Robeson Barlows

The first Robeson knives were imported by Millard Robeson from England and Germany exclusively. This continued from 1979 until 1896 when Robeson began manufacturing knives in the United States. Since inception, the company has gone through several reorganizations & eventually ended up as a Queen Cutlery brand.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by edge213 »

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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

I didn't mean to hi-jack David's post. I was trying to point out the rarity of square bolstered Robeson made Barlow knives.

He is showing some nice ones and I'm glad the thread is back on topic. ::tu::

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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by edge213 »

No worries Charlie.
Hi-jack away. I always look forward to your post on the Terriers and Robesons.
I don't think anyone knows more than you on this subject.
The more you post the more I learn.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

Well hope this isn’t a stupid question but having trouble with barlows. All seem to have the first number in pattern a 5 . Which is either saw cut bone or saw cut delrin yet the strawberry bone like the one David shows looks smooth and not saw cut so why isn’t the first number a 6 ? Did they use some fine saw blade so it is still considered saw cut. And are some delrin smooth as well ? Thanks Kevin
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by FRJ »

I'm sure someone here will answer your question, Kevin.

Here are two of my Barlows. Both are Delrin covers.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by edge213 »

Kevin11b wrote: Sun Feb 28, 2021 1:52 am Well hope this isn’t a stupid question but having trouble with barlows. All seem to have the first number in pattern a 5 . Which is either saw cut bone or saw cut delrin yet the strawberry bone like the one David shows looks smooth and not saw cut so why isn’t the first number a 6 ? Did they use some fine saw blade so it is still considered saw cut. And are some delrin smooth as well ? Thanks Kevin
The ones I posted are sawcut. The saw marks are faint probably from pocket wear and dont show in the pictures.
Charlie Noyes may have more information.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by edge213 »

FRJ wrote: Sun Feb 28, 2021 3:24 pm I'm sure someone here will answer your question, Kevin.

Here are two of my Barlows. Both are Delrin covers.
May not be bone, but still beautiful barlows.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

Definitely nice looking knives and one has the square bolsters that Charlie discussed. Maybe the answer to my question is just what you said they are all saw cut; just a combo of wear and photo not showing it. Wondered since I have never seen one personally thanks
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by TPK »

Never seen this thread before. Great looking Barlows though! ::tu:: Glad I stumbled upon it! ::nod:: ::super_happy::
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

I can actually answer that question.

For some reason that has been lost, Robeson chose to start the pattern numbers on their Barlow patterns with a 5.

“5” usually meant genuine stag.

I had a couple of ivoroid handled Barlows. I’ve sold them, so I’ll have to check my database to see if their pattern numbers started with a 5 or an 8.

Suffice it to say the 5 has nothing to do with the handle material on a Robeson Barlow pattern jack.

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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

Thanks Charlie for the clairification. Please check your pm’s.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

Just got this today . Really happy with it the handles are beautiful! This is saw cut so the pattern of course is 521178. And the tang stamp dates this one in the 1916 to 1939 range. Charlie please post the ivory handle patterns if you find out
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Kevin, I think the Sheepsfoot master Barlows from Robeson are kind of scarce. You did good on that one.

Earlier, I mentioned two ivoroid handled Barlows that I used to own. I stated that they might have had an "8" as the first digit of their pattern numbers, as that was the designator for "Patterned Celluloid".

However, Ivoroid had its own number, "4".

Both the ivoroid knives I owned had a pattern number beginning with a "4". A 421179 and a rare 421200 with a spey master

Both these knives now belong to another AAPK and BladeForums member.

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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

Awesome that you came up with them! So now am I assuming correctly that from what we can tell barlows will all have the first digit a five regardless of handle material with the exception of a four for ivory celluloid? Kevin
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

That is great about the sheepsfoot blade but just luck I didn’t know any better🙂
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

As far as I know, that is correct. I have seen smooth black and jigged black composition Robeson Barlows and I think they either have no pattern number or a 5.

I’ve never seen a genuine stag handled Barlow from Robeson and I don’t recall any fancy patterned celluloid, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see one in faux tortoise.

