Received my Bulldog brand congress & my 3 Colt brand knives today...

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

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Aug 4, 2013
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Was really excited to have two packages waiting for me when I got home. One contained my German made Bulldog brand congress knife... and the other containing three Chinese made Colt brand knives. I was most excited about my stag handled 2007 year Bulldog congress... and it does not disappoint! I have been wanting a Bulldog, which I had none of, and wanted it in congress pattern, which is what this is. The beautiful f&f on this Bulldog, made me happy, and when I went on to inspect the Colts, I was not going to be too upset if they turned out to be not so great... But, the 3 Colts are also very nice overall, so happy plus is my mood :) The 3 Colts are handled in bone... 2 being smooth black bone, the other being a brown jigged stag bone. The smooth black bone goes nice with the peanut and canoe's Colt script shields. On the whittler, the brown jigged stag bone looks nice, but has certain fine machine marks that do not let them equal Queen's beautiful amber jigged stag bone, but still is a decent rendition (again, Queen's is downright awesome). Overall f&f is again proving that SMKW seems to be pretty darned serious about offering a real decent knife at a great unbeatable price. I know many have said that they believe that Rough Riders and these Colts are mostly good to just try out different patterns for cheap, and then if one likes, one can upgrade with better (and much more expensive) brands. It's okay to feel that way, everyone has their opinions... But my opinion is that these are good enough to compare with some other brands of higher cost... And, if you buy one of these Colts, and like it, there is no need to feel you purchased a tryout piece of junk, because they compare and stand on their own merits against many of the better known (and again, pricier) brands. Can you get a lemon?... Yup... but that is true with any brand.
I also got a brand new freebie knife from the seller that sold me the German made Bulldog. The knife is a Frost Cutlery Steel Warrior stockman made in China. This knife is strictly a bargain bin looking specimen that has "flea market" feel and look to it. Was nice of the guy to send it along... but it simply has no place in my collection ;)
 
SAK Guy said:
All nice looking esp that Bulldog!!!!!!!!
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Thank you, Sir! :)
Here is the freebie... and what a nice gesture it was for the seller to send it along. I'm sure I'll find a non knife nut that will love it for what it is... a basic pocket knife :)

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I assume your comments about the relative quality of these knives compared to more expensive brands are based solely on looks and fit/finish? As I recall you don't actually use your knives, just display them. Maybe the differences between brands become more apparent when they have been sharpened, carried, and used over a period of time.
 
jc57 said:
I assume your comments about the relative quality of these knives compared to more expensive brands are based solely on looks and fit/finish? As I recall you don't actually use your knives, just display them. Maybe the differences between brands become more apparent when they have been sharpened, carried, and used over a period of time.
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Yes, obviously my comments are based on overall f&f. As for the blade steel and durability... the Rough Riders (likely the same makers as the Colt knives) have been pretty well discussed here. That too seems mostly very positive. Though the steel is 440a... it seems to be comparing well to Case' 420hc knives... and one pays quite a few dollars more for those. So, the word comparable seems to hold true, except for price.
 
They do look nice, and my knife needs are sufficiently modest that I'd probably not notice the difference between Rough Rider 440A, Case Tru-Sharp, and Victorinox Stainless in daily use. I seem to be in a knife buying lull at the moment, but if that changes I may pick up one of the SMKW house brands just out of curiosity, much as you did.
 
Ahh... just finished wiping down and doing a final inspection on the Bulldog.... Here it is in a display right next to one of my favorite Case knives (a beautiful little mini trapper). Absolutey am glad I ordered this congress knife :)

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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Ahh... just finished wiping down and doing a final inspection on the Bulldog.... Here it is in a display right next to one of my favorite Case knives (a beautiful little mini trapper). Absolutey am glad I ordered this congress knife :)

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They match nicely!!! :thumbup:
 
When I had mentioned above that the Colt whittler's bone is a nice rendition of a bone stag, but is no match for Queen's bone stag... Well, here is a picture of one of my Queen Cutlery toothpicks... and as one can see, Queen does an amazing job on their bone stag. Even comparing the higher priced Schatt & Morgan next to it, the Queen stag bone sticks out as simply artwork, imo....

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So, when I compare the Colt's stag bone, and it falling short of Queen, one has to understand that Queen is about King in this field :)
 
Nice Bulldog Jimmy, your other thread I had said mine has the smoothest and even action on all for blades, I hope yours is like that also, another detail that I thought was nice, is the seamless double center brass liner, I can only tell it is doubled by looking from the blade side.
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I may need to pickup another Bulldog congress

Pete
 
Yeah, mine is the same, having that double center brass liner... Don't know if that is unique, or if it has some intended purpose... but just like yours, very well finished. I think that your handle material makes yours a bit more unique, for sure... loving that translucent look :)
 
jc57 said:
I assume your comments about the relative quality of these knives compared to more expensive brands are based solely on looks and fit/finish? As I recall you don't actually use your knives, just display them. Maybe the differences between brands become more apparent when they have been sharpened, carried, and used over a period of time.
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I can tell you that in my experience that the differences become less and less, not greater. I was gifted this knife by close relative about 5 years ago, and it went to the job site a couple of months later. I had never owned a knife from "over there", but I carried it because it meant a lot to the person that gave it to me.



