- Joined
- Oct 25, 2009
- Messages
- 801
This cocobola handled knife is some kind of beautiful. Wouls be very proud to have one like that in my collection. I am very proud for you.
Harold
Harold
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
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"Old Knives"
- Thread starter VCM3
- Start date
Will Power
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 33,567
That first Teardrop Harness sent me into orbit
Exquisite bone on it and a remarkable group of knives.
Exquisite bone on it and a remarkable group of knives.
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 677
Here are some Robeson MasterCraft knives. MasterCraft knives had a "U" shaped bronze bearing afixed to the rear of the tang, the portion that bore on the backspring. That bearing made for very easy opening and closing of the knife's blades
MasterCraft pocketknives were premium quality items. The master blade was most often nicely etched, "NEV-R-BIND OILESS BEARINGS" inside a flowing banner.
First is a salesman's sample single blade knife with green transparent handles illustrating the bronze bearing.
This is a rare item. I've seen one other with clear handles.
This one is essentially a mint knife.
A close-up detail of the knife's tang with the bronze bearing visible through
the handle.
This humpback jack knife has cream colored cracked ice handles and the usual MasterCraft shield.
The pattern number is 823683. It is in excellent condition.
This equal-end penknife has nice jigged bone handles and the MasterCraft shield.
Pattern number 623661. The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This equal-end two blade jack has nice brown bone handles and a MasterCraft shield.
Pattern number is 623671. The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This serpentine jack has slant bolsters, brown bone handles and the MasterCraft shield.
Pattern number 623657. It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Here is its ivoroid counterpart.
Pattern number 423657. It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This little two blade equal-end penknife has pearl handles, but no shield.
It has the usual blade etch as the others.
Pattern number 723643. It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This 3 5/8" sleeveboard whittler is also a MasterCraft knife.
It has nice brown bone handles, and a MasterCraft shield.
Heavy clip master blade with the usual etch and a sheepfoot
and pen as secondary blades.
Pattern number is 633656. It is in excellent condition.
Sometime after 1940 and during Emerson Cases's tenure, the bronze bearing was moved from the rear of the tang to the inside aspect of the backspring.
They changed the name of the line to "Perma-Lube".
They also dropped the MasterCraft shield and utilized a bronze bar shield instead.
Some Perma-Lube knives can be found with a bronze PocketEze shield.
This little bone handled three blade whittler has a bronze bar shield.
The master spear blade is etched "PERMA-LUBE / OILESS BEARING".
The pattern number is 633661. Note the handle-die shape number 661, is the same as the two blade pen knife shown above.
The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
MasterCraft pocketknives were premium quality items. The master blade was most often nicely etched, "NEV-R-BIND OILESS BEARINGS" inside a flowing banner.
First is a salesman's sample single blade knife with green transparent handles illustrating the bronze bearing.
This is a rare item. I've seen one other with clear handles.
This one is essentially a mint knife.
A close-up detail of the knife's tang with the bronze bearing visible through
the handle.
This humpback jack knife has cream colored cracked ice handles and the usual MasterCraft shield.
The pattern number is 823683. It is in excellent condition.
This equal-end penknife has nice jigged bone handles and the MasterCraft shield.
Pattern number 623661. The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This equal-end two blade jack has nice brown bone handles and a MasterCraft shield.
Pattern number is 623671. The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This serpentine jack has slant bolsters, brown bone handles and the MasterCraft shield.
Pattern number 623657. It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Here is its ivoroid counterpart.
Pattern number 423657. It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This little two blade equal-end penknife has pearl handles, but no shield.
It has the usual blade etch as the others.
Pattern number 723643. It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
This 3 5/8" sleeveboard whittler is also a MasterCraft knife.
It has nice brown bone handles, and a MasterCraft shield.
Heavy clip master blade with the usual etch and a sheepfoot
and pen as secondary blades.
Pattern number is 633656. It is in excellent condition.
Sometime after 1940 and during Emerson Cases's tenure, the bronze bearing was moved from the rear of the tang to the inside aspect of the backspring.
They changed the name of the line to "Perma-Lube".
They also dropped the MasterCraft shield and utilized a bronze bar shield instead.
Some Perma-Lube knives can be found with a bronze PocketEze shield.
This little bone handled three blade whittler has a bronze bar shield.
The master spear blade is etched "PERMA-LUBE / OILESS BEARING".
The pattern number is 633661. Note the handle-die shape number 661, is the same as the two blade pen knife shown above.
The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 677
How about some whittlers? I posted that big ebony handled one earlier.
Here are some more. These first few are a bit older and do not have
pattern numbers.
Here's an older pearl handled swell-center equal-end with a long pull on the master spear. Long pulls on a Robeson are indicative of early knives.
