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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
My curiosity of Rough Rider, needs to be resolved...
- Thread starter PocketKnifeJimmy
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Hahahaha!!! 
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I was told the pull on the blade of the rr trapperlock was way too hard for it to be safe to open and close one handed! It could have been that one instance though.
I have two RR trapperlocks. Amber jigged and red jigged. # 1129 and #1130
The pulls on both are VERY light. One handed opening and closing is no problem with either one.
They both lockup very securly with no blade play.
That has been my RR Trapperlock experience, maybe I got lucky.
My RR red Scout/Camp knife has some extremely hard pulls on everything though.
Was almost unusable until I cleaned and lubed and worked it vigorously many times.
Have they kept a tight lockup through use?
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Stainless steel has been used for knife blades since the late 1920's. That makes it Traditional.
Properly heat treated stainless steel became common in the US in the 1960's. That's still "Traditional" territory.
Properly heat treated stainless steel became common in the US in the 1960's. That's still "Traditional" territory.
To anyone who was a knife collector or enthusiast in this period:
I would be really interested in your memories of this introduction of quality stainless. Was it widely recognized? Was it a big deal to you? Were you interested or against it?
Edit: maybe pm or something cause its kind of off the topic of this thread.
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You'll have to query Bernard Levine. That timeline information came from him.
While my first knife was non-stainless, by the time I was acquiring new knives in the 1960's, well heat treated stainless was commonplace. Being a very young man at the time, it wasn't a wonder to me.
While my first knife was non-stainless, by the time I was acquiring new knives in the 1960's, well heat treated stainless was commonplace. Being a very young man at the time, it wasn't a wonder to me.
Okay, thank you for the direction.
ALLHSS, I can't honestly answer that as I haven't used them enough yet.
My edc rotation habit seems to exclude one knife from getting a regular workout.
eg: I've been alternating between a Schrade 340T and 50T, plus SAK Electrician, Case Sodbuster CV this week.
I felt compelled to respond to the RR " too hard" comment because in my limited experience it was just the opposite.
If I was going into the wild to become a Trapper/Hunter type of guy I would probably spring for the Case/GEC type Trapper model
For my needs these days, I'm a Surveyor, semi-retired and work partime, I find the RR's ok.
Some are just so so regarding snap, walk and talk etc. Some are really good though in that regard.
Back in the 60's 70's I carried Buck 110's, 500's, Schrades, Gerbers, Case etc.
I still have all those plus a lot of modern folders but I've returned to traditionals and Rough Riders were a pleasent surprise for their reasonable price.
My favorites though continue to be the old standbys- Case Sodbusters, Schrade USA 340T's, and Schrade 50T's.
I plan on getting a GEC soon too.
For me the RR's have a place in my knife collection/hobby. There not bad.
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Got my first RR in the mail today, a Deluxe Barlow and so far...I'm not sure if I'm inclined to buy another. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad...but the bolsters feel a bit 'cheap' and they're not even with the handle material. The jigged bone is a bit thick, but okay otherwise. The blades pull out nicely but aren't overly weak, either. Just some minor F&F things that aren't necessarily awful, but are certainly noticeable (to me). It is a good way to test out patterns and see what you think before plopping down money on more pricey traditionals, though. I'm new to them so not a bad place to start.
GronK
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In order to come to an informed opinion I've gone out of my way to handle RR and other imported inexpensive traditionals at retail outlets and gun/knife shows over the last couple of months. I have to say the quality is just not there. The feel, fit and finish are not in the same league with the better lines like GEC, Canal Street and even the much maligned Case.
It's false economy to buy the cheaper knives. I've purchased 12 traditional pocket knives in the last 6 months or so. If I were to sell any of them I would lose a maximum of $10-$20 each, about what I would have spent for the lesser imported versions.
I can understand the urge to find the "best bang for the buck" and I do this in many areas of my life. When it comes to life's little luxuries like pocket knives, cigars, single malts, brews, watches and pens I go for "the best I can afford." I'll shop for the best price on quality merchandise but I won't settle for lesser products.
It's false economy to buy the cheaper knives. I've purchased 12 traditional pocket knives in the last 6 months or so. If I were to sell any of them I would lose a maximum of $10-$20 each, about what I would have spent for the lesser imported versions.
I can understand the urge to find the "best bang for the buck" and I do this in many areas of my life. When it comes to life's little luxuries like pocket knives, cigars, single malts, brews, watches and pens I go for "the best I can afford." I'll shop for the best price on quality merchandise but I won't settle for lesser products.
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Almost the same experience here. The spring on which the can opener & bottle opener/screwdriver rest was almost unusable when I first got it. A little use, cleaning and lube and it is much better. Meanwhile the spring for the main blade and awl was easy to use from the beginning.
I have a few of these now and the quality / f&f does vary slightly, but not alarmingly so.
For example, I just bought a medium old yellow sowbelly stockman. It has the strongest springs by far of any other RR I own. It's practically a nail breaker, but not quite. The upside is that is closes with one helluva snap!
The large stockman below is one of my main "go to" knives. I love the look of it opened or closed and it feels perfect in hand. One of my favourite knives.
For example, I just bought a medium old yellow sowbelly stockman. It has the strongest springs by far of any other RR I own. It's practically a nail breaker, but not quite. The upside is that is closes with one helluva snap!
The large stockman below is one of my main "go to" knives. I love the look of it opened or closed and it feels perfect in hand. One of my favourite knives.
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I have a few of these now and the quality / f&f does vary slightly, but not alarmingly so.
For example, I just bought a medium old yellow sowbelly stockman. It has the strongest springs by far of any other RR I own. It's practically a nail breaker, but not quite. The upside is that is closes with one helluva snap!
The large stockman below is one of my main "go to" knives. I love the look of it opened or closed and it feels perfect in hand. One of my favourite knives.
Nice knife.... if you don't mind my asking.. what is the handle material? On my screen, it almost looks like a cream colored smooth bone.
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Btw... IMO... based on the Bear & Sons I recently handled at a gun show, and based on my own currently made Utica and Case knives... I would give RR a definite better score over Bear & Son. I would then give RR a slight edge over current Utica knives... and Case having the win over RR, even though not in all regards, but overall. So,though ymmv, I feel RR has strong merits of their own... and again, politics aside, their f&f does make them a viable choice. Still hard to believe their prices... and that low price and their country of origin may be hard to look past and allow a good review of them... Somehow I have done that, and again.... am impressed. I am not easy to impress, but again found myself fondling my RR brown sawcut bone trapper this morning.... shaking my head in disbelief at the overall quality. I could easily see this knife costing me $50+ if it were made stateside. The bone scales are awesome, and simply have not seen anything like it, which kinda surprizes me, my usually expecting a product of china to simply be a copy of something else. The pattern may be common (trapper).... but the execution is unique... it's not anybody elses... they made it their own, for sure.
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Btw, most bolsters on what we consider to be traditional pocket knives today, have nickel silver bolsters that are stamped out of a larger sheet, then edges rounded off. Sometimes a bit of extra labor is put in by using a file to put in visual bells and whistles. I imagine that RR takes another method with their bolsters. Many of the RR have some pretty elaborate bolster designs... and is most likely that they have to investment cast them, then polish up. Even though casting may be considered inexpensive... and of course there are some pros and cons when we are talking about hard use metal items, such as in the case with many firearms frames, the bolster really is not one of those things. So, either stamped and polished, or cast and polished, will work, if execution is correct. In any case, them having to actually do casting on many (if not all) bolsters, would actually probably cost more for a company to do than to stamp out basic bolsters. I like plain bolsters... I like pinched and grooved bolsters... and I am big time liking some of the elaborate bolsters that RR offers.... all good. And, this gives RR another merit to stand on. On another post I mentioned that RR is using the match strike so much, that I no longer see the match strike as somewhat unique on today's traditional knives... but I gotta say, their execution of the matchstrike is well done. Yup, RR is a force to likely grow.
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GREAT post. Great observations.
I never had a RR in my hand until last Christmas. I have had several of its brother-in-law knives, branded Remingtons for a few years now. The biggest surprise to me is how much utility value is in those Remingtons. They have served well on the job site.
That being said, I think it is interesting to see the different sets of values used when judging knives. Here's what I have noticed:
When a domestic only knife fan gets a knife that is dull, they are actually happy! This allows them to "bond" with their knife, spend time to get to know it, and to actually put the exact edge on it they want. Some folks don't even bother to see if the knife is sharp, as to them it doesn't matter (unless as we all know, they get a butter knife sharp Queen!). If it is a RR, they are disappointed if it isn't a razor out of the box and report the sad news as a shortcoming.
Folks here seem to feel that a nailbreaker of a knife is a bad deal. A true domestic aficionado in some cases will LIKE a nailbreaker as has been seen many times in other forums. Sore fingers and broken fingernails are looked at as a badge of honor, something that should be expected with a quality knife. I have personally had one poster advise me that I should take more vitamins (literally...) after I said I thought it was ridiculous to break or crack a nail opening a knife. (I had just purchased a Queen that literally needed pliers to open it.) After all, a few months of using a pick or pliers to open it after repeated cleanings and oilings should get the knife to usable condition. Holding their knives to a different standard, RR users are unhappy and disappointed with their knives if they aren't readily usable, ready to go to work out of the box.
For a traditional pattern lover of domestic pocket knives, an off center blade is no big deal as it is an assurance that it was made by a human being that isn't perfect, unlike a knife that is made by a soulless machine. Although... I have noticed there is a lot of crowing and bragging when certain domestic knives have blades that are dead center... With an RR, it is yet another disappointment if they aren't lined up perfectly and the users of same feel it their responsibility to report it as a minor defect.
Minor gaps in a domestic pattern are not big deal. Even though I rarely see those $125 specimens little more than just dirty, the owner declares it is nothing he is worried about as the knife was purchased as a user, going to work immediately. On the other hand, RR fans are disappointed with a couple of thousandths gap, as we have seen. Surely, a couple of thousandths is considered another minor defect, but disappointing for sure.
No way RR are perfect. But then, at a much great cost, neither are domestic offerings.
But with the level of criticism I see concerning RR knives, I have to ask myself, why are the RR fans and users so much harder when appraising their knives than the guys that spend LITERALLY 10 times as much for theirs? Why the angst? Why the continual picking to pieces of these knives?
I don't get it.
Robert