I took this picture at one of the kitchens I was remodeling to prove to him that it was in my pocket, out on the job and in use.



I am a die hard fan of old CASE knives. This knife is almost the exact same pattern as my favorite of all time, the 6392 series of stockman knives. Granted this one is in rotation, but it spends a several months a year on the job. It has never developed any blade play, wobbles or gaps. Snap is excellent, and consistent on all three blades. The steel is as good as any of my domestic offerings and even better than some except my Queen folders in D2 (my favorite folder steel).

I would have never tried any of these knives unless one had been gifted to me. After using it, I liked this pattern so much and the quality of the one that I got I found out where it was purchased and bought two more. They carry, work, and feel like my old CASE favorite, so I am pretty dang happy with them.

They are a perfect answer for my needs. I don't worry about tearing them up (it isn't a $100 knife), I do little maintenance, clean it up with charcoal lighter when I get butyl caulk or adhesives on it, and don't have to sharpen often. I have touched up the edge on 600 gr wet and dry sandpaper when needed on site and never worry about my acidic sweat rusting this knife.

A lot of knife for the +/- $12 I have in it. At this rate I will never use the other two knives.

Robert
 
Stag bone on the large Colt whittler (it is a little blurry, but if you get close up, you can see the fine machine lines left within the design's pattern)...
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And the stag bone on my Queen copperhead (looks more convincing, not showing any machine marks).
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Again, Queen is superb with this stag bone jigging, and though the Colt is similar in appearance, they may never achieve Queen's level. But, the Queen was about 70 bucks, the Colt under 20 bucks... so one can give the Colt credit and cut it some slack all at the same time. Btw... the Queen also has a better overall f&f, and is bladed with D2 steel... so it does represent a higher quality standard, for sure :)

The Colt knives are great value, with decent f&f. I absolutely love the boxes that they come in, simply a classy touch. These knives would make a nice present, without breaking the bank. I continue to be impressed at the value that the Rough Riders and Colts are offering :)
 
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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Stag bone on the large Colt whittler (it is a little blurry, but if you get close up, you can see the fine machine lines left within the design's pattern)...
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And the stag bone on my Queen copperhead (looks more convincing, not showing any machine marks).
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Again, Queen is superb with this stag bone jigging, and though the Colt is similar in appearance, they may never achieve Queen's level. But, the Queen was about 70 bucks, the Colt under 20 bucks... so one can give the Colt credit and cut it some slack all at the same time. Btw... the Queen also has a better overall f&f, and is bladed with D2 steel... so it does represent a higher quality standard, for sure :)
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Don't fall into the hole of micro picking a knife to insanity's end. If that Colt was carried and used, those machine marks would be gone in a month or two from pocket wear. When you said you were picky, you weren't kidding! If that had been posted as a flaw on a domestically made $125 knife on this forum, you would be getting an ear full (or at least a screen or two full) no doubt.

I love the polish and appearance of the scales on Queen knives, too. Mostly I like their D2. I have bought about 5 different Queens in a row, and now I am giving them a rest. One of the knives had long gaps at the liner/spring that were just a bit too small to slide a piece of paper in. Still a good worker, but still annoying. One of them is a large stockman that has a blade so lazy I have to MANUALLY close it. Another is Dan Burke medium stockman that had the scales so overheated when jigging that the jigging was literally breaking off in little chips. Had to call Mike to get a workable solution.

Add to the fact that one came really sharp, and the rest I had to re-profile since the edges were so obtuse. It came to me that one of highlights of buying Queen knives besides their D2 is that they are pretty. Following their price increase (as warned by Mike a while back) I think I will raise my expectations of Queen. Being cosmetically perfect isn't nearly as important to me as being mechanically "as good as possible". And personally, I own a Queen that has the machine marks on it as you see on your Colt. No problem with that from me.

But then of course, there's that price thing...

I will pay more to get more, but I don't like paying many times more to get less. I am to the point I just don't buy domestically made knives anymore without personal inspection or from a good vendor like Mike Latham. I only have the one Colt, and while not completely perfect, even if it were domestically made and in its price range equivalent of $80, I would still be happy.

After all the nit picking on a couple of threads concerning the quality of RR and Colt knives, I decided to get the box out and take a look at the last 25 - 30 knives or so I have purchased or have been gifted.

Best built, best finished as a whole are the five or so off shore offerings, especially the specimens from AG Russel. The rest of the domestic knives are nice, but only one comes up to the AGR standard.

I try not to be so picky as I don't want to ruin my purchase for myself. Few of the knives mass manufactured (say 100 and up at a time of one model) have the fit and finish of the old knives we bought 40 years ago.

Robert
 
I don't feel my observations have been unfair, and I share such observations about any and all brands when I see them (anybody that has read my threads in the past, knows that is a fact). As for the Colt's jigging marks, they are in the valleys, not it's peaks, so carrying will do little to those lines I mention. I have actually said much good about these imports... but any and all that sticks out for me, good or bad, I share with folks here. And, obviously, what I notice, others won't, or won't care about... I leave that up to them to decide :)

Btw, sometimes observations are just that... not a flaw, but maybe a difference between two makers or specimens. A flaw, or what I personally consider one, will be labled as such. My comparison between the jigging done by Queen and the Colt knife, was factual. Nowhere did I call the Colt jigging a flaw, though I consider Queen's better executed, for sure :)
 
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