Information on Rigid USA Knives

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treetalkn

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Dec 21, 2006
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I am looking to get information on two knives that I have from Rigid USA vintage fixed blade knives. I have looked on the net with no luck and cant find the models these are.

Thank you

Bill
 
treetalkn said:
I am looking to get information on two knives that I have from Rigid USA vintage fixed blade knives. I have looked on the net with no luck and cant find the models these are.

Thank you

Bill
Click to expand...

Bill,
Welcome to the forum my friend.

Exactly how can we help you since you have posted zero information about these knives????:confused:
 
Both knives are about 9 inches long with rosewood handles and brass bolsters, and finger grooves in the handle. One looks like a regular hunting knife and the other has a wide skinner style.

This is all I have. I was looking for model number and values..... the closest style i can find on one of them is R-8.
 
Rigid Knives was a brand name used by United Cutlery for knives from several different sources through the years. Originally, they seem to have been Camillus made contract knives with delrin handles, I have a 2 blade congress example around here somewhere. In the past couple of years they had a line of Old Timer look alikes, mostly from China, and the nice bone handled USA line. No telling what their current state of affairs is.
 
The original Rigid knife company was started by Bill Duff and Don Colum and ran from the early 70's through the mid 80's. Both worked at Buck before that, I believe.

The line was benchmade, and met with decent success during that time. That ebay knife is one of the old ones.

The best article on them I've seen is in the "Guns and Ammo Guidebook to Knives" from 1973-74 written by Burton Miller.
 
SunnyD shows in this thread a link to a Rigid boot knife. Can anyone tell me when this was made? Also, readling this thread, it appears there were 'two' Rigid companies, an old one and the name was used by United on a much more recent line of knives. Is this boot knife old or new Rigid? It is marked as made in Japan. Model (as stamped on tang) TG-26.

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/rigid/images/rg26.jpg

thanks
Pam
 
My information says there were three makers of Rigid branded knives. When the original company closed, Mr. A.G. Russell continued the company for a while, attempting to save the mark. That enterprise was also short lived, and then United bought the mark, producing knives under the Rigid brand (at least until their own recent bankruptcy).

Codger

Edit: My information was wrong. The Rigid brand went straight from the Arkansas enterprise to United.
 
Pompano_Pam said:
SunnyD shows in this thread a link to a Rigid boot knife. Can anyone tell me when this was made? Also, readling this thread, it appears there were 'two' Rigid companies, an old one and the name was used by United on a much more recent line of knives. Is this boot knife old or new Rigid? It is marked as made in Japan. Model (as stamped on tang) TG-26.

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/rigid/images/rg26.jpg

thanks
Pam
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That's a United. Rigid was their high end brand for many years.
 
I looked at the Rigid knives on ag russell's fine site and have to say they look just like s&m's or queen. Who is making the folders now?
 
Thank you gentlemen.

I've been looking and have found photos of older, the classic and classy genuine Rigid knives and they do look nice. Nothing at all like the construction of the boot knife. In some ways they remind me of certain Olsen knives.
The newer Rigids make me think Queen as well. The 'wildcat driller' in particular.

Pam
 
Pompano_Pam said:
SunnyD shows in this thread a link to a Rigid boot knife. Can anyone tell me when this was made? Also, readling this thread, it appears there were 'two' Rigid companies, an old one and the name was used by United on a much more recent line of knives. Is this boot knife old or new Rigid? It is marked as made in Japan. Model (as stamped on tang) TG-26.

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/rigid/images/rg26.jpg

thanks
Pam
Click to expand...

Hello Pam,

The Rigid Boot Knife is the Rigid of new. The older Rigid knives, that is, the original fixed blade hunting type Rigid knives with the finger grooves are the far better built knives and fetch a nice price on the secondary market now in good condition.

Best,
Anthony
 
Pam,

You are right about the old Rigid fixed blade knives, they are very reminiscent of the old Olsen OK knives of yesteryear. Its funny, I was banging my head trying to figure out what other classic fixed blade knives these vintage Rigid knives reminded me of, and by golly you hit it dead center.:thumbup: Very similar lines and style to be sure.. Thanks
 
Can anyone tell me where I can find the information on these old rigid knives and the values of the knives.

thank you
 
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