All About Pocket Knives

(post re-written because of accidental moderator activity )

The Easton Show seems to be growing every year. A small town show, so I didn't expect too much, but was pleasantly surprised. Six real nice knives in my area of interest, from less than 100 tables was darn good. And a Pig Roast to boot!! (which I could not attend )
But the best part was meeting a bunch of AAPK guys! I felt like I knew them all my life. We had a great old time. Who doesn't love talking about knives with like minded good old boys!!
So here are the knives I scored; From the left -
1) A Schrade Cut, in the box, that is dead, stone, absolute, cold MINT!! May be a military contract. Finger-slicer can opener has a stud on the reverse.
2) A Terrier Barlow by Robeson, that matches my Strawberry-bone one I carried for 10 years or so. Smooth, semi-sunk, rounded; a superior pocket knife!!
3)The most beautiful bone in the universe, on a Robeson Harness Jack! This one is near mint, and has the rare BP shield (Thanks Barry for pointing it out to me!)
4)The next is a Schrade Walden 836, again near mint. I've had several of these (8-10?) and this one is the best!
5)The next Empire got me "all shook up" like my first true love used to do! (Sing it Elvis, wherever you are!!) Very old Empire in phenomenal condition! Old decorative stamping, might be one of the first Empire tang stamps!
6)Last but not least, a sterling Empire pen, with a cigar cutter, and a neat etch!

Not too shabby!!

As Andy Griffith used to say on his show, AND THAT'S SOME KIND OF BEAUTIFUL TOO! That Robeson tear drop and the Empire that had you all shook up are the bombs! Absolutely wonderful knives. I've got to go on a diet man to get something like those, Upnorth if I die of malnutrition from eating only beans and wieners it's your fault....

That was SOME score!

2-5 are freaking AWESOME!!!

Aimus Moses wrote:As Andy Griffith used to say on his show, AND THAT'S SOME KIND OF BEAUTIFUL TOO! That Robeson tear drop and the Empire that had you all shook up are the bombs! Absolutely wonderful knives. I've got to go on a diet man to get something like those, Upnorth if I die of malnutrition from eating only beans and wieners it's your fault....

Just add some green stuff, and you'll be fine, Aimus!

I forgot to mention; My wife chose the utility Schrade for my 65th birthday (about a week before the show!)! It actually came in the box!!

THAT Robeson has my initials on it!! I must have lost it in an earlier life.

Sure like that big EMPIRE too. I like 'em ALL actually.

NICE!!
Does that Robeson jack have a pattern number?

Charlie Noyes

RobesonsRme.com wrote:NICE!!
Does that Robeson jack have a pattern number?

Charlie Noyes

62636 1/2 is the number, Charlie. Does that make sense??

Charlie

Nice batch of beauties you scored Charlie !

I'm happy your short stay in my little corner of Pennsyltucky was worth the trip.

There's a lesson here my knifer friends. It isn't so much where you look as it is how well you look. Charlie wasn't the first at all of those tables, he was the first smartest.

Aimus, Don't let Charlie fool 'ya. He's a card carrying member of the clean plate club !

Fran

Sauconian wrote:Nice batch of beauties you scored Charlie !

I'm happy your short stay in my little corner of Pennsyltucky was worth the trip.

There's a lesson here my knifer friends. It isn't so much where you look as it is how well you look. Charlie wasn't the first at all of those tables, he was the first smartest.

Aimus, Don't let Charlie fool 'ya. He's a card carrying member of the clean plate club !

Fran

Thanks for the compliments Fran!!

I think ?

Wow!
Those are all beauties, but that Schrade Cut utility (in the box!!!) is something extra special and on top of that, your wife bought it for your birthday!

"How lucky can one man get?" - John Prine

Glad you glad fun Charlie and got knives.
I have no doubt that you kept Fran from running amok while you were there.

Dale

Way to go Charlie!
What a great group! All of those are dandies!!

"Glad you had fun Charlie and got knives.
I have no doubt that you kept Fran from running amok while you were there.

Dale"

Dale, Fran was a great host, and made our stay real easy. He acted as a guide, and made sure we didn't get lost in all the winding roads that wend through that part of PA! Even gave us a tour of the historic schoolhouse he oversees!! A real treasure!!
He did get a little wild-eyed in the presence of some press-button knives, but managed to keep himself in check !

Hey Ray, glad you like 'em!

While I'm on the subject of my trip, I just want to thank Mike Losicco (galvanic) for inviting me over, enroute, to see his fabulous collection!
He spread 'em all out for me to view (and probably spent hours later wiping off my sweaty fingerprints!) on his dining room table and other surfaces! I've never seen so many etches in one place, and such great back-up paper and boxes!
Thanks Mike!!

