- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 71,258
A week ago, I got talking to a trader in the market about pocket-knives. He told me he had a shoe-box of them at home, and would bring them with him last Thursday. Unfortunately he forgot, but when I spoke to him then, he said hed bring them today. I went to see him again, but he hadnt been able to find the box. He did have three knives tucked away in a display cabinet though. Give us a quid and you can have em, he told me. I cant be bothered to clean em up. I handed him a £1 coin, about $1.50, and slipped them into my pocket. At that price, it wasnt even worth looking at them, you cant even get a loaf of bread for a quid these days. They looked pretty grotty, but I thought Id inspect them when I got home, out of the driving rain.
The only one of any real interest is the Lobster pattern, with mother-of-pearl covers. When I cleaned the grime off the undamaged and thick-cut MOP began to shine beautifully, inevitably photographs never do it justice at least mine dont. Sadly, none of the blades or tools, which appear to be hand-forged, bear a makers stamp, but it must have been a beauty in its day.
Unfortunately the knife blade has broken at some time and so it is foreshortened. The scissors have also lost their spring.
Underneath the knife are two spikes, but they are both quite different. One is a simple spike, like the pricker on a pipe tool, the other is thicker and quite distinctive, as you can hopefully see from the pics.
I must have seen hundreds of Richards knives, but Ive never seen one quite like this second knife. Richards knives were almost all made using Swinden Key construction, with hollow one-piece covers and bolsters. The covers on this one are moulded plastic, and Im sure something was inset into the panels, images of some British seaside resort perhaps. Maybe itd make a nice little project for someone to play around with.
The third knife is more typical of what a Richards knife usually looks like - except it doesnt bear the Richard logo. The tang-stamp just says the knife was made in Sheffield, England (something which must have made grown men weep at the time these sort of knives first began to be produced there). Ive had one or two knives like this, and I cant help wondering WHY they dont bear the Richards stamp, when Richards certainly made them. I have a couple of unproven theories, but I probably just think too much. Afterall, even today the Eggington Group, who own the historic Wostenholm, Rodgers, and Ibberson marks (and several more), also produce (or buy in) knives which also only say Made in Sheffield, England.
The only one of any real interest is the Lobster pattern, with mother-of-pearl covers. When I cleaned the grime off the undamaged and thick-cut MOP began to shine beautifully, inevitably photographs never do it justice at least mine dont. Sadly, none of the blades or tools, which appear to be hand-forged, bear a makers stamp, but it must have been a beauty in its day.
Unfortunately the knife blade has broken at some time and so it is foreshortened. The scissors have also lost their spring.
Underneath the knife are two spikes, but they are both quite different. One is a simple spike, like the pricker on a pipe tool, the other is thicker and quite distinctive, as you can hopefully see from the pics.
I must have seen hundreds of Richards knives, but Ive never seen one quite like this second knife. Richards knives were almost all made using Swinden Key construction, with hollow one-piece covers and bolsters. The covers on this one are moulded plastic, and Im sure something was inset into the panels, images of some British seaside resort perhaps. Maybe itd make a nice little project for someone to play around with.
The third knife is more typical of what a Richards knife usually looks like - except it doesnt bear the Richard logo. The tang-stamp just says the knife was made in Sheffield, England (something which must have made grown men weep at the time these sort of knives first began to be produced there). Ive had one or two knives like this, and I cant help wondering WHY they dont bear the Richards stamp, when Richards certainly made them. I have a couple of unproven theories, but I probably just think too much. Afterall, even today the Eggington Group, who own the historic Wostenholm, Rodgers, and Ibberson marks (and several more), also produce (or buy in) knives which also only say Made in Sheffield, England.
. I really like that stamp on the Richards, very cool. A good haul for a quid.
(my excuse is that i work away during summer)
My very first knife as a kid was a Richards with a cap-lifter and blade much the same as this one, but in a Jack configuration. With some new covers, I think it could be quite a useful little knife.
