A.G. Russell Hunter, Gunstock, Sowbelly Trapper

I was just drooling over all these in the new AG catalog.

You did an excellent job on the images. Many thanks for the comparison shots !
 
Thanks to all, for the positive comments on the pics. It was fun putting my camera to good use again.

Best regards to all. :thumbup:
 
Sadly, none will come home with me -- they're all way too freaking large and heavy for me. If there was a version of that yellow hunter scaled to about 3 5/8" closed, I'd be all over it.
 
A most impressive collection. Nice photography, as well.

Congrats!
 
Excellent photos of some excellent knives! :thumbup:

If A.G. sees this, please consider making some "mini" versions of these knives. I am positive you will sell them like hotcakes if you do. :)
 
Just ordered the folding hunter in racarta this morning. I don't know anything about the steel, but I am going to find out.
 
Yeah, unless you are a rancher, roughneck, park ranger, or a lumberjack this pattern is probably too big for most to EDC. A smaller version, at those good prices, would take off like wildfire amongst those of us forced to work indoors. :thumbup:
 
Those are beautiful, all of them! I may have to get a couple......oh great.$$$$
Thanks for the photos,excellent shots.

Paul
 
zerogee said:
Sadly, none will come home with me -- they're all way too freaking large and heavy for me. If there was a version of that yellow hunter scaled to about 3 5/8" closed, I'd be all over it.
Click to expand...

texasflyfisher said:
Excellent photos of some excellent knives! :thumbup:

If A.G. sees this, please consider making some "mini" versions of these knives. I am positive you will sell them like hotcakes if you do. :)
Click to expand...

comoha said:
Yeah, unless you are a rancher, roughneck, park ranger, or a lumberjack this pattern is probably too big for most to EDC. A smaller version, at those good prices, would take off like wildfire amongst those of us forced to work indoors. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

:cool: Hmmm....

Beginning to see a pattern here.

It would be interesting to see these same patterns duplicated (exactly) at about 1/2 or 3/4 scale or so. I'm still dizzy with the knowledge that I just bought nine knives in one fell swoop.

And nine more? :eek: I think I'm getting faint...
 
comoha said:
At least no one will ever doubt your moniker "Obsessed With Edges". :D
Click to expand...

Even I didn't fully appreciate how obsessed I was, when I created my username here. It popped into my head in an instant, and sort of made me laugh a little, like a joke. So, presto, there it was. And my account was opened.

Evidently, the joke was on me. :p
 
woah! those look very nuce indeed
I think I may put my hands on a hunter and sowbelly!
Maxx
 
One thing that really got my attention, with these knives, was the fact they've actually been designed to prevent the blade from ever contacting the backspring when closed. There's a pin (as described in the catalog listing) inside the handle, running laterally across the width of the blade recess, that serves as a stop for the kick of the blade to rest against, as opposed to the kick contacting the inside of the backspring. This also seems to eliminate the 'bounce' of the backspring, if the blade is allowed to snap shut on it's own.

The issue of the blade's edge hitting the backspring has probably been one of my biggest pet peeves in folding knives. From cheap ones, to multi-hundred $$$ customs, I've seen it happen across the board. Always puts a flat spot on the edge, and usually leaves a tell-tale nick on the inside of the backspring/spacer. Makes me really mad (:mad:), every time I see it.

So, I'm quite happy to see that someone has actually taken a proactive step to eliminate this problem. Time will tell, if this particular solution is ideal or not, but I think Mr. Russell is onto something here. I'd like to see more of this in other makers' knives, too.
 
