"Old Knives"

[Augie]

Kind of an unusual one, a Russell easy open sheepsfoot, nice Russell jacks are not common, very nice dark ebony.

 

[waynorth]

Kind of an unusual one, a Russell easy open sheepsfoot, nice Russell jacks are not common, very nice dark ebony.

What a Score, John!! Rare and in beautiful condition!! Russell Jacks are scarce!! And with your favored Sheepfoot, it's the icing on your Cake!!
It took years to find this one for my HJ collection!!

 

[Campbellclanman]

Charlie- Wow!!!
Not too sure if you have shown that one before Charlie? Empire Built with that Punch or did Russell do their own Sir? That's simply outstanding !!!!!

 

[waynorth]

Empire made the punch, if not the whole knife, Duncan!!
My friend in Winsted saw a turn of the century letter from Empire announcing that they were going to run punches, and to get an order in if you wanted some!! It was not long after that, that several Patents were applied for; for punches!!
My friend had relatives who worked at Empire, and another Aunt who was on staff at the local Historical Society in Winsted CT!!

 

[Markesharp]

What a Score, John!! Rare and in beautiful condition!! Russell Jacks are scarce!! And with your favored Sheepfoot, it's the icing on your Cake!!
It took years to find this one for my HJ collection!!View attachment 1779883

Charlie do you know the difference between yours and Augies tang stamps?
The R with the arrow thru it compared to the R with diamonds on each side.
I'm intrigued that you knew someone at Empire too. Good stuff!
Also do straight line Russels preclude the arched stamp as seen on the barlows?

 

[waynorth]

Charlie do you know the difference between yours and Augies tang stamps?
The R with the arrow thru it compared to the R with diamonds on each side.
I'm intrigued that you knew someone at Empire too. Good stuff!
Also do straight line Russels preclude the arched stamp as seen on the barlows?

Good questions, Mark - I am going to have to look those knives over again!!

 

[Primble]

Good questions, Mark - I am going to have to look those knives over again!!

Here is information on Russell that I have had for years.

Russell went out of business in 1932, since then all Russell knifes are commemorative and reproductions.

The original John Russell company used a number of tang stamps over the years - but never any curved markings. These came later when John Russell & Co merged with John Harrington Cutlery Co (Southbridge, Mass) in 1933 - combining factories and becoming Russell-Harrington -- which I think is still around, though they dropped all their pocketknife lines in 1941 as WW II was getting started.

The curved Russell and USA on the tang is from 1933-1941. Other curved Russell stamps are from this same period also. The classic RUSSELL straightline stamp was dropped in 1933.

Historical context of the Russell Barlow knife:

1797 John Russell born in Greenfield

1873 John Russell Cutlery Company formed, headed by Richard N. Oakman, Jr.

1874 John Russell dies in Greenfield

1876 Russell Barlow prototype introduced, using the straight line tang stamp RUSSELL

1890 W. P. Dustin becomes head of Russell Cutlery Co.

1933 Russell merges with Harrington, begins using the Curved Russell tang stamp with Arrow thru the R

1941 End great depression, Pearl Harbor, US enters World War 2

1941 Russell Harrington stops making the Russell Barlow.

1945 US drops atomic bombs on Japan, end of World War 2

1950s Russell Harrington repairs barlows for members of the Barlow Bearcats, using a tang stamp with diamonds on each side of the R, instead of an arrow

1968 Colonial builds a Commemorative Russel Barlow set for Dexter-Russel, tang stamp had diamonds on both sides of the R

1971 German replica Russells appear, curved tang stamp has arrow through the R, some have long pull blades

1974 Schrade issues a Russell commemorative with Delrin scales, same knife as the scrolled bolster Schrade 206

** Edited to state that the information provided above was a post by Jon Slider on AAPK site, regarding Russell knives.

Separately, Goins Encyclopedia states Russell USA curved tang stamp was used from 1933-1941, with an R under the curve and an arrow through it. There is also a reference to an R with a diamond on each side of it being a 1876 trademark. Goins further states that the German replicas were inked Germany on the back of the tang.

Make of it what you want ! The water gets murky after 1932.

 

[Markesharp]

Here is information on Russell that I have had for years. Not sure who published this, but, I trusted it or I would not have saved it for reference.

Russell went out of business in 1932, since then all Russell knifes are commemorative and reproductions.

The original John Russell company used a number of tang stamps over the years - but never any curved markings. These came later when John Russell & Co merged with John Harrington Cutlery Co (Southbridge, Mass) in 1933 - combining factories and becoming Russell-Harrington -- which I think is still around, though they dropped all their pocketknife lines in 1941 as WW II was getting started.

The curved Russell and USA on the tang is from 1933-1941. Other curved Russell stamps are from this same period also. The classic RUSSELL straightline stamp was dropped in 1933.

Historical context of the Russell Barlow knife:

1797 John Russell born in Greenfield

1873 John Russell Cutlery Company formed, headed by Richard N. Oakman, Jr.

1874 John Russell dies in Greenfield

1876 Russell Barlow prototype introduced, using the straight line tang stamp RUSSELL

1890 W. P. Dustin becomes head of Russell Cutlery Co.

1933 Russell merges with Harrington, begins using the Curved Russell tang stamp with Arrow thru the R

1941 End great depression, Pearl Harbor, US enters World War 2

1941 Russell Harrington stops making the Russell Barlow.

1945 US drops atomic bombs on Japan, end of World War 2

1950s Russell Harrington repairs barlows for members of the Barlow Bearcats, using a tang stamp with diamonds on each side of the R, instead of an arrow

1968 Colonial builds a Commemorative Russel Barlow set for Dexter-Russel, tang stamp had diamonds on both sides of the R

1971 German replica Russells appear, curved tang stamp has arrow through the R, some have long pull blades

1974 Schrade issues a Russell commemorative with Delrin scales, same knife as the scrolled bolster Schrade 206

Separately, Goins Encyclopedia states Russell USA curved tang stamp was used from 1933-1941, with an R under the curve and an arrow through it. There is also a reference to an R with a diamond on each side of it being a 1876 trademark. Goins further states that the German replicas were inked Germany on the back of the tang.

