A. Wright & Son, Sheffield, still open for business?

[Luke_Chambers]

I'm interested in a knife from A. Wright & Son, Sheffield. On the sellers' pages it says "POCKET KNIVES ARE CURRENTLY BEING MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 6 TO 8 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY."
Another company "M G Tools", not in the knife trade, has moved into their premises. Does somebody know, are A. Wright & Son still in the knife making business?

 

[Jody744]

Jack Black will know
They made one of my favourite knives ever!

 

[Jack Black]

If this is a sales question, it relates to a company who aren't a BF supporting member. As such, I think it is against the sub-forum guidelines (which you should read Luke), and doesn't belong here . But I'll see what the mods say.

M.G. Tools have always been at that address, they don't make pocket-knives. If the other firm have lost their business, I can't say I'm surprised.

 

[Modoc ED]

I don't know Jack Jack Black . He is simply asking if A. Wright & Son is still in business and still making knives. It'd be the same if he were asking if Schrade was still in business and making knives or Camillus for that matter. Now, I'm interested myself. Is A. Wright & Son still making knives whether in mass or one off? There seems to be some turbulence happening in that company over the last couple years.

 

[Jack Black]

I don't know Jack Jack Black . He is simply asking if A. Wright & Son is still in business and still making knives. It'd be the same if he were asking if Schrade was still in business and making knives or Camillus for that matter. Now, I'm interested myself. Is A. Wright & Son still making knives? There seems to be some turbulence happening in that company over the last couple years.

Wright's webpage is operated by a dealer, rather than by them though Ed, it's a sales page

The poster asked a question in the Guardians thread, but without any commercial reference

As for the company, when it changed hands, they had only two cutlers, a third being off work due to injury. One of the working cutlers decided to retire. I think they may have pressed into service another chap, who previously did odd jobs. That was before the pandemic. I don't think they could have recruited any new cutlers, there simply aren't any, and they may have lost employees, either due to retirement, or to good sense I suspect they have ended up with one or two people, with no stock, and a factory they don't own, costs them rent, and which the owner is trying to sell. Or they have moved out, and are working from a small premises, or the garden shed. I know they have lost a lot of their retail customers, and their biggest customer at the time the business was sold. Sad to see what has happened to them, but hardly a surprise

 

[Modoc ED]

Wright's webpage is operated by a dealer, rather than by them though Ed, it's a sales page

The poster asked a question in the Guardians thread, but without any commercial reference

As for the company, when it changed hands, they had only two cutlers, a third being off work due to injury. One of the working cutlers decided to retire. I think they may have pressed into service another chap, who previously did odd jobs. That was before the pandemic. I don't think they could have recruited any new cutlers, there simply aren't any, and they may have lost employees, either due to retirement, or to good sense I suspect they have ended up with one or two people, with no stock, and a factory they don't own, costs them rent, and which the owner is trying to sell. Or they have moved out, and are working from a small premises, or the garden shed. I know they have lost a lot of their retail customers, and their biggest customer at the time the business was sold. Sad to see what has happened to them, but hardly a surprise

Thanks for your perspective Jack and thanks for the info on A. Wright & Son. Too bad. Maybe I'll hang onto the ones I have from A. Wright instead of gifting them out. Who Knows ????? Maybe my funky looking "Lil-un" from them will be worth a million or two in a few years.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks for your perspective Jack and thanks for the info on A. Wright & Son. Too bad. Maybe I'll hang onto the ones I have from A. Wright instead of gifting them out. Who Knows ????? Maybe my funky looking "Lil-un" from them will be worth a million or two in a few years.

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View attachment 1777327

These are public forums Ed, and I'd prefer not to have to post everything I know publicly. I cringe every time these sort of questions come up, and would prefer to stay out of the threads. There's a lot I could say, but I'd rather not rubbish folks I know in person here

 

[cudgee]

I don't want to transgress any Bladeforum rules, i have spent enough time on the bench.. In answer to the original question- Yes they are, and there is about an 8 week waiting list. I will delete this if inappropriate.
And Modoc ED Hang on to 'em mate. You have some good ones that will become very hard to replace.

 

[Luke_Chambers]

Thanks for the explanations. It's what I was expecting (and worrying about). Has happened too often in the last couple of years.

 

[cudgee]

Jack Black will know
They made one of my favourite knives ever!
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And great to see it being well used. Good looking covers.

 

[Modoc ED]

And Modoc ED Modoc ED Hang on to 'em mate. You have some good ones that will become very hard to replace.

I'm gonna do just that Leon. I do have some nice ones.

 

[dantzk8]

As for the company, when it changed hands, they had only two cutlers, a third being off work due to injury. One of the working cutlers decided to retire. I think they may have pressed into service another chap, who previously did odd jobs. That was before the pandemic. I don't think they could have recruited any new cutlers, there simply aren't any, and they may have lost employees, either due to retirement, or to good sense I suspect they have ended up with one or two people, with no stock, and a factory they don't own, costs them rent, and which the owner is trying to sell. Or they have moved out, and are working from a small premises, or the garden shed. I know they have lost a lot of their retail customers, and their biggest customer at the time the business was sold. Sad to see what has happened to them, but hardly a surprise

Now i understand why the lemon i got tasted so bitter.

Dan.

 

[Jack Black]

Now i understand why the lemon i got tasted so bitter.

Their standard knives could always be a bit rough and ready, but QC nose-dived after the firm was sold. The odds are against you getting an even half-decent knife

Two of the last knives I had from them - and I do mean the LAST

 

[dantzk8]

Their standard knives could always be a bit rough and ready, but QC nose-dived after the firm was sold. The odds are against you getting an even half-decent knife

Two of the last knives I had from them - and I do mean the LAST

if you list the possible major faults that a pocket knife can have from the simple point of view of a user, I do not speak from the point of view of a collector, then none were missing. I regret not having kept what could be considered a collector's item, I had never seen so many cumulative defects.
I've thougt the knife had been made on a Friday afternoon by an apprentice hired at the beginning of the week, who had been smoking weed since the age of 12 and who after a few pints of beer wondered what he was up to keep busy over the weekend.
I wished him good luck but was nevertheless disappointed, annoyed and maybe even a little angry.
Well, c'est la vie.

Dan.

 

[Jack Black]

if you list the possible major faults that a pocket knife can have from the simple point of view of a user, I do not speak from the point of view of a collector, then none were missing. I regret not having kept what could be considered a collector's item, I had never seen so many cumulative defects.
I've thougt the knife had been made on a Friday afternoon by an apprentice hired at the beginning of the week, who had been smoking weed since the age of 12 and who after a few pints of beer wondered what he was up to keep busy over the weekend.
I wished him good luck but was nevertheless disappointed, annoyed and maybe even a little angry.
Well, c'est la vie.

Dan.

That's incredible Dan, I've seen most of them on their knives, but not on the SAME knife! I think some posters here see the A. Wright & Son knives posted, which are often my old SFOs, made in a brief window, under the old management, and think they'll get something similar by just ordering. I had a huge amount of work to get those SFOs made, both before I commissioned them and after. For each run, I had to make several visits to the factory, as well as countless (often irate) phone calls. For one run, I rejected a third of the knives made, and often rejected cover materials because they weren't what I had been promised. I think I did a lot for the firm, and they could have learned a little about standards and QC from me, but it was a thankless job, and I regret having anything to do with them. The firm are, (or were), quite capable of producing first-rate knives, but they find it easier to turn out junk. Frankly, they don't deserve to be in business

 

[dantzk8]

That's incredible Dan, I've seen most of them on their knives, but not on the SAME knife! I think some posters here see the A. Wright & Son knives posted, which are often my old SFOs, made in a brief window, under the old management, and think they'll get something similar by just ordering. I had a huge amount of work to get those SFOs made, both before I commissioned them and after. For each run, I had to make several visits to the factory, as well as countless (often irate) phone calls. For one run, I rejected a third of the knives made, and often rejected cover materials because they weren't what I had been promised. I think I did a lot for the firm, and they could have learned a little about standards and QC from me, but it was a thankless job, and I regret having anything to do with them. The firm are, (or were), quite capable of producing first-rate knives, but they find it easier to turn out junk. Frankly, they don't deserve to be in business

They unfortunately did not seize the chance.
Have you met the apprentice i was talking about ?

Dan.

 

[Jack Black]

They unfortunately did not seize the chance.
Have you met the apprentice i was talking about ?

Dan.

They had quite a few who were there only briefly, and left. Two of the other cutlers they had produced consistently poor work, one particularly so. The bloke who put those edges on, I don't think could even be called a cutler. I'd never seen him on the shop-floor, and he was engaged in doing various other jobs. He was pressed into service soon after the change of ownership. It's not as if it takes very long to check work, but it doesn't happen I'm afraid. When did you get your knife Dan?

 

[JohnDF]

but it was a thankless job

Not "thankless"... WE thank you, Jack.

 

[Jack Black]

Not "thankless"... WE thank you, Jack.

Thanks John, appreciated mate

 

[choombak]

This thread is disappointing on a Monday morning! I enjoyed the lambsfoot knives, and have just two - one in my pocket and one as a backup that I haven't used. For the price, these were really good knives and it is a bummer we won't see any more of the reasonable quality lambsfoot knives from them.

Well, I guess I should enjoy the ones I have!