Old and Obscure Brands

[RobesonsRme.com]

Here's one: "STEVENSON", a manufacturer of metal handled, four blade utility knives made for the U.S. miltary during WWII.

No one really knows who they were. Noted U.S. military knife collectors have been pursuing the mystery for several years.

However, the earlier version, which is marked only on the bail, "STEVENSON U.S.A." has the cap-lifter/can-opener blade, the short stubby screw-driver blade and a punch that were proprietary blades of Robeson Cutlery Co.

The second version, marked only on the bail, "STEVENSON - 1944" had the more universal
mandated MIL-K hooked can-opener, a separate cap-lifter/screw-driver, and punch.

I've done some internet research. I found a Stevenson Manufacturing Co. in upstate New York that is a long time manufacturer of polishing drums, and abrasives. Could they have been a supplier to Robeson Cutlery? Could Robeson have supplied them with the necessary parts to make the knives, so they could participate in the war effort?

Or, did Robeson just create a separate company for the purpose of making the knives.

Nobody knows.

I wrote Stevenson Manufacturing and asked, but have never received a response.

Here is a Robeson marked bone handled WWII military issue utility, followed by version 1 and version 2 of the Stevenson knives. Notice the common blades in the Robeson and version 1 of the Stevenson.

Both the Stevensons are marked on the other side of the bail.

Charlie Noyes

[Miller Bro's]

Charlie,

does the second version have brass liners and carbon steel springs??

[buckeyefan]

Very cool thread.

This is a Clark Bros. 1895-1929.
Both blades are stamped. Check out the double pinch pointed bolsters and long pull. I guess I should have cleaned it up a bit before posting pics.
As I recall there is a connection to Northfield Knife Company, does anyone know if this is fact?
Marty

[RobesonsRme.com]

MB;
I'll have to dig them out of lock-up, but I think they both have brass liners and carbon springs and blades.
But, you know how bad my memory is.......
Charlie Noyes

[galvanic1882]

Great thread, I love to see older more Obscure marks. Here is one I picked up not long ago. It is 5 1/2" closed and what I think are jigged wooden handles. Odd how the top bolsters are nickle silver and the bottom ones are brass. Blade marked GALES & CO. Goins has it listed but with no info. Knife is well made and feels good in your hand and is light for a bigger knife.

Anyone with information on this marker please let me know, Mike

[Miller Bro's]

Made in Germany^

[galvanic1882]

How do you know that??? Any more info??

[Miller Bro's]

Read the Knife.

Look at the construction, materials used, tang stamp, etc.


I have no specific information on that particular company.

[galvanic1882]

Did read the knife nothing says Germany to me and nothing is marked Germany. Looks like a shop made old US knife to me.

[Miller Bro's]

nothing says Germany to me and nothing is marked Germany

It doesen`t have to be marked Germany to say Germany, if you know what I mean.

Looks like a shop made old US knife to me.

How many old U.S. made knives have Brass bolsters? And if they did have Brass bolsters it would not have a Steel pin through it.

Look at the Tang stamp, specifically the abbreviation of Company. This one has the little line under it, not just Co., all the knives I have seen that have this style stamp are from Germany, Austria, Czekslovakia, and that part of the world.

And other things, I could go on but you get the idea

[RobesonsRme.com]

And don't forget those Black Forest handles, either.

I agree with MB. That "Co." in a tang stamp spreichens ze Deutch to me, too.

CNoyes

[Miller Bro's]

Mike,

Something don`t seem right about this knife.

Are you sure the rear bolster is Brass? Nickle silver will turn this color from age and when exposed to a Celluloid knife that is outgassing. Bolsters of two different metals does not make sense.

I don`t usually recommend this but clean a tiny spot on the edge of the bolster and see if it is indeed brass or nickle silver. I think it may be the latter.

Also, the front bolster has already been polished and the blade pivot pin is very poorly done, either it is replaced, which I think it is, or it came this way. I think the rear bolster pin is steel? Like I said, this just does not make sense

[buckeyefan]

I see I chose the wrong time to post my knife here...

Marty

[RobesonsRme.com]

We had a couple of old hardware jobbing firms in Birmingham. Both sold knives marked with their logo.
One was Moore - Handley Hardware Company, founded in 1882 and still in business today as "Home-Crafters".

