Programming Note: Sorry for missing Saturday morning. I aim to release a new post every Saturday (or by Saturday), but I inadvertently didn’t save the progress I made and then I went and hung drywall with my Dad at their house.

My wife is a great cook and baker. I am routinely treated to sweet and savory delights. We also regularly watch the Great British Bake Off, which is surprisingly education (its spelled “choux” not “shoe” pastry). My oldest son also watches with us and he once asked me: do you think if I snuck in some store bought pastry, the judges would notice? Having experienced a few instances of true greatness in life, once at the BSO, once in a class with a brilliant teacher, and a few times at Hill Farmstead Brewery in remote Vermont, I assured him: People with knowledge and experience and tell the difference between good and bad, but anyone can tell something is great immediately.

Its true. That is what makes greatness so enduring and unique—it is both complex and powerful, accessible and sophisticated. The original Baby Barlow was a good knife. It was not a great one. This rendition is great. Really, really great. If this were a full release and not a prototype review, it would be in the running for gear of the year. Its astoundingly good. What follows is a description of why this knife is great, while its predecessor was merely “good.”

Here is the product page. This knife has two variants—a G10 version and a titanium version. The G10 version, in multiple colorways, is $199. The titanium version in two color ways is $239. Here is my written review of the original. Here is my review sample (to be returned upon completion of the review):

NOTE: This is a review of a prototype. I will revise this upon release of the production version, if needed. My experience with Reate tells me there is nothing here that they cannot do on a production scale, so assume this review applies to both this version and the production version.

Twitter Review Summary: As stylish and as handy a knife as you find.

Design: 2

The original design wasn’t slouchy by any means, but the switch to the even more people friendly modified wharncliffe blade is an improvement, but the main design choice that I really appreciate here is the really punchy colorways. In particular, the jade G10 (Nick’s favorite) and the green and orange G10 models hit trends in the gear world spot on. If you think these knives are ugly, you probably also think the Ferrari GTO 250 is homely.

The B:W .83 is and the B:H is .67.

Fit and Finish: 2

Thanks a switch in OEM (unnamed Italian company to Reate), the new Baby Barlow is a sparkling jewel of a knife, with impeccable tolerances, gapless meeting spaces between materials, and warm and familiar finishes on every single surface. Reate is the OEM and even among the compendium of splendid exemplars in their history, the Baby Barlow stands out. Perhaps its because of the idiosyncratic design or the compact canvas, but whatever the reason, this knife puts substantial space between itself and other other very good knives. Like with other things that are great, there is an insiders-only reason for the love. In this case, it is the fit and finish.

Grip: 2

This is not an elephant-skinning knife, of course. But for a small knife it is quite grippy. This is, in part, the G10, but also the cuts in the G10 around the pivot. I would also note that for a three finger knife, the butt end of the handle hits you in the exact right spot if you are medium glove hand.

Carry: 2

The original was exceedingly good in this regard and 2.0 is no different. Like the TRM Nerd, this an absolute river rock in the pocket—rounded, smooth, and solid.

Steel: 2

I hate writing about M390. I like using it, but hate writing about it.. It’s pretty boring at this point. It’s good. Its fine. It’s everywhere. Let’s move on.

Blade Shape: 2

Imagine the knife in your pocket is a person from The Office eating at your lunch table. A blade like the Espada XL, with is fierce clip point and 7 1/2 inch cutting edge, is as socially acceptable as Dwight Schrute. Something like the ZT 0350 is basically Andy Bernard—more awkward than outright offensive. The normal 3-inch folder is Kelly Kapoor, a drudgery to deal with, but not likely to cause or pick a fight. The Baby Barlow 2.0 is Pam, reading a book and keeping to herself or Jim just eating his ham and cheese in the corner. Its unassuming, inoffensive, and very capable. I love this change and it makes the knife better. Other than the improved fit and finish, this is my favorite upgrade, even if it is distinctly non-Barlow-y.

Grind: 2

Take thin stock. Grind it thinner. Do so evenly and cleanly. Make plunges crisp. That is all there is to it, and unlike the vast majority of in-house stuff, this Reate made knife follows the formula to make for a superb cutter.

Deployment: 2

The original had snappy crisp deployment and 2.0 is no different. If it is, it is a difference for the better.

Retention: 2

This clip bears more than a passing resemblance to the Small Shamwari’s clip. It was good there and is good here. This is one of the few places were the 2.0 offers no substantive improvement over the original, largely because the original got it right.

Lock/Blade Safety: 2

We have passed out of our infancy in terms of high end production knives and as a result we are no longer hopelessly addicted to the titanium frame lock, an inferior version of the liner lock. The Baby Barlow, thankfully, has a liner lock and it works just like a frame lock, but better. Stop me if you have heard this before.

Other Considerations

Value: High

$200 is a lot for a knife. It is not, however, expensive for a knife of this refinement. Given the design, materials, and fit and finish, you absolutely get what you pay for and a bit more here.

Fidget Factor: Very High

Smooth, radiused handles, seamless materials transitions, and a poppy deployment make this a superior fidget toy that actually has a function—it cuts. Remember that? The quaint notion that things you carry and spend money on should have a function. Lovely really.

Fett Effect: Low

Stonewashed M390 and either G10 or stonewashed titanium are basically immune to aging. Some folks, like me, like that.

Overall Score: 20/20; Perfect

Greatness is not just unbridled brilliance—a burst of creativity that produces something unalterably great. We have this myth that this how greatness works, but it is both simplistic and inaccurate. Greatness also has to do with refinement. Mozart, according to scholars, created his first three works in a period of about two weeks, either at age 4 or 5 (Kochel # 1a, 1b, and 1c). Impressive, but there are similar prodigies that did not become luminaries. Mendelssohn was similarly precocious, but unlike Mendelssohn Mozart drove hard his entire life, producing 600 works in 35 years. Importantly some of his greatest works involved deep revision and refinement. Archives of drafts cover over 230 separate works (of course, he composed Don Giovanni in a single unrevised draft, which still exists). Revision and adjustment, in addition to bursts of perfection, are the sign of greatness.

While I don’t think the Baby Barlow will last as long as Don Giovanni has, it is, unquestionable, and finally, a truly spectacular knife, a singular achievement unifying a great design with a great build. Reate and Lundquist should definitely do this again. Go order this, go buy this, or track it down if the run is sold out. It is singularly great knife and one of the best EDC blades on the market in 2022. This is a classic for sure.

Competition

There are a lot knives that scratch the two itches present in the Baby Barlow. First there are the clean, front flippers. Of course, Lundquist designs dominate this set of competitors. The Eidolon is a fancy WE Knives front flipper from Justin that has structural similarities, but it lacks the aesthetic appeal and easy pocket ability of the Baby Barlow. There is the Civivi Lumi, another Lundquist design, that is equally small, but not as nice or as stylish. The Feist is similarly designed, but quite the plain.

In terms of size and carry, four knives come to mind: the Dragonfly (of course), the Protect Runt 5, the Giant Mouse Riv, and the TRM Nerd. All five of these blades are outstanding, but a close analysis shows just how good the Baby Barlow actually is. The Dragonfly’s top end steel, K390, leaves a lot to be desired on the corrosion front (how about an S90V or a SG2 version?). The Runt 5 is superb, but has legal complications and an exposed rear tang that it stupendously large. The Riv is a bit more ergo first, but is still a handsome knife. I think both are very solid. Similarly with the Nerd—it carries a bit better, but the Baby Barlow has a better look and grip. In the end, there are no knives that just best the Baby Barlow and that is why I think it is so solid. For the money, you won’t find anything clearly superior.

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