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"The good ole days" - show us some OLD KNIVES

I was talking with my Grandson the other day, and I told him, "I like old knives" - he said "I like the new ones". I shared that with my wife and she said "you gotta be old to like the old things". Maybe she is right. I find myself more and more liking older things, sayings, buildings, guns, knives, and a large assortment of older things. Seems like things made more sense (to me anyway) in the good ole days.

So when were the good ole days?? For me (I'm 67) the good ole days were in the 60's. When it comes to knives, I like a knife that was made either before I was born (1946) or at least before I graduated from High School (1964). I graduated in Arcade, New York and was surrounded by great cutleries, and didn't even think about it at the time. How many times have I driven by the Robeson factory in Perry, NY and didn't even know it.

Anyway, I like old Knives. I like all knives, but especially the older ones. Lets use this discussion to show some-of what you may think as an older knife. Looking forward to seeing a taste of "the good ole days".

Tags: Old, Robeson, Vintage, knife, knives, older

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Permalink Reply by peter force on July 24, 2013 at 2:00

hey hey hey.. im only 36 and i love vintage and own more vintage then new ...LOL! ... i started collecting vintage knives from the get go 10-11 years ago..so at say 26 i was already loving them...

some flks just like new and nice and shiny...and i do to a certain degree myself.

....i do like new knives but tend to buy NEW knives that in some way,shape or from represent the vintage i already have.even custom knives i tend to love good ole double pinned sheilds ..i love peened pins verse spun and wish that on NEW old knives they would stop and do it. i do have smme taste for the new though... but cant stand things like LVS ABALONE...LOL.. its like BONDED LEATHER vs REAL HIDE! ...if you want REAL ABALONE your only choice these days is to go back and buy vintage. not to mention the dying of bone was much better.i dont know about you guys but i hate it when the color falls off at the end near the bosters on new knives{UGLY,IMO}..i love the good ole jigging patterns.. even the uneven tang marks.the list goes on and on!my favorite of course is the stamps that are just tough to find...

the BIDDLE .. imported from germany ,sold in phily,pa. ...is the only one i know of.except straight razors.. or the hawkbill i have with H.SEARS/MFG. Co ...SEARS first stamp...and i love that they use to underline the little "o" ..things like that..dont ask me why..and the huge whale like blade on it.ecect are just some of the many reasons i dig vintage. sometimes even more addcting is knife paper goods... i love leterheads with the factory/store printed real big on the top and even better if the correspondence is dated and signed and is a leeter from one company to another ..like a knife maker writing a jobber/hardware store about their order and its arrival or whatever...LOVE IT!

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Permalink Reply by peter force on July 24, 2013 at 2:12

oh and nothing like a 100-125 yr old knife still snapping so hard it makes your mom jump!

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 24, 2013 at 8:04

Robeson "Strawberry Bone" from The Good Ole Days. dating from 1945-1965

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 24, 2013 at 9:52

Here is my very first knife - Received from my brother in 1954 so will date late 40's early 50's. Imperial 4 blade Camp.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 24, 2013 at 11:50

To be fair, Bone dying has signifigantly changed over the years and not by choice or cost cutting of knife makers but by government regulations. Many of the old dying procedures were down-right hazardous to your health. Some of the older dyes were extremely carcinogenic and have been outlawed and banned. Some of the other procedures had left over bi-products which were disastrous to the environment. The old green bone might look great but should a person risk cancer or should water become undrinkable or land become unusably just so you can have a pretty knife?

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 25, 2013 at 7:25

A nice old stockman Robeson dating from 1945-1965 "The Good Ole Days"

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 25, 2013 at 15:01

IXL George Wostenholm, Sheffield, England - for sure "the good ole days"

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 26, 2013 at 12:24

Another Robeson Strawberry Bone from "The Good Ole Days"

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Permalink Reply by Paul Krings on July 26, 2013 at 13:29

Great looking knife.

Michael A Losicco said:

Just like you Ken I like the older knives, funny but I sell new knives too and have a growing collection of newer made stuff but all American made. Here is an old Case Mfg Little Valley knife.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 26, 2013 at 13:40

Near mint Kamp King by Imperial. Probably isn't that old (maybe just 40-50 years) but it looks like it was made yesterday! The yellow goop is the original packing oil.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 26, 2013 at 14:05

Michael, that is one neat knife - an old Case like that is rare.

Tobias - that is very well preserved.

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Permalink Reply by Ron Cooper on July 26, 2013 at 15:12

The Corliss Cutlery "Easy Opener," pictured above, was manufactured by Germania Cutlery Works. Corliss Cutlery was only in existence for a very brief period in time -- 1900 to 1910.