Fightin' Rooster knives

somniloquist

somniloquist

Joined
Aug 9, 2007
Messages
1,445
Hi guys,

Let me start by saying that I that I'm very new to "traditional" knives. I have carried an SAK daily for quite a while but that is as close as I have gotten. I have decided to try out a couple slippies to see if they will displace my Delica Wave for EDC.

I was cruising around a particular auction site and was taken by a model by a company called "Fightin' Rooster" It was a pearl handled 5 blade congress and it was for sale for what seemed like a reasonable price, so I bought it. What do you guys think of this brand? There doesn't seem to be a lot out there about them. Any information is appreciated. Thanks!
 
I can't speak to the brand but I wanted to comment that buying a 5-blade congress to displace a single-blade folder is a bold move. You might have tried a single or double blade slip joint as a more comparable replacement to what you're currently carrying.
 
Fightin' Rooster makes good quality slip joints, and why not use the traditional to compliment your modern folder. That is what I usually do.
 
Fightn' Roosters were imported from Germany by Frank Buster,I think. As were the Bulldog brand slippies. They were supposedly made as repro's of old patterns that weren't being made by the big knife companies anymore. I've got several of the older ones that are of very high quality. Dont know much about the newer ones. The older Bulldogs had two fighting pit bulls on the tang until somebody decided that was not P.C.:confused: and changed them to one dog.--KV
 
mikeymoto said:
I can't speak to the brand but I wanted to comment that buying a 5-blade congress to displace a single-blade folder is a bold move. You might have tried a single or double blade slip joint as a more comparable replacement to what you're currently carrying.
Click to expand...

I agree completely with you. To be honest though, I'm pretty used to carrying 3 and 4 layer SAKs, so I'm not sure how much of an adjustment it will be. Plus, and this may be the child inside of me speaking, how cool would it be to have a knife with 5 blades? Clip point, drop point, wharncliff, spey and pen all on the same handle!

The model I ended up with was made in the 1980's, so I'm hoping that will mean it is a quality example. It had what looked like some fairly intricate etching on the main blade and each blade tang is stamped with two fighting roosters. I thought it might be something different and noteworthy compared to the sea of Case knives I have been pouring over. We'll see how I like it once it arrives!
 
In my opinion Fightin Roosters are some of the best knives to come out of Germany in the last 30 years. Great F\F and they walk and talk like a good knife should. They get razor sharp too.
 
Don't own any but the etching on the blade of the 2 gamecocks scrappin' sure looks cool. They look good though and are pricier, pattern for pattern than other brands.
 
:thumbup:Fight'n Roosters were my first love of slipjoints as far as collecting goes. I can't comment on their user quality, but everything you look for in a slipjoint is there so why not? Great walk and talk, great swedges, fantastic fit and finish (generally) and undeniably some of the best old patterns you'll ever see that aren't faked or $2500 and up
 
IMG_1592.jpg


Take a look at this beauty. I confess, I have a large number of tacticals, SAKs and others, but no knife I have owned so far seems so ornate and just damn classy. I've already been bitten by the bug. I have a 1955 Case pen with scissors and pearl scales on the way now and I want more!
 
Great score:thumbup: Now, a bit of advice on collecting Fight'n Roosters. The Captain's Roosters are some of the most desirable Fight'n Roosters and also the stags. A lot of folks shy away from the club knives unless they have significance to the collector. There are a lot of great patterns, the lock back whittler in it's various configurations are also among the most desirable of the many patterns. I always had a weakness for the little bent back whittlers.
 
Durwood,

I'm aware of the collector's club, but have not seen many online retailers that stock this brand of knives. Do you know of anyone you could recommend to me? I'm very pleased with the quality of this knife and I feel like it was a steal for 75 bucks. I'd love to get my hands on a couple others.
 
somniloquist,

The really desirable patterns aren't seen online real often like they were a few years back. I sold off all of my collection of Fight'n Roosters (had around 50) several years ago except a couple of pieces that were gifts from my wife. I still see nice ones circulating at shows. Fight'n Roosters have always traded in fairly wide margins depending upon who has them and where. In other words similar knives from different sellers can vary widely in price. Most of the stockmans originally sold for $27 and change. Most Captain's Roosters sold in the $50 range. There are still bargains out there, just keep lookin'. The last bunch of lock back whittlers I saw were in the $150 range. Most other patterns are well under that.
 
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I think the quality of Fight'n Rooster is very good. I have 3 in my collection. I am not too happy with the toe nail I currently have. I am going to have it worked on, replace the celluloid with buffalo horn or bone. I think it will be nice when it is done. I still want to get a nice end of day celluloid in a stockman pattern. It is a grail knife for me currently. If you are going from tactical to traditional, you may want to try a scout or a mountain man by GEC or Queen. Nice post!
 
I love the Fight'n Rooster KNives but I have a thing for bright and shiny objects...lol.

Here are three of my favorites in a stockman, single jack, and barlow patterns.

fightnroosters.jpg
 
Absintheur, I completely understand the attraction of shiny things. The pearl scales on mine keep drawing my eyes to it. What a beauty! I wish I had the cash to buy more...
 
somniloquist said:
Durwood,

I'm aware of the collector's club, but have not seen many online retailers that stock this brand of knives. Do you know of anyone you could recommend to me? I'm very pleased with the quality of this knife and I feel like it was a steal for 75 bucks. I'd love to get my hands on a couple others.
Click to expand...

I'd love to pick up a few too, they just aren't that easy to find.
 
It's amazing how quickly the supply of nicer ones dried up. A few years back the shows and that auction site were overflowing with them. Clarence Risner used to set up at shows with them and his prices were incredible. Haven't been to a show where Clarence was for a few years.
 
google is your friend:D I got to thinking about Clarence and googled him, well, looks like he has a website and good prices there too:D
 
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