I'm sorry. I asked about the pattern number on that harness jack, then didn't come back to this Easton. Pa thread to check on the answer.

That's a great knife. The photo suggests the knife to be a bit of a dogleg, but of course it's not. It's a regular jack.

That "B-P" shield reportedly stands for "Belt Punch". I think Bruce Voyles first suggested that.

The pattern number is missing a zero (here we go again). The number is actually 636036 1/2. I do not own a 036 pattern jack, but judging from the knives whose numbers surround that one, it's probably 3 1/2" long. I also suspect that the pattern does not ordinarily have a harness/punch blade as the secondary. That "1/2" in the pattern number indicates a variation from the standard pattern.

That is a great knife. I'm absolutely sure I've never seen one like it before.

The most common Robeson harness jack is the swell-end 382.

Charlie, I think that's two, count 'em, TWO, rare Robeson harness knives you've produced in recent months. I'm jealous.

Charlie Noyes

Thanks for filling in the pattern number info, Charlie. The knife is 3 5/8" long, and here are a couple more pics. It's easier to see the teardrop shape with the blades both open. I think you can click the pics to blow them up, but you probably know that.

Charlie, I know that jealousy well, BTW!
It is a complement though!!

Charlie, did you ever check out the other BP knife that was for sale on the end table? (I think his name was Bob something). I could only imagine what he was asking

BTW it was GREAT to finally meet all you guys at the show!! I didn't buy a single knife but I had a great time getting to know everyone

Eric

Sorry, so it is a swell-end or tear-drop. (I've been saying "Sorry" a lot here lately )

And, at 3 5/8", it's like a 029 pattern, a 3 5/8" swell-end, non-EO, non-harness jack-knife and the 382 pattern a 3 5/8" harness jack.

Here are examples of the 029, and the more common Robeson harness jack, the 382 pattern.

I suspect the only difference we'll find between your 036 and this 382 will be the shields, and , of course, the bone. I like yours better!

Charlie Noyes

I sure go for the one in the upper pic!

Thanks for posting those Charlie. It seems to me that Robeson changed their numbers quite a bit, for relatively small changes in the knives!! I'm sure that had their reasons.

Well better late than never!! Firstly let me say how great the show was and putting many faces to the AAPK user names. It was a pleasure to meet Charlie (upnorth) after many years of reading his threads and seeing pictures of his amazing collection.

Here are two knives purchased at the Easton knife show:

a Schrade Cut Co 2013 E/O Jack knife.
Next a Schrade Cut Co 2152 I believe. The handles are Ebony.

The E/O Jacknife has been worked on, the blades are a tad short, although overall note a bad looking knife. I learned a lot that day at the show about how to read knives. It's almost like " all that glitters is not Gold"

The Ebony Jack has plenty of patina on the blades with spotting, the blades seem full, and looks to of had some time in a tool draw!

The Third knife was not bought at the Easton show, it was an e-bay purchase.
3 3/8 long Cocobola or Rosewood handles with engraving on the front "COLUMBIAN MANILA ROPE" On the Pile side engraved C.J. Hendry Co. Hendry was a small ships Chandlery in San Pedro, California. Not far from Long Beach. From what I have found out, they went out of business in the mid Sixties. The knife seems untouched for the most part.

Russell

WOW to all three of those with the biggest wow to number one!

Hey everyhone... I'm brand new to the site....

I just recently dug out an old pocket knife that my grandpa gave to me over 20 years ago...
It appears to be almost the same knife as your Robeson.
It has a B.P. faceplate ("Belt Punch"?). Primary blade tang is stamped ROBESON in all caps, then ShurEdge in script, then U.S.A.
Other side is stamped 626382.
Based on this site, and others, I've concluded it is a "Harness Jack", and I believe it has a jigged bone handle.
It's in terrible shape. The primary blade has been sharpened and used so many times that it doesnt even resemble the original profile. Also, the top 1/3 of the leather punch blade has broken off.
For sentimental reasons, I would really like to clean it up and at least get the primary blade back to working condition. I've got 2 questions:

1) Any one know a best guess for production range for this knife? According to the "History of Robeson" page on AAPK, the blade stamp doesn't match any of the known date ranges... so it could be anywhere from 1911 to 1939. I would love to narrow it down.
2) What will be the least destructive way for me to clean it up? I've read on these threads that steel wool is not recommended... what should I use?

Thanks for any advise/help!

Welcome to the site, Shawn. You'll find out a lot about old pocketknives around here.
A picture would help make a more informed decision, however, it sounds like the only real value to your knife is sentimental, so I would suggest cleaning any loose rust or grime with fine steel wool, leaving as much gray (natural) patina as possible, and keep a light film of oil on it!
Don't try to make a shiny knife out of it. Keep an edge on it, use it carefully, and think of your Grandpa!

Very Very N ice!!!