They used a brand name of "America's Best" and this was often etched on the master blades.

Moore - Handley has a handfull of devoted collectors. I have one knife, a little two blade NS handled pen knife, tang stamped "MOORE - HANDLEY CO." with the America's Best diamond logo on the front handle and etched on the master. Most likely made by Schrade as examples exist that are so stamped.

I bought three celluloid handled Moore - Handley's at a knife show in TN or GA. They were all mint and etched. Paid four hundred dollars for the three. Brought them home and sold them within thirty-six hours for six.

The other company was Wimberly - Thomas, 1900 - 1944. I know of only ONE pocketknife marked with their name.

I have a nice straight razor from Wimberly - Thomas.

Here is a nice Moore - Handley that I let slip away on Ebay this week. This knife sold for seventeen dollars.

Charlie Noyes

[Miller Bro's]

Marty,

Your knife is German made as well. Again, steel pins through nickle bolsters.

And the style of the knife, these were made by lots of German companies.

[trail]

Hi Buckeyfan - regarding the Clark Brothers connection to Northfield - my book shows that Clark Brothers bought Northfield in 1919.

[FRJ]

Here ya go buckeyefan. Straight out of Goins.

[Owd Wullie]

Willie, there was a big Roberts Brothers department store chain that evidently had stores in England and the United States.

http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/department_stores.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stor ... 0736.shtml

I wonder if your knife might have been made for them.

Might be a connection, but mine is stamped ROBERTS BROS MFT'G Co.


Who knows?

[robinetn]

2 I haven't seen yet . 1st - Lenox Cutlery Germany c 1909 - 1920 & 2nd - Kamp Cutlery Co. Prussia c 1910

Bob R.

[buckeyefan]

Very cool! Thanks for ckecking Trail & FRJ!!
I've had it for quite a while but never tried to check on it until I saw this thread.
FRJ, Thank you for posting the pic from Goins. That to me, is great to know that in fact this knife does have a connection to Northfield Knife Co.
MB, Im sure you see these knives every day, and they must be very common to you, but not to me. I posted pic's to try to learn about the possible connection to Northfield Knife Company.

Marty

[orvet]

Here is a Majestic Cutlery Co. Germany-

Goins' says it is a trademark used by Matthews & Lively, c. 1904-1927.
Matthews & Lively started as Healey Barber Supply Co. and later became Matthews & Lively.
They dealt mainly with razors but obviously imported some knives as well.

[knife7knut]

Debated on whether to start a separate post on tang stamps but figured that I would continue it on this one.I spent some time going through my document file and transferred all the pictures of tang stamps into two files:one for knives and the other for razors.
This will concentrate on the pocket knife stamps even though a lot of the manufacturers made or imported razors as well.
So here are a bunch of them.The names are located at the bottom of the pictures.

[knife7knut]

Some more...............

[trail]

My word! An amazing assortment of old and obscure brands, but I'm sure we have only scratched the surface. This Richards doesn't come close to the rarity or quality of many we have seen, but the "cracked copper" handle and elaborate tang stamp really appeal to me. Richards Bros. & Sons, Ltd, Sheffield, circa 1934-1982.

[orvet]

Nice ones K7K.
Some there I have not seen.

Trail,
Richards made some shell handle knives. I think that may be one of them.


Here is a nice old knife, what is left of it.
I got it pretty cheap on fleabay.
Goins' guesstimates it at 1850-1875.
I can't find anything in LG4 on Barber Bros.

If I had to guess I would say Sheffield.
There were some other makers in Sheffield named Barber.
Perhaps this is their sons?

I can't recall ever seeing a knife shaped quite like this-

It is a whittler with one of the small blades broken off.
It is interesting how it is curved up almost like a hawkbill, and there is a swell in the center on the bottom of the knife where the rocker pin sits.

You can clearly see the shaved center liner between the backsprings.

Here is the tang stamp.
Both blades are stamped with the same curved top line stamp.

Barber Bros d.jpg (41.79 KiB) Viewed 7120 times

If anyone knows something about about this company or this shape of knife, please do tell!