I've collected a few Rigids over the years and have carried their drop point lock back for hunting for over 30 years. I love that knife. Their steel has the best edge holding vs. time to sharpen ratio I've ever seen. I've taken the blade down over 1/4 inch in width over the years and recently payed exhorbitantly on eBay to replace it. Friends give me a hard time for using a collectors item for hunting but it's that good.
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RIGID Knives What Happened To Them? Photos of my Rigid Knife
- Thread starter 1robinhood
- Start date
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- Dec 31, 2008
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- 80
I have an RG 69 Bowie and the "Bear Paw" Bowie, but I also have a one of a kind custom Bowie that I had made in 1970, when I was in the Navy. They were taking custom orders back then, and I sent them a drawing of what I wanted. It took about 2 months for delivery. It is an 8 inch blade Bowie, tool steel blade, with Sambar stag handle and a very massive brass pommel. I've often wondered if it had any real collector's value, but I've never met anyone at gun or knife shows who knew anything about Rigid Custom Knives.
My Dad Arley Steinhour was one of the oringinal 8 that put money into the company.
Dean Parks, Bill Duff and Don Cullam <sp?> took my dad in and gave him a salesman kit of the original set of knives.
Dad sold the knives to gun and sports stores in southern California.
In an effort to expand, Rigid merged with some shiesters and long story short, basically got screwed out of their own company and were forced to sell them the company.
My Dad is still alive and recently gave me his original sales set and several R9 Apache folding knives. I had already started collecting some of the Japanese stamped blades, which my Dad says are "pretty good" but not the quality of the original sets. The big Jim Bowie knife and Arkansas toothpick were sharp as hell, but a little unwieldy to use. God help you if you accidently cut yourself like I have with my Apache R9.
Below are two kits. One was the prototype set (smaller set) and the other with the folding R9 Apache is the salesman set Dad used o sell the knives.
It's interesting to hear dad talk about the double sided grinders and systems they used to cut and form the blades.
I should have recorded the conversation, dangit!
Bill Steinhour
Dean Parks, Bill Duff and Don Cullam <sp?> took my dad in and gave him a salesman kit of the original set of knives.
Dad sold the knives to gun and sports stores in southern California.
In an effort to expand, Rigid merged with some shiesters and long story short, basically got screwed out of their own company and were forced to sell them the company.
My Dad is still alive and recently gave me his original sales set and several R9 Apache folding knives. I had already started collecting some of the Japanese stamped blades, which my Dad says are "pretty good" but not the quality of the original sets. The big Jim Bowie knife and Arkansas toothpick were sharp as hell, but a little unwieldy to use. God help you if you accidently cut yourself like I have with my Apache R9.
Below are two kits. One was the prototype set (smaller set) and the other with the folding R9 Apache is the salesman set Dad used o sell the knives.
It's interesting to hear dad talk about the double sided grinders and systems they used to cut and form the blades.
I should have recorded the conversation, dangit!
Bill Steinhour
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:
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2006
- Messages
- 4,677
Rigid R9 Apache folder
When I was in the Navy I bought this model over the 110 in the ships store. That was in 75. I wish I had hung on to it. The one thing I remember that sold me was the finger grooves. I now have a new respect for rigid knives after reading this thread. Years later I bought a trapper, the 80's I think, that I believe was a USA made knife.
Above is my dad, Arley Steinhour's saleman set. He invested $3K in the new company when his friend Dean Parks showed him the Rigid knives they were making. He gave me and my brothers an R-9 Apache folding knife when I was 12 in 1973 and still have it.
I started collecting various versions of Rigid Knives, Rigid USA, the Japanese versions and recently he gave his two oldest boys the salemen sets.
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:
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2010
- Messages
- 2,216
Just received this in the mail today... seems like a nice blade. I don't know much about the brand Rigid though. I think this one might have been made by Canal Street Cutlery?
Seems sweet to me.
Seems sweet to me.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2015
- Messages
- 23,989
So I was going through my knife collection and taking inventory and ran across a knife that was my Dads and passed down to me . Obviously very special to me and decided to clean it up and put a nice Edge Pro razor edge on it . Which I succeeded and also managed to cut the tip of my finger wide open after attempting to clean it when the Qtip slipped . Well it's been a few years since I cut myself on one of my knives . This much I do know I made up for loss time lol this sucker won't stop bleeding it's pretty deep.
Anyway back to knife it's been a user knife through it's life but wow what a edge on this baby . Push cuts threw paper and cuts fingers like butter lol . Oh and the lock up is solid no side to side or up and down very impressive.Here's some picture of the knife to share .
Anyway back to knife it's been a user knife through it's life but wow what a edge on this baby . Push cuts threw paper and cuts fingers like butter lol . Oh and the lock up is solid no side to side or up and down very impressive.Here's some picture of the knife to share .
