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

After reading this thread yesterday I went ahead and ordered three, a canoe, doctor and congress = $34 shipped. I think it will be interesting to experience for myself and besides they look to make neat little gifts for some folks at work.

Unless of course... I uh... keep 'em? :cool:

Cheers, Ed
 
PocketknifeJimmy, you need to check out the Colt knives, they're a bit more than RR, but very substantially built, and their bullet end Jack is a very good buy IMO. Still RR has their place, the Colts are too garish, or maybe ornate for many. Still if you want to spend more for a little better quality, I think Colt is cool.
 
whetrock said:
PocketknifeJimmy, you need to check out the Colt knives, they're a bit more than RR, but very substantially built, and their bullet end Jack is a very good buy IMO. Still RR has their place, the Colts are too garish, or maybe ornate for many. Still if you want to spend more for a little better quality, I think Colt is cool.
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I have a Colt 505 Damascus ordered. Just to see... :)
 




I have nothing but positive things to say about my (only) rough rider. A barlow that i didnt want to like, but I really do
i work in a warehouse doing all sorts of cutting, (cardboard, plastic banding, ties, wrap etc etc) and i've brought her to work and she does just as well as any other knife i have brought. Just my 2 cents.
 
"Midnight flyer's irony"? I may be dense but, I read his paragraphs as an indictment of a peculiar double standard that he finds as mystifying as I do. Well said Robert.
 
It certainly is a double standard! There's a demographic out there who won't change their opinions no matter what amount of truth is established. So be it. There's room for rr to be in the ecosystem when they make so many nice knives. I enjoy mine immensely. I used irony as the mods prefer to remove geopolitics from the discussion in all cases and this one is falling into that area albeit in a much less condescending and tempered manner.
 
That's a nice looking Barlow you have there, Rsmith_77. I especially like the execution of the bone handles. Nice color variation and I like that jigging pattern. It's different than what I usually see.

If I were to pick up a RR knife at some point, I think the Barlow would be the one I get. It's otherwise unrepresented in my group of carry knives.
 
From past experience I know that there are certain models that are heads above other RR models and some that are very, very good, enough to be in the running from comparable traditional companies.

It would be nice to have a concise list of all the RR models and their respective qualities. I know that it's subjective, but based on the feedback from the Sawcut models that I have sent to friends and my own Peanut and Trapper models I would have to say the three that I mentioned fall into the incredible value for the price category with solid fit and finish.

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My trapper even came with very even grinds!

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jc57 said:
That's a nice looking Barlow you have there, Rsmith_77. I especially like the execution of the bone handles. Nice color variation and I like that jigging pattern. It's different than what I usually see.

If I were to pick up a RR knife at some point, I think the Barlow would be the one I get. It's otherwise unrepresented in my group of carry knives.
Click to expand...
 
I have only a few traditional folders such as a Northfield Little Carver, a Case Sodbuster Jr and one or two more whose brand name I don't recall. This thread has inspired me to try out a few more patterns without spending a lot of money.
So I just ordered these Rough Riders:

Large Stockman with Yellow Composition Handle
Copperhead with Stag Bone Handle
Big Daddy Barlow with White Smooth Bone Handle
Amber Jigged Bone Small Barlow
Canoe with Red Jigged Bone Handle
Coke Bottle with Yellow Composition Handle

If I have the time, I will post pics and my impressions.
 
I had started my collection with the focus of mostly buying American made traditional knives that were being made by the few remaining US traditional knife makers. I also decided to throw in a few from some US companies that had went belly up. Then... a few got into the collection from other countries... the collection was certainly becoming more diverse. With it becoming international, my curiousity about Rough Rider grew. Well, I now own 6 Rough Riders, the diversity obviously continues. Here I have my latest display, which I decided to use to house my Rough Riders and my 2 Chinese made Buck knives.

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By the way... the RR stockman with the rifle shield, may actually be the sharpest factory sharpened knife I own. I am used to handling these things, but we all have moments where we can get so comfortable, we can get careless. Well, usually nothing serious happens, but maybe something to get your attention. Well, the rifleman stockman cut my finger... then moments later, cut another. The second time I realized how sharp it really is, and definitely showed it much respect while finishing her wipe down and joint oiling... OUCH!

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lol!... index and thumb!!!!
 
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Ray Settanta said:
I have only a few traditional folders such as a Northfield Little Carver, a Case Sodbuster Jr and one or two more whose brand name I don't recall. This thread has inspired me to try out a few more patterns without spending a lot of money.
So I just ordered these Rough Riders:

Large Stockman with Yellow Composition Handle
Copperhead with Stag Bone Handle
Big Daddy Barlow with White Smooth Bone Handle
Amber Jigged Bone Small Barlow
Canoe with Red Jigged Bone Handle
Coke Bottle with Yellow Composition Handle

If I have the time, I will post pics and my impressions.
Click to expand...

Looking forward to reading your impressions of them... good luck :)
 
The only one I handled was a Barlow which had blade play and just felt cheap. It felt like the bolster was just folded metal. I don't get the big attraction besides being them being so cheap. I don't care for the coin edge nail nicks or the garish designs they put on the bolsters of some. Most of the scales looks very cheaply done also. I would rather pay a few extra dollars and get something to be proud of.
 
jc57 said:
So Jimmy, is your curiosity resolved yet? :)
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Yeah, I got a decent handle on what a Rough Rider knife is now... But, I think, for now, I'm good with the few I have... my diversity keeps my collection growing in who knows what direction next! :) I am looking forward to my incoming German made Bulldog brand Stag Congress... should be something that keeps me excited about this hobby (got my fingers crossed) :)

Oh, and RR has left it's mark... And I mean literally... cutting me and all..... Again, OUCH! lol! ;)
 
jc57 said:
That's a nice looking Barlow you have there, Rsmith_77. I especially like the execution of the bone handles. Nice color variation and I like that jigging pattern. It's different than what I usually see.

If I were to pick up a RR knife at some point, I think the Barlow would be the one I get. It's otherwise unrepresented in my group of carry knives.
Click to expand...

thanks!
I certainly like it..even carried it to work again today..i just like this little guy
kinda sucks that its my cheapest knife, but then again, thats pretty cool in a way too :p
 
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