All About Pocket Knives

Happy New Year everyone;

I am new to the site but have been interested in pocket knives all my life and have a few but I am having a hard time finding information about Royal Brand Pocket Knives. I saw one the other day but don't know if I should go pick it up or not. It is a Royal Brand SharpCutter Scout knife with Royal Brand written in a diamond shape on the main blade tang and x x in the center. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I can try and get a picture to send.

Thanks so much,
Darin Law

not by any means an expert, but my google-fu shows that Royal Brand were imports prior to the 50's. Bernard Levine considers it to be a low end import, so take that for what you will. If it looks like a brand new knife, then it's likely another importer using the name again. Sorry, that's all I've got.

Goins shows Royal Brand Sharp Cutter to be a trademark used by Samuel Bernstein of New York between 1914 and 1954. The knives were apparently imported from Germany and sold by F.W. Woolworth.

I have a single example, it's a mint glitter stripe celluloid handled jack knife. The quality seems to be very good. I would estimate the value of my knife to be $40 - 50. Remember that scout knives are sort of in a collecting category of their own. Maybe a Scout knife collector will wander by to give you a better estimate of value, it might be a good idea to post a photo of the knife in the thread on Scout knives.

The value of the knife you're talking about is dependent on first, condition, and second the exact type, including handle material etc. No real way to estimate value without detailed pictures and description (do the blades snap etc.)

I have this Royal Brand knife. I liked the handles, but it was interesting how the liner and the bolsters are one piece. I don't know if I am describing that correctly?

I have seen and owned a number of Royal Brand knives. I have never seen one that I believed to be a German made knife.

Many of the Royal Brand knives that I have owned have been identical in every detail to 1920's era IMPERIAL solid bolster knives that I have owned...these have all been celluloid handled knives. Others exhibit the tooling and bone jigging of Utica Cutlery.

Like most contract brands they were made by a number of manufacturers.

knifegirl888 wrote:I have this Royal Brand knife. I liked the handles, but it was interesting how the liner and the bolsters are one piece. I don't know if I am describing that correctly?

Some collectors refer to that type of knife as having "bumped tip" bolsters. The bolsters are "tip" bolsters that are "bumped" up or formed from the sheet metal of the liners. Amazing what they used to do to reduce costs on less expensive knives. That one looks like an Imperial to me.

Thanks, Steve. Have you seen others like this one, with brass bolsters?

p.s. We must have been posting about the same time. LOL

I brought this post back up in hopes of obtaining additional information. Would anyone have any cutlery at all mark "ROYAL BRAND CUTLERY" SHEFFIELD I am working on an article an would greatly appreciate seeing some examples. THANK YOU

Wish I could help you Dave. I've got a couple of Royal Brand scout patterns but mine are USA made. Good luck in your search.

knifeaholic wrote:I have seen and owned a number of Royal Brand knives. I have never seen one that I believed to be a German made knife.

Many of the Royal Brand knives that I have owned have been identical in every detail to 1920's era IMPERIAL solid bolster knives that I have owned...these have all been celluloid handled knives. Others exhibit the tooling and bone jigging of Utica Cutlery.

Like most contract brands they were made by a number of manufacturers.

I have a Royal "scout" with genuine stag, good quality, spiral punch, probably Camillus. Not currently easily accessible to photograph.

Probably not what you are looking for:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-White-Blue- ... 338b29fd22

I suspect that reads, "SHARP-CUTTER" and not "Sheffield"

Charlie

Yes the "Sharp Cutter" name was patented in 1921 and was just after the SHEFFIELD stamping. Obviously much harder to find, but I am hopeful

Here are two of mine, an electrician and a glitter stripe regular jack. The glitter stripe is marked with the "Sharp Cutter" stamp. The electrician is simply marked "Royal Brand/U.S.A"

Can't find anything in Goins' (or Levine's or Voyles' or Stewart and Ritchie) about Sheffield manufactured knives.

The Sheffield stamping may not have been used on pocket knives, it most likely was used on razors and/or butcher knives. They weren't made in Sheffield, just the name was used to deceive buyers into thinking they were.

It looks like you've got your work cut out for you in writing this article.

picked up this easy opener

Nice one Cato. I like it.

Yes, that's a beautiful old ebony EO right there!

Dave. Only Royal Brand that I have is a USA made Scout. Funny thing is that the steel seems to be different than most USA knives of the era. Not sure how to explain it except for almost like stainless but not quite there yet. Back springs are more carbon than the blades. They're black.

Been carrying this one for a couple of years and its a decent knife.

I know it doesn't help much for your Sheffield article but here it is for reference.

Here is another one, stamped ROYAL/USA. Great creamy old stag, half stops on the spear and on the punch. Maybe the punch is a clue as to who made it? It is available.

The knife shown immediately above has now moved to Kentucky. Below are photos of it with the blades open along with a Utica scout knife that has been rehandled but still has all the original blades. All the blades are designed and configured identically on the two knives. The frames are of identical size and the bolsters are alike on both knives. I have no doubt that Utica made the Royal Brand scout knife.

philco wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2015 4:21 am The knife shown immediately above has now moved to Kentucky. Below are photos of it with the blades open along with a Utica scout knife that has been rehandled but still has all the original blades. All the blades are designed and configured identically on the two knives. The frames are of identical size and the bolsters are alike on both knives. I have no doubt that Utica made the Royal Brand scout knife.

I just picked up an electrician's knife marked "royal brand" ... Mt 1st royal brand electrician's pocket knife or any type for that matter... Seems very well made.

That's a solid looking knife, Dog, and I love the wood covers!

Here's a couple of Royal Brand serpentine jacks & a couple of carving sets.