All About Pocket Knives

And a nice one it is.

Charlie

Here is my just arrived Robeson "Shuredge" 7 7/8", wood handled fixed blade. Blade is of thin stock (~ 3/32") but rigid & edge is sharp.
Sheath is likely not original as keeper strap is too big.
Looks like it was made 'yesterday'. Maybe it was ? "Shuredge" in script should indicate before 1940. This does not look like a 76+ yr old knife. Queen fantasy Robeson ?
Looking forward to finding out what i actually have.
thanks, kj

I don't know who made the knife, but I do not think it was Robeson. I don't think they ever used that stamp on a straight knife and dating Robeson straight knives by tang stamps is a dubious exercise at best.

I was pretty sure Queen had been putting year dates on their Robeson knives, maybe not.

Charlie Noyes

Thank you Charlie.
The thin blade grind and sharp edges on this knife is not what i would expect from Queen. Could be a China 'knock-off' ?
It is a production knife so there must be others 'out there'.
kj

Roland, this sounds like your knife, but they say it's marked with a "Q" etc.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROBESON-SHUREDG ... Sw~e5ZSqH0

Charlie

That's it ! Same knife. Thank you Charlie.
Mine is not marked: "Q Titusville, Pa. Ph-D2". The back tang looks never marked, but no doubt about it being the same knife. And a nice one too: Rosewood handle, D2 steel and a very thin blade grind, from Queen ! Likely very recent.
I have not seen this knife until i bought the one i have. Now there are 2 and i bet there will be more of these listed on ebay, because this is an often observed 'pattern' or sequence. Maybe either Queen or a distributor sold off a bunch that were then snapped up by ebay sellers ? I know this is only 2 seen so far. I am thinking there will soon be more.
The 'flaw' with mine is with the sheath. The retention strap is too big such that knife falls out of the sheath despite having a half guard. The ebay knife looks to have the same sheath. But i really like the knife in case you are wondering if you should bid.
kj

The Ebay knife is being sold by Daniel Pipes. I think the Pipes family owns Queen Cutlery or Smokey Mountain Knife Works or somehow is connected to one or both.

I do not keep up with current knife manufacturers.

Someone here will know.

Charlie

Kevin Pipes is the owner of Smoky Mountain Knife Works.

I bought my above FB from another ebay seller but i have received a number of excellent deals from SMKW ebay site. They list older stock that has not sold, some are fairly high end production & custom knives which occasionally can be won for as low as 20% of original store price (that's "of", not "off").
kj

Just got this one. The walk and talk is amazing! like a new custom. Tight, smooth, snappy!
Does the absence of a model number age it to the beginning of the shuredge era?

I can't answer your question Rob,but that is a fine old knife!Having steel bolsters it's most likely pre 1920.Charlie will be along and give you a more precise answer.

Thanks Roger!

Very nice.

It's number would be 521168.

Most of their pre-WWII Barlows had iron or steel bolsters/liners.

Charlie

RockmanO I really, really like the look of that knife.

I can show 2 Robeson knives, a Swingguard:

And a barlow:


I like the shape of the tip on both.
Sorry dont know more about them.

Rockman0 wrote:Just got this one. The walk and talk is amazing! like a new custom. Tight, smooth, snappy!
Does the absence of a model number age it to the beginning of the shuredge era?

Beautiful Barlow.

Got this Robeson Doctors Knife a few months back.

bigbore wrote:I can show 2 Robeson knives, a Swingguard:
And a barlow:
I like the shape of the tip on both.
Sorry dont know more about them.

That Barlow appears to be one of the Queen-built modern Robesons which, as Charlie can attest, do not necessarily stick to the criteria of old Robesons (i.e. Pocketeze with no sunken joints, Shuredge with...whatever isn't shur about the edge but are still IMO rather nice knives. I'm pig-ignorant of swing-guards like yours but I imagine due to the condition and apparent age it too is a Queen build. USA made and desirable, for sure, just not "the real deal" Robeson.

The Barlo'ws spear blade profile in particular is emblematic of Queen, especially on their #69 Barlows. It's one of my favorite things about the modern Queen Barlows. Here is one of my examples where I think you can see the telltale profile (risking the ire of the Robeson purists in the thread... ):
The older, "proper" Robeson Barlows have more of a "traditional" look to them and, at least among the ones I've seen, generally sport a rounder profile and bolster than most modern Barlows (Bear & Son excepted). This is the only one I have:
Unfortunately, I don't have a spear blade Robeson for an apples-apples comparison but I believe there are some earlier in the thread.

Thanks for the info Tony.

Bought a collection yesterday that had a few nice Robesons in it.First is a Robeson Shuredge hobo or slot knive.Pattern #231322.It is 4 1/2 " closed and has cocobolo or rosewood handles.

Next is a big jack etched Bulldog It is 3 7/8" long with pattern# 22250.It has Robeson Shuredge tang stamp on the master and arched Robeson over USA,over Cutlery on the pen.

Next is another big jack,pattern 822120 with slick black handes and deep beaver trademark etch.Master is stamped Robeson Shuredge and the pen is Robeson in an arch over Co.,over Cutlery.

Next up is a bone doctors knife,pattern 622138 with a rounded main bolster.It is stamped Robeson Shuredge on the master and Robeson arched over USA,over Cutlery. It is 3 3/4" long.

Next is a little 3 1/8" Mastercraft jack.Pattern 823650, celluloid handes.Robeson Shuredge on master and Robeson in arch over USA,over Cutlery.One odd thing is the master has no stops on opening and closing,but the pen has quarter stops.

Next is a Carpenters Choice in slick black.I believe the pattern is 132433.Master is the only blade stamped and is the later Robeson Shuredge USA.3 5/8" and has a Shuredge shield.