Rigid knives

Jody744 · Post by **Jody744** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:24 am

ok, so SMKW has a rigid stockman for $7.
they are part of united cutlery...
there are also some stamped handmade in usa
for @ $70-$80. anyone know who is making them?
thanks!
i wonder how good the $7 one is, compared to other "cheap" knives?

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:53 am

i have rigid knife made just before they sunk, too little too late, several patterns. it's made at canal street i think. it is a fine knife. i have several of this pattern. here is a group pic. with queen, s&m, canal street and rigid. bone and construction are like the canal street. but i understand queen helped canal street at the beginning.

knifeswapper · Post by **knifeswapper** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:23 pm

The cheap knives are chinese made; the better ones are Queen / Canal Street knives. I originally thought they were just Queen, but Dave at United said they gave Canal Street some of their first contract work to get them going as a new company. Notice the patterns match Canal Streets originals exactly.

Super nice knives, but hurt by the chinese line-up that Rigid sold predominately. Never got off the ground.

As for their chinese line, I would expect them to be par with other chinese imports. May be a value since they are now defunct and in clearance most places.

knife7knut · Post by **knife7knut** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:09 pm

Rigid Knives were originally made in Santee California.There were several folders and fixed blade models available.Here's a pic of a Rigid folder and a fixed blade.The folder is on the bottom of the picture and the fixed blade is on the top.

knifeswapper · Post by **knifeswapper** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:39 pm

The older ones are of medium quality in my opinion.

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:42 pm

This is great stuff gentlemen, it's like going to school on Rigid knife day..Your comments and experience is most appreciated...Thanks for sharing..

Sunburst

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:19 pm

Here is a really nicely done up Rigid by Shaw-Leibowitz that I have been watching on ebay. I love the husband and wife pairs work on knives. They usually choose decent knives as canvas for their etchings.
Phil

olderdogs1 · Post by **olderdogs1** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:29 pm

This is a picture of 4 Rigid Knife knives made in Solingen, Germany. I believe these were made in the early 80's at the same factory that made Bulldog knives. Some of them are identical to Bulldog Patterns of the same era. They are also the same quality.
Tom

singin46 · Post by **singin46** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:45 pm

BOY, DIDN'T KNOW THAT TOM, THANKS FOR SHARIN THAT INFO.

PERRY

Jody744 · Post by **Jody744** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:11 pm

thanks guys, that was easier than i thought!
the gunstock is very nice, as are the other high dollar newbies.
certainly makes purchasing easier with this knowledge

Dan97526 · Post by **Dan97526** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:28 am

Were these knives branded by Rigid Tool Co. (insert Beavis and Butthead laugh here), or is the sharing of the name coincidental?

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:33 am

rigid contracted the knives and had their tang stamp, shields used.

knifeswapper · Post by **knifeswapper** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:59 pm

Aren't the tools Ridgid (two d's)? I don't think they are related at all and only used the name to seem as such.

knifeaholic · Post by **knifeaholic** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:46 pm

This may be a little known fact but Case also made some slipjoint pocket knives for Rigid...this was circa 1980 to 1982 so I suspect it was for the original Rigid knife co, long before the United buyout of the name.

Case made at least four patterns.....'54 trapper, '087 stockman, '07 mini trapper, and '033 two-blade pen are the ones that I remember. They all had smooth wood handles, no shields, Rigid tang stamps (no Case markings) and brushed finish stainless stell blades.

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:02 pm

the original rigid knives co. was 1970-1980. name sold to smkw in 1980. later aquired by taylor around 1987.

ridgid tools began in 1923.

Dan97526 · Post by **Dan97526** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:23 pm

That's right. I check the company's website and it is Ridgid. Thanks for clearing that up.