Ronin as Utility Knife?

S

Scott Free

Joined
Sep 15, 1999
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3,319
I've been looking for a small wharncliff fixed blade for some time. It would be used for cord, cardboard, rubber, wood-- stuff. The Spyderco Ronin has caught my eye. I think it's ugly-- but so is a Glock.

So--considering the unorthodox blade and handle shape, how would the Ronin serve for general utility?

Scott
 
Careful what you call ugly -- some ugly things can *hurt* you. :p

Um, I don't see why the Ronin would not suit your purposes. I may end up with one someday myself. It looks wholly utilitarian. Nothing is simpler to sharpen, by the way, than an Wharncliff blade.

And the Glock is not ugly. It's elegant and simple. You want ugly, go for those Makarov crap pistols that came out of Russia a few years ago. Or those Walther/S&W P99-whatever-thingamabobs. They're about as attractive as a Russian sedan.

*post edited by author to remove "offensive" remark about Russian housewives.*

And I'll bet that the remark in Russian from JohnnieT to Pyton was less-than-flattering to "PJ". Should I go requesting a translation and then a removal?

---Jeffrey
 
Jeffrey, yould you be so kind to clear your comment about Russian women? It is just plain offensive.
 
Yeah Jeffrey, it sounds like some Russian housewives must have dissed you pretty hard. :p

Pyton -- ne bespokoysya, PJ sovsem ne predstavlyaet nashe obschee mnenie. ;)
 
Scott,

The wharncliff edge is of great utility because it keeps the edge at a nice consistent angle to the cutting medium. The point on the Ronin is also a very useful feature.
 
Originally posted by pyton357ru
Jeffrey, yould you be so kind to clear your comment about Russian women? It is just plain offensive.
Click to expand...

uh-oh....someone's in trouble :footinmou

python357ru, I'm sure peacefuljeffrey didn't mean it...I mean, have you seen those bootylicious russian women in FHM magazine....
 
I love Spyderco fixed blade knives. I have two Perrin bowies and a Moran. I had a Ronin but sold it because I didn't find it useful to me beyond it's self defense capabilities.

The Ronin has the best micarta handle on any knife I've ever used including customs like Doziers. However, the blade isn't a utility blade.

IMHO the blade doesn't classify as a Wharncliff. It's too wide and short to have the utility as most blades classified as Wharncliff's. The edge/point geometry is for slicing in a straight down motion. Rocking the handle up while slicing on a hard surface