Make of it what you want ! The water gets murky after 1932.

Thank you Rob!!
1932..that makes sense. NYKC closed in 1931, Challenge Cutlery in 1928...
Down the rabbit hole I go.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Like Mark says Charlie, that is so so interesting of your Family connection to Russell in that small way !

Thanks for coming Back to me with the answer

 

[r8shell]

Here is information on Russell that I have had for years. Not sure who published this, but, I trusted it or I would not have saved it for reference.

Russell went out of business in 1932, since then all Russell knifes are commemorative and reproductions.

The original John Russell company used a number of tang stamps over the years - but never any curved markings. These came later when John Russell & Co merged with John Harrington Cutlery Co (Southbridge, Mass) in 1933 - combining factories and becoming Russell-Harrington -- which I think is still around, though they dropped all their pocketknife lines in 1941 as WW II was getting started.

The curved Russell and USA on the tang is from 1933-1941. Other curved Russell stamps are from this same period also. The classic RUSSELL straightline stamp was dropped in 1933.

Historical context of the Russell Barlow knife:

1797 John Russell born in Greenfield

1873 John Russell Cutlery Company formed, headed by Richard N. Oakman, Jr.

1874 John Russell dies in Greenfield

1876 Russell Barlow prototype introduced, using the straight line tang stamp RUSSELL

1890 W. P. Dustin becomes head of Russell Cutlery Co.

1933 Russell merges with Harrington, begins using the Curved Russell tang stamp with Arrow thru the R

1941 End great depression, Pearl Harbor, US enters World War 2

1941 Russell Harrington stops making the Russell Barlow.

1945 US drops atomic bombs on Japan, end of World War 2

1950s Russell Harrington repairs barlows for members of the Barlow Bearcats, using a tang stamp with diamonds on each side of the R, instead of an arrow

1968 Colonial builds a Commemorative Russel Barlow set for Dexter-Russel, tang stamp had diamonds on both sides of the R

1971 German replica Russells appear, curved tang stamp has arrow through the R, some have long pull blades

1974 Schrade issues a Russell commemorative with Delrin scales, same knife as the scrolled bolster Schrade 206

Separately, Goins Encyclopedia states Russell USA curved tang stamp was used from 1933-1941, with an R under the curve and an arrow through it. There is also a reference to an R with a diamond on each side of it being a 1876 trademark. Goins further states that the German replicas were inked Germany on the back of the tang.

Make of it what you want ! The water gets murky after 1932.

Thank you for posting this.

Here's my Russell:

 

[veitsi_poika]

P&G's Schrade scout the other day reminded me of this peachseed Schrade Cut Co scout...

 

[Primble]

Thank you for posting this.

Here's my Russell:

Nice one Rachel !

I noticed the letter from Big Biscuit in the background. I wonder if he is doing well ?

 

[Un-Chained]

Primble
Thank you for the earlier post Rob
I do wonder, was the Russell Barlow the first mass-reproduction knife historically ??
Here’s my re-pro, at least it has steel bolsters and liners as well…

 

[Primble]

View attachment 1780533
View attachment 1780532
View attachment 1780531
View attachment 1780530

 

[Primble]

Primble
I do wonder, was the Russell Barlow the first mass-reproduction knife historically ??

View attachment 1780516

Hard to say with certainty Gus, but, I would bet on it being one of the firsts !

My post above is a genuine original Russell Barlow, I have no doubt.

The NYKC Barlow was an original with worn out scales and a broken pen. I sent it to Mark and he put some very nice ebony on it and made it a single blade with steel pins. I threatened him ( lightly ) that he was going to be in big troubIe if he messed it up. He must have thought I was serious because he did a really fine job. I doctored it up a bit when I got it back, to my liking, and it is one of my favorite knives to carry. It is not original any more, but, that doesn't keep it from being a great knife ! Now if I tried to sell the NYKC Barlow as being completely original, that would be different, wouldn't it ? In many ways, it is better than original.

 

[Markesharp]

Nice one Rachel !

I noticed the letter from Big Biscuit in the background. I wonder if he is doing well ?

Hi Rob. Big Biscuit passed away in 2016 if memory serves me correctly. I miss that guy.

 

[Primble]

Hi Rob. Big Biscuit passed away in 2016 if memory serves me correctly. I miss that guy.

That is sad news Mark.
I wonder very often about some of the missing names here and usually I just think they changed interest or needed a break.
I reckon a few here might have wondered if ole Primble had kicked the bucket, when I was absent. I tried to stop in every now and then and update a thread or two.

 

[waynorth]

Like Mark says Charlie, that is so so interesting of your Family connection to Russell in that small way !

Thanks for coming Back to me with the answer

Duncan, do you mean my friend's connection to Empire??

Here is information on Russell that I have had for years.

Rob, you are a natural-born archivist!!

 

[waynorth]

Russells of all sorts!! A couple of repros in there I think!
The last two are real, and curved!!

 

[waynorth]

I do wonder, was the Russell Barlow the first mass-reproduction knife historically ??

Most of these preceded Russell's production!! (except the TCs of course!!)
Oates, Barlow, Wragg, B4(*)ANY etc!!