"Old Knives"

waynorth waynorth
Yowza Charlie o_O:thumbsup::thumbsup:
What a collection !
I do know the “Barlow” was mass produced across the pond as they say… for a couple of centuries at least, I might not have been clear up there I guess ?
I’ve equated western mass-production around the ford model-t industrial era and wonder if it was made in really, really huge numbers ??
Now I’m comparing my tang stamp shown in my pic to your 2 curved stamps. It looks the same as the bottom example !!
I could swear I’ve read that on the real-deal, the >—> arrow’s tail starts under the first S and the point ends under the E, like the second last one in your picture. The bottom tang stamp looks identical to mine, meaning a repro and I also remember reading that the spring pin is in the center of the handle and not as forward toward the bolster. My memory may be going, just asking as I’m intrigued.
 
Un-Chained said:
waynorth waynorth
Yowza Charlie o_O:thumbsup::thumbsup:
What a collection !
I do know the “Barlow” was mass produced across the pond as they say… for a couple of centuries at least, I might not have been clear up there I guess ?
I’ve equated western mass-production around the ford model-t industrial era and wonder if it was made in really, really huge numbers ??
Now I’m comparing my tang stamp shown in my pic to your 2 curved stamps. It looks the same as the bottom example !!
I could swear I’ve read that on the real-deal, the >—> arrow’s tail starts under the first S and the point ends under the E, like the second last one in your picture. The bottom tang stamp looks identical to mine, meaning a repro and I also remember reading that the spring pin is in the center of the handle and not as forward toward the bolster. My memory may be going, just asking as I’m intrigued.
Click to expand...
Hi Gus. Yours was made between
Un-Chained said:
waynorth waynorth
Yowza Charlie o_O:thumbsup::thumbsup:
What a collection !
I do know the “Barlow” was mass produced across the pond as they say… for a couple of centuries at least, I might not have been clear up there I guess ?
I’ve equated western mass-production around the ford model-t industrial era and wonder if it was made in really, really huge numbers ??
Now I’m comparing my tang stamp shown in my pic to your 2 curved stamps. It looks the same as the bottom example !!
I could swear I’ve read that on the real-deal, the >—> arrow’s tail starts under the first S and the point ends under the E, like the second last one in your picture. The bottom tang stamp looks identical to mine, meaning a repro and I also remember reading that the spring pin is in the center of the handle and not as forward toward the bolster. My memory may be going, just asking as I’m intrigued.
Click to expand...
Hi Gus. Yours was made between 1933 and 1941. Depending on the pattern maker and that could be one person in the same Engraving facility, you will have slight variations. Example: I just made stamps for Rhidian and myself using the same font on each pattern. If a worker of mine was told to do the same it would look different all because of spacing. Now if you sent it out to 3 different pattern makers you will definitely have 3 different but very similar patterns to cut the stamps from.
And then there are the counterfeiters 😡
Hope this helps.
 
Those curved Russells are quite special Charlie not easy to find, very nice!

The Russell knives are difficult to collect, it seems there have been quite a lot of reproductions over the years. I am still a bit fuzzy on it but I understand there are a few things to help differentiate between the originals and the reproductions. As Rob pointed out the tang stamp style. I also had read what Gus said in regard to the position of the arrow in relation to the letters. I also read somewhere that the center backspring pin placement is a good indication. The Russell made barlows have the center backspring pin positioned further back from the bolster than on the reproductions. Also many of the reproductions use spun brass pins, whereas the Russells use hammered steel pins.

I am still a bit fuzzy on where the knives were made, it sounds like some came from the combined Russell-Harrington factory. Did other factories make knives for them? Some of the later reproductions I have seen came from Germany, not sure if those were authorized or associated with the original companies at all.

Charlie I hope you don't mind me using your picture to illustrate what I am talking about on the spring pins.
FUeqwsp.jpg
 
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Many of the Russell-Harrington era knives are well made and quite good knives, regardless. If you think about it, the Russell-Harrington Barlows (1933-1941) were not produced anywhere close to the length of time the original Russells (1876-1933) were.

Charlie shows some fine examples ! The two curved (not the stamp) early Russell Barlows are very special.

We can always depend on Upnorth, 😲🤣 (our friend Charlie) as they referred to him on another web site, to have many nice examples of these historical knives.

As I said, the waters start to get murky after Russell sold or merged with Harrington. If you see a Russell Barlow with two feet on the R, it is likely 1971 or later and German made. There are also contradictions in discussions threads, as well as historical information. You have to be cautious in your conclusions. I imagine that Russell-Harrington repaired many of the original Russells.

In the following illustrations, the R has two feet on the bolster stamps and more feathers on the arrow than we ever saw on the original Russell Barlows. We know the originals did not have a foot on the lower right side of that R. But their illustrations did. Maybe the artist thought it looked better with two feet on the R and six feathers on the bolster stamp ............. who really knows ??!!

Smooth bone was also an option on Russell Barlows. I want one of the fine white bones with shield myself !

I think I see Charlie's curved knife in there ! ☺️

View attachment 1781140
 
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pistonsandgears said:
Those curved Russells are quite special Charlie not easy to find, very nice!

