Jack's Random Tuesday Carry

Jack Black

Seize the Lambsfoot! Seize the Day!
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I have a LOT of traditional knives, but like everyone else, I have my favourites, and because they're the ones I tend to carry, many of the others don't get out very often. When I say I have a lot of knives, I don't have a world class collection of museum quality folders, a lot of the knives I pick up are of very modest quality, sometimes I'll buy a knife just because it's made by an old Sheffield firm I have little experience of, or because it's an unusual pattern, or just because I like knives and acquiring a new one puts a smile on my face. It saddens me that I can't carry them all, indeed that there are some I have never carried, so I had this idea to blindly pick a knife from my collection, and carry it each Tuesday. I started doing this last week, with the knife below, and the main purpose of me posting this thread, is simply as a reminder to myself as to what knives I have and haven't carried, and maybe as a resource to folks who might also have one of these knives. However, feel free to chime in, ask questions, even do the same if you want. My memory is bad, so I may miss the odd Tuesday, but I'll try not to :thumbsup:

The knife I randomly picked last week is one I've never carried before, a Scout Knife made by Richards of Sheffield. My dad and uncle worked at the firm when I was a kid, both as machine-tool fitters, which means that they fixed the machinery when it went wrong, like a mechanic fixes a car. Richards were perhaps the Sheffield cutlery industry's only financial success story of the 20th century. Their success may have been relatively modest, but they did make money, and when I was young, the cheap shell-handled folders, in which they came to specialise, were sold in nearly every newsagent, corner shop, and barbers shop in the land. Richards was founded in 1932 by two members of the Richartz family, of the famous German cutlery house, and registered as Richards Brothers & Sons. Their main trade mark for pocket knives was a 'lamp post'. From modest beginnings, their financial security allowed the firm to rapidly expand, and by 1938, they employed 400 workers in two factories. Like other Sheffield cutlers, during WW2 (which saw one of the brothers briefly interned, and both factories bombed by the Luftwaffe), Richards produced Army Clasp Knives, as well as tools for the military. After the war, they built the most modern cutlery factory the city had seen, embracing technology that other Sheffield cutlery firms rejected, and flooding the market with tens of thousands of cheap and cheerful shell-handled pocketknives, which saw them grab 60% of the market by the early 50's. In 1977 Richards were acquired by Imperial, but the acquisition proved to be a poor decision by the US company, and they sold it in 1982, and the Richards factory was demolished a few year later (for a full history of the Richartz and Richards cutlery companies see mine and Neal Punchard's article in the January 2019 issue of Knife magazine).

Richards produced many different Scout patterns. Unusually this one does not have shell-handles, but is of otherwise similar construction. It's my first Random Tuesday carry :thumbsup:

zQdx6od.jpg
 
I have a LOT of traditional knives, but like everyone else, I have my favourites, and because they're the ones I tend to carry, many of the others don't get out very often. When I say I have a lot of knives, I don't have a world class collection of museum quality folders, a lot of the knives I pick up are of very modest quality, sometimes I'll buy a knife just because it's made by an old Sheffield firm I have little experience of, or because it's an unusual pattern, or just because I like knives and acquiring a new one puts a smile on my face. It saddens me that I can't carry them all, indeed that there are some I have never carried, so I had this idea to blindly pick a knife from my collection, and carry it each Tuesday. I started doing this last week, with the knife below, and the main purpose of me posting this thread, is simply as a reminder to myself as to what knives I have and haven't carried, and maybe as a resource to folks who might also have one of these knives. However, feel free to chime in, ask questions, even do the same if you want. My memory is bad, so I may miss the odd Tuesday, but I'll try not to :thumbsup:

