• 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.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Ranger RD9 - Needs some Work.

These knives are built to be users. I have had several and one of them did need some major reprofiling (RD6) but for the money you can't find anything to touch it. The fit of the micarta slabs to the tang could be better but it hasn't affected the performance of my knives. All of these are easily fixed by the consumer personally, but the beauty of Justin's knives is that you don't have to. He'll take care of pretty much any issue you have. That same RD6 ranks right up there with my Swamp Rats in my book and I looooove my Rats. 5160 is an excellent steel for this type of knife, very tough with and excellent heat treat. Can't go wrong with a Ranger.
 
PC356 said:
Can't go wrong with a Ranger.
Click to expand...
I sure hope so, cause the wait is beginning to look more and more like Busse. Close to 6 weeks now, nothing on the horizon. :(
 
Got the RD9 back from Justin,
and it is absolutely fanstastic!
IMG_4958.sized.jpg


Heres the post I made on the Kifeforum Ranger section.
http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?post/948288/

~John
 
Justin takes excellent care of his customers!! I am glad that you are happy with your RD 9 now!! That looks fantastic!
 
I wish you had given a bad report on Justin. :eek: (sarcasm)

Seriously, I have been thinking about getting one of his knives because they look good, feel good in my hand, and the price.....Wow!

Now the customer service to go with it! My wife is yelling already. :D :D

I just got to find a 6 with orange scales when I am ready. :D

Great job, Justin.

Thanks for the update.
 
I went camping Saturday before Sundays caving trip, and got to try out the Ranger RD9 a good bit.
The RD9 did a fantastic job of chopping up a ton of firewood up to about 2" diameter.
It could have easily chopped through larger stuff, but there were alot of smaller trees and branches that had fell around the camp site, so I used up all those.

We were pretty hard on this knife, even though we were mostly cuttig fairly thin branches, we were still not taking it easy on it.
Its a dream to de lim branches, the weight of the knife pops them right off.

Here are a few photos of the RD9 after some use.
IMG_5106.sized.jpg

IMG_5140.sized.jpg

IMG_5633.sized.jpg

IMG_5636.sized.jpg


I took a kitchen scratch pad, and some softscrub to the RD9 after I got home.
It cleaned up well, with only a couple slight stains left over.
There was some surface rust in a few spots, but not bad for being used all day and night, and probably not put away real clean.

IMG_5652.sized.jpg

IMG_5657.sized.jpg


~John
 
Nice work. Where along the blade was the most comfortable point, impact wise, for chopping?

-Cliff
 
I'm really glad you followed up on this to show how well Justin takes care of his customers. You've got a great looking, great functioning knife now. :thumbup:
 
Cliff,

I would say about 1" to 1.5" back from where the blade starts to curve.
Once you learn to let the weight of the knife do the cutting, it way pretty easy.

Glad to report back guys,
I had no intensions of just disappearing once Justin took care of me,
he did an Excellent job, and was a Pleasure to deal with.

~John
 
I am glad that your Ranger knife is the way you want it and are happy with it!! Justin DOES take excellent care of his customers!! Thanks for reporting back!
 
was there any rust spots after all the cleaning ang oiling? Also were you in a moist place or did the blade get wet when you were out?
 
I recently also bought a RD9 (Brigade Quartermaster, 109.99 then 20 off for sighning up for their newsletter, so less than 100 shipped, just incase anyone else wants to pull this gig) and was impressed when I first saw it. Then the critic in me took hold. Mine too has a huge problem with the powder coating, flaking and chipping, spots just flake right off without abuse, it seems at time without contact or use. But that is just that, a finish. I didn't buy this knife to collect dust like some folks do. I bought this knife to be a hard working chopper, which it does beautifully. It strikes me odd to hear how yours came, when mine shaved hair right out the box and edge retention is fantastic,and the handle is rounded off and a nice flat top without strange angles,however the only problem (which it hasn't even been a problem yet...) I find is the way the first inch and a half taper to dangerously thin proportions. Also the edge is sharpen off balance. I don't know the technical knife vernacular to describe this, but the blades beveled edge is twice as long on one side. Again not a huge problem as far as I know for something that isn't supposed to look all prettied up. I have attepted to contact Justin through several emails, but have received no response about a custom knife. Overall for 100 dollars I have not found its equal. So for anyone not willing or able to shell out a weeks+ worth of pay for some Swamp Rats of Hogs, I highly recommend a Ranger knife from Justin. Jason
 
Gravelface said:
I find is the way the first inch and a half taper to dangerously thin proportions.
Click to expand...

The tip or the edge?

I don't know the technical knife vernacular to describe this, but the blades beveled edge is twice as long on one side.
Click to expand...

Asymmetric bevels are not uncommon, though usually not to that degree. You can correct it yourself the first time you sharpen.

Gravelface said:
That finish is beautiful. Is there a way to "Do it yourself"?
Click to expand...

Sandpaper and a lot of effort.

-Cliff
 
It was a couple rainy days when the knife was used.
and it was cutting wet wood most of the day, and was sheathed a few times with alittle water on it.
I could also detect some sap on it also.

Here is another good shot of the blade before cleaning.
IMG_5641.sized.jpg

Larger Image here. http://www.jtice.com/gallery/view_photo.php?full=1&set_albumName=RangerRD9&id=IMG_5641

There are only a couple of slightly darkened blotch stains on the blade after cleaning.

After getting the RD9 back from Justin,
it has the most even and baby ass smooth edge I have ever felt....
EVEN AFTER THE DAYS OF CHOPPING!

~John
 
Cliff, the tip tapers and can you give explict details as to the exact proceedure with the sandpaper or could you recommend a book on how to? Jason
 
Remove the coating with paint and epoxy remover. It is quick and easy. I did it to my beckers and it will look like it is beadblasted at first. Then if you want a satin finish just use a sander or do it by hand. I think it is called JASCO paint and epoxy remover.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top