Elephant Toenail Knives

Wavester

Wavester

Joined
May 5, 2008
Messages
1,665
Trying to figure out which company makes the elephant toenail knife in the video I will post below. He shows
both Bear & Son and Case Boxes in the background but I am not finding either of those on their respective sites.

While on the topic - anyone like the Elephant Toenail style and if so, please post pics of the ones you have
and how you like them.

[video=youtube;Zt_KL8UsUrk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt_KL8UsUrk[/video]
 
I think it might be the Marbles.

m3m1WcZ1jzFckCquneVU_vQ.jpg
 
With 95% certainty, I'd say that the knives in that video are either Rough Rider or Marbles branded knives (box in background), both Chinese made.

The sunfish/elephant's toenail pattern is a handful of traditional slipjoint and one of my favorites. I would recommend the makers Queen Cutlery or Great Eastern Cutlery, both USA made, though keep in mind that GEC ponderously rarely makes blades in anything but 1095 high carbon steel. And they are not inexpensive. If you go the RR or Marbles route, you could have them in hand inexpensivesly in a stainless steel.

Do a search in the Traditional subforum here and you will be able to find a bit more in terms of photos and reviews. Best of luck :thumbup:
 
I have a Great Eastern one that I'm pretty happy with. It's a nice example of a unique blade. As mentioned above though, I do wish they made it in stainless.
 
The Sunfish is a Rough Rider, (giveaway is the "Always Ready" blade etch), the others are almost certainly Rough Rider also. Whoever makes Rough Rider also seems to be the same manufacturer of current Marbles and Colt traditional folders. They are very good knives. And very reasonably priced.
 
Marbles or Rough Rider large sunfish knives, smooth white bone handles.
Great knives. I have two of the Rough Rider smooth tobacco bone handle (more honey color than dark brown) and one of the Rough Rider with white bone handle.
I EDC one of the tobacco bone handle Sunfish, along with a Buck 110 or Schrade Uncle Henry LB7.

I'm pretty sure I like the sunfish pattern knife :)
 
Jazub, if I recall correctly i think I had a RR years ago and I dont remember it being of the greatest quality...are we talking the same company or maybe I am thinking of another?

jazub said:
With 95% certainty, I'd say that the knives in that video are either Rough Rider or Marbles branded knives (box in background), both Chinese made.

The sunfish/elephant's toenail pattern is a handful of traditional slipjoint and one of my favorites. I would recommend the makers Queen Cutlery or Great Eastern Cutlery, both USA made, though keep in mind that GEC ponderously rarely makes blades in anything but 1095 high carbon steel. And they are not inexpensive. If you go the RR or Marbles route, you could have them in hand inexpensivesly in a stainless steel.

Do a search in the Traditional subforum here and you will be able to find a bit more in terms of photos and reviews. Best of luck :thumbup:
Click to expand...
 
Wavester said:
Jazub, if I recall correctly i think I had a RR years ago and I dont remember it being of the greatest quality...are we talking the same company or maybe I am thinking of another?
Click to expand...

I think we are talking the same company. I picked up a few off the Bay in 2009 to try out some patterns and maybe 4/6 were of passable fit/finish. The other two were miserable. What can you expect for $4-6/ea., though?

Not sure how they are doing now and wouldn't vouch for them but different people have different budgets and tastes and I recall some Youtube reviewers being very fond of theirs . :)
 
I am not up on this knife so I have to ask this question (I hope it doesnt break any forum rules) does $16 sound about right to buy a RR Elephant Toenail..?

shecky said:
The Sunfish is a Rough Rider, (giveaway is the "Always Ready" blade etch), the others are almost certainly Rough Rider also. Whoever makes Rough Rider also seems to be the same manufacturer of current Marbles and Colt traditional folders. They are very good knives. And very reasonably priced.
Click to expand...
 
Price should be in the $12-16 area. I know of Sunfish knives made by Frost, Rough Rider, I take your word on Marbles, AG Russell, and GEC. I have a GEC and a Frost Sunfish. Got the Frost just for kicks and the fit and finish is actually pretty good which is why I bought it a year or so ago.
 
The inexpensive price point for a Rough Rider sunfish, or elephant toenail is definitely worth the investment. I have them both in smooth white bone and I am very happy with the fit and finish. The pins tend to discolor and bleed into the smooth white bone though so a colored bone would be optimal in these models. Rarely will you find this quality for this price by an off shore manufacturer. You can see a little discoloration of some of the pins in the video.
 
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stick-stuck said:
The inexpensive price point for a Rough Rider sunfish, or elephant toenail is definitely worth the investment. I have them both in smooth white bone and I am very happy with the fit and finish. The pins tend to discolor and bleed into the smooth white bone though so a colored bone would be optimal in these models. Rarely will you find this quality for this price by an off shore manufacturer. You can see a little discoloration of some of the pins in the video.
Click to expand...


I'll agree to that. I admit traditionals aren't really my thing, so I'm not apt to spend a lot on them, but I do have a few Rough Riders and they're really not bad knives at all.
 
I skimp on lots of things since I retired but not on my knives. I went to a local indoor flea market and handled about a hundred different RR, Colt, etc. traditionals then came home and ordered a Northwoods Fremont Jack from KSF for enough money to buy a dozen cheapos. It's well worth the money. Not a toenail but a gorgeous, American made knife.
Blue2003.jpg
 
Yea, DShiflet I have purchased some Bear USA 's, (made right here!) that have half the quality. I've seen large gaps on Bears between the scales and bolsters, and Blades so stiff you would break a nail on em'!
The 440 steel from RR is serviceable, but hey these are edc's made as workers! And if you lose it, ya pony up another $15.00!
 
stick-stuck said:
Yea, DShiflet I have purchased some Bear USA 's, (made right here!) that have half the quality. I've seen large gaps on Bears between the scales and bolsters, and Blades so stiff you would break a nail on em'!
The 440 steel from RR is serviceable, but hey these are edc's made as workers! And if you lose it, ya pony up another $15.00!
Click to expand...

Not even $15 in many cases, several of the Rough Riders I have were like $8. The fit and finish on them have all been nice, you're right the steel isn't the best but for a $8-15 blade it's certainly fine by me.
 
Wavester said:
Jazub, if I recall correctly i think I had a RR years ago and I dont remember it being of the greatest quality...are we talking the same company or maybe I am thinking of another?
Click to expand...

The new Rough Riders have excellent fit and finish, and a good blade steel. They are getting "rave" reviews over in the traditional knife forums. They are a great way to try out different patterns for not a lot of bucks, and they offer patterns no one else does. The only "down" side is they don't make any with high carbon steel blades, just 420 and 440 stainless.
 
Right you are Afishhunter, I originally picked up a RR to finish off a collection of black MOP 3 inch toothpicks. I could not believe the quality. Imagine if you could convince RR to make some retro patterns in high carbon steel just in limited runs? Ok I'm in!
 
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