!

[@StarshipSmoochers]

another Perfect Video. thank you very much!!

[@timothyrichie9415]

How can I order

[@floridafyme]

How good is English steel today?

[@TimBlankJ]

Very nice!

[@zednotzee7]

An excellent review, and I really enjoyed that bit at the end !

[@NVK85]

Great video! And very dangerous manufacture process i should say.

[@TheBoodle23]

Good vid, not a fan of the Barlow pattern, but, that's purely personal aesthetics. It just seems unusual to see a british knife being made by a brit in the current climate. I wonder if you, Stefan, have ever designed your own knife, like Jorge Sprave designs slingshots in collaboration?...

[@pegauracheii]

Good video, as usual. However, you could have also told us a little something about its usage and the blade's shape destination.

[@evanhb49]

its nice but mine came with a dull asf blade

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Hätte ich von TEW nicht das zusätzliche Videomaterial bekommen, wäre das Video auch nur 7 Minuten geworden. ;-)

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

No, I never have, and I probably never will. I'm not good at designing things.

[@iaxable]

I got their cheapo £25 variant. It is very rough, uneven and poorly finished. No file work of course and the wood is pitiful. Weak backspring but blade still centered. No gentleman's folder, no collection piece just a utilitarian knife. Money much better spent on a Victorinox Pioneer or Farmer, Forester etc

[@hydraman5]

+iaxable you learnt a valuable lesson then.you get what you pay for.

[@darkokovacevic1690]

Tolles Messer 👍🏻🔪 🇺🇸 und schönes Video.

[@sovner]

This knife looks so nice that i would not buy it. If i did buy it, i would be too afraid to use it. I would keep it locked up and it would be treated like something at a museum, it would not be in used at all, i would use gloves and wipe off du dust on it every day, thats why i rather buy something that isn't as nice so that i can feel comfortable using it for any work task :)

[@StefanSchmalhaus]

Steinove Standal There's nothing wrong with NOT using a knfie and keeping it in a vault. ;-)

[@stephan123321]

Hahaha...true! ;-)

[@isaac_k98]

Woops, wrote my comment before he mentioned it :/

[@Tony_Seed]

nice show knife but eww 420hc

[@DickPoleman]

beautiful knife.....love the craftsmanship.....nicely done