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So I was going through my knife collection and taking inventory and ran across a knife that was my Dads and passed down to me . Obviously very special to me and decided to clean it up and put a nice Edge Pro razor edge on it . Which I succeeded and also managed to cut the tip of my finger wide open after attempting to clean it when the Qtip slipped . Well it's been a few years since I cut myself on one of my knives . This much I do know I made up for loss time lol this sucker won't stop bleeding it's pretty deep.
Anyway back to knife it's been a user knife through it's life but wow what a edge on this baby . Push cuts threw paper and cuts fingers like butter lol . Oh and the lock up is solid no side to side or up and down very impressive.Here's some picture of the knife to share .
What model of Rigid is this? Last week, I had to mail one just like that back to myself after forgetting it was in my backpack going through TSA. My wife and son told me to pitch it but it has sentimental value. It was given to me back in the early 80's, I believe.
Last edited by a moderator:
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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Welcome to Bladeforums!
I have edited your post.
Before you post about this again, please read our rules.
You need a paid membership at least Gold level to sell or ask about sale values.
The FAQ (our rules) at http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/faq.php
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Exchange section rules at http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/an...php?f=699&a=98
SECTION 5 - Miscellaneous
WHAT IS MY KNIFE / GADGET / SPATULA / TUNING FORK WORTH ?!?!?!?!
In order to curtail potential abuse of membership privileges associated with the forums, questions regarding valuation of knives and collections are limited to those with a membership level which permits selling on this site. Accordingly, registered and basic members may not start or post in threads with such requests whether with the intent to sell or for informational purposes only. This rule applies throughout the site.
I have edited your post.
Before you post about this again, please read our rules.
You need a paid membership at least Gold level to sell or ask about sale values.
The FAQ (our rules) at http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/faq.php
Paid memberships at http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/payments.php
Exchange section rules at http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/an...php?f=699&a=98
SECTION 5 - Miscellaneous
WHAT IS MY KNIFE / GADGET / SPATULA / TUNING FORK WORTH ?!?!?!?!
In order to curtail potential abuse of membership privileges associated with the forums, questions regarding valuation of knives and collections are limited to those with a membership level which permits selling on this site. Accordingly, registered and basic members may not start or post in threads with such requests whether with the intent to sell or for informational purposes only. This rule applies throughout the site.
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- Feb 26, 2015
- Messages
- 23,989
You know I'm really not sure what model it is and doesn't say it just has the Rigid USA stamp on the blade . Really solid knife though and yes they must be from the 80s . Because that or at least the early 70s I think is how long mines been around .
It was called the Feather Weight and had black linen based Micarta scales. One of the first to do so I think (gerber had a small "LST" model at about the same time, that also had Micarta scales. Not sue which was first). I got mine in 1983 and it was considered the new model then??
I had two of them, cos I was sure I was going to lose my first one, ....I did, and then the second one , spent two days going back trying to find it, best pocket blade I have ever owned, period, and I have many.. Still miss that damn knife
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Above is my dad, Arley Steinhour's saleman set. He invested $3K in the new company when his friend Dean Parks showed him the Rigid knives they were making. He gave me and my brothers an R-9 Apache folding knife when I was 12 in 1973 and still have it.
I started collecting various versions of Rigid Knives, Rigid USA, the Japanese versions and recently he gave his two oldest boys the salemen sets.
Aloha Rigid and Forum Members,
I have searched the web over and up side down for the names of the knives you are showing in the set to no avail. The photo you provided does shows the names but they are so small in text that I cannot make out the words. Even if I zoom in, it then becomes too blurry to read. Therefore, could you please list the names of these knives so I can attach the correct names to the Rigid knives I have in my relatively new collection that I started. I got the knives by bidding on EBay and while I am not sure if I have paid too much for them, by the time my son inherits these they will have increased in value enough to where I think it will be well worth it. Thank you for your help and even if you decide not to respond, thank you nevertheless for showing us your gorgeous set of Rigid Knives. I wish I had one like it!
Regards to All,
Ken
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- Jun 16, 2003
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- 20,206
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1Robinhood, that RG69 looks just like a "Teton Bowie" made by G. Seki in Japan and sold by Blackjack knives in the 1980's. If you Google "Teton Bowie" there are all sorts of photos of it. John
Hi Thomas,
Thank you for the links and every little bit helps. I have found the names of most of the Rigid blades I have in my collection but there are a few left that I have no idea as to the knife's true name. The largest knife without the choil is the one I am not familiar with. So far I have as Yukon, Caribou, Sidewinder, Skinner, and the no name knife without the choil. Anyway, thank you once again for your help and for taking the time to look for those links.
Regards,
Ken