The knife I randomly picked last week is one I've never carried before, a Scout Knife made by Richards of Sheffield. My dad and uncle worked at the firm when I was a kid, both as machine-tool fitters, which means that they fixed the machinery when it went wrong, like a mechanic fixes a car. Richards were perhaps the Sheffield cutlery industry's only financial success story of the 20th century. Their success may have been relatively modest, but they did make money, and when I was young, the cheap shell-handled folders, in which they came to specialise, were sold in nearly every newsagent, corner shop, and barbers shop in the land. Richards was founded in 1932 by two members of the Richartz family, of the famous German cutlery house, and registered as Richards Brothers & Sons. Their main trade mark for pocket knives was a 'lamp post'. From modest beginnings, their financial security allowed the firm to rapidly expand, and by 1938, they employed 400 workers in two factories. Like other Sheffield cutlers, during WW2 (which saw one of the brothers briefly interned, and both factories bombed by the Luftwaffe), Richards produced Army Clasp Knives, as well as tools for the military. After the war, they built the most modern cutlery factory the city had seen, embracing technology that other Sheffield cutlery firms rejected, and flooding the market with tens of thousands of cheap and cheerful shell-handled pocketknives, which saw them grab 60% of the market by the early 50's. In 1977 Richards were acquired by Imperial, but the acquisition proved to be a poor decision by the US company, and they sold it in 1982, and the Richards factory was demolished a few year later (for a full history of the Richartz and Richards cutlery companies see mine and Neal Punchard's article in the January 2019 issue of Knife magazine).

Richards produced many different Scout patterns. Unusually this one does not have shell-handles, but is of otherwise similar construction. It's my first Random Tuesday carry :thumbsup:

zQdx6od.jpg
Jack, very interesting history lesson. I wonder what stories this knife would tell if it could talk?
 
I'm absolutely giddy at the thought of the wonderous knives that we'll get to see over time in this thread, JB!

That stag scout is gorgeous, and the historical information was most interesting! Thank you, JB.
 
Interesting reading, interesting knife :)

Were most Richards bare-headed?
And any sense of the age / year of that one?
Based on your post, I guess it would have to be between 1932-82
 
Someone once asked "How many knives do you want?" My answer was just enough that I have some that I haven't carried or thought about in a long while. When I come across one of those in the back of the knife drawer it's either like meeting an old friend or getting a new knife. :)

Jack Black Jack Black , last year you sent me a dozen or so knives that needed a little fixing up, but I haven't had a chance to do much 'fettling'. I'm inspired to give this one a thorough oiling and edge repair and carry it tomorrow for Random Tuesday. It's stamped "Southern Richards." Is that any relation to Richards of Sheffield? (or maybe it says Richardson? Hard to tell)
utp14Zf.jpg

7gDG4xH.jpg
 
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Someone once asked "How many knives do you want?" My answer was just enough that I have some that I haven't carried or thought about in a long while. When I come across one of those in the back of the knife drawer it's either like meeting an old friend or getting a new knife. :)

Jack Black Jack Black , last year you sent me a dozen or so knives that needed a little fixing up, but I haven't had a chance to do much 'fettling'. I'm inspired to give this one a thourough oiling and edge repair and carry it tomorrow for Random Tuesday. It's stamped "Southern Richards." Is that any relation to Richards of Sheffield? (or maybe it says Richardson? Hard to tell)
utp14Zf.jpg

7gDG4xH.jpg
Looks like it cold be "southerner", too.
 
Jack, very interesting history lesson. I wonder what stories this knife would tell if it could talk?

Great history lesson, cool knife to see, and can't wait to see more. :cool::thumbsup:

Thanks a lot fellers :)

I'm absolutely giddy at the thought of the wonderous knives that we'll get to see over time in this thread, JB!

That stag scout is gorgeous, and the historical information was most interesting! Thank you, JB.

Thank you very much Shawn, I'm afraid you might be seeing a few clunkers too! :eek: :D :thumbsup:

Interesting reading, interesting knife :)

Were most Richards bare-headed?
And any sense of the age / year of that one?
Based on your post, I guess it would have to be between 1932-82

The vast majority of post WW2 Richards knives had shell-handles and Swinden-key construction, developed and licensed by Ernst Lohr and Otto Stiehl (ELOSI). I would guess the Scout Knife to be from early to mid 1960's, though it could be from the late 50's (from the late 60's, Richards first chrome-plated their steel, they then began using stainless for the accessory 'blades', and eventually for the blades themselves) :thumbsup:

Great idea, Jack Black Jack Black .
Such a practice might also remind one that one's finnickinesses are non-essentials. Nice old Richards.