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Dave, thanks for this really well done thread. I already have the Gunstock and Huge Folding Hunter in the Texas Ranger editions from when they first were issued. I've been looking at the Sowbelly since it first appeared at AGR some weeks ago.
This thread has thankfully pushed me into ordering a Rucarta Sowbelly and the accompanying slip pouch. The decision as to which of the 3 handle choices isn't easy as they all look great. You managed this the best way; one of each.
These are all made by the same manufacturer, so i know from my 2 Texas Ranger examples, that the design, fit, and finish of this incoming Sowbelly will be absolutely the best of any production knife.
Right-on ! Great, thanks again for helping me 'go for it'.
roland
 
rprocter said:
Dave, thanks for this really well done thread. I already have the Gunstock and Huge Folding Hunter in the Texas Ranger editions from when they first were issued. I've been looking at the Sowbelly since it first appeared at AGR some weeks ago.
This thread has thankfully pushed me into ordering a Rucarta Sowbelly and the accompanying slip pouch. The decision as to which of the 3 handle choices isn't easy as they all look great. You managed this the best way; one of each.
These are all made by the same manufacturer, so i know from my 2 Texas Ranger examples, that the design, fit, and finish of this incoming Sowbelly will be absolutely the best of any production knife.
Right-on ! Great, thanks again for helping me 'go for it'.
roland
Click to expand...

You're very welcome. :thumbup:

When you get that pouch, feel free to let us know what you think of it. Post a pic or two, if you like. I hadn't seen any pics of it yet, on the Russell site, so I'm sort of anxious to see what it looks like.

Best regards. :)
 
Dave, i will post pics of the pouch, but as i only put in my order for knife & pouch this morning, it'll be a week or more.
I have other AGR sheaths and they are excellent, so i went ahead and ordered this 'pouch' even though i don't know if it is just a pouch or if it can double as a belt sheath(which would be great). Whichever, i'll find a use for it and doubt i will be disappointed with the quality.
roland
 
Dave,
Thanks for the great pics. I went a slightly different route. I bought only one of each pattern, but each one has different scales. You are correct, the Yellow Delrin is excellent. I had been afraid of it.

Corey,
Thank you for your WOW!!! post. I had been looking at the W/T, but your post made me get crazy. I had to buy one of each color. Those W/T blades are huge.

Roland,
Like you, I have the AGR TX Rangers, but I was missing the Gunstock. I was gifted a 2003 TX Ranger Toothpick, with a very thin slicing blade. It is the only toothpick I have ever seen with a large belly. It is built thinner, by a different company than the newer AGR Rangers.

General thoughts on AGR.
I have many AGR knives. I buy them new and used, often on BF. I have never been disappointed. I am occasionally astonished by the excellent quality of the AGR knife compared to the same knife sold by the manufacturer (Queen) under their own brand. AGR blades are also sometimes huge compared to what you expect, no matter how many times you are told by Corey, Dave or others that they are huge blades, you have to have them in your hand to appreciate their size and heft - just the blades - you cannot believe that this blade - 4 1/2" cutting edge, 1" wide - is larger than most Tacticals.
Someone inspects every knife AGR puts his name on. Whether it is Queen, Cattaraugus, Taiwan, Japan, or one of his old German companies, as Roland says: "fit, and finish ... will be absolutely the best of any production knife."

It does not matter who makes it, or where it is made, if AG Stamps it, he inspects it before he ships it and he stands behind every knife with his name on it.

Locks.
AG is stronger than I am. I find some of his locks a little too stiff, but use, and some tips from BF usually fixes this.

Sheaths.
The new light brown sheaths that come with this line, seem to be thinner, softer and more pliable and user-friendly than the stiff, thick black ones AGR shipped with the Rangers.

Sincere thanks to all of the BF members for your help to me on my journey.

New Edit: I am a very slow typist and Roland posted a second time while I was typing my verbose comment.
1. Roland is correct in everything he says, as always.
2. The new light brown sheaths (different sizes fir different knives) do have belt loops. I am talking about the ones that are listed with the knives, I think that is how I did it.

Mike H.
 
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if you allow, I've copied the pics with a link to this discussion on the hic sunt leones knife forum
awesome knives and PICS!

hope to get a couple soon, I'm curious to test the AG quality

Maxx
 
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