Current Roper production experience?

[axesbold]

Haven't been able to find much on these. Inexpensive, produced in China. Here's a 3 1/2" stockman in 1065 carbon.

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Wondering if anyone has handled these and what thoughts there were. Thanks!

 

[afishhunter]

I tried to find some info on them today. The only "good" thing I found was they are for sale on the A.G. Russell site ... so they can't be all that bad ... right?

 

[knarfeng]

I've never known AG to stock junk. Whether his folks have to handpick through the knives to find good ones to sell, I do not know.

 

[black mamba]

1065? Do you think they can be more than about 55 HRc?

 

[Pipeman]

Never mind ;-))

 

[axesbold]

Thanks for the comments. I've been enjoying my couple of rough riders and would like something comparable in carbon. Definitely open to suggestions.

AG Russell lists hardness at 58-60.

Given the dearth of info I can find on these ropers I think I'll blow the budget, roll the dice, and pick up one or two.

 

[Jack Black]

Some of the comments in this thread may be of help :thumbup:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1045635-Cattlemans-Cutlery

 

[axesbold]

Thanks for the link jack... Exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Jack Black]

You're welcome my friend, a bit obscure that one! :thumbup:

 

[black mamba]

AG Russell lists hardness at 58-60.

Thanks for the hardness info, it surprised me. Most production knives using 440C or 1095 don't run them that hard, and they both have more "hardenability" than 1065 does.

 

[brownshoe]

AGRussell lists hardness for some blades that original manufacturer does not divulge with their product literature, such as Spyderco.

 

[axesbold]

Comments in the thread Jack linked weren't exactly complimentary of 1065 in a folder steel. Most of the info I've found online references swords and big camp knives and such. Any thoughts on how this specific combo (1065 @ 58-60) might work in this application? I don't mind some "softness" in exchange for some ease of sharpening. I don't understand much of the steel esoterica. I've lived most of my life familiar with two bladesteels... "Stainless" and "carbon." And we are talking about knives that cost, like, twelve bucks.

 

[black mamba]

1065 has roughly 0.65% carbon, which places it well into the "high carbon" steel category, which is anything above 0.50%. Lowering the carbon tends to toughen the steel, so 1055 and 1065 are commonly used for swords and choppers, but run softer (55-57) to increase the toughness even more at the expense of edge holding. 1095 and 440C have around 0.90-1.10% carbon, which aids in hardness and edge holding, and they normally are around 57-59 HRc in production knives. 1065 at 58-60 as in these Ropers should make a very good all-around steel for a pocket knife, and easy to get a wicked sharp edge on, too.

 

[Jack Black]

We need you to buy one and report back axebold! :thumbup:

 

[axesbold]

Thanks ya'll... Ordering a stockman and a trapper. Should have pics in a few days...

 

[axesbold]

Ok. So here it is.

With peanut for scale

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Walk and talk decent. Scales nice. No blade rub! Uneven grinds. Dull. Multiple gaps.

It is a sub $20 knife but Rough Rider has really upped the game here. I will continue to hope RR comes out with some carbon steel. Also should note that this example did not come from A.G.R.

 

[puukkoman]

When AG says "58 - 60," you can be pretty sure that he's not testing these blades, and assuming that none of the customers are either (take that for what it's worth).

 

[knarfeng]

When AG says "58 - 60," you can be pretty sure that he's not testing these blades, and assuming that none of the customers are either (take that for what it's worth).

I'm not certain what you mean by that, but I would guess that AG does not test every knife. Nor would I expect him to.

Any one Rockwell hardness tester is only accurate to ±1 Rockwell unit. So it is possible for a knife blade to measure 58 on one Rockwell machine and read 60 on another machine. And both machines be within calibration.

A range of "58-60" is the most accurate way to state the hardness. Anyone who gives you a single number is either using shorthand and assumes everyone understands, or does not understand Rockwell hardness measurements.

 

[axesbold]

Here's an update.

The sheepsfoot took a bit of grinding to get a decent edge. The 1065 gets very sharp and holds its edge pretty well actually.

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I've had fun with it. I always keep a "porch knife", one that I just leave there to pick up and whittle a bit when I sit awhile. The Roper makes a nice little porch knife and is a decent whittler to boot. It's easy on the hand and no swedges make it nice for pushing along with my left thumb.

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Not a grinling but for what it is it's awright.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks for the update :thumbup: