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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
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Kershaw Ruby
- Thread starter Tripton
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2013
- Messages
- 211
Mines finally coming today! Looking forward to getting my hands on it!
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2007
- Messages
- 8,578
Nice IWC watches! the knives are great too.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Messages
- 31
Thanks! They're high maintenance, tho' -- replacing an IWC alligator strap costs a ZT0454; biennial maintenance on one watch costs both these grail knives. This is a better hobby.
I was really struck by how the two knives compared to each other. I'd agree with Bodog to some extent that Kai is transitioning into "art knives". However, Bodog uses his knives for everything; i doubt there's even a single spork in his house.
[ j/k ]
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2013
- Messages
- 211
Just got my Ruby. Those who didn't get one...missed out! Looks much nicer in person! The busy front side is really a non issue. Love the packaging! Love the blade! Seems to be bigger in proportion compared to handle. Usually it's the other way around. The knife is alittle smaller than I was expecting but I'm not disappointed by any means. The flipping action isn't quite as smooth and or powerful as the higher end ZTs I own. But all in all...this is a fantastic knife and I'm glad I got one!
n850gt
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2011
- Messages
- 488
Love the pic- low contrast, blended shots IMHO are sweet. Nicely done!
I want to thank the guys in this thread keeping tabs on the Ruby; because of you guys updating the numbers available, I managed to grab my copy of the Ruby before they sold out the second time. It more than made up for my frustrations on the night it was released. KAI just notified me my Ruby has shipped and I can't wait to get my hands on it! Thanks again!
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Messages
- 31
This is what's called a "manual flipper" not like the assisted SpeedSafe, so you need a quick wrist motion to "flick" the blade out. Bonus points if you hum the theme from West Side Story or Mack the Knife while doing so.
Agree with your thoughts about the knife -- static pictures don't do it justice.
If there was one tiny kvetch I could have made, it's that they didn't choose to use actual synthetic rubies anywhere, either the pivot or ornamentation (like the red anodized standoffs). Ruby's Mohr hardness is second only to diamond, so a half-carat, 5mm piece could have been a glassbreaker tip but increased production costs less than $10 per knife.
HOWEVER, that being said, adding gemstones to a tool in a way that's not completely functional could lead to a "slippery slope". Pretty soon everyone's expecting it, so you've increased production expense needlessly. (You can always pimp out your own knife with a bagful of cheap rubies from Ebay, not unlike a teenage girl decorating a cellphone with Swarovski crystals.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2007
- Messages
- 8,578
This is what's called a "manual flipper" not like the assisted SpeedSafe, so you need a quick wrist motion to "flick" the blade out. Bonus points if you hum the theme from West Side Story or Mack the Knife while doing so.
Agree with your thoughts about the knife -- static pictures don't do it justice.
If there was one tiny kvetch I could have made, it's that they didn't choose to use actual synthetic rubies anywhere, either the pivot or ornamentation (like the red anodized standoffs). Ruby's Mohr hardness is second only to diamond, so a half-carat, 5mm piece could have been a glassbreaker tip but increased production costs less than $10 per knife.
HOWEVER, that being said, adding gemstones to a tool in a way that's not completely functional could lead to a "slippery slope". Pretty soon everyone's expecting it, so you've increased production expense needlessly. (You can always pimp out your own knife with a bagful of cheap rubies from Ebay, not unlike a teenage girl decorating a cellphone with Swarovski crystals.
I dont think you would want a ruby as a glass breaker. Sure they are hard but that doesnt mean they will survive an impact. Hardness in a gemstone means it can cut things softer than it and can resist scratching from softer materials. But make no mistake. You whack a ruby or a diamond with a technically softer than it hammer and it would be dust. And a good whack into some tempered glass and you would more than likely crack any ruby in half attached to bottom of a knife. But a pivot inlay would have been snazzy.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Messages
- 31
Just did a little research with da Google, and it seems there's been more glassbreaker discussion in bladeforums.com than anywhere else. Cool!
Ruby, aka corundum, aka aluminum oxide with chromium, is crystal in both natural and artificial states. However it doesn't cleave consistently nor precisely, like diamond does. You can be unlucky enough to hit it on a local fracture point and lose it that way. But a cheaper and better solution to glassbreaking is using the porcelain found on an ordinary set of spark plugs. As to rubies being used in fine watches, they're for long wear, not impact. (And most/all of the rubies will be replaced if you have a thorough watch maintenance and cleaning , because they're relatively cheap.)
So ruby (if used in a knife) would be almost exclusively for appearance. The ball bearings in a race around a KVT pivot assembly don't need to be that strong. A center pivot inlay, or better, a cabochon (round) ruby cap over the entire workings, would be perfect.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2007
- Messages
- 2,155
I just received mine.
I am very pleasantly surprised.
Like others have said, it looks better in person than in photos. The graphics aren't that bad even though I would have preferred less. Kershaw and ZT can't stop laser etching all over their knives, (sigh) Despite this, the folder looks expensive from all angles.
Its a very nice knife, kind of a smaller, thinner, lighter, higher-end ZT if you will.
And I do mean higher-end ZT's. Most of the $250-ish ZTs aren't even in this league. In fact. looking at my ZT 0801CF, which cost about the same as the Kershaw, I would say that the Ruby is a lot nicer overall. The action is much better. The pocket clip is a work of art compared to ZT's stamped clips. It works very well too, one of the better clips I've ever used. The radius bevels on the handle are a big step above the 0801CF.
If I was blindfolded and handed both folders, I would pick the Kershaw without hesitation. The overall execution is stellar.
I managed to get one after the server snafu. I feel bad for those who initially tried to order and missed out. However, since they showed over 80 available after the initial screw-up I imagine everyone who wanted one got one. It took a few days to sell the remaining numbers.
A lot of knives I buy don't quite live up to my expectations. This one is actually better than I expected.
I wouldn't trade this for a Sebenza. The F&F is on par with any CRK, (maybe even better), the action is smoother, the blade steel is superior and , maybe best of all, its not BORING.
It will be in my pocket starting today.
Good job Kershaw! (regarding the Ruby)
Bad job Kershaw! (regarding the server)
Good job Kershaw! (regarding the server, you gave me a chance to get one)
I am very pleasantly surprised.
Like others have said, it looks better in person than in photos. The graphics aren't that bad even though I would have preferred less. Kershaw and ZT can't stop laser etching all over their knives, (sigh) Despite this, the folder looks expensive from all angles.
Its a very nice knife, kind of a smaller, thinner, lighter, higher-end ZT if you will.
And I do mean higher-end ZT's. Most of the $250-ish ZTs aren't even in this league. In fact. looking at my ZT 0801CF, which cost about the same as the Kershaw, I would say that the Ruby is a lot nicer overall. The action is much better. The pocket clip is a work of art compared to ZT's stamped clips. It works very well too, one of the better clips I've ever used. The radius bevels on the handle are a big step above the 0801CF.
If I was blindfolded and handed both folders, I would pick the Kershaw without hesitation. The overall execution is stellar.
I managed to get one after the server snafu. I feel bad for those who initially tried to order and missed out. However, since they showed over 80 available after the initial screw-up I imagine everyone who wanted one got one. It took a few days to sell the remaining numbers.
A lot of knives I buy don't quite live up to my expectations. This one is actually better than I expected.
I wouldn't trade this for a Sebenza. The F&F is on par with any CRK, (maybe even better), the action is smoother, the blade steel is superior and , maybe best of all, its not BORING.
It will be in my pocket starting today.
Good job Kershaw! (regarding the Ruby)
Bad job Kershaw! (regarding the server)
Good job Kershaw! (regarding the server, you gave me a chance to get one)
poolhustler
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2011
- Messages
- 2,187
what took so long to get one. wasn't the sale completed weeks ago??