This knife is stamped:
THE / ROBESON (arched) / CUTLERY CO. /ROCHESTER, N.Y.
That's an early mark. The knife is in excellent condition.
Here's another similar knife. It has a bar shield. Again, long pull on the master.
The knife is marked:
ROBESON (arched) / CO. / CUTLERY, another early mark, probably before
1915. It is in excellent condition.
Here's a nice little ladies' tiny eureka purse knife with rose colored genuine pearl handles, a long pull sheepfoot master marked:
ROBESON (arched) / CO. / CUTLERY.
One of the secondary blades is a little button hook for gloves.
The knife is in excellent condition.
I've seen four blade versions of this pattern.
This is a premium PocketEze pearl handled tip bolstered whittler.
It is marked: ROBESON / ShurEdge / ROCHESTER.
Pattern number 733505.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Here's a little pearl handled gunstock whittler fob knife with bail. It's about
2 1/2" long. The blades are in a true whittler configuration.
Pattern number is 733466.
It's in excellent condition.
This is a serpentine pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number is 733463.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
This is an equal-end swell-center crown whittler.
Again, a long pull on the master blade.
Pattern number is 733353.
It's in excellent condition.
This is an equal-end pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number 732502-250.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
This is an intersting sway back pearl handled whittler. This pattern was
introduced at Christmas time 1910.
Pattern number 732365.
The knife is in good condition.
An equal-end pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number 732306.
The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Another equal-end pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number 732064. It is 2 3/4" long.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
A nice brown bone handled PocketEze whittler.
Pattern number 633499.
This knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
A serpentine brown bone PocketEze whittler.
Pattern number 633400.
It is in very good condition.
A 3" tip bolstered equal-end with dark brown bone handles and bar shield, engraved, "Wm. ROWELL".
Pattern number 633167.
The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
A nice little oval whittler with worm grooved brown bone handles and
PocketEze shield.
Pattern number 632492.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Here are some more. These first few are a bit older and do not have
pattern numbers.
Here's an older pearl handled swell-center equal-end with a long pull on the master spear. Long pulls on a Robeson are indicative of early knives.
This knife is stamped:
THE / ROBESON (arched) / CUTLERY CO. /ROCHESTER, N.Y.
That's an early mark. The knife is in excellent condition.
Here's another similar knife. It has a bar shield. Again, long pull on the master.
The knife is marked:
ROBESON (arched) / CO. / CUTLERY, another early mark, probably before
1915. It is in excellent condition.
Here's a nice little ladies' tiny eureka purse knife with rose colored genuine pearl handles, a long pull sheepfoot master marked:
ROBESON (arched) / CO. / CUTLERY.
One of the secondary blades is a little button hook for gloves.
The knife is in excellent condition.
I've seen four blade versions of this pattern.
This is a premium PocketEze pearl handled tip bolstered whittler.
It is marked: ROBESON / ShurEdge / ROCHESTER.
Pattern number 733505.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Here's a little pearl handled gunstock whittler fob knife with bail. It's about
2 1/2" long. The blades are in a true whittler configuration.
Pattern number is 733466.
It's in excellent condition.
This is a serpentine pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number is 733463.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
This is an equal-end swell-center crown whittler.
Again, a long pull on the master blade.
Pattern number is 733353.
It's in excellent condition.
This is an equal-end pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number 732502-250.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
This is an intersting sway back pearl handled whittler. This pattern was
introduced at Christmas time 1910.
Pattern number 732365.
The knife is in good condition.
An equal-end pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number 732306.
The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Another equal-end pearl handled whittler.
Pattern number 732064. It is 2 3/4" long.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
A nice brown bone handled PocketEze whittler.
Pattern number 633499.
This knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
A serpentine brown bone PocketEze whittler.
Pattern number 633400.
It is in very good condition.
A 3" tip bolstered equal-end with dark brown bone handles and bar shield, engraved, "Wm. ROWELL".
Pattern number 633167.
The knife is in excellent unsharpened condition.
A nice little oval whittler with worm grooved brown bone handles and
PocketEze shield.
Pattern number 632492.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 677
Here's few more.
A 3 3/8" brown bone gunstock whittler.
Pattern number 632274.
The knife is in excellent condition.
A 3" equal-end brown bone whittler.
Pattern number 633319.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
A 3 5/8" swell-center balloon-end whittler with non-standard clip master and clip and pen secondary blades.
Pattern number 622225.
It is in excellent condition.
A 3 1/2" brown bone handled equal-end whittler.
Pattern number 632189.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
An equal-end brown bone whittler.
Pattern number 632105.
It is in excellent condition.
A 3 5/8" sleeveboard brown bone handled whittler with escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 632102.
Condition, excellent.
A 3 3/8" jumbo sleeveboard whittler with brown bone.
