All About Pocket Knives

Anyone ever seen one like this? I’m thinking done by someone and not the factory BUT it was done very nicely. Why grind it and leave the kick?

Looks odd to me. What is the pattern number on the back tang?

Why grind it at all. That's just weird. Probably a question that will never get answered.

It's a Robeson, hey Charlie...

I don't think Charlie is needed to say that Robeson did not grind tangs like on the O.P. knife. However, his opinion on the rest of the knife might reveal other 'issues' such as, is blade original to this handle.
kj

let`s see so other photos of the complete knife.Open and closed.

Pattern number would be helpful to see if the blade is correct for the frame, handles etc.

Looks like an early knife. I don't see any problems based on photos of just half a knife.

Somebody, however, for whatever reason, has ground down the kick on the master blade's tang. I assume the pen blade was not similarly treated.

What we have to decide is for what reason might somebody have done that?

Was the tip of the blade resting above the tang and catching in his pants pocket?

Charlie

122119 is the pattern number

A Robeson 119 was a five inch English Jack with a clip master blade. They made them with both one and two blades.

Charlie

The kick is mostly filed down but there is a small area near blade edge which was not filed and so appears like a "stovepipe" kick. Would this prevent blade from sinking any lower when closed ?
kj

Looks to me like a previous owner has filed the tang down either as some sort of weird customization or for some specific use. Not sure what specific use it could be but it's likely a mystery that will never be solved.

" Not sure what specific use it could be "
Wayne are you saying that the way tang has been filed down will not drop tip of blade when closed ?
kj

The kick would have been in the same position if it hadn’t been messed with. That’s why the mystery. Why has this tang been altered, for what purpose, or was it factory?

The kick is still intact and the knife will close but still protect the blade edge from hitting the springs when closed.

Maybe the owner was trying to make a caplifter out of it. I am afraid that only the person that altered the knife would know the answer as to why it was done.

GClaxon wrote:The kick would have been in the same position if it hadn’t been messed with. That’s why the mystery. Why has this tang been altered, for what purpose, or was it factory?

I don't think so, the kick is ground down. The master blade is short so I am assuming the tip was protruding above the liners so someone started filing down the tang to make it close down into the well. They obviously didn't know what they were doing and removed too much metal, definitely was not done at the factory.

I would like to see pictures looking straight down with the blades closed and open to see the length of the master blade and to see the springs, also how is the snap on the master blade both ways?

Yes it’s a tad short and on its way to be retipped atm. It’s got plenty of snap both ways