Robeson pocket knives

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 pocket knives

Post by ScoutKnives »

I picked up this Robeson 3 1/4" SCOUT about a year or so ago .
French ivory cell handles , never sharpened and no pattern number . Possibly missing a removable lanyard and chain ?
Thanks for looking .
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by bestgear »

Cool knife Mike, I like French Ivory covers
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

I think I tried to buy that celluloid "Scout" jack.

I, too, think it was a Boy's Knife and had a chain and button loop on it.

Very nice.

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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

Well, it turns out I bought a few Robeson's. Didn't plan on it but there they were. Ya can't just drive around them.

This big old 3 7/8" jack is pretty cool with it's big bolster, wide spring and blade. Very strong snap. The secondary blade is thinner, but just as snappy as the big spear. Robeson's old whatever covers and a cool stamped beaver image on the blade. Not an etch.
Just about a nail breaker. Half stops X 2.
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

Here's a nice Mastercraft whittler. 3 5/8". Very nice old knife.
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

A very sweet little 3" gunstock that Charlie Noyes commented on in another thread.
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

The last of these knives is a really cool "Pocket eze" equal end jack. 3 3/4". Just a great all around knife. Coined liners which I didn't photograph. Easy to open blades.
Thanks for looking.
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by Duffer »

Very nice Joe! Hard to beat a Robeson. I am especially drawn to the Pocket Eze Jack and Mastercraft Whittler. What's not to like--hidden joints, bronze bearings, beautiful jigged brown bone are all very cool in a vintage folder ::nod:: Overall, just a wonderful group of vintage Robesons ::tu:: Lloyd
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Joe, those are all very nice knives.

If the handle material is not ebony on that hefty jack, it is an early form of Micarta.

I've always wondered about that beaver etch or stamp on that knife. The complete stamp shows a rasp or file beneath the beaver. Made me wonder if it wasn't an adverting piece. The knife is shown in old, old catalogs, so it must have been a regular production piece.

They made a very similar knife, etched "BULL DOG". It had a different pattern number, 220, I think, but I'm hard pressed to see a difference in their construction. I think there might have been a difference in length.

You've been getting some nice Robesons lately.

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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by steve99f »

WOW Joe, those are fantastic! What great bone on three of them. The equal end is interesting for the different size bolsters, never saw that before on an equal end. And that gunstock is a nice knife with great bone. The jack with the beaver etch looks almost like a Barlow with that long bolster. A knife made for hard work. Great Robesons Joe! ::tu::

This came home with me yesterday from one of those antique malls that are so common now. Fun to look around in with the wife wife though and I stumbled across this little senator in strawberry bone. Disappointed with the shield missing but I couldn't leave her behind. I was surprised in looking at the knife that the shield appears to have been glued in rather than pinned. I would appreciate your input on that Charlie. I thought maybe this is a Queen made Robeson but the tang mark indicates otherwise.
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

Nice little senator Steve. The glued shield is kind of surprising. It sure looks like a Robeson.

Thank you, Lloyd, Charlie, and Steve for the comments.
What a great place to show off knives. ::tu::
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by steve99f »

Thanks Joe. I was surprised too. I'm not so familiar with Robeson tang stamps from memory to recognize the era the knife was made at the shop. But when I got home and checked this site and Price & Zalesky, I was surprised. Just assumed a pinned shield in the era. Its possible this has been apart though, a gap exists between the liner and the back spring on the pile side. And the bone just seems a little too red, but hope springs eternal. ::smirk::
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Strawberry bone handled knives were made between 1948 and 1959 or 60.

They were trying to survive and compete and unfortunately, the company failed in 1965.

I suppose, as a cost and labor saving measure, the shields during that time period and afterward were glued in place.

I might have one here that would fit. They came in a couple of sizes.

There's nothing wrong with that bone.

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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by steve99f »

Thanks for the insight Charlie. I didn't realize the strawberry bone era was as short as that. I'll PM you regarding the shield Charlie.
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Steve, they converted to "strawberry" colored Delrin in 59 or 60, depending on whose book you read. Strawberry bone was definitely gone by 1960.

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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by msteele6 »

Nice old knives! ::tu::
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by ScoutKnives »

I have this real strange Robeson Mastercraft 623653 , both blades kind of ratchet open and closed see pictures . Reverse small blade has PAT.APP on the tang . Poor condition but interesting .
It's a large knife at 3 3/4" closed .
Any help would be greatly appreciated .
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

ScoutKnives, your Robeson Mastercraft is very similar to the Pocket Eze I posted on previous page.
I mistakenly called mine an equal end. Actually it's a swell end jack.
Does your knife have coined liners?
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by ScoutKnives »

Thanks Joe , looks like the same frame BUT !

It might of had coined liners but it's very worn , what I feel is very different are the stops on both blades , instead of half stops it has 1/4 stops lol , both blades kinda ratchet open and closed .


FRJ wrote:ScoutKnives, your Robeson Mastercraft is very similar to the Pocket Eze I posted on previous page.
I mistakenly called mine an equal end. Actually it's a swell end jack.
Does your knife have coined liners?
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

I noticed that in your pictures. Very odd ------ how would anyone explain tangs like that?
It should have bronze bearings.
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Very easily explained, actually. Both blades are missing the bronze bearings that were originally attached to the rear of the tang in a semi-horseshoe fashion.

This was a problem with "MasterCraft" knives and why they subsequently moved the bronze bearing to the inside surface of the ends of the backsprings, creating the "Perma-Lube" line of knives, circa 1940 or so.

Here's a pic of a see-through demonstrator MasterCraft showing the bearing. That's missing on your knife, causing the little dovetail notches that once held it in place to catch on the edge of the backspring, hence the several "stops" occurring between fully closed and fully opened.

I'll try to come up with a scan of a descriptive page illustrating the Perma-Lube knives and the bearings located on the backspring.

Photos should expand with one or two left clicks.

Charlie Noyes
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by FRJ »

Thank you, Charlie.
Great explanation with see through knife and advertisement.
Didn't that see through knife disintegrate on you?
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by ScoutKnives »

Thank you Charlie
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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Yeah. It did, indeed, disintegrate. ::facepalm::

Toast.

Gone.

And five hundred dollars with it.

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Re: Robeson pocket knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is a well used and well maintained 3 5/8" Robeson Cattle knife 632768. The secondaries are a long spey & a punch, very useful blades. The shield is one i have not seen before. Did it have a name on it that has been buffed off ?
I think this is a pre WW II knife. It's walk & talk are perfect and no hint any where of play. It simply oozes quality in a way that very few other knives can compare.
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