Richards Knives: Boyhood Favourates

[Blake the Blade]

Here's my Richards scout knife, just like one of many I owned as a boy (though unfortunately not the actual one). These are the knives that even now mean the most to me. Just holding one takes me straight back to my youth and reminds me of times spent staring into the newsagents window at the various types and designs, imagining the adventures one could have once the money was saved to buy one. Even then the choice of designs always left me wondering whether I'd made the right decision, and it wouldn't be long before I was saving up for the next one. In later life I've managed to buy a few different ones but still feel as though there are a couple that have eluded me. I seem to remember a couple of small faux stag handled pen and jack patterns that I never did get my hands on. I would be interested in photos and details of these and any others you might still have.

Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr

 

[Buzzbait]

I like that one!!!! Sort of a scout and a fishing knife, both rolled into one.

 

[dave308ek]

I completely understand Blake the Blade, every time I come to this forum I get nostalgia on top of nostalgia. So many great knives I remember as a kid, I wanted them all but could never afford them. :grumpy:

 

[Blake the Blade]

I like that one!!!! Sort of a scout and a fishing knife, both rolled into one.

They're good knives Buzz. Cheap and cheerful, but have stood the test of time. :thumbup:

 

[screened porch]

I'm still looking for the Cub Scout knife I traded away because I was going to be a Boy Scout. I swear it had four blades and no liner lock.

 

[smiling-knife]

This Richards Camper knife is similar to one I had long ago.

 

[R.c.s]

I picked his Richards up a couple of weeks back on a holiday to Devon . it needs a little clean up mark but if you like it send me your address and I will post it to you ...

 

[Jack Black]

My first knife was a Richards Little Chief (a sort of Radio Jack), and one of my earliest memories is standing outside the works entrance with my, at the rear of their Moore Street factory, close to the centre of Sheffield, with my mother and baby sister, waiting for my dad to come out of work, so that we could give him the sandwiches he'd forgotten when he went to work that morning. He was a machine-tool fitter at the factory, and other members of my family also worked there, both then and later.

The first knife I ever bought with my own money was a large Richards Barlow with fake horn handles, purchased when I was about 10, on a school trip to the Treak Cliff 'Blue John' caverns at Castleton in Derbyshire. I gave it away many years ago, but I have one today of the same pattern.

I've had many Richards knives over the years, and given far more away than I've kept. I do have one or two though, a few of which I have pics of :thumbup:































This is one of the clasp knives they made in WW2

 

[R.c.s]

My first knife was a Richards Little Chief (a sort of Radio Jack), and one of my earliest memories is standing outside the works entrance with my, at the rear of their Moore Street factory, close to the centre of Sheffield, with my mother and baby sister, waiting for my dad to come out of work, so that we could give him the sandwiches he'd forgotten when he went to work that morning. He was a machine-tool fitter at the factory, and other members of my family also worked there, both then and later.

The first knife I ever bought with my own money was a large Richards Barlow with fake horn handles, purchased when I was about 10, on a school trip to the Treak Cliff 'Blue John' caverns at Castleton in Derbyshire. I gave it away many years ago, but I have one today of the same pattern.

I've had many Richards knives over the years, and given far more away than I've kept. I do have one or two though, a few of which I have pics of :thumbup:































This is one of the clasp knives they made in WW2

Just one or two hay jack nice collection of Richads mate :thumbup:

 

[Blake the Blade]

I completely understand Blake the Blade, every time I come to this forum I get nostalgia on top of nostalgia. So many great knives I remember as a kid, I wanted them all but could never afford them. :grumpy:

The desire for nostalgia is something that increases with age Dave. Also with age comes the means to buy some of the things you never had as a child. Hooray! :thumbup:

 

[Jack Black]

Just one or two hay jack nice collection of Richads mate :thumbup:

I do have more! Should take them out for a group shot sometime, they account for at least 50% of the knives I come across on market stalls, but I often pass on them as they can be in bad shape. A member here has some great pics of Richards knives with the cards they were sold on

I'm still on at the post office trying to get them to locate your Richards Fish Knife, the scoundrels! :grumpy:

 

[Jack Black]

The desire for nostalgia is something that increases with age Dave. Also with age comes the means to buy some of the things you never had as a child. Hooray! :thumbup:

It certainly never goes out of fashion Blake I remember going into a Wimpy Bar in Scotland in the early 90's, when I hadn't seen one in England for more than 20 years. It was great, the menu was exactly the same as when I was a kid, but being a grown-up I could order anything I wanted! :thumbup:

 

[Blake the Blade]

I'm still looking for the Cub Scout knife I traded away because I was going to be a Boy Scout. I swear it had four blades and no liner lock.

