I was hoping one of the knowledgeable Robeson experts that frequent the site would be so kind as to share some info with me on this recent pick up. From poking around a little I was able to figure out that the tang stamp dates it between 1948-1965... any way to narrow that down a bit further? Also I am trying to figure out the handle material...is it the "Shurwood" that Robeson made in the later years or is it something else...? Obviously it needs to be cleaned up a bit, but I think it was a good find for under 10.00. Also my first Robeson!

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There are those that are...and those that wish they were. He himself decides.

It is ShurWood. I think that material came after genuine strawberry bone, so let's date your knife about 1959 to 1965.
CNoyes

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DE OPPRESSO LIBER

"Never give in -- never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense."

Winston Churchill

Given the name, can I assume it's a synthetic material made to look like wood?

Most likely rosewood ??

ShurWood was a compressed composite material made of multiple thin layers of wood and a phenolic resin.

Think "plywood" only made with a higher quality, more dense kind of wood.

It might have been rosewood. It has that color about it.

I posted some photos of some Robeson Shur-Wood Designs ash trays in the Robeson Cutlery Company thread in the Knife Lore Forum a week or so ago.

Sarah and I use ShurWood handled kitchen knives everyday. The handles on these sixty year old knives are apparently nearly indestructable.

Charlie Noyes

_________________
DE OPPRESSO LIBER

"Never give in -- never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense."

Winston Churchill

Great info Charlie, thanks for posting! I have the knife in hand now, cleaned it up a bit and the handles look great, no chips, cracks, or gaps, nice reddish brown color, the Shurwood has held up pretty solid considering the knife is at least 45 years old and the blade loss is evidence that it has seen some solid use. Nice knife though, still solid snap and no blade play, for $7 I like it alot!

_________________
There are those that are...and those that wish they were. He himself decides.