Sheffields' hollow bolster

[FRJ]

Here is an inexpensively made single blade jack with hollow bolsters and shell handles that reminds me of some knives made in the good ol' USA.

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have this similar Richards Sheffield England shell handle single blade with bail loop.

[FRJ]

Nice one, OLDE CUTLER.
Thanks for showing it.

[dkonopinski]

IIRC the Rickartz(sp) Brothers came to Sheffield from Solingen in 1932 and set up making this format of pocket knife under the Richards brand name. The business plan seems to have been to gain the lion's share of the lower end of the market by exploiting the hollow scale/bolster system which enabled knife construction to be carried out more swiftly by workers with much lower skill levels than competitors, giving them an edge in terms of price and time to market. I addition the materials were not sophisticated high-cost steels and so on.

When I was a kid it was the natural thing for your first knife to be a Richards folder. Your Dad bought it for you as a treat while the family were on holiday by the sea. What's more it could be a souvenir specifically branded for that tourist location. A successful business model.

If anyone wants more detail about the company I can post whatever Geoff Tweedale has to say in his Directory.

David

[FRJ]

Thank you, David, very interesting to read your post.

If you would post something from Tweedale that would be most welcome.
Thank you.