Bad Experience with a Ruike - Should I try again?

I've been bouncing between this and a thread regarding the merits of 8Cr13Mov, and the Atmos is a popular topic of conversation lately. Well, I've had a lot of knives in 8Cr13Mov over the years. Most have been from Kershaw. They've been okay but as far as steel goes, definitely nothing to write home about. As I've said all over this forum lately, it's just too hard to drop money on something in that steel today when so many other manufacturers are getting quality knives out at competitive prices in better steel.

The question of heat treatment, which does make a difference, has been the chief argument against that way of thinking. We have certainly seen a few unscrupulous Chinese manufacturers lie about their steel content over the years. This may have predisposed some of us towards easily accepting the allegations of falsely advertised heat treatments here. We have one source testing knives from another brand made in the same factory at "55.x". The spreadsheet linked earlier lists one knife in the relevant steel from another brand made in the same factory at 56.6 (versus a Kershaw Blur at 58.2). Someone else linked a test for an actual Ruike knife in this steel at 59.

So I'm not ready to throw Ruike under the bus. I would need to see more tests of actual Ruike knives and maybe a little more information on how the testing location could make a difference.
 
$70 knife vs $30 I'll put my coin on 55hrc on the cheap one that's mass produced on the same line in the same factory as the other knives that also falsely advertised there hrc. Calling it like I see it with the data available. Connecting the dots. If you want to send your ruike to curt, he's on Instagram user JcoolG19

He'll test it with the same tester he used for all the other knives on that list. It's been properly calibrated and I questioned it myself until I talked to the guy about it.
 
Cosmodragoon said:
I've been bouncing between this and a thread regarding the merits of 8Cr13Mov, and the Atmos is a popular topic of conversation lately. Well, I've had a lot of knives in 8Cr13Mov over the years. Most have been from Kershaw. They've been okay but as far as steel goes, definitely nothing to write home about. As I've said all over this forum lately, it's just too hard to drop money on something in that steel today when so many other manufacturers are getting quality knives out at competitive prices in better steel.

The question of heat treatment, which does make a difference, has been the chief argument against that way of thinking. We have certainly seen a few unscrupulous Chinese manufacturers lie about their steel content over the years. This may have predisposed some of us towards easily accepting the allegations of falsely advertised heat treatments here. We have one source testing knives from another brand made in the same factory at "55.x". The spreadsheet linked earlier lists one knife in the relevant steel from another brand made in the same factory at 56.6 (versus a Kershaw Blur at 58.2). Someone else linked a test for an actual Ruike knife in this steel at 59.

So I'm not ready to throw Ruike under the bus. I would need to see more tests of actual Ruike knives and maybe a little more information on how the testing location could make a difference.
Click to expand...

Trust me, I am no fan of 8cr13mov. I avoid it as much as possible. I only bought the Atmos because I just love the design, the action, and the fact it will be a light use knife for me. But my experience with it has been pretty satisfactory so far. It cuts. It does what a knife is supposed to do. Does it dull faster than my other knives? Generally yes, but it really depends on what I am using it for. I'm still not going to be an 8cr enthusiast, lol. But if the knife is great otherwise, I think it can be acceptable. My experience so far is that it is basically on par with AUS-8, and just slightly below VG-10 in edge retention.

Have you seen this?


And this is an actual test of the Atmos by the Cedric and Ada guy,

 
rogatsby said:
... Have you seen this?
Click to expand...

Yes. The Cedric and Ada videos in particular are a lot of fun. I don't know if anyone doubts that with good heat-treatment, the right geometry, and a little time and effort; you can get decent cutting out of 8Cr13Mov. Properly done, it isn't garbage. Of course, edge retention for these tests isn't the only property that might matter to a person. Other steels can also do amazing things when properly done. When we take diminishing returns out of the equation with competitive prices and the designs are compelling, I just see no reason not to reward both myself with a better base material and the company for making it happen.

As far as the Ruike issue, I think I've said what I've got to say. If anyone has more tests on actual Ruike knives to share, please do. So far, we have one test of the Jager which yielded a reasonable 59. I'd be especially interested in seeing tests of their folding knives like the Fang.
 
Got the Atmos in today. Pret-T dern sweet. Now...time to Rit-dye cuz this is staying in the collection.
 
Oh I got the tan. It's disassembled, sanded, detent ramp installed, blade is etch prepped & now the scales are awaiting for the neon yellow Rit-dye bath. I just can't leave well enough alone. :rolleyes:
 
Dogdrawz said:
Oh I got the tan. It's disassembled, sanded, detent ramp installed, blade is etch prepped & now the scales are awaiting for the neon yellow Rit-dye bath. I just can't leave well enough alone. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

How is a detent ramp installed? Also, post pictures after it's finished!
 
The detent ramp is just a small groove cut on the blade tang so the detent ball can easily traverse onto the tang. Oh photos are a coming.

Edit: Blade etching & stonewashing will take a couple of hours. I'll post a few photos of what I got so far. The rest will have to wait till tomorrow.
 
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Dogdrawz said:
Oh I got the tan. It's disassembled, sanded, detent ramp installed, blade is etch prepped & now the scales are awaiting for the neon yellow Rit-dye bath. I just can't leave well enough alone. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I'm officially excited to see the results.
 
Before:
ieA9OSb.jpg


After one hour in Rit-dye:
fZGRH0k.jpg

Mu0s5lZ.jpg
 
It's the grain of the G10. Look closer & you can see where the dye didn't take shows the pattern of the grain very well. Kinda dirty looking. Guess that's why no one has tried bright colors. It turned out better than I thought. I wanted a dirty bright, nasty look. This will do just fine. I call it...The Snot Rocket. Or maybe The Urinal Cake?
 
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