Thank you Jer :) Yes indeed, at one time, (and even today), most of the knives we often hold in low regard would have been lifetime companions for some folks :thumbsup:

Someone once asked "How many knives do you want?" My answer was just enough that I have some that I haven't carried or thought about in a long while. When I come across one of those in the back of the knife drawer it's either like meeting an old friend or getting a new knife. :)

Jack Black Jack Black , last year you sent me a dozen or so knives that needed a little fixing up, but I haven't had a chance to do much 'fettling'. I'm inspired to give this one a thorough oiling and edge repair and carry it tomorrow for Random Tuesday. It's stamped "Southern Richards." Is that any relation to Richards of Sheffield? (or maybe it says Richardson? Hard to tell)
utp14Zf.jpg

7gDG4xH.jpg

Nicely said Rachel :) I need to do a lot more fettling myself :rolleyes: It'd be nice to see you join me on my Random Tuesday adventures :thumbsup:

Looks like it cold be "southerner", too.

Good point. Sheffield for sure, though.
FjGwnsH.jpg

That's hard to read! :eek: It's actually Southern & Richardson, a much more traditional Sheffield cutlery firm, whose best-known mark was a bird's nest.

KeXiqji.jpg


Their last factory still stands, and I remember going there in the early 90's to get some Fairbairn-Sykes blades blued. I'd say your MOP Sleeveboard is from the 20's or 30's Rachel :thumbsup:
 
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Jack, pretty neat to have something that came from where your Dad worked. Any idea if your Dad or Uncle still worked there when this was made?

My Dad and his Dad worked at a meat packing plant, so I’m pretty sure anything they produced wouldn’t be good anymoreo_O
 
Jack, pretty neat to have something that came from where your Dad worked. Any idea if your Dad or Uncle still worked there when this was made?

My Dad and his Dad worked at a meat packing plant, so I’m pretty sure anything they produced wouldn’t be good anymoreo_O

Thanks :) They very well could have been there when this knife was made, but I have a lot of Richards knives :) One of my earliest memories is waiting at the works entrance for them to come out at lunch-time, as my dad had forgotten his sandwiches. They both moved to James Neill tools (Eclipse) about 1970 :thumbsup:
 
Wonderful knife Jack!!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Why is it that one can recognize a British knife by the stag? I don't think anyone did stag like those old English knife companies, and they are so distinctive. And I can only imagine the stores that old knife could tell if it could speak!

Thanks Carl, hope you're keeping well my friend :) :thumbsup:
 
That's hard to read! :eek: It's actually Southern & Richardson, a much more traditional Sheffield cutlery firm, whose best-known mark was a bird's nest.

KeXiqji.jpg


Their last factory still stands, and I remember going there in the early 90's to get some Fairbairn-Sykes blades blued. I'd say your MOP Sleeveboard is from the 20's or 30's Rachel
Southern & Richardson, of course! As soon as you point it out, I can read it clearly. Like a Rorschach test. :D Thank you for the knife, and I'm happy to join you for Random Tuesdays. Perhaps it will catch on with others. :cool::thumbsup:
 
Great thread, Jack. I was actually hoping to see some more of your knives, as I know you have a vast collection. And I enjoy the history you give us. :thumbsup:
 
I had to Google "Swinden-key construction"
I found a few threads here discussing it, including a great pdf patent diagram from the U.S.
Very interesting, Sir
Love the knowledge :thumbsup:

Thank you my friend, I'd never heard the term before I joined BF. Some great knowledge here :thumbsup:
 
Realy cool you have a family conection to Richards - it would certainly make me want to carry one of their folders

Its not one I've picked up yet but always keep an eye out for a small single blade boys knife when i'm out hunting for folders
 
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