All About Pocket Knives

The topic of the Robinson Knife Co./ Springville, NY comes up occasionally on this forum, sometimes under the GENERAL or the TRADITIONAL headings.

Since the only wares to my knowledge that have turned up with this stamp or etch have been kitchen items, I thought best to post these two Robinson Knife Co. cleavers (7-inch and 5-inch blades) here.

The circumstances of the entity itself, of its relationship to other knife companies, some with and others without a record of using the Robinson surname, as listed in Goins, the relative obscurity of some of the cited companies, as well as the near identicality of the name to Robeson, account for persisting confusion. All of which probably sustains the hope that one day a Robinson folder of Springville, New York will be presented here by its lucky captor.

But in the meantime, we will have to settle for the prosaic -- but useful -- culinary items.

stumpstalker wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 4:18 am as well as the near identicality of the name to Robeson, account for persisting confusion.

Prosaic indeed.
Compared to the Robeson cutlery products these two Betty Crocker style cooking utensils offer no confusion whatsoever. In my opinion.

Just because a company name and a town is etched into the blade does not mean it was made there, it could have just been a jobbing firm or retail store. I seriously doubt there will be any pocket knives marked Robinson Springville, many companies only made tableware and kitchen cutlery. More folks need kitchen knives than people who need pocket knives. You should ask John Burrell, he's a member here who had a cutlery company in Ellicotville, NY, next town over from Springville and close to Little Valley. His family started the company in the 40s and he ran it into the 90s I believe. I wouldn't be surprised if Burrell Cutlery was the maker of the Robinson Springville knives since Burrell only made table, kitchen, and butcher cutlery. Burrell Cutlery made many of the table and kitchen knives marked Case and Case XX for Case for some time.

I asked John, here's his reply.

"Hi Gene:
Robinson Cutlery, I think started in Bradford. When Case Brothers closed, they moved to the building in Springville. The Shirker family owned it for years manufacturing household cutlery for years. Robinson Home Products still exists in Buffalo. No longer manufacturing but wholesaling kitchen items. The sell a lot in Canada. Still owned by Bernie Skirker’s family."

So Robinson was a manufacturer but they did not make pocket cutlery. I think those you show are probably 1960s-1970s

John was very nice to quickly answer my question, thanks, John!!

Thank you, Gene, and John, for providing this local-knowledge-based summation of Robinson Knife Co.

I have one of the cleavers. The research I did said Robinson and Case were in a joint venture from 1927-1940, Robinson is still in business in Buffalo making parts for electric knives and other appliance products. My original post is in the Case Collector's thread under "Rarest Case Knife". Sept., '22
J.O'.