Correct Robeson Numbering???

[1967redrider]

I found this knife on ebay last night;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROBESON-62227-Easy- ... 3cb4a46cf5

. . . so I thought I'd look it up in my reference book. The problem is I cannot find it as it looks like a number is missing, according to my book. Any thought? Thanks!

[RobesonsRme.com]

Welcome to AAPK!

I've explained this numerous times in the past, but I suspect it bears repeating, as there are numerous new members on board.:

Robeson used a six digit numbering system. The first digit denoted handle material, the second the number of blades, the third the bolster/liner materials.

The last three digits were the handle-die shape number. These numbers started with 001 and ended somewhere in the 800's or 900's.

Sometimes, when making the dies for the pattern numbers for knives with a handle-die shape number from 001 through 099, they would omit that first zero. So that 001 became 01 and in the case of the knife you questioned, 027 became 27.

The actual pattern number for the knife is 622027.

You will not find those facts delineated in any knife reference other than the 5th edition of Jim Sargent's American Premium Guide To Knives and Razors.

Some references put the knives with only five digit numbers in the wrong place as regards the handle-die shape numbers.

This is all outlined more informatively in a thread named The Robeson Cutlery Company in the Knife Lore Forum.

BTW; the knife you referenced on Ebay has been discussed at length here on AAPK at the following URL:

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =2&t=21784

As far as I can tell from the photos, there is nothing wrong with the knife.

Charlie Noyes

[1967redrider]

Thanks! I checked out the link you provided as well, didn't realize it had already been covered. Lots of good reading and info here!

[Dockster]

Hello everyone,
This is my first post here, although i have enjoyed following this site for a while now.
I bought my first easy opener in January and saved this knife to my watch list.
The more i looked at the pics the more i noticed that the pattern number and main blade stamp appear to be etched.
I also noticed that the shield is not very crisp around some of the edges.
For some reason this knife just doesn't "feel" right.

Am i getting the wrong vibe on this knife? I do not own many Robesons.
So what do you think?

Thanks and God Bless

[RobesonsRme.com]

Welcome to AAPK! Hope you enjoy it here.

In answer to your question:

Your vibe receptor is screwy ( ) because you haven't looked at enough Robeson knives to know what their tang stamps looked like prior to WWII.

If you are one that thinks any tang stamp should look like a Case Cutlery Co. stamp or that it should look like Bernie Levine's published description of a genuine tang stamp; i.e. that there must be carbon left in the recesses of the stamp after the striking of a hot carbon steel blade, you're never going to find an old Robeson knife to your liking, because they all had stamps just like the subject EO knife above.

I have no idea how or what Robeson did to their tang stamps, but prior to WWII, the stamps were clean, shiney and did, indeed, have the appearance of having been etched. Were they? I doubt it it, but they do look it.

Go to http://www.RobesonsRme.com and click on the "HISTORY" icon. Scroll down until the tang stamp section appears and look at them. Those are all genuine Robeson stamps.

Look at the post - WWII stamps and you'll find the dark carbon deposits which you're thinking should be omni-present.
What changed? I have no idea.

A word of caution. The website will lock-up your computer unless you have a gig or more of random access memory. If you're running 512 megabytes, don't go there. It wasn't built by a computer guru, so it's a little picture heavy.

Charlie Noyes

[Dockster]

Cool!! Thanks for the response. I always enjoy learning more.