My curiosity of Rough Rider, needs to be resolved...

[Pipeman]

[/IMG]
This RR canoe is my beater, it rides in my right front pocket along with my keys and those round shiny things I use to keep my pants from riding too high As you can see after a year in such company the bone has picked up some color from the oil in my hands and God knows what else. I think it adds to its charm. Still rock solid and I think Pipeman's testing should have settled once and for all the "mystery Chinese steel" question. YMMV - Greg

According to Bernard Levine (a man you don't argue with ;-))))) 440a can be heat treated to within one point on the rockwell scale to 440c. The only knife I have ever bought that came as sharp as any rough rider was a couple of carbon Opinels and a couple of Finnish blades I bought. To be fair, RR puts a wide toothy edge on their knives that IMO is a better angle than most manufacturers put on their blades and a better edge for some kinds of cutting. I'm waiting for their new carbon line.

Best regards

Robin

 

[black mamba]

I have a pile of RRs and it's true, their edge bevels, while not always perfectly even, are fairly acute by factory standards and always come shaving sharp.
Their brown sawcut bone line is really nice if you like a little bling on your bolsters. Here are a few.

My most recent, a large stockman with excellent edge bevels

An older group shot of the brown sawcut bone

A few in genuine burnt stag

Several 3-1/2" stockmen with low riding sheepfoot, wonderful carry knives

 

[Modoc ED]

Jeff - Are the covers on the RR knives actually pinned on or are they glued on as someone said above? I always thought they were pinned on and could swear that the couple I had before passing them on were pinned.

 

[black mamba]

Ed, mine show definite pins on the inside of the liners, so yes, pinned on.

 

[B.F.U]

Ed, mine show definite pins on the inside of the liners, so yes, pinned on.

I have also definitely seen pins in the bolsters

 

[nifeluvr]

i have or have had perhaps a half dozen rough rider pocketknives in the past year. ive generally been happy with them although i have had a couple that had flaws that the more 'collector' types among us would not like. flaws such as the blade not only off center but the side of it actually rubs against the liner. or blades rubbing against each other on a multi-blade knife. in no way did these flaws interfere with the ability of the product to cut things. i never even look to see if there are gaps between the covers and the liners or if the handle covers match from one side to the other or anything like that. you dont cut things with the handles.
i work outdoors in the environmental industry and also do a lot of gardening and yardwork at home. i dont 'baby' a pocketknife but im not one of those 'x-treem hard use' dudes either. the rough riders i have used seem to have held up just fine for what i need a pocketknife for.

I agree 100%, Very well said!

 

[nifeluvr]

I will be going to SMKW tomorrow and will probably buy my fourth RR to carry every day. I like the fact that their inexpensive so if I do loose it I'm not out much.

 

[Bob6794]

According to Bernard Levine (a man you don't argue with ;-))))) 440a can be heat treated to within one point on the rockwell scale to 440c. The only knife I have ever bought that came as sharp as any rough rider was a couple of carbon Opinels and a couple of Finnish blades I bought. To be fair, RR puts a wide toothy edge on their knives that IMO is a better angle than most manufacturers put on their blades and a better edge for some kinds of cutting. I'm waiting for their new carbon line.

Best regards

Robin

Well it can be heat treated to 1 rockwell to 440c, to my knowledge it is far more difficult and precise to do so which makes it near impossible in mass production (from what I've read, I am no expert). So you can expect that more in custom made knives. I also recall reading that they harden their 440a blades to 56-58 rockwell.

I will admit though my RR Canoe is by far my favorite knife, I am debating on whether to buy a Case CV Canoe now or another RR Canoe as backup and several other RR in other patterns to try out.

 

[coop1957]

My fear is that if I continue to support RR the result will be American brands will disappear. Don't say it can't happen.

 

[cchu518]

My fear is that if I continue to support RR the result will be American brands will disappear. Don't say it can't happen.

This would be the case one way or the other. Its buying into two entirely different market segments.

If you are looking for a 25k car that is your range, if you are looking for a 80k car its an entirely different niche. One segment won't alter the buying habits of the other.


So this weekend, I was at Home Depot and needed to cut the thick straps holding a slat of tightly bound underflooring together. I had to wedge the little RR Colt peanut under the plastic lashings and twist it pretty hard in order to enough leverage to cut the really thick plastic ties. It's something that I would reserve to a thicker modern folder, but the little peanut handled it with aplomb. I will not baby this little gem of a user knife despite its size its as capable as any other Peanut. It might not have value as a collector's piece but that's fine as I use all of my blades! I literally don't go anywhere without it. If I can get away with EDC'ing the RR peanut I will. If I end up breaking up I'm going to pick up a Peanut by Case in G10 all the way, but I wouldn't hesitate recommending the most popular RR patterns. My trapper is a workhorse. I beat on that one in the yard as well and its been stable the entire time.

