A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
I believe this knife was made closer to 1900 than what I see in tang stamp information. I have always been under the impression that 'Indian Trail' identified a knife as being made by Cattaraugus. Now the shock of finding this knife in an antique mall was even more confusing since the owner called me to say a nice knife was there. Rolling it in your hand, closed, one could be 'cut' by the sharpness of the jigged bone! Tiny pitting, some blade wear but no sign of any use vis-a- vis the handles. Pinched iron bolster, liners and pins..It was not made to be an expensive knife. In the past. I have seen the flat iron 'pommel' on other knives used like a hammer. This one is mirror polished and with a half stop. I hope you like it as much as I do.
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
That is one sweet find! A mall would be the last place I would expect that one to pop up.
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller
Herb
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Indeed a sweet find!
He said it was an antique mall. Probably not the type of mall you were thinking?
For those who may not know, an antique mall is a HUGE building with many, many vendors, all selling antiques in their own little cubby of the store.
A fun place to wander, for sure!
Take care and God bless,
Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
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But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
Steve
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
You’ll find this helpful in understanding the origins of “ Indian Trail” jigging, http://www.knife-expert.com/bonehand.txt. See the 6th paragraph.
Ken
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Very nice knife. I have a question that might be 'stupid.' When you (and others) say "iron" bolsters, is that really what you mean? I want to believe that you mean steel. I see this occasionally and wonder. My guess is that is a bit of a play of the language, as in "iron horse" (motorcycles) and "shootin' irons" (firearms)?
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:15 pmIndeed a sweet find!
He said it was an antique mall. Probably not the type of mall you were thinking?
For those who may not know, an antique mall is a HUGE building with many, many vendors, all selling antiques in their own little cubby of the store.
A fun place to wander, for sure!
Right you are Steve, I did miss that critical word "antique". However, I still haven't seen anything I would want to buy in the antique malls around here.
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller
Herb
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Sad to say I'm right there with ya - squat for decent knives up here in the North East.
Nothing at the antique shops or malls, nothing at the flea markets. *sigh*
And stores that even stock knives are few and far between. A 90 minute drive to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA.
Take care and God bless,
Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000
But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000
But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
I know that it's a bit of a hike for you, but I was so stoked up about going to the Shenandoah Valley knife show with my good buddy John (1967redrider) last spring, and of course it was cancelled. I put that wad of cash (and have added to it) and am hoping to enjoy blowing it at the 2021 show.Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:09 pmSad to say I'm right there with ya - squat for decent knives up here in the North East.
Nothing at the antique shops or malls, nothing at the flea markets. *sigh*
And stores that even stock knives are few and far between. A 90 minute drive to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA.
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller
Herb
Herb
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Great looking knife!!! Great find!!!
Heretical Refurb / Mods of cheap old folders, since late 2018
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
No two ways about it. That is a fantastic knife!!! Wow!
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
herbva wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:39 pmI know that it's a bit of a hike for you, but I was so stoked up about going to the Shenandoah Valley knife show with my good buddy John (1967redrider) last spring, and of course it was cancelled. I put that wad of cash (and have added to it) and am hoping to enjoy blowing it at the 2021 show.Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:09 pmSad to say I'm right there with ya - squat for decent knives up here in the North East.
Nothing at the antique shops or malls, nothing at the flea markets. *sigh*
And stores that even stock knives are few and far between. A 90 minute drive to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA.
There is that Rusty Rooster Antique Mall just East of Princess Anne's on the Maryland Eastern Shore, you and the Mrs. should drive down and check it out. I found some decent knives there, on the cheap too.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
That's a beautiful find, outstanding!
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Firstly, a collogue just mentioned 'Eastern Shore' which I believe is MD. two weeks ago, I received from a knife friend who knows I go in many different directions, a 'Dewey' ruler. It meant nothing to him but he thought of me..Fantastic! After the Spanish American War, school children were given one of these to show our pride in Adm. Dewey for sinking the Spanish fleet of Adm. Cervera. Oh, my point..he found it in a cluttered 'antique mall' not far from Ocean City MD.