Pattern number 632096.
The knife is in excellent condition.
Here's another. Pattern number 632096.
Again, excellent condition.
A genuine stag handled tip bolstered equal-end whittler.
Pattern number 533167.
Excellent condition.
Another genuine stag handled whittler. This one a Wharnecliff. Note the
birds-eye rivits in the handles. This is a great knife.
Pattern number 532008.
Condition is excellent.
That's it for now. Enjoy.
A 3 3/8" brown bone gunstock whittler.
Pattern number 632274.
The knife is in excellent condition.
A 3" equal-end brown bone whittler.
Pattern number 633319.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
A 3 5/8" swell-center balloon-end whittler with non-standard clip master and clip and pen secondary blades.
Pattern number 622225.
It is in excellent condition.
A 3 1/2" brown bone handled equal-end whittler.
Pattern number 632189.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
An equal-end brown bone whittler.
Pattern number 632105.
It is in excellent condition.
A 3 5/8" sleeveboard brown bone handled whittler with escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 632102.
Condition, excellent.
A 3 3/8" jumbo sleeveboard whittler with brown bone.
Pattern number 632096.
The knife is in excellent condition.
Here's another. Pattern number 632096.
Again, excellent condition.
A genuine stag handled tip bolstered equal-end whittler.
Pattern number 533167.
Excellent condition.
Another genuine stag handled whittler. This one a Wharnecliff. Note the
birds-eye rivits in the handles. This is a great knife.
Pattern number 532008.
Condition is excellent.
That's it for now. Enjoy.
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2007
- Messages
- 586
Here are some Robeson MasterCraft knives. MasterCraft knives had a "U" shaped bronze bearing afixed to the rear of the tang, the portion that bore on the backspring. That bearing made for very easy opening and closing of the knife's blades
MasterCraft pocketknives were premium quality items. The master blade was most often nicely etched, "NEV-R-BIND OILESS BEARINGS" inside a flowing banner.
First is a salesman's sample single blade knife with green transparent handles illustrating the bronze bearing.
This is a rare item. I've seen one other with clear handles.
This one is essentially a mint knife.
A close-up detail of the knife's tang with the bronze bearing visible through
the handle.
First of all thank you for the show Charlie!
Didn't Robeson also make a line of knives where the bronze bearing was inlayed into the back spring? Seems like I have seen that some where but I dont remember seeing the U shaped bearing. Thats a touch of class!
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 677
Thanks Jeremy and Vince.
Jeremy, the last knife in that posting is an example of the line of knives you spoke about. They were called PERMA-LUBE knives and the bronze bearing was attached to the inside surface of the backspring.
The "U" shaped bearing had been attached to the rear of the tang with a series of "V" notches.
I have encountered several knives over the years that had lost the bearing and, of course, the blade would stop at each of those "V's" between fully closed and fully opened and then again on the way back to fully closed. I've heard that described as a special "patented" feature on some Robeson knives, but it's just the result of a missing, but vital part of the knife.
Maybe that's what prompted moving the bearing from the tang to the spring. The piece on the spring is a rectangular shaped three dimensional bronze block set into the inside surface of the backspring.
The PERMA-LUBE line replaced the MasterCraft line of knives, but I don't think they made very many. Business was deteriorating. They were trying to save money.
There was a one page grouping of PERMA-LUBE patterns in a late 1940's Robeson catalog. I recall that it included a four blade scout/utility. I'd love to have one.
Vince, I recently went through, page by page, a fantastic forum of old Sheffield knives that I think you started. That was the forum that really prompted me to figure out how to post photos to BladeForums and to upgrade my membership.
Actually, I purchased a Gold Membership, but it's yet to indicate that on my posts. And, I cannot figure out how to attach an avatar. I am so 20th century.
Jeremy, the last knife in that posting is an example of the line of knives you spoke about. They were called PERMA-LUBE knives and the bronze bearing was attached to the inside surface of the backspring.
The "U" shaped bearing had been attached to the rear of the tang with a series of "V" notches.
I have encountered several knives over the years that had lost the bearing and, of course, the blade would stop at each of those "V's" between fully closed and fully opened and then again on the way back to fully closed. I've heard that described as a special "patented" feature on some Robeson knives, but it's just the result of a missing, but vital part of the knife.
Maybe that's what prompted moving the bearing from the tang to the spring. The piece on the spring is a rectangular shaped three dimensional bronze block set into the inside surface of the backspring.
The PERMA-LUBE line replaced the MasterCraft line of knives, but I don't think they made very many. Business was deteriorating. They were trying to save money.
There was a one page grouping of PERMA-LUBE patterns in a late 1940's Robeson catalog. I recall that it included a four blade scout/utility. I'd love to have one.
Vince, I recently went through, page by page, a fantastic forum of old Sheffield knives that I think you started. That was the forum that really prompted me to figure out how to post photos to BladeForums and to upgrade my membership.
Actually, I purchased a Gold Membership, but it's yet to indicate that on my posts. And, I cannot figure out how to attach an avatar. I am so 20th century.
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2010
- Messages
- 346
Thank you for posting those beauty Charlie :thumbup:
Will Power
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 33,567
The Wharncliffe Whittler with those Birdseyes is truly wonderful:thumbup:
A great deal of nice bone on some more unusual patterns too, your collection is deeply impressive and a valuable source of info and fantasy for most of us
Regards, W
A great deal of nice bone on some more unusual patterns too, your collection is deeply impressive and a valuable source of info and fantasy for most of us
Regards, W
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 677
Here are some Robeson single blade jacks.
You guys put forth some age limitations earlier in this thread.
Some of these knives are not older than I am, as I'm sixty-three
and some of these were made during the 1950's and early 1960's.
None of them are after 1965, so they're all at least forty-five
years out from their time of manufacture.
Here is a 5" English Jack with green bone handles, a bomb shield,
and spear blade.
The mark is: ROBESON / CUT. CO. / U. S. A. This is a rare stamping.
Pattern number 612151.
The knife is in very good condition.
This is a 5" Grand-Daddy Barlow with brown sawn bone handles, clip blade
and "RCC" bolsters.
The mark is: ROBESON / ShurEdge(script) / U. S. A.
Pattern number 512224.
It is in excellent condition.
This 5 1/4" Coke Bottle folding hunter has dark jigged bone handles
and an escutcheon shield. The large full clip blade with match-striker
long pull has been cleaned in the past, before I got it, so it can only
be in excellent condition.
Pattern number 612118.
Here's its partner in yellow composition with an escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 812118.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
This 5 1/4" Coke Bottle lockback jack has nice brown bone handles, and escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 612246.
It's in very good condition.
This 5" bolster locking jack has a nice spear blade, but somebody
has cleaned it. Nice brown bone handles.
Patter number 612610.
Excellent condition.
This is another bolster lock jack, a fish knife with spear point blade,
a scaler on top (hard to see in this photo) and a cap lifter at the tang.
It's been cleaned, as well. This was an Ebay purchase.
Pattern number 616613.
Excellent condition.
This large horticulture curved jack with worm-grooved
brown bone, iron bolsters, liners and cap plate and nearly
full hawk bill blade is in very good condition.
Pattern number 611197.
This wooden handled horticulture curved jack is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Pattern number 211007.
This little corn knife has jigged brown bone handles.
Pattern number 612132.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Here is another corn knife with pearl handles, but a slightly different blade.
Pattern number 712132.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
You guys put forth some age limitations earlier in this thread.
Some of these knives are not older than I am, as I'm sixty-three
and some of these were made during the 1950's and early 1960's.
None of them are after 1965, so they're all at least forty-five
years out from their time of manufacture.
Here is a 5" English Jack with green bone handles, a bomb shield,
and spear blade.
The mark is: ROBESON / CUT. CO. / U. S. A. This is a rare stamping.
Pattern number 612151.
The knife is in very good condition.
This is a 5" Grand-Daddy Barlow with brown sawn bone handles, clip blade
and "RCC" bolsters.
The mark is: ROBESON / ShurEdge(script) / U. S. A.
Pattern number 512224.
It is in excellent condition.
This 5 1/4" Coke Bottle folding hunter has dark jigged bone handles
and an escutcheon shield. The large full clip blade with match-striker
long pull has been cleaned in the past, before I got it, so it can only
be in excellent condition.
Pattern number 612118.
Here's its partner in yellow composition with an escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 812118.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
This 5 1/4" Coke Bottle lockback jack has nice brown bone handles, and escutcheon shield.
Pattern number 612246.
It's in very good condition.
This 5" bolster locking jack has a nice spear blade, but somebody
has cleaned it. Nice brown bone handles.
Patter number 612610.
Excellent condition.
This is another bolster lock jack, a fish knife with spear point blade,
a scaler on top (hard to see in this photo) and a cap lifter at the tang.
It's been cleaned, as well. This was an Ebay purchase.
Pattern number 616613.
Excellent condition.
This large horticulture curved jack with worm-grooved
brown bone, iron bolsters, liners and cap plate and nearly
full hawk bill blade is in very good condition.
Pattern number 611197.
This wooden handled horticulture curved jack is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Pattern number 211007.
This little corn knife has jigged brown bone handles.
Pattern number 612132.
It is in excellent unsharpened condition.
Here is another corn knife with pearl handles, but a slightly different blade.
Pattern number 712132.
It's in excellent unsharpened condition.
Last edited:
:thumbup: