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Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 5:56 pm
by RobesonsRme.com
I've been limiting my knife purchases to just Terrier knives lately and have, in fact, sold a good many of my Robeson knives, but this 3 5/8" Robeson MasterCraft whittler popped up on Ebay a short while ago. I put one of those, "this is absolutely the most I'll pay" bids on it and somehow managed to win it.

It's not mint by any stretch of the imagination. It has been used slightly and has a few sharpening marks on it and several scattered pits and spiders.

It still has a lot of original luster and the "NEV-R-BIND OIL-LESS BEARINGS" etch in a flowing banner on the master clip blade.

It's pattern number is 633659. Every MasterCraft knife I've seen has a pattern number ending in the 600 range.

Master blade stamp is ROBESON / ShurEdge / ROCHESTER, which has been dated 1922 - 1939.

There is a small secondary clip blade and a pen. The pen is stamped "PATENT / APP FOR", in two lines.

The nickel-silver liners are coined.

The handles are nicely jigged brown bone with a MASTERCRAFT shield. There are no worm grooves. There are no chips or cracks.

The MasterCraft line of knives were introduced 1929.

They had a bronze "U" shaped piece affixed to the rear of the tang that bore on the inner surface of the backspring.

I have never encountered this pattern before and at 3 5/8", it is one of the largest.

Enjoy.

Photos should expand with a left click.

Charlie Noyes

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:13 pm
by FRJ
That is a real beauty, Charlie. A nice big whittler. Congratulations!

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 8:07 pm
by Colonel26
That is a beautiful old knife. Simply amazing! ::tu::

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 10:03 pm
by Duffer
Beautiful Whittler Charlie ::nod::

Here is a first cousin to yours a Robeson Mastercraft Whittler pattern no. 633656 same length as yours but more of a sleeve board design. Has a pen blade and sheep foot. Etch is hard to see but still there but not as visible as yours. Lloyd

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 10:15 pm
by Dinadan
That is a very fine knife, Charlie! Yours too, Duffer. The bronze bearing on the tang of the blade sounds unique. I have never seen a knife with that feature - was that used on other knives, or maybe all Mastercrafts?

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 12:09 am
by RobesonsRme.com
Here is a photo of a MasterCraft demonstration knife with transparent handles. This knife actually self-destructed a year or two ago, but the photos survive.

MasterCraft came out in about 1929. Depression era, so I don't know how long they made them. I have seen photos of a whole display case of nothing but MastrCraft knives.

After Emerson Case took over the factory operations in about 1940, the bronze bearing was moved from the end of the blade to the inside surface of the backspring. They changed the name of the line to Perma-Lube.

Charlie

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:30 pm
by Waukonda
A match to the OP knife

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:38 pm
by edge213
Waukonda wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:30 pm A match to the OP knife

Beautiful knife Ike!

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:48 pm
by dlr110
Ike, that is a classic looking knife to me... ::tu::

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:01 pm
by doglegg
Classic indeed. Love those bones.

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:28 pm
by Dinadan
Beautiful knife in really fine condition!

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2022 12:09 am
by FRJ
What else can be said, Ike, a truly beautiful knife.

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2022 2:34 am
by RobesonsRme.com
Beautiful knife with great bone.

The sabre-cut master seems a bit more crisp than the OP.

Re: Robeson MasterCraft Whittler

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:07 pm
by Waukonda
I am pretty fond of this knife, and I appreciate all the nice comments, thank you all!