Robeson pocket knives

[kootenay joe]

I guess i'm saying the obvious, but Robeson sure made fine knives. The only ones i don't like are the 'fake' Queen ones.
kj

[FRJ]

I guess i'm saying the obvious, but Robeson sure made fine knives.

It's true, and they were so innovative and really always fine construction.


The only ones i don't like are the 'fake' Queen ones. kj

I stumbled into one of those once. It aint no Pocketeze, obviously................

[kootenay joe]

I have an ivory handled Queen 'Robeson', somewhere, and it is a lovely knife. But i would prefer that it be accurately marked, meaning "Queen", because it is not a Robeson, was not made in the Robeson factory or made by Robeson employees.
kj

[FRJ]

And this doctors knife is a nice knife too. It's just not a Robeson.
I guess it's a Queen. I don't really know. kj, do you think it's a Queen?

[kootenay joe]

If it was made by Queen, i consider it a Queen knife.
Robeson was not just a brand name, it was also the manufacturer's name.
When a businessman purchases a brand name like say "Maher & Grosh" and has knives made with this branding, then to me, these are Maher & Grosh knives because it always has been a merchant name. There never was a Mayer & Grosh knife manufacturer.
kj

[FRJ]

Here's a nice little tipped bolster Robeson.

EDIT: 3 5/16" closed.

[Duffer]

Joe I like the lines and sweep of the frame/handle on that Robeson Very attractive What is the closed length of the folder? Lloyd

[FRJ]

Thank you, Lloyd. It is nice. It's 3 5/16" closed.

I edited my original post to include length.

[RobesonsRme.com]

That's a nice little pattern and often referred to as a "Wharncliffe", but that's questionable.

I've seen these ivoroid handled knives with a "PocketEze" shield, the one I have doesn't have one either.

But, my bone handled example does.

Charlie

[FRJ]

Thank you, Charlie. It is a very nice pattern. Typical of Robeson to come out with something so nice.
Sunken joints, various handle options and long blades in a 3 5/16" frame.

[FRJ]

Here's a nice swing guard. 4 7/16".

[RobesonsRme.com]

Nice one.

[FRJ]

Thanks, Charlie.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

If it was made by Queen, i consider it a Queen knife.
Robeson was not just a brand name, it was also the manufacturer's name.
When a businessman purchases a brand name like say "Maher & Grosh" and has knives made with this branding, then to me, these are Maher & Grosh knives because it always has been a merchant name. There never was a Mayer & Grosh knife manufacturer.
kj

I wholeheartedly agree with that. Perry, ny robesons are my favorite old brand after schrade, I don't have very many but I just love them. Rich, rich history, superb quality, tons of innovation and some of the finest brown bone ever put on a knife. The queen made ones just don't have it, even though they are fine quality.

[FRJ]

Here's a nice little Robeson jack. It's three inches long closed. Not sure this is a boys knife.
At least the springs are so strong a boy would have a very hard time opening the blades.

[edge213]

Joe, that one is beautiful.

[FRJ]

Thank you, David.

[RobesonsRme.com]

That's nice.

I don't really consider that a "Boy's Knife" as it's not drilled and has no chain.

But, Robeson did put that knife in a two knife box set with a 319 senator and called it a "Father and Son Set".

You can see one of those in the Ferguson book.

Charlie

[Oldredbone67]

Hello, I picked up this Robeson knife today, my first one. The person selling it said that Robeson is a good knife. Could someone tell me the approximate year it was made and any other info would be helpful. I especially like the Saber grind blade, is there a way I could tell if it is carbon steel or SS? The shield does not say Robeson, just the blade. The blade reads 622061 model number ?
Thanks
John

[kootenay joe]

The handles look to be jigged Delrin. If they are, then knife is newer than 1960.
Hopefully someone familiar with Robeson will be along with more specific information.
kj

[RobesonsRme.com]

It's a "Robeson" in name only, a RINO I suppose.

Robeson Cutlery went out of business in 1965 and a company called Cutler Federal purchased the rights to the name. They had knives made for them by Camillus Cutlery Co in Camillus, New York.

Your knife is one of them. Not made by the Robeson craftsmen in the Robeson factory in Perry, New York.

Any Robeson marked knife that has the pattern number on the front of the tang is a post 1965 knife and most likely made by Camillus.

The handles are pressure molded Delrin. I'm pretty sure the blades are carbon steel.

Camillus did not even produce the same knife as an original Robeson 622061 slim trapper, which was more akin to a Case 048 trapper.

Your knife has a bit more bulky frame.

I'll post a pic of an original below. This knife was made between 1948 and 1959. I'm not sure I've ever seen a pre-WWII example of this pattern.

Absolutely nothing wrong with the knife, but your seller should have been touting the qualities of Camillus, not Robeson.

Cutler Federal turned around and resold the Robeson name to Ontario Knife Company, who also owns Queen and they still retain it and produce a few well made, but not accurate, reproductions every couple of years.

Charlie Noyes

[Oldredbone67]

Thanks for the info

[galvanic1882]

In going through the Robeson's that I have to sell I found a few that I think are special.

Years ago I picked up an ink blotter that was made to advertise a patented knife that Robeson made. I was always looking for a nice example to go with it and this one was in the batch.

The other knife is a 4 1/4" closed English Jack type framed knife that at first look I thought was a lockback, since there are about 5 of them in the bunch, but was not. The blade has the patent number of a toothpick or fish knife and what I thought was the lock on the backspring turned out to be a fish hook remover and ruler blade.

[biglmbass]

Those two are great, galvanic. I've never seen either. The reverse congress looks great

[edge213]

Just FYI: Queen Cutlery is now owned by the Daniels Family. They purchased Queen in 2011 or 2012. I agree with Charlie that the Queen made Robesons aren't "real" Robesons. But they are high quality knives.