RIGID Knives What Happened To Them? Photos of my Rigid Knife

[1robinhood]

If this is not the right forum location for this question/post please let me know and relocate it!

So back when I was a boy, I picked up a RIGID fixed blade RG68 and there were all sorts of varieties etc... now I cannot seem to locate any RIGID Brand knives anywhere - I assume that the company folded or were bought up and the name changed? What is the story behind that?

Does anyone else have any RIGID knives? Care to share a photo or two?
Here are some photos of my RIGID RG68 knife - Made in Japan: Some form of stainless steel:

 

[knarfeng]

Let's give it a shot in this forum. They pass for traditional knives to me.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Yup, the original company gone these thirty years. Happy reading.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/541035-Vintage-Rigid-Knives

and:

Don Collum, Bill Duff, & Dean Parks of Rigid Knives, in Santee CA were in direct comption with Buck at the time they were in operation. So it comes as no big suprise to me that there would be a lot of negitive comments about Rigid from the Buck side of the world. Rigid was making knives for quite some time, so I highly doubt that they were using Buck's soft blanks to make their company's knives, besides their knives were much bigger & thicker than Buck's knives. I never saw a 112 sized Rigid knife, please post a photo if one exists form the Collum, Duff, Parks era I'd like to see one.

I know that a lot of the folks who have worked for Buck over the years left the plant with knives they made for themselves (lunch box specials). Just ask ITE he finds many odd knives that left the factory with former employees and he buys some of them. So could it be that some lunch box knives were made prior leaving Buck's employment (maybe)? Again I doubt they would have been able to take enough materials to start their own shop.

Almost all knives from competitors look similar. All slippy's look the same to me, and many fixed blades look very similar, but other than wood & brass I don't think that Rigid's design's were stolen from Buck. Take a look at the Buck display from this time & compair it to the Rigid display from this time, sweeping tips & hollow grind just like a lot of the knives from this time, but thats it, Rigid and Buck knives look way different.

Rigid made quality knives at this time and I like them a lot. However, the Rigid knives were just eye candy IMHO as they were just to big to be practical in the field. Rigid Knives (1970 - 1980) went under just like many knife company's have. Now the Rigid name is stamped on overseas crap (to bad). That vintage Rigid set on ebay sold for 1K just like I thought it would, if I was wealthy I would have bought them $110 each not bad.

and: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...tage-RIGID-folding-knife-your-opinions-please

 

[sitflyer]

Nice looking little fixed blade you got there! I think the Rigid you remember is gone the way of T Rex, but I found a couple of links with some background info if you care to peruse them.


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ion-on-Rigid-USA-Knives?p=4209079#post4209079


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...eather-Connection-to-Buck?p=995872#post995872
^^ above link is particularly interesting because Joe Houser of Buck knives Co confirms that Rigid was started up by a couple of ex Buck employees Bill Duff and Don Colaman,
I believe that they were pretty good quality knives back in the day ( 1970's to 1980's) and seem to remember seeing their offerings in The Edge Co. catalogs,(also defunct)...but this is just hazy recollection at this point.

 

[zippofan]

One of our Bladeforums dealers, CollectorKnives, has recent model Rigid slipjoints, IIRC they were made by Canal Street.

 

[Boggs]

Right on Zippo.............the Rigid slip joints (500 of each pattern)were assembled by Canal Street cutlers in 2006 using Queen Cutlery parts............remember this was at a time when Canal Street was just starting and parts were sourced from Queen the first year and a half. From what I read Rigid was looking to reinvigorate themselves by offering higher quality knives, unfortunately it never took off and was expensive........so this was one of the only times and shortly after Rigid went back to offshore products....there other product can be found sometimes in the Big Blue Tin Roof Catalog from the Mountains.

 

[puukkoman]

One of our Bladeforums dealers, CollectorKnives, has recent model Rigid slipjoints, IIRC they were made by Canal Street.

I thought those were Chinese... Decent quality, but priced high.

Edit: Whoops, I was mistaken. Rigid is owned by United Cutlery, which is what led me to think of China, but as it turns out they seem to be made in the USA. 420HC at 55-57 Rc could come from Canal Street, sounds reasonable. Zippofan, you could be right.

 

[1robinhood]

Nice looking little fixed blade you got there! I think the Rigid you remember is gone the way of T Rex, but I found a couple of links with some background info if you care to peruse them

Thank you for that detailed reply - I had no idea as to the complex history and changes of Rigid knives throughout the years - Looks like I happened upon them when they were selling knives made in Japan - all the same - at least to my eyes - the designwork and quality is pretty neat at a sub $50 price point - but then I am no knife pro!

Thanks again for the links!

 

[Rusty1]

Here is a pic of the Rigid knives put together by Canal Street Cutlery.

Russell

 

[argel55]

Bill Duff and his wife now live in Poteau, Oklahoma. Bill still makes beautiful custom knives.

 

[Modoc ED]

This is a picture of the display of the original Rigid knives. Notice the 112 sized Rigid knife at the bottom of the display case.

Here is my Rigid Caribou from the original series of Rigid knives.

I've got a couple/three more of these original knives. If I get a chance, I'll dig em out and try to get a couple pictures. Gotta think where they are first.

 

[sitflyer]

Good stuff Ed, I would love to see those.

 

[rh13]

Hello all,,Im new here,but robinhood Ive been searching for this Rigid knife for weeks,,,this is a RG69 bear tracker,,you have a 68,,I cannot find
69 anywhere!!!!It blew me away when I saw ur post,,Im new so I hope my pic. is loaded correct,,,

 

[knarfeng]

As a registered user, you will have to upload the pic to a web picture hosting site. Many are free. I use a free photobucket account. From there copy the web address of the picture and wrap it in IMG code thus:

edited to add: And Welcome to BladeForums!

 

[1robinhood]

Hello all,,Im new here,but robinhood Ive been searching for this Rigid knife for weeks,,,this is a RG69 bear tracker,,you have a 68,,I cannot find
69 anywhere!!!!It blew me away when I saw ur post,,Im new so I hope my pic. is loaded correct,,,

As in - this RG69 knife? I'm partial to my RG68 but hey - if you want to seriously upsize that 69 looks like the ticket!!

 

[rh13]

This is the RG69 Bear Tracker that I can not find any where. I have one, has anybody seen one?

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[rh13]

[/URL][/IMG] This Rigid RG-69 JAPAN,,is the only one thats not the combat knife such as robinhood posted..it looks like the 68 but with a hook blade,,,any response reply or comment is welcome,,thanks

 

[kwackster]

This vintage Rigid R9 Apache folder was made at the end of the '70's - early '80's.
An old school (hunting) folder best comparable to a Buck 110 on steroïds.












Specs:

Length open: 22,0 cm
Length closed: 13,0 cm
Blade length: 8,9 cm
Blade thickness: 3,2 mm
Steel: 440C stainless
Hardness: +/- 60 HRC
Handle material: solid brass frame with walnut inlays
Weight: 276 grams

 

[Johntres]

Hey there! I've been searching the web for two days to find out more about my knife. It's the same one u have and I can't find any either. What do u know about them? What did u pay for it and how long ago? I bought mine for my dad about 20+ years ago and he never used it. So about 5 years ago he asked me if I wanted it along w a few guns. I just searched for it to see what they went for these days but only found yours.

 

[Tommythewho]

Rigid R9 Apache folder

Looking everywhere for pics of the Rigid Apache! Me and some of my friends all had one of these when we were in junior high school in the early 70's. We would bring these to school daily! I loved that knife! I used to polish it with my dads Turtle wax.