Robeson Shur-Edge Fixed Blade Question

[keithw]

Hey guys,

I picked up this old fixed blade knife for a couple of bucks and was wondering if the tang stamp gives any indication of age.
Also I included in the pic my grandfather's old sharpener. He was a farmer years (and years) ago, and I figure he used it to sharpen his farm implements. I decided to try it on the old Robeson, and it put a good course edge on it in no time. It looked really hard, but it was pretty soft when I started using it. He died in 1974, and his father and grandfather farmed the same homeplace, so I have no idea how old it could be.
Any comments or ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Keith

[Colonel666]

Hi. Robeson of any year appreciates in value every ten years. They started by "word of mouth" reputation so it is difficult to place a model to an exact year or even how many were produced and sold. They had hard times and decreased gradually the number of different types of models to stay afloat. What you got there seems like a "culinary" model that was "practical" as to sell during the "Great Depression" like other makers also did (Ex. Christy Knife Co.). I have a "Green River" brand "cabbage" knife like yours shown and is sitting far from here in my kitchen utensil drawer. You may realize by my descriptions that I do not claim to be an expert.