Bone or plastic covers on this 612407?

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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Robo
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Bone or plastic covers on this 612407?

Post by Robo »

I hope you all can help: The handle material number indicates these are bone covers, but they feel like plastic. Perhaps it's the feel of the long, fine jigging that's throwing me off?

Also was this shield used often?

Thanks, Brothers
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knifeaholic
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Re: Bone or plastic covers on this 612407?

Post by knifeaholic »

plastic
Steve Pfeiffer, author of Collecting Case Knives: Identification and Price Guide published by Krause Publications.
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jerryd6818
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Re: Bone or plastic covers on this 612407?

Post by jerryd6818 »

This question comes up fairly frequently so there's a thread in the "Tips & Tricks" forum that addresses this issue. ---► viewtopic.php?f=98&t=62145&p=732251#p732251
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Re: Bone or plastic covers on this 612407?

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Not exactly sure that “plastic” is an accurate description for it, but the handles are pressure molded black composition.

I have seen a sample of the handles in a factory logo box with a description of their attributes. They were manufactured and supplied to Robeson by an outside company, the name of which I forget.

The sample handles were on a Robeson knife.

During and after WWII, bone was not readily available. Robeson and others replaced their bone handles in that time period with black composition of some form. Case was another company that did that.

Robeson did not change the pattern numbers to reflect that change. They just continued to put that “6” on the blades.

The shield dates the knife to the early to mid-1950’s.

I have owned several knives similar to that, but I don’t think I’be ever seen a toothpick.

Those handles, whatever they are, are very durable. They will not shrink and I’ve never seen them outgas.

That’s a nice knife.

Charlie

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Robo
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Re: Bone or plastic covers on this 612407?

Post by Robo »

jerryd6818 wrote:This question comes up fairly frequently so there's a thread in the "Tips & Tricks" forum that addresses this issue. ---► viewtopic.php?f=98&t=62145&p=732251#p732251
Thanks for the lead, Jerry!
Robo
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Re: Bone or plastic covers on this 612407?

Post by Robo »

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Not exactly sure that “plastic” is an accurate description for it, but the handles are pressure molded black composition.

I have seen a sample of the handles in a factory logo box with a description of their attributes. They were manufactured and supplied to Robeson by an outside company, the name of which I forget.

The sample handles were on a Robeson knife.

During and after WWII, bone was not readily available. Robeson and others replaced their bone handles in that time period with black composition of some form. Case was another company that did that.

Robeson did not change the pattern numbers to reflect that change. They just continued to put that “6” on the blades.

The shield dates the knife to the early to mid-1950’s.

I have owned several knives similar to that, but I don’t think I’be ever seen a toothpick.

Those handles, whatever they are, are very durable. They will not shrink and I’ve never seen them outgas.

That’s a nice knife.

Charlie

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Thanks Charlie. Good to get the intel. The retro-futuristic shield and the angular cut of the blade gives this one a kinda space-age tickler look. I'm actually happy to hear the covers are composition in this case.
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