Can someone give me any info on these Russell green river works knives?

[Wendi King]

I'm curious of the age and if they are worth anything. My fiance is a brick Mason and found them inside a wall of a building over 80 years old.

 

[Red Owl]

I've never seen anything that looks quite like that. Years ago the company had a historian- maybe contact them. Also the NRA has a magazine "Men at Arms" with various arms brokers advertising- maybe contact some of them.

 

[Wendi King]

I've never seen anything that looks quite like that. Years ago the company had a historian- maybe contact them. Also the NRA has a magazine "Men at Arms" with various arms brokers advertising- maybe contact some of them.

Thank you!

 

[appalichian hunter]

Not a expert by a long shot, but those look like stainless steel kitchen paring knives, S.W.A.G.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Try this site | National Museum of American History a bit of history on Russel Green River knives. The manufacturing of these RGR knives started in the 1830s and has a proud heritage of being highly sought after during those times. Your knives appear to be stainless steel which wasn't invented until about 1913 ish. If memory serves me correctly, the first stainless steel knives produced weren't all that good and companies couldn't market them very well. RGR still makes knives to this day if I remember right.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Wendi,

That general style is called a “Sloyd knife.” It is considered a general purpose, inexpensive shop knife for tradesmen, especially carpenters. “Shoe knives,” either with curving blades or squared-off tips, but with that same type of handle, are used in some leather working applications. Knives like that are still being made.

From the photos, the blades look like stainless, but it’s hard to be sure. Stainless steel was not much used until well into the 20th century, so I doubt these would be older than the 80 year old house. The other thing is that the trademarks on the blades appear to be etched rather than stamped or “struck” into the metal. I don’t think etching was much used for this purpose until the mid-20th century.

John Russell founded a cutlery company in the 1830’s, and they soon adopted the Green River trademark. The company has changed hands a few times over the years, but they are still in business as Dexter/Russell, and they still use the “Green River” trademark on their traditional, wood-handled knives.

I don’t consider myself an authority, but I am interested and I’ve tried to learn what I could about this sort of thing. In my opinion, you have a couple of old, used knives. I don’t think they would be worth much for sale. However, they look like solid, functional knives. I think the best thing to do with them would be to clean them up and sharpen them, put one in your kitchen and the other in your toolbox, and start using them. Russell knives are generally of good quality.

Thanks for showing them to us!

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Jaeger]

Eschew stainless steel.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Addendum: I just did a quick search online, using “Russell sloyd knife” as a keyword or search term. Dexter/Russell is still making these knives, although with a “DEXTER” trademark. I found them available from several dealers online for prices ranging from about $10.50 to $15.00 each.

One description indicated the new ones are made from high carbon steel rather than stainless. A lot of us here prefer carbon steel, so this is a good thing.

I still think the best thing to do with them would be to clean and sharpen them, and start using them. The most used knife in my kitchen is a little Green River paring knife.

Notchy Bob

 

[Wendi King]

Addendum: I just did a quick search online, using “Russell sloyd knife” as a keyword or search term. Dexter/Russell is still making these knives, although with a “DEXTER” trademark. I found them available from several dealers online for prices ranging from about $10.50 to $15.00 each.

One description indicated the new ones are made from high carbon steel rather than stainless. A lot of us here prefer carbon steel, so this is a good thing.

I still think the best thing to do with them would be to clean and sharpen them, and start using them. The most used knife in my kitchen is a little Green River paring knife.

Notchy Bob

Thank you very much for all the information you shared! I will definitely clean them up and use them in my wood shop!

 

[Red Owl]

As a general rule the steel in the Russell Green River Knives (Dexter the parent company) are good, IMHO. As far as being "PC" for the mountain man era. The company started before 1840 but there was a fire in the factory and things got put on hold. Someone pointed out to me a 1839 inventory list going to the Rendezvous with a "Model 15" knife. Well, what was it? Wilson didn't have any model 15. No one else did either. The only outfit that had a model 15 was Russell, so there is some evidence although not conclusive, that the knives are "pre-1840 Rendezvous" items, at least the model 15. While on this topic, Dexter still sells a beaver skinning knife
https://www.amazon.com/Dexter-Russel-Beaver-Skinning-Fleshing/dp/B0B6FQQRYM

This knife is a very close copy of the Wilson Model 1834 which was a fur trade item.