My 1st ROBESON, except for some steak knives

[treefarmer]

Found this at a flea market. Doesn't look to have been sharpened, just a light rust on all 3 blades. The handles are not bone, the liners are brass. The tang stamp reads ROBESON/633884/USA, does the number explain the knife the GEC or Case numbers do?
I'd appreciate any info on this little gal by some of you Robeson authorities.
A before Mothers and a rag and after Mothers and a rag pictures.
Thanks,
Treefarmer

[RobesonsRme.com]

A nice serviceable stockman with virtually indestructible Delrin handles.

However, it was made after Robeson went out of business in 1965, probably by Camillus, possibly by Ontario Knife.

The pattern number on the mark side of the master is the tell on that.

Still, at flea market prices, probably a good grab.

You did a great job cleaning it up.

I think I might have a pic of one here somewhere. Actually, I may still have this new old stock knife.

For whatever reason, mine looks to be a bit more slim than yours.

And yes, the pattern number explains the knife.

The first digit describes the handle material. "6" was originally for bone, but was used during and shortly after WWII on some jigged black composition handled knives and was kept after they transitioned from bone to Delrin.

The second digit described the number of blades, so "3".

The third digit described the bolster/liner composition and "3" was an indication for nickel-silver bolsters and brass liners.

The last three digits were the handle-die shape number. "884" was a 3 5/8" serpentine stockman pattern with a "Turkish" clip master blade.

Charlie Noyes

[treefarmer]

Thanks for the info, Charlie!
Found a site this afternoon that gave a lot of info on Robeson history and also some info on the number system. The 1st two numbers are just like most Case knives, the 1st, 6 indicates Delrin as handle material, the 2nd is the number of blades which is 3, the 3rd number is supposed to indicate the materials used in the liners and bolsters. My knife shows 633884, the info says that a 3 indicates Nickel-silver liners and bolsters, my knife has brass liners and N-S bolsters which should be indicated by a 2, 632884 . Charlie, what material are your liners made? Also there is a small cut out on the mark of the handle to access the nail nick on the main blade as it sits very low in the well. The remaining 3 numbers refer to the pattern, 884.
This is just really interesting to me as Robeson knives have totally escaped me all these years. Been readin' about them here on AAPK but never ran across one as a younger feller. All the ol' guys had Case, Queen or Treebrands when I was young. Must have been regional thing, dealerships and they just left our part of Florida out .
Treefarmer

[TripleF]

You probably stumbled on Charlie's site TF. See his username?

[treefarmer]

Scott, What I saw was "nkcaknife.com", then after reading your heads up I found the rest of the site. Great history, great pics and apparently a very humble man!
Always something new to learn here on AAPK. So it appears Charlie Noyes is to Robeson, sorta' like Steve Pfieffer is to Case, very knowledgeable!
Thanks for settin' me straight, Scott .
Treefarmer

[RobesonsRme.com]

TreeFarmer, sometimes my memory goes lacking.

I let your post lead me astray on the third digit in the pattern number. A "3" does, indeed, indicate nickel-silver liners and bolsters.

A "2" or a "6" indicates brass liners and nickel-silver bolsters.

As you stated your knife had brass liners and a "3" as the third digit, I just went with that.

Without looking for my example of the OP knife, I'm pretty sure it will have brass liners, as well.

When The Robeson Cutlery Company went out of business in 1965, they shut down the factory in Perry, New York. A company called Cutler Federal purchased the rights to the name "Robeson" and contracted with Camillus to make a limited number of patterns. At that time, they moved the pattern number to the front. Whether that was done to distinguish the knives from the originals or not, I do not know. Most likely, it was done to keep from having to stamp both sides of the tangs.

Cutler Federal eventually sold the name to Ontario Knife Co. They continued the marketing of knives similar to yours in a limited set of patterns until about 1976. Queen, belonging to Ontario Knife, then brought out some limited edition Robeson "reproductions" starting in the late 80's or early 90's. At least, they put a year date on the tangs.

I suspect Camillus just didn't follow the pattern numbering system verbatim. I don't think I've ever seen a Camillus made "Robeson" with nickel-silver liners.

A genuine pre-1965 Robeson knife with strawberry Delrin handles looks markedly different than the post-65 Camillus made knives.

An example below. The differences in quality are obvious.

Charlie Noyes
(No where near to being the "Steve Pfieffer" of Robeson Cutlery)
But, thanks for the compliment.

[gino]

nice find!