I have a Colt Folder by Barry Woods with holster in mint condition {no box}. It has brown micarta handle with Colt Hartford Ct. on blade Any one know the value of this knife? I would consider a sale.

Depends on what variation it is. The first variation had the Colt logo on the right side of the blade and on the pivot pin and only about 500 were made. The second variation had the Colt logo on the pivot, the left side of the blade and inside one handle. Around 1000 of these were made. The third variation had the logo only on the pivot and left side of the blade and had a much higher production than the others (5000 maybe?).
The first knives generally have a higher value than the others. I see these listed on eBay frequently. Asking prices are usually too high and the knives don't sell. Like Randall knives, the value of these knives ain't what it used to be a few years ago. Look on eBay and if there are any offered for sale at present.
Realistic value of one of these knives with the sheath but no box is probably $300 to $400, maybe higher if a first variation.
Some of the third variation knives were marked with the worker's monogram inside the handle near the pivot. These are generally a little more desirable. If you have such a knife, tell me what the monogram looks like and I may be able to tell you the name of the worker in Barry Woods' shop. There are about a dozen known monograms.
I collect these knives and have most of the variations including those marked by workers. If you have a marking that I don't, I'd be interested in the knife.

- - Buckspen

I don't see any monogram on the knife. It has the Colt logo on pivot pin. Blade has Colt Hartford CT.

Then it is a third variation knife, the most common variation. I see two listings for Barry Wood/Colt folders at present on eBay. There is a used one listing for $350 and a nicer one for $599. I'd be very surprised if either one sells. The asking prices are just too high.

- - - -Buckspen

I had an original Barry Woods from the early 70's but sold it 20 years later. Did good on it but of course, wish I had kept it.

Pap

Thanks for the answers all.

Pappy--

I had one of those. I carried it standing up in my front jeans pocket--until the day I reached in to pull it out and slid my finger along the front of it...and sliced the end open.

The blade was set into the handle in a way that had the very tip right at or just outside the handle frame.

I had paid $35 for it new, sold it for the same and felt good about it until:

1. They became collectible, and I could have sold it for much more later; and
2. I ran into Barry at a show and mentioned the incident to him. He swore for a moment, then apologized, saying that the guy or guys working with him knew better when they were assembling the knives and it should never have left the shop that way. He also told me that I could have sent it back and they would have corrected it. Too late!

Larry

Larry, I never carried mine, my carry knife at the time was a Hinkels Livestock 3 blade stag and although very worn from sharpening, still has great stag and is usable.

Pap

Is this an original Barry Woods?

Looks like it could be.
Is the sheath from Alfonso's in California?

No markings on the sheath.

Pap--

Thinking about it, mine was an original Barry Wood, not the Colt variation.

Interesting side note...

I believe Barry had a "Patent" or "Patent Pending on his knife for the swivel handle feature. However...

I once saw a commercial knife from the early 1900's that worked on the same principle. It was on a table at a knife show, the table owner asking a stiff price for it and not being willing to budge. Anyway, I passed it up. Later regretted it as I thought about it, but at the time it did not fall squarely into the areas I was collecting.

Anyway, I don't know if Barry actually got a patent on his design, or just put the "Pending" on it to try and protect what he might have had as an original concept, even though somebody else had already done it.

Larry

Larry,
Mine wasn't a Colts version either and it had a linen looking handle material. I don't recall if it said pending or not, but it was an early one of his.

Pap

The Barry Wood Folder I was the short term caretaker of had his etched mark on it, Alfonso Leather, but not Patent or Patent Pending:

Barry Wood was not the first to make a rotary action folding knife but he did get a patent on his design. The patent number is 3702501. He filed for a patent for a "split handle jack knife" in 1968 and the patent was granted in 1972. Browning had entered the sporting knife business in 1969 and Colt contracted with Barry to produce his Mk. I folder under the Colt name in 1970. The knife was first cataloged by Colt in 1971 and was only offered for about three or four years. The belt sheaths for the Colt knives were very likely made by Alfonso's because they are identical to the one shown above by David, except for the markings. Barry also produced other knife models based on the swivel action in the following years.
There have been several copies of the Mk.I folder. Three that I know of specifically were made by the Wyoming Knife Company ("Powder River Folder"), A.G. Russell and Pacific Cutlery ("Balisong"). Pacific Cutlery was by far the highest quality and the knives actually carry Barry Wood's patent number. I don't know for sure that any of these were actually made in the USA. I have one of the Pacific Cutlery knives and it is not marked as to the country of origin but I think it was probably made in Japan since many
of their other knives were made there. I owned a Powder River Folder years ago, but don't remember where it was actually produced. I believe the A.G. Russell knives were made in Italy but I could be wrong about that.
- - Buckspen

Buckspen, If I may ask, where would my example fit with all these variations?

I think your knife was made by Mike England.

I'm not sure of the maker of the knife shown in the photo posted by Steve (Holzinger258), but it looks a lot like the "Powder River Knife" I had years ago.

Eric - Your's is an original Barry Wood knife which I believe was made before he started using model numbers. It is serial numbered, which is fairly unusual and has Barry Wood's own monogram, indicating that he was the actual assembler.

The Barry Wood folders are seen in many variations. There are quite a few different ones with very low production numbers and even "one-off" knives that are unique.

- - Buckspen

Thanks Buckspen, I have 2 of his knives, the other being a Colt with brown slabs, rampant Colt on the pin with Colt marked on the left side of blade, which from this thread would be the last version made. The BW marked knife sure opens smoother, and is a tad smaller than the Colt version. Thanks again!

I had a Barry Wood, an early original, but sold it or traded it a long time ago. Thinking back on my past trades, I made some very stupid swaps. Am I the only one?

Pap

I made a lot of trades/sales I regret today Pap, so you are not alone.

A couple of pics to show the differences in my 2 BW knives.

Several years ago, I purchased a second variation Colt/Barry Wood knife from a fellow and he included an interesting letter with the knife when he sent it to me. Apparently, he had previously sent the knife to Barry Wood for "evaluation". The letter is dated 1990 and Mr. Wood used the same lower case "bw" as a monogram in this letter as he used on the knives.
In the letter, Mr. Wood related some details of the Colt knives. He wrote that the handle slabs were cut from "Westinghouse Micarta, natural color, grade canvas". They were fastened to handle plate stampings of 304 stainless steel with standard 18% nickel silver cutlery rivets. The beryllium-copper spacer was investment cast and brazed in place inside the reverse handle plate. The blades were blanked, heat treated to RC 56-58 and ground to shape by Russell-Harrington of Southbridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Wood further wrote that that Colt's first order for these knives was for a quantity of 3000, but that the first 500 had different markings. (The knife in question was a second variation knife, and the first 500 mentioned would be the first variation knives.)

I have quite a few of the Colt branded knives and several of the Barry Wood branded knives. They are all high quality knives, but in general the Barry Wood marked knives seem to fit together better and have smoother actions than the Colt branded knives. The function of my Colt marked knives vary from somewhat loose to very tight.

- - Buckspen