The Russell knives are difficult to collect, it seems there have been quite a lot of reproductions over the years. I am still a bit fuzzy on it but I understand there are a few things to help differentiate between the originals and the reproductions. As Rob pointed out the tang stamp style. I also had read what Gus said in regard to the position of the arrow in relation to the letters. I also read somewhere that the center backspring pin placement is a good indication. The Russell made barlows have the center backspring pin positioned further back from the bolster than on the reproductions. Also many of the reproductions use spun brass pins, whereas the Russells use hammered steel pins.

I am still a bit fuzzy on where the knives were made, it sounds like some came from the combined Russell-Harrington factory. Did other factories make knives for them? Some of the later reproductions I have seen came from Germany, not sure if those were authorized or associated with the original companies at all.

Charlie I hope you don't mind me using your picture to illustrate what I am talking about on the spring pins.
FUeqwsp.jpg
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Effective illustration!!
I always judged the "repros" by the 'emphasized fletches' on the bolster-stamp arrows!
 
Great discussion on the Russells everyone and very nice examples, Rob thank you for the information on Russell, for as large and important as they were in the cutlery business you would think there would be more out there on them.
A few of my Russell barlows including one I have never seen before, a straight line overstamped with a curved Russell tang stamp.



IMG_3289.jpegIMG_1451.jpegIMG_5161.jpegIMG_5165.jpeg
 
Some really nice Old Knives shown here lately.

Re' those patented handles without pins on the Robeson, Bernard Levine wrote a bit about them in his Whut Izzit? column for KnifeWorld some time back.

They are held in place by the hinge pin and a wrap-around nickel-silver liner that the beveled edge of the slabs are tucked beneath, same with the bolster edges.
 
I agree Paul- Please do send this stunning Knife to Mike, but first I would like to personally view this Knife to make sure it meets Mikes Standards, I then will refer the knife to Mike at some stage of my lifetime.
I do this for good friends.

Hey by the way - since my membership expired and I funded it back up again - I cant see any options on the top task bar available anymore for smiley faces, Bold letter options etc.
Are you guys experiencing this?
 
Mike Robuck said:
Very nice Paul. I compel you to send it to me...
Click to expand...

Campbellclanman said:
I agree Paul- Please do send this stunning Knife to Mike, but first I would like to personally view this Knife to make sure it meets Mikes Standards, I then will refer the knife to Mike at some stage of my lifetime.
I do this for good friends.

Hey by the way - since my membership expired and I funded it back up again - I cant see any options on the top task bar available anymore for smiley faces, Bold letter options etc.
Are you guys experiencing this?
Click to expand...
Soooo, let me get this straight, I send to Mike and then maybe he sends to Duncan or I send to Duncan and he never sends to Mike??? where do the other fine folks that post here fit in on this deal🤔🤔🤔
 
What a treat of a Robeson there Paul 🤩:thumbsup::thumbsup:
I’ll gladly wait for thirds 😁:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Knice shape all’round and I just lurve those scales and main !!

Duncan… when I had my membership renewed I had to actually log in to see everything as I remembered it. Mostly on the phone it’s automatic for me. After my initial login post update, it did reset everything.
Maybe worth a try my friend.
 
paulhilborn said:
Soooo, let me get this straight, I send to Mike and then maybe he sends to Duncan or I send to Duncan and he never sends to Mike??? where do the other fine folks that post here fit in on this deal🤔🤔🤔
Click to expand...
No no no Paul, you send to Me - I will check it out, after all Mike is a bit of a Legend, so the Knife needs to be up to Spec- sure looks like it to me, but I want to be sure, so to me please Paul, and I will of course send it onto Mike once inspection is carried out, sometime.
 
Un-Chained said:
What a treat of a Robeson there Paul 🤩:thumbsup::thumbsup:
I’ll gladly wait for thirds 😁:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Knice shape all’round and I just lurve those scales and main !!

Duncan… when I had my membership renewed I had to actually log in to see everything as I remembered it. Mostly on the phone it’s automatic for me. After my initial login post update, it did reset everything.
Maybe worth a try my friend.
Click to expand...

Ok, I will check this out Gus, thank you my friend!
 
Un-Chained said:
What a treat of a Robeson there Paul 🤩:thumbsup::thumbsup:
I’ll gladly wait for thirds 😁:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Knice shape all’round and I just lurve those scales and main !!

Duncan… when I had my membership renewed I had to actually log in to see everything as I remembered it. Mostly on the phone it’s automatic for me. After my initial login post update, it did reset everything.
Maybe worth a try my friend.
Click to expand...
Thanks Gus, I think I should just the send the Robeson to you and then you can decide, Mike or Duncan, Duncan or Mike 😁
 
Campbellclanman said:
Hey by the way - since my membership expired and I funded it back up again - I cant see any options on the top task bar available anymore for smiley faces, Bold letter options etc.
Are you guys experiencing this?
Click to expand...
Did you accidentally toggle the BB code? (the brackets looking thing) You should be able to toggle it back on.

n6LwIwE.jpg
 
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