Regarding 'Indian Trail' bone. Bernie Levine, author, bon vivant and agent provocateur has been a fixture in the knife community for a very long time. Here is an excerpt from 'Knife' magazine regarding 'Cattaraugus' and handle material:
Some manufacturers cut long, extra-wide grooves into their bone handles in addition the basic jigging. These grooves are thought to represent channels made in the bone by “worms” (or insects), and are supposedly a desirable aesthetic characteristic. Cattaraugus initiated this design element calling it “Indian Trail.”
So there you have it, two different interpretations with the final authority's long, long gone to give a definitive answer. Happy that we are not discussing the 'merits' of different cell phone models.
I bid you all a good night from Miami..
Regarding 'Indian Trail' bone. Bernie Levine, author, bon vivant and agent provocateur has been a fixture in the knife community for a very long time. Here is an excerpt from 'Knife' magazine regarding 'Cattaraugus' and handle material:
Some manufacturers cut long, extra-wide grooves into their bone handles in addition the basic jigging. These grooves are thought to represent channels made in the bone by “worms” (or insects), and are supposedly a desirable aesthetic characteristic. Cattaraugus initiated this design element calling it “Indian Trail.”
So there you have it, two different interpretations with the final authority's long, long gone to give a definitive answer. Happy that we are not discussing the 'merits' of different cell phone models.
I bid you all a good night from Miami..
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
The article to which I linked was also published in Knife Magazine. The author was the aforementioned Bernard Levine! So it’s only one “authority” with two different versions. I wonder if he learned something new, or just forgot whichever one he authored first?
Whatever the story, it’s one of my favorite handle covers.
Ken
Whatever the story, it’s one of my favorite handle covers.
Ken
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
That’s about as nice an example of that pattern from Robeson one is likely to see.
I do not know if Robeson and Cattaraugus got those handles from the same source or not.
Charlie
I do not know if Robeson and Cattaraugus got those handles from the same source or not.
Charlie
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Great old knife
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Several makers used worn groove bone.Robeson,Cattaraugus, Napanoch and Phoenix for sure.Possibly others also.
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Case
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Napanoch made many early Case knives,and Phoenix at least made the earliest Case and Son toenails.
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
I was thinking more of Case fixed blades. Possibly made for Case by Kinfolks, but many had worm-groove or “Indian Trail” bone handles.
And there’s this, which may or may not have been made by KA-BAR. Whoever made it, it’s Rogers bone that I’ve always thought of as “Indian Trail” bone
Ken
And there’s this, which may or may not have been made by KA-BAR. Whoever made it, it’s Rogers bone that I’ve always thought of as “Indian Trail” bone
Ken
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.
If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.
When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.
https://www.akti.org/
If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.
When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.
https://www.akti.org/
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
That is the best looking hawkbill pruner I have ever seen!
RE: Indian Trail/Wormgroove...I suspect that much like with many terms used to describe knives ("Wharncliffe" comes to mind), the meaning has expanded over time to include variations that are similar but not exactly identical to the original meaning.
Eg. Here's a Robeson Pocket-Eze #51 with Amber Wormgroove Jigged Bone. (That is the company's name for it printed on the box label).
RE: Indian Trail/Wormgroove...I suspect that much like with many terms used to describe knives ("Wharncliffe" comes to mind), the meaning has expanded over time to include variations that are similar but not exactly identical to the original meaning.
Eg. Here's a Robeson Pocket-Eze #51 with Amber Wormgroove Jigged Bone. (That is the company's name for it printed on the box label).
~Q~
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
I like that one!QTCut5 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 3:09 am That is the best looking hawkbill pruner I have ever seen!
RE: Indian Trail/Wormgroove...I suspect that much like with many terms used to describe knives ("Wharncliffe" comes to mind), the meaning has expanded over time to include variations that are similar but not exactly identical to the original meaning.
Eg. Here's a Robeson Pocket-Eze #51 with Amber Wormgroove Jigged Bone. (That is the company's name for it printed on the box label).
PC120020.JPGPC120021.JPG
Take care and God bless,
Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000
But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000
But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Thanks, Steve... ...I like it, too TBH, I've never been particularly interested in wormgroove jigging that much.
Check out how much the amber bone color comes through when photographed under different light:
~Q~
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Re: A Robeson Hawk With Indian Trail Bone handles..
Good job with the photos!! I wouldn't have called that worm groove, but that's me. I'm with you, not particularly interested in worm groove, but I do like yours very much.
Take care and God bless,
Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000
But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000
But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)