All About Pocket Knives

Attended a pretty quality antique show yesterday in western NJ, found this nice little Robeson. It was the only fine condition antique knife I saw. It is basically unused/unsharpened although the photos don't show the finish well. I love the pattern, condition, and the blade grinds on the master, wish it had different covers than the Robeson gumfuddy, but it was VERY reasonably priced.

NIce find. Those are rare as hen's teeth in Texas.

Very nice, Gene!

zzyzzogeton wrote: ↑Sun Aug 28, 2022 5:11 pm NIce find. Those are rare as hen's teeth in Texas.

I really have no explanation for that handle material. Most knives that have it have a “6” as the first digit in the pattern number, if, indeed, they have one and that situation was present during WWII, when genuine bone was not available. Even Case used a black composition, instead of bone at that time.

But, most of the Robeson knives I have seen with that material predate WWII.

I think that material was supplied to Robeson by The Rogers Bone Company and it was a pressure-molded product. I have seen a demonstration set by Rogers that illustrated that fact.

I have seen the material mostly on Robeson knives marked, DEMONSTRATOR, but it was used on others, as well.

I’m not infatuated with the material, but surely we can come up with something better than gumfuddy.

I call it hard rubber.

Nice knife, by the way.

I have seen something similar on Landers Frary & Clark, Wostenholm, and Boker. I don't think anyone alive knows the formulas?

Nice find Gene!

By observation there were several “jigged” black synthetic materials used by various makers prior to the advent of Delrin. According to former (now deceased) Case President Bob Farquharson, “Gum Fuddy” was the informal, and somewhat derogatory name given to the “rough black” material used by Case. I don’t know what Case officially called it in catalogs back in the day, but it seems to be some sort of hard rubber type of synthetic with a flat non-shiny texture. Charlie’s comments make me wonder if Rogers was the source of the Case rough black as well. Case revived the Gum Fuddy name a few years ago on a line of rough black knives but IMHO it’s not the same material.

Other old black synthetics seem harder and more shiny (sometimes seen on older Case contract knives made by Camillus for example, and knives from several other makers like Imperial, Western, etc.). I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before on a Robeson, so the OP knife is a gem!

Ken

Very nice find Gene! It appears to be in top-notch condition as well!

Nice little pen, Gene.
Can you give us that model number, I can't quite make it out.

That’s a good looking knife Gene I have a Demonstrator that probably has the same material I imagine? I like the pattern on yours.

Thank you all for the compliments on my new little knife!! Joe, the model number is 622359, like Charlie says begins with a 6. Charlie, I don't like the gumfuddy designation myself, I usually just say rough black but this material is more brown than black. I don't know that it is actually hard rubber so I shy away from that although I would use that term if I had proof it was hard rubber.

I like it, gumfuddy and all.