"Old Knives"

[CNoyes]

Millard Robeson had knives made for him at The Sherwood & Bingham cutlery concern in Camillus, New York,
after the costs of imported cutlery escalated due to the tariffs passed in 1890.

Sherwood & Bingham had some financial difficulties and Robeson reportedly took over some degree
of control and kept the factory running until about 1899, when he was induced to move into an old harvester
manufacturing company's buildings in Perry, New York. He reportedly took some of the managers and workmen from Camillus with him.

They began producing knives in Perry in 1899 or 1900.

I do not know exactly when they began their pattern numbering system,
but when they did, this is the pattern knife to which they assigned the first number, 001.

Remember the first digit is the handle material, the second the number of blades, the third
denotes bolster and liner materials and the last three are the designated number for a particular handle-die shape.

Handle-die shape number 001 was a 3 3/8" swell-center, balloon ended, equal-end pen knife. This particular one has ebony handles,
so the first digit in the pattern number is 1. It has a bar shield. The six digit pattern number is 122001.

This knife has the earlier "ShurEdge" stamp with the word "ShurEdge" running diagonally from lower left to upper right and the word
"Robeson" arched in the upper left quadrant.

Long pulls on Robeson knives are generally on the earlier knives, except for some later premium pearl handled multi-blades.

 

[navihawk]

Nice bunch of Robesons. Thanks for sharing.

 

[sunnyd]

Yes, Charlie N., I'm very much enjoying your contributions here! Much obliged.


Anthony

 

[Will Power]

Highly impresive Teardrop shown earlier, thank you:thumbup:

My favourite pattern in fact & that one has a very nice used look about it but still in decent fettle. The Ebony ages very well it seems.

 

[waynorth]

Nice early swell center! Finding one of your knives on here makes my day, Charlie.

 

[CNoyes]

Robeson knives without pattern numbers are found quite frequently. Some were made in the early days before pattern numbers were used.
Some were made later and don't have a number for whatever reason.
They might have been a contract item or special run of some sort.

These next few knives were, I think, made before pattern numbers were in use.

They all have earlier, pre- "ShurEdge" stamps.

First is this 2 7/8" bone handled sleeveboard pen. This knife had been sanded before I bought it, but I wanted the stamp, which is unusual.
The knife is marked:
ROBESON (arched up) over CO. (straight) over CUTLERY (arched down).

Second is a 3 1/4" cocobola handled regular barehead jack.
The Stamp is: ROBESON / CUTLERY / ROCHESTER.
The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.

Third is a little 2 3/4" worm grooved brown bone handled sway backed jack that looks like a horticulturist's knife, but its dimunitive size doesn't
suggest that.

This little knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.

The mark is: ROBESON (arched) / CO. / CUTLERY.

Next is a 3 5/8" cocobola handled equal-end cigar jack with a nice escutcheon shield. This knife is marked the same as the little sway-back above.

It is in excellent unsharpened condition.

 

[Blues]

That sleeveboard in the first image is sweet. :thumbup:

 

[waynorth]

Four wonderful knives in just great condition. I couldn't choose just one as a favorite! They quicken the pulse.

 

[CNoyes]

Thanks everyone for the positive comments.
Putting together this little collection of Robeson knives has been a pleasure and I'm happy to share a portion with you and others.
Charlie Noyes

 

[CNoyes]

Robeson utilized a nationwide cadre of salesmen, each with a
geographic area of responsibility.

Robeson was not known for issuing catalogs. I only know of one that
might be from the time prior to WWII. There are some catalogs from
after WWII, through the 1950's and early 60's. I suspect Emerson Case,
who was hired to run the company in about 1940, probably had
something to do with the catalogs. He became president in 1948
and remained in that position until the factory closed in 1965.

The early salesmen traveled with knife rolls filled with sample knives.

Knives exist with a stamp that states:
ROBESON / DEMONSTRATOR in two lines.
I've seen several of these, but I've never seen enough
to suggest that there were "Demonstrators" for every pattern.
I think there were just a few representative examples to demonstrate
the quality of the workmanship, etc.

Every Demonstrator I've seen was a larger pattern knife like
coke bottles, toothpicks, etc.

The only one I own is this 3 5/8" Eureka jack with black composition
or hard rubber handles with a nice "ShurEdge" shield. I have
never seen this shield on anything other than a marked Demonstrator.
Almost all the demonstrators I've seen had this handle material.

Robeson used this handle material for some time.

Here it is on a 3 5/8" sleeveboard box/utility pattern.

Here is the same material as an imitation stag on a little sleeveboard lobster. This is about the best imitation stag I've ever seen.

The pattern number is 333077, which indicates black composition handles.

 

[Railsplitter]

Here's an old George Wostenholm from 1850-1890. (or so I was told)

 

[kamagong]

Now that's what I call an EDC!

- Christian

 

[kai76]

The cocobola barehead jack is niiiiice!

 

[waynorth]

Once again, some really nice examples of Robeson's superior craft, Charlie.
The "stag" on the Lobster looks a lot like the material you might see on quite a few LF&C knives.

 

[CNoyes]

Let's look at some really nice Robeson jack knives.
Some of these are from Robeson's PocketEze line and the blades are ground flush with the tops of the frame so there are no sharp corners. Hence, they are easy on one's pocket.

Here's a nice harness jack with brown bone handles and escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 626382.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.

This is an easy open jack with wooden handles and escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 222027.
It is in excellent condition.

Here's its cousin in bone. Pattern number 622027.

And a swell end jack of similar design. Pattern number 622029.

Here's a nice PocketEze regular jack with a sabre cut spear blade etched, "INDIANAPOLIS PAINT AND COLOR"
Pattern number 622787.

Really nice bone on this knife.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.

This knife is a nice PocketEze sleeveboard jack with pinched Bolsters.
It has Rogers bone scales and is in excellent condition.
Pattern number 622290.

This two blade Campers jack has a clip and tin-opener/cap-lifter blade.
Pattern number 622608.
It is in excellent condition.

This PocketEze jack fits one's hand really well. I like the shape and the slant bolsters. I like that exaggerated clip master blade, too.
Pattern number 622426.
It's in excellent condition.

This big half-trapper PocketEze jack is a handful.
Pattern number 622482.
It's in excellent condition.

This pretty and unusual PocketEze jack is nicely etched, "ShurEdge" on the master spear.
Pattern number 622357.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.

This is a large equal-end 4 1/4" cigar with nice brown bone handles and escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 622037.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.

This large jack with federal shield and light brown bone handles is 4" long.
The master spear is etched in Italic letters, "OUR LEADER"
Pattern number is 622062.
It's in excellent unsharpened, but patinaed condition.

 

[navihawk]

Charlie thats the best show I've seen in a while. Thanks for sharing again.
That trapper with the pen blade has an incredible curve.

 

[thawk]

Thanks Charlie. Those sure have some incredible bone. What a lineup. :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[bakerg2g]

Charlie, Your knives are OUTSTANDING!! I've never seen
so many Excellent condtion Robersons at one time!
Thank you very much for sharing your lovely collection!


Jason

 

[waynorth]

That's a dazzling Dozen, Charlie!! The cream of traditional knife collecting!!

 

[kai76]

Every single one is cooooool!