 

[Modoc ED]

Ed, mine show definite pins on the inside of the liners, so yes, pinned on.

I have also definitely seen pins in the bolsters

Thanks for the replies - that's what I thought.

 

[knarfeng]

Let's keep it about the knives, not where they are manufactured. Political commentary has no place in this forum. Any questions, please review the guidelines.

FWIW, most traditional "American" patterns were (copied) from England, Germany or other European origins.

As Gary has politely requested above, discuss the knives and their attributes. Leave discussion of the country of origin and politics for a more appropriate venue.

Peregrin said it. Blues said it. Now I am saying it.
Discuss the knives only or this thread will be shut down and I will go back and infract each violation of the posted rules.

My fear is that if I continue to support RR the result will be American brands will disappear. Don't say it can't happen.

Three moderators ask you to discus the knives only, and you still can't do it.

Since we managed to go three pages before the latest violation, the thread is remaining open.

 

[nifeluvr]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1126945

I picked this up today

 

[zippofan]

I picked up a couple of RR Scouts to give as gifts at our annual Troop Christmas party back when I could get them for around 10 bucks each. The boys that ended up with them (it's a "Yankee Swap" kind of gift party, where you can "steal" another's gift) are still using them for our camping trips. Since they liked them so much I bought a red bone for myself and carried it awhile. The RR Scout is a pretty chunky knife, came sharp out of the box and works well. When I noticed one of my newer guys watching me use it, I gave it to him when he got his Totin' Chip.
By then, the RR was up to about $15 or so, and when I decided to replace it I went for an original Case instead Big difference in price for sure, but the same blade pattern!
Since the price limit for our gift exchange is $10, I went with Opinels last year and probably will again, unless I spot a deal on the RR Scouts. I liked it, the boys like 'em and they've held up, can't ask anything more than that. :thumbup:

<Added> I like the "Dog Bone Jack" pattern too, one of these days I'll grab one for fun.

 

[LEOGREG]

[/IMG]
Careful Z, the Dog Bone Jacks are extremely sharp and unexpectedly pointy as I just discovered!
Full disclosure; band aids are an essential part of my gear. Your Scouts are doubtless better trained in knife handling.
Oh, and the whistle works ......for dogs anyway.

 

[Lemmy Caution]

I've had a few RR's adn for the most part I'd say they're good quality. But I had one come with a broken lock back and another where the main blade rubbed against the secondary while closing. I've nver really like their lines or their flashy cheap looking bolsters. There's always been something about them that rubbed me wrong. But as a way to test out a pattern they cant be beat. and they make great users. I guess I just dont get that pride of carrying them in the way i do with an opinel or case or queen or castor or vic or what have you. maybe there's just not much heart in them?

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

[/IMG]
Careful Z, the Dog Bone Jacks are extremely sharp and unexpectedly pointy as I just discovered!
Full disclosure; band aids are an essential part of my gear. Your Scouts are doubtless better trained in knife handling.
Oh, and the whistle works ......for dogs anyway.

Man, if the picture represents what that knife is like overall... Then that there knife is some real beaut!

 

[JPD1998]

I've had a few RR's adn for the most part I'd say they're good quality. But I had one come with a broken lock back and another where the main blade rubbed against the secondary while closing. I've nver really like their lines or their flashy cheap looking bolsters. There's always been something about them that rubbed me wrong. But as a way to test out a pattern they cant be beat. and they make great users. I guess I just dont get that pride of carrying them in the way i do with an opinel or case or queen or castor or vic or what have you. maybe there's just not much heart in them?

I feel the same way about some of their paterns and choices of scales, but they have some winners too.
Check out their yellow series.

They also make some nice Barlows and large stockmen too.

 

[cchu518]

For me a knife's heart lies in what you put it through! As a tool, you beat on it some and if it comes out ok then its fine by me!

 

[JPD1998]

For me a knife's heart lies in what you put it through! As a tool, you beat on it some and if it comes out ok then its fine by me!

I know what you mean. I took a brand new Bear & Sons folding hunter out of the box on Saturday morning, took it with me hunting and used it to field dress a buck.
It became a very special knife...

But aesthetically I liked the knife before it made it to my belt pouch. And when you use a knife, some just "feel right" , some don't . Like a favorite sweater or pair of shoes.... of course this is completely subjective and without logic.