It's out there somewhere mate. Keep looking. :thumbup:

 

[R.c.s]

I'm still on at the post office trying to get them to locate your Richards Fish Knife, the scoundrels! :grumpy:[/QUOTE]

I know I am really gutted about that mate for myself and you .

 

[Blake the Blade]

This Richards Camper knife is similar to one I had long ago.

That's a nice one Mate. You obviously felt the need to replace your earlier one like me. :thumbup:

 

[Jack Black]

I'm still on at the post office trying to get them to locate your Richards Fish Knife, the scoundrels! :grumpy:

I do hope it turns up

 

[iSaur]

I have this one, which is like smiling-knife's (no fourth blade). There is just a washer to serve as a spacer.


The first knife I ever owned at about age seven (given to me by my father) was like this but with just a single spearpoint blade, no tools. I'm pretty sure it was a Richards because all the shell-handled knives sold in Canada at the time seem to have been Richards. They actually weren't bad. The first knife I ever bought with my own money, from a cardboard display at the corner variety store, was a shell-handled stockman style. I was about ten when I bought it, and it served me through Scouts and many camping trips. By the time I lost it, some time after I graduated from university, the green celluloid had all peeled off, the tin covers were badly dented, and the main blade had been broken twice, but it was still cutting.

One Christmas, our Sunday school teacher gave us all presents. The boys got SAK-style shell-handled knives with tartan pattern covers printed with a bible verse, so probably from a company that supplied religious-themed gifts. They had, among other tools, a glass cutter (for stained glass repairs?) and a corkscrew (in case someone changed water to wine?). I'd bet they were Richards knives.

This little jack, which makes a peanut look big, was my father's.

 

[iSaur]

That brings back memories, Jack. I had that exact toolkit, given to me by my English grandmother some time in the '60s.

 

[Jack Black]

I have this one, which is like smiling-knife's (no fourth blade). There is just a washer to serve as a spacer.


...

One Christmas, our Sunday school teacher gave us all presents. The boys got SAK-style shell-handled knives with tartan pattern covers printed with a bible verse, so probably from a company that supplied religious-themed gifts. They had, among other tools, a glass cutter (for stained glass repairs?) and a corkscrew (in case someone changed water to wine?). I'd bet they were Richards knives.

This little jack, which makes a peanut look big, was my father's.

There do seem to have been an infinite variety of Richards patterns, and I often come across examples which appear to have been made with one less blade than you might expect. They also did produce knives with religious motifs, in fact I think they'd have produced anything if there was an order for it or a perceived market.

I sent a little jack just like your dads to another forum member a while back, can't remember who it was now. Nice little knife I have also seen pen knives on the same frame.

That brings back memories, Jack. I had that exact toolkit, given to me by my English grandmother some time in the '60s.

Fantastic This one was a lucky find in mint condition, but I occasionally come across the knives, and less frequently, the tools :thumbup: I do remember one wag christening them 'The Dads Disappointment'!

 

[Blake the Blade]

It certainly never goes out of fashion Blake I remember going into a Wimpy Bar in Scotland in the early 90's, when I hadn't seen one in England for more than 20 years. It was great, the menu was exactly the same as when I was a kid, but being a grown-up I could order anything I wanted! :thumbup:

Thanks for the memories Jack. I had a feeling you'd be a fan of Richards knives. Like the collection, particularly the bone/antler looking one and the lambsfoot. Here are some more of mine, including one (on the right) that I bought recently. Is this the Barlow type you were talking about? Its got a really robust feel to it this one, it really snaps shut and opens up tight, is sharp and totally useable. Love it.

Richards Penknives by Mark Saunders, on Flickr