All About Pocket Knives

Your Robeson scout/utilities might very well be pre-1916. They made that pattern as a Terrier and such knives were only produced between 1910 and 1916.

In the old Robeson catalog reprint that David Clark did a few years ago, Robeson referred to their large utility knife as a "Boy Scout Knife" and the small one as a "Girl Scout Knife".

The patent date on Robeson's punch blades, "Pat App/25-05" as Roland posted is not correct. It is actually, "PAT APR 25-05" or "Patented April 25, 1905".

Cannot help you with the other knives.

Here is my Terrier, made between 1910 and 1916.

Notice the shield has "CAMPERS" instead of "SCOUT". Other Robeson four blade utilities can be found with "OUTING" on the shield. Were those changes in the shield prompted by the BSA legal actions posted above?

And here is a Robeson made GLOBE utility with "SCOUT" on the Shield. Goins states 1921 to 1929 for that mark. That indicates this knife was made well after the 1916 Federal action protecting the BSA marks and logos.

Charlie Noyes

If we think about this logically, Boy Scouts started in the US in 1910. The first official knife was produced by NYK Company in 1911. As stated, Kerr’s Research tells us that most unofficial knives bearing a scout related shield are 1930 or earlier (around which time they began winning in court). A very few could be as late as 1940.

It is reasonable to surmise that your unofficial knives are very likely made somewhere between 1910 and 1930. If you were looking for an exact year, you will need to chase the manufacturer in some capacity as there will not be “official“ BSA records for these unofficial knives.

I should have used my loupe when looking at markings on Robeson punch blade. With a loupe i can clearly see "APR." There is even a period after the "R" as "APR." is an abbreviation so it gets a period after it.
What about the slot screw driver blade on the Robesons ? one has file like serrations across the inner edge whereas the other has a smooth surface.
Likely one of these is older than the other.
ronfish, i was quite sure these were all pre WW II but i was unsure of how old they might be. I have a little better idea now. The Robesons Charlie said could be as old as early 1900's which is older than i had thought.
Thank you for your help.
kj

I have no valid explanation for the presence of serrations on the inside edge of the flat screw-driver blade or the lack thereof. Some have it, some don't.

Whether that is date related, I have never even bothered to investigate.

There's probably close to a half dozen different can-opener blade variations. Not sure it's even worth pursuing if that means anything significant.

Minutia will drive you crazy. Avoid it, if possible.

Charlie Noyes

Awesome knives posted in here recently, thanks for the visual stimulation and education. Here's a Schrade made unofficial scout for Keen Kutter to stay on topic.

Quote C.N. "Minutia will drive you crazy"
Knife collecting relies on minutia to organize knives into appropriate groupings. But i agree most people do see owning over 100 knives as "crazy" and things like a discussion of match striker pull having 14 or 16 'teeth' as "real crazy".
kj

That’s a beautiful Pioneer knife Pile Driver !!!!!

Mike

Pile Driver wrote:Awesome knives posted in here recently, thanks for the visual stimulation and education. Here's a Schrade made unofficial scout for Keen Kutter to stay on topic.

ScoutKnives wrote:That’s a beautiful Pioneer knife Pile Driver !!!!!

Mike

Pile Driver wrote:Awesome knives posted in here recently, thanks for the visual stimulation and education. Here's a Schrade made unofficial scout for Keen Kutter to stay on topic.

I agree. Beautiful knife!

ScoutKnives wrote:That’s a beautiful Pioneer knife Pile Driver !!!!!

Mike

Pile Driver wrote:Awesome knives posted in here recently, thanks for the visual stimulation and education. Here's a Schrade made unofficial scout for Keen Kutter to stay on topic.

Thank you guys, have you seen one before ScoutKnives? Could you tell me anything about it?

Yes PD , I’ve seen the Pioneer shield on the Schrade made knife before , I’m not sure if it was just marking or a special order , definitely not a common one .
I know Remington had a run of special order YMCA Y-Pioneer knives and these could very well be related .