I used to have a single bladed sheepsfoot Barlow in Strawberry Bone. You might be able to locate one of those.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by edge213 »

RobesonsRme.com wrote: Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:22 pm As far as I know, that is correct. I have seen smooth black and jigged black composition Robeson Barlows and I think they either have no pattern number or a 5.

I’ve never seen a genuine stag handled Barlow from Robeson and I don’t recall any fancy patterned celluloid, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see one in faux tortoise.

I used to have a single bladed sheepsfoot Barlow in Strawberry Bone. You might be able to locate one of those.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

Ha ha good job edge!! I think we just located one
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Re: Robeson Barlows

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Kevin11b wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:50 am Ha ha good job edge!! I think we just located one
::tu:: ::tu::
I love Barlows, and I also love Robesons.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by Kevin11b »

Agreed !!!
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by sugarcreek »

As a kid in the 1960s I lived to hunt, fish and collect arrowheads, as did my friends. Collecting knives was a part of this world and I dreamed of a new Case knife, but only had money to acquire a few.
As I grew older I continued to carry a knife but tended to make them a tool on the farm, using the same one until a spring broke, handle cracked or the blades just got sharpened away.
Anyway, a while back I got out my old tackle box full of a lifetime of my knives. It also had my grandfather's old Henreich Boker stockman I had watched him carry it for years and it was returned to us by the hospital when he died. His knife, like most of mine, was well worn. I did have a few including several Case usa knives that were in good shape and I got on the internet to see what they are worth.
This thread caught my eye and caused me to sign in on E-Bay for the first time. What fun!
Well, April was a lot of fun and I purchased a number of Barlow Robesons, Belknap Bluegrass and other assorted barlows from the 1940 to 1965 period.
Even bought an old Robeson the tang stamp indicates was made shortly after 1900.
I love the bone handles and have no trouble telling deldrin from bone in the later knives. The dark maroonish brown pre 1964 Robesons have handles that have the feel of pocketworn sawcut bone but I suspect is some deldrin like material.
I got what I consider some pretty nice knives while only paying in the 20 to 30 dollar range.
Any information on how to to determine if these Robeson scales are bone or not? At the price I gave I suspect some sort of imitation bone.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by edge213 »

sugarcreek wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:16 pm As a kid in the 1960s I lived to hunt, fish and collect arrowheads, as did my friends. Collecting knives was a part of this world and I dreamed of a new Case knife, but only had money to acquire a few.
As I grew older I continued to carry a knife but tended to make them a tool on the farm, using the same one until a spring broke, handle cracked or the blades just got sharpened away.
Anyway, a while back I got out my old tackle box full of a lifetime of my knives. It also had my grandfather's old Henreich Boker stockman I had watched him carry it for years and it was returned to us by the hospital when he died. His knife, like most of mine, was well worn. I did have a few including several Case usa knives that were in good shape and I got on the internet to see what they are worth.
This thread caught my eye and caused me to sign in on E-Bay for the first time. What fun!
Well, April was a lot of fun and I purchased a number of Barlow Robesons, Belknap Bluegrass and other assorted barlows from the 1940 to 1965 period.
Even bought an old Robeson the tang stamp indicates was made shortly after 1900.
I love the bone handles and have no trouble telling deldrin from bone in the later knives. The dark maroonish brown pre 1964 Robesons have handles that have the feel of pocketworn sawcut bone but I suspect is some deldrin like material.
I got what I consider some pretty nice knives while only paying in the 20 to 30 dollar range.
Any information on how to to determine if these Robeson scales are bone or not? At the price I gave I suspect some sort of imitation bone.

If you post pictures it will be much easier.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by sugarcreek »

Sorry, I considered it a major achievement for my tech skills to post the comment.
I may try to get one of my daughters to help me with a picture when they are home.
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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

With a 10x loupe or magnifier, you should be able to detect Haversian (That might be incorrect) veins if the handle is bone. Delrin or any other composite material will be uniform in color without the telltale markings of vascular remnants.

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Re: Robeson Barlows

Post by sugarcreek »

Thanks
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