Roberson, a Blount County native, came up with the idea of the Revolver knife in 1998. He developed the knife, now a valuable tool known to military and law enforcement personnel as well as outdoor enthusiasts throughout the world, using a lever-action pin inside the handle that opens to free the blade to rotate 180 degrees, then locks the blade back in place. His original design features a knife blade on one end and a saw blade on the other.

Several versions of the knife have been on the market through the years, and three of these are currently available. The original knife, the SOG SEAL Revolver, was so named after the design was chosen for use by Navy SEALs. The latest version includes a survival saw in the handle, and the blade features a forward thumb rest for increased dexterity and downward pressure.

The Hunter Revolver has a gut hook, large flat bevel grinds, and a bone/wood saw. Outdoorsmen, hunters, archers and fishermen can use the knife to dress game, cut tree stands, build shelters, etc.

The Revolver 2.0 Hunt, the most recently marketed Revolver knife, sports an upswept clip point blade, large flat bevel grinds, gut hook and a bone/wood saw.

In the beginning

Roberson’s interest in making knives was honed by his uncle, Paul S. Phelps, a master knife maker, beginning about 1980.

“He knew I had a little shop, and one day he brought me a box full of knife tools and things to work with,” Roberson said. “I never had done it before, but I took that box and inside was a book on how to make knives. I read the book from cover to cover. I started working on them, one at a time, starting taking them apart, rebuilding them, sharpening them.”

Friends soon began asking Roberson to work on their knives, including fellow police officers at the Alcoa Police Department. “I was offering to do anything they might want me to do, for free, of course, and that taught me the basics of knife functions and just how they work,” he said.

About 1998, during a walk through a cow pasture near his home in the Chilhowee View community, the idea for the revolving, or pivoting, blade popped in his head. He worked on the prototype, received very favorable reactions and went forward with patenting the invention, financed with money from his wife Linda’s retirement savings.

Finding a reputable company to manufacture the knife took more than two years but Roberson finally met Spencer Frazer, owner and master designer of SOG Knives, at a knife show in Sevier County. The rest is history.

“Everything I do, almost night and day, when it comes to knives it has to do with revolving blades and the many different versatile functions that you can make that revolving blade do,” Roberson said. “We have went from saw blades to cutting blades to fish blades, you name it. So it’s really, really expanded out. Now there’s three blades on the market. The newest one came out about last June or July, and that is a really great survival/hunting knife.

“I’m really proud that my patent was the first for any revolving knife that I know of, in the world,” he said. “Since my patent, we’ve had a few companies that have come out with similar knives, but in my opinion, none are as strong and none have been proven to work as good as mine does. Mine’s been proven now at least 12 years. It’s been tested in the military and the civilian market, camping, backpacking and so on.”

Humbling experience

Roberson and his wife have never focused on making money with his invention. He said, “We always wanted it made well and to get it into the public’s hands as a quality-made knife. We’ve never focused on the money aspect in any form or fashion.”

As a Shriner, Roberson is accustomed to giving back to his community. The first $5,000 he received was donated to the Lexington, Ky., Shriners Children’s Hospital.

“That was way before we ever made a penny on the knife,” he said. “There is no doubt in my mind that God asked me if I would consider donating some money to the Shriners Children’s Hospital. I remember the first night I was working on the prototype knife in my shop, and the idea came to me, it was almost like somebody was there talking to me in the shop. I immediately went into the house and told my wife, ‘I know you won’t mind, but we’ve got to donate the first $5,000 to the Shriners Children’s Hospital. She smiled.”

The words “Designed by Robbie Roberson” is lasered on every SOG Revolver knife, and Roberson often engraves his signature when buyers request it.

“Some of my proudest moments of engraving my name is when U.S. soldiers ask me to do this for them before, during or after they return from serving our country,” he said. “This has always been very emotional for me to do. ... These people were going to serve our country and protect me and my family, yet they wanted me to sign a knife they carried while doing so.”

He’s also proud to engrave his name for those giving the knives as special gifts to loved ones, in particular, when children are the recipients. He said it’s a humbling experience. “I always think this kid will remember this for the rest of their lives, and hopefully will have my knife to show or hand down to their children many years from now. ... It makes me feel really special to do this.”

Roberson is working on setting up an engraving session at a local retail store. More details will be released when the plans are finalized.

The Revolver knives are available all over the United States and in 60 different countries. Roberson has received emails from near and far with favorable comments. Some are from other countries, including one from France with photos of the owner using the knife to field dress a deer. “I remember I had some trouble translating the email and figuring out exactly where it came from,” he said. “Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with happiness to hear from someone in another country who liked my knife. What a compliment.”

Roberson enjoys hearing from people. Contact him at RobbieRob600@gmail.com.