I’ll post the Remington style in a few .

Pile Driver wrote:

ScoutKnives wrote:That’s a beautiful Pioneer knife Pile Driver !!!!!

Mike

Pile Driver wrote:Awesome knives posted in here recently, thanks for the visual stimulation and education. Here's a Schrade made unofficial scout for Keen Kutter to stay on topic.

Thank you guys, have you seen one before ScoutKnives? Could you tell me anything about it?

I found this old Scout in bucket in the barn. I just couldn't bring myself to throw it out so I restored it.

Nice save Hoggslayer !!

Excellent work Hoggslayer

Good job glad you saved it

Only one I've ever seen but happy she's in my permanent collection. I love the hand typed instructions - do you think that's from the factory and they did every one by hand?

That is a real beauty, bestgear!

Great find Tom! First one of those I've seen. How long is it? Looks like a shorter version of the old bone-handled KA-BAR hobo I recently picked up (no etch on it, not scout-affiliated).

Ken

Tom you have a rare jewel there. First one I've ever seen and wow, what amazing condition!

Thanks guys - good question about size - I have its brother in the BSA version, I'll dig it out this weekend and snap a few side by sides. I wonder if the Girl Scouts ever produced a yellow handle version, my reference books don't say so.

I've got what I believe to be an LF&C scout on the way, from the same cheap lot with the farmers jack posted earlier. (probably one of my best lot purchases to this point) It's looking pretty clean, I'm hoping for a full blade and possibly an etch. Fingers crossed, I'll update when it arrives tomorrow.

Another great score pile driver , looks to be a junior size as well , fairly rare size .

ScoutKnives wrote:Another great score pile driver , looks to be a junior size as well , fairly rare size and should only have 3 blades .

The only examples I can find of LF&C scouts have lined/fluted bolsters with permanent bails, the only examples I can find of regular bolsters have removable bails. Do you know how old that knife would be? I read that LF&C stopped making scout knives in 1939.

Landers, Frary and Clark made Official Scout knives until 1939, so yes, what you've read is correct. These are the Official models they made that I've been able to verify with both BSA National Supply Catalogs and LF&C Wholesale Catalogs:

(1) 3 3/8" 4-blade with black bone covers, badge shield, LF&C #04667, BSA #1586, no bolster line, permanent bail, 1931-1939, medium sized screwdriver

(2) 3 7/5" 4-blade with black composition covers (perfected stag), badge shield, LF&C #04666, BSA #1585, bolster lines, permanent bail,1931-1939, 1-piece can opener, long screwdriver, cross-hatched brass liners

(3) 3 7/5" 4-blade with black composition covers (perfected stag), badge shield, LF&C #04666, BSA #1585, bolster lines, removable bail, 1931-1939

(4) 3 3/8" 4-blade with black composition covers (perfected stag), badge shield, LF&C #04667, BSA #1586, no bolster line, no bail, 1931-1939

(5) 3 3/8" 4-blade with black composition covers (perfected stag), badge shield, LF&C #04667, BSA #1586, bolster lines, bail?, 1931-1939

(6) 3 1/2" 2-blade with black composition covers (perfected stag), badge shield, LF&C #02668, BSA #2668, no bolster line, permanent bail, 1931-1933

(7) 3 1/2" 3-blade with black composition covers (perfected stag), badge shield, BSA #1564, no bolster line, no bail, 1932-1937

The picture is my collection of Unofficial LF&C's. I also have 12 Official and Unofficial LF&C Scouts for sale in my AAPK store (#18856, 18327, 18347, 18339, 18333, 18325, 19106, 18356, 19107, 18369, 19230 and 19231) - check them out of you want to see some of the 2, 3 and 4 blade variations.

I couldn't have asked for a better blind buy. Dead mint.

Well done PD!Those usually don't turn out that well.