All About Pocket Knives

Good morning,
The pattern number on this large stockman is making me question what this actually is. It has the tang stamp normally associated with the 1916-1939 period, but the the 3rd digit of the pattern, I believe is a "3", and this clearly has an all steel construction. Although the stamping are heavily worn, I believe it to be a 63355. The last 2 digits are barely readable. I understand a "0" would normally be used after the 3rd digit, but I'm not finding anything on a 633055 either. The mid sized spey blade and the mid sized spear or pen, along with the clip are unusual. Anyone have a list of pattern numbers or access to them? l9ok

This is going to require some research.

I'm not familiar with any Robeson pattern, off the top of my head, that ends in 055. I've certainly never owned one, as it's not listed in my database.

There almost certainly was one. There is no reason for them to have skipped over "55" in the numbering process.

There are three good sources for Robeson pattern numbers:

1: The Collector's Guide To Pocketknives and Their Values. This is the most extensive list, but most of the numbers have no description of what the pattern actually was.

2: The Romance of Collecting Cattaraugus, Robeson, Russell and Queen Knives By Dewey and Lavonna Ferguson

3: The Robeson catalog reprint published by and available from David Clark.

I need to know the length of the knife, closed. Your photo suggests 3 3/4". Is that correct?

Given the black composition handles, the date of manufacture would have been circa !939 through 1945.

Charlie Noyes

Happy to see your response, Charlie. I measured it at 3 15/16" oal. The main clip, the only blade with stamping, is 2 7/8" from bolster to tip. The spey is 2 1/4". The spear or pen blade is 1 7/8". The tang stamp is ROBESON/ SHUREDGE(script, angled and underlined)/ U.S.A.. The reverse pattern is stamp is definitely 633--, with the last two numbers appearing to be 55. The top half of each number is barely readable. Additionally, I see no brass or nickel silver in it. Bolsters, liners, and pins are all steel. The tang stamp confused me as I believed it to be of the years you suggested, but the stamp is earlier. Being all steel, one would assume it's a wartime knife?