Need New Snake...Solution found

[5-Shot]

A while back there was thread here about the joys of inexpensive knives. The most frequently mentioned brand was Rough Rider and at least one sage suggestion that Rough Rider knives would be a good way to try on different patterns without spending a fortune. Since I live close to a major knife store it has been disturbingly easy for me to exercise that option. I won't go into all my adventures but one stands out. I recently bought a Rough Rider Baby Copperhead and must report that I am completely taken with it. Although I am presumably eligible for membership in the Cult of the Peanut by virtue of my Case Yellow CV Peanut, I like this little Copperhead pattern even better. Being a single spring design it's thinner than my Peanut and that matters in my Wrangler watch pocket. Closed, both knives are about the same width (height?). More importantly, the additional quarter inch in grip length (0.318" by actual measure) makes it fit into my hand perfectly. I can get an exact 3-finger grip rather rather than the Peanut's 2.671 finger grip. That additional quarter inch length doesn't appear to make it any more difficult to slip into my watch pocket.

Now there's a problem. Although that little Rough Rider is a surprisingly nice knife, it's time for an upgrade. The big soul stealing store up the road has a bunch of Case mini Copperheads but they are all in stainless and I'm not sure how much of an upgrade that would be. Can anyone here suggest a carbon steel or D2 Baby/Mini Copperhead ? Any assistance would be appreciated.

Ed

 

[screened porch]

I'm not too clear what a mini-copperhead is. I have one that has a Wharncliffe main, where yours is a clip, and AG Russell sells copperheads that look nothing like my mini.
As for middling-sized single-spring pens, maybe the large case pen knife?
Sorry, not "large pen knife", just pen knife (3 3/8" closed).

 

[knarfeng]

Can anyone here suggest a carbon steel or D2 Baby/Mini Copperhead ? Any assistance would be appreciated.

Ed

AG Russell, a BF Dealer member in good standing and an icon of the knife world for decades, has a Queen SFO that you might find interesting.

They call it a "Queen two blade Wharncliffe". (It's been on my want list ever since I saw it and it is just about at the top of the list right now.)

 

[buendia518]

5-shot that AG Russell above seems perfect if you like a wharncliffe.
Thanks for the lead knarfeng. Do you think I could expect those to arrive with a decent edge? After a lot of frustration, I'm about to resort to paying a member to reprofile/ sharpen some of my knives.

 

[5-Shot]

"They call it a "Queen two blade Wharncliffe". (It's been on my want list ever since I saw it and it is just about at the top of the list right now.)"

It's now at the top of my list also. It looks perfect and I kinda like Queens. Thank you sir!

Ed

 

[knarfeng]

5-shot that AG Russell above seems perfect if you like a wharncliffe.
Thanks for the lead knarfeng. Do you think I could expect those to arrive with a decent edge? After a lot of frustration, I'm about to resort to paying a member to reprofile/ sharpen some of my knives.

My friends call me, "Frank." You should call me, "Frank."

I don't know. I am somewhat ashamed to admit it, but I have never bought anything from Mr. Russell. I do know that I have used a DMT EXTRA-coarse diamond stone to put a decent edge on most of my Queen knives.

I will say, that the 2014 vintage Queen I recently bought had a nice usable edge on it, right out to the tip (Hoorah!). I've still fussed with changing the edge angle, but Out of the Box, it was quite usable.

 

[Peregrin]

5-shot that AG Russell above seems perfect if you like a wharncliffe.
Thanks for the lead knarfeng. Do you think I could expect those to arrive with a decent edge? After a lot of frustration, I'm about to resort to paying a member to reprofile/ sharpen some of my knives.

I have a few of A.G.'s knives. They came nicely sharpened.

 

[5-Shot]

When I began this thread several days ago I was looking for a knife that about matched my Rough Rider Baby Copperhead in dimensions but that was made of steel that surpassed the wholesome goodness possessed by the RR's 440A. I got several great suggestions here (and they remain on the burner) but I may have stumbled on what I consider to be a satisfactory solution, at least for now. It's a solution far more fitting with my parsimonious Scottish heritage than buying some grand new knife would be. It turns out the answer was lying around in my goodies box all the while. Some time back I stumbled into a deal on a very disreputable looking Boker half whittler (at least that's what the seller called it). One, or both, grips had been replaced and by not stretch of the imagine did they match. But, the blade was made of "real steel" and the knife was exactly the right size.

Fortunately, I had recently read and copied "Dr Frankenstein, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying…" It is a great article on tearing down and rebuilding a knife. I figured I had little to lose. The local giant knife store provided some nickel silver rods; I had some brass ones as well as a chunk of black walnut rescued from a nearby woods. The thrift store had a wide array of suitable butcher knives so I was on my way in no time. It takes a certain amount of courage-building to split open a perfectly useful pocket knife the first time, but after that all is pretty obvious. The picture tells the rest. The whole process was far easier than I expected. I won't claim complete mastery of the process…especially when it comes to mounting shields…but I'm quite pleased with the result. Thanks all.

Ed

 

[Cory Hess]

I dare say, that looks pretty darn good from where I'm sitting. Kudos to you, sir.