The first Robeson knives were imported by Millard Robeson from England and Germany exclusively. This continued from 1979 until 1896 when Robeson began manufacturing knives in the United States. Since inception, the company has gone through several reorganizations & eventually ended up as a Queen Cutlery brand.
I picked up these two in the last few months, a serpentine and a farmer jack. See attached pictures. Very happy with the Robesons. If I've not identified these properly, let me know the correct pattern name.
Here's one. Not sure on the date. Can't tell wether or not there's a N.Y. at the end of Rochester?
Best I can tell it dates to between 1907-1939. Maybe one of you xperts can narrow it down for me?
It looks like the model# is 622105
3"closed
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I dig half stops!!
"GOTTA DO WHATCHA GOTTA DO, SO THAT YOU GET TO DO, WHATCHA WANNA DO"
My Grandad.
God rest his soul.
No expert here by any stretch. Stamp looks like bottom line id "ROCHESTER". Shuredge in script. According to "Collector Knives", the makes it 1940 or earlier. Best I can do.
These folding guard hunter jacks are one of the very few patterns that Robeson continued to make after WWII, although the pre-war examples were constructed with a locking mechanism.
I don't know exactly how long they continued with this pattern, but I have seen late 50's catalogs that continued to advertise them.
They can be found with different grinds on the blades, including a full hollow. Pattern numbers are the same, regardless of grind.
I think the pulls tell us a lot. The machined pull on the yellow handled knife makes it the earlier of the two. It might be from the mid to late 40's, early 50's.
The punched or impressed pull on the stag handled knife is exactly what one would find on most all genuine strawberry handled Robeson knives that were made between 1948 and 1959.
This punched pull was a cost saving move to allow less expensive, less time consuming construction, allowing Robeson to continue to compete in the marketplace, although that only lasted until 1965, when they finally went under.
Both very nice knives. But, keep an eye on the yellow composition. It can begin to deteriorate.
Here's a couple of strawberry bone knives so you'll know that odd pull is righteous.
And a stag handled trapper from the same time period with the same pulls.
Charlie Noyes
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622382-SBB.jpg (13.41 KiB) Viewed 5233 times
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DE OPPRESSO LIBER
"...Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons ___but they are helpless against our prayers. "
Thank you Charlie for the information on the swing guard's, I'd thought the pull on the stag was stamped also when they blanked out the blade, while the other was cut on a mill.
As for storage "old yellow" sleep's by it's self....
Bob
Bob
"To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth" - Jeff Cooper
great little knive, was about $7, could not pass it up
cleaned up nice, great walk and talk, blades a little abused
funny thing is the bone handles are so much thinner than bolsters, yet don't appear all that worn, I should get a profile photo soon and throw it up here
3 and 3/8 inch two line model # 625 366? very worn
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The only mystery in life is why the kamikaze pilots wore helmets.
Mickey
Picked up this old Robeson at a flea market this afternoon. It has some really great old "green" bone. Someone has made a very small repair to the bone on the pile side near the master blade bolster. The mark side tang stamp is very faint but using a loupe I can make out Robeson above Suredge (in script, underlined) and below that Rochester. Pile side stampings are much clearer. Pattern is 623422. Small blade is marked Robeson Cutlery Co. The small blade has half-stop but the master does not. Blades have a good deal of pitting. Don't know much about Robesons but I'm guessing this was made sometime in first half of 20th century.
Any other info you have about this knife would be appreciated. Picture below.
Thanks,
Ken
Attachments
Robeson 623422 mark side
Robeson 623422 pile side
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.
If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.
When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.
Well .............. if you can get past the plastic covers on this thing it's a darn good knife. Both blades have half stops and good walk and talk.
The pen is a little slow, but closes respectfully enough.
Not a smidgeon of brass. 3 3/8".
I would consider new covers but I would hate to lose those old pins.
I like this knife a lot.
Thanks for looking.
I started off collecting Robeson's back years ago but moved on to other brands when I didn't have much luck. I still pick them up when I can find a bargain, really well made knives. These are the ones I've picked up over the years, I included a Terrier pearl peanut: