Robeson Jack Date?

[pocketkeeper]

This morning I stumbled onto this old Robeson Jack at a yard sale. $3, what a deal. I think it is old, like maybe 1900 to 1920 or so. Can anyone pin the time frame down for me with certainty? I'm sure Charlie can clue me in on this old fella. It's pretty worn, blades not in the est condition. It has some snap at the half stops and open position but none when closing. I love the old bone.... as you can see there is some play at the one pin. Steel liners. I'm still grinnin' over this find.
Dave

[RobesonsRme.com]

Both the bone and the EZ Open pattern speaks to WWII production and probably military issue, although some of these are simply stamped U.S.A. for United States Army.

Nice find for three bucks. Probably a bring back by somebody after war's end.

Charlie Noyes

[wornoutwrench]

I think this pattern was a mainstay of many companies before the war, and the government just adopted them as a standard provided they add a bail. I think this one is a commercial version.
Great little users, well made even when they got rushed during the war and went to steel mounts and synthetic scales.
Enjoy

[RobesonsRme.com]

I'd have to check my photo archives, but I do not recall ever seeing a Robeson EZ Open knife like that one from this time frame with a bail, not even the ones simply marked, U.S.A.

The bone on the OP knife puts it circa WWII.

I did not mean to infer that this EZ Open pattern did not exist prior to the war.

This knife may well be commercial, but it's from the time period and may just as well be military.

Charlie Noyes

[pocketkeeper]

Thanks for the info, Charlie. I'm curious how you can tell from the bone that my knife is WWII era. How does the bone on it differ from the bone on a similar Robeson from the 1920s-30s? Goins didn't help me much as they didn't site the exact mark that is on mine but they did site very similar marks and indicated they were used 1896-1922. That and the general look of the knife made me think it was from that era.
I feel so lucky to have found three Robeson knives at yard sales in the past 6 months. That makes for a fun day.
Dave

[pocketkeeper]

Oh, and also, Charlie, I have a knife marked E. Weck that looks very much like this Robeson. Are you aware of Robeson making knives for E. Weck, who I believe was a distributor from the 1890s until modern times? I have some info that indicates Schrade may have made the Weck.
Dave