I found my Grandfather's knife!

freq18hz

freq18hz

Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
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This is a very personal event for me. I'm sharing it here because I think many of you may understand.

Backstory:

My Grandfather raised me. He was my hero, my role model, and my friend. He passed away in my late teens, before I became a man. He taught me how to shoot, how to build things, musicianship, and generally molded how I see the world.

He was an Air Force Colonel, and served after the war in Germany. We don't know exactly what he did, but we know he worked in counter-intelligence. He had a lot of fancy gear, and he never wore a uniform.

As a kid and a young man, I remember him always carrying this dark red pocket knife. I caught the knife bug several months ago, and have now just recently started acquiring traditional folders. This knife embodies for me what I consider a traditional knife to look like.

I've been looking for this knife since my realitives inherited his property almost 15 years ago. I can't tell you how happy I am to have found it.

I'll be posting pics as soon as I can get home and transfer them.

The blade says Solingen and Made In Germany on it, and has a picture of a whale.

I also found another tiny folder that I don't remember him carrying, I'll be posting those too. Any identification of these would be much appreciated.


EDIT: scroll to my next post for pics



-Freq
 
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freq18hz said:
This is a very personal event for me. I'm sharing it here because I think many of you may understand. ... I've been looking for this knife since my realitives inherited his property for almost 15 years. I can't tell you how happy I am to have found it.
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That is awesome! :thumbup: Congratulations. I can't wait to see the pics.
 
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WOW! That is by far the coolest tang stamp I have ever seen! -not to mention an amazing looking knife.

Thanks for sharing,

-the gov
 
That is so great to find your grandfathers knife!:thumbup::thumbup:

Grandfathers are very special people, and it's a relationship unlike that with a parent.

Sharpen up that knife and take good care of it!

Carl.
 
That is great stuff! I am happy you found them and I am sure your Grand Father is also happy. :thumbup:
 
Congrats on finding that gem! No only does it hold sentimental value for you, it's just a very cool knife all around. Love those red handles and that whale stamp is the best.
Hang on to that one.
 
Thanks for the kind words. So does anyone know if this is indeed a Richartz? Is anyone able to identify the model, or the year it was likely manufactured?

-Freq
 
Freq, it definitely does appear to be a Richartz Bros., they were in business for pretty much the entire twentieth century. I have no idea of the model # or dates, although judging by that can opener I'd say pre-1950's. Try posting it over on B. Levine's forum, there are a number of folks over there who are pretty savvy with the German makers.

Congrats on that find!!! Sounds like you grandfather was quite a guy
:thumbup:

Eric
 
Congrats. A knife to treasure for sure. I have two of my dad's knives, both of my grandads' knives and one knife that was my great-grandad's. I carry them every now and then.
 
Hi,

I know what you are feeling. I too discovered a couple of my Grandfather's slippies in a box after 30+ years.

Cherish them well. And do take them out and use them carefully every once in a while.

Dale
 
Goins' Encyclopedia shows a picture of a Richartz knife just like yours, but possibly with different handle material, taken from a 1956 Kruse catalog. The canopener is the same. BTW, the celluloid on that nice advertising knife will self destruct at some time in the future, taking the steel with it. Keep it away from your other knives, and give it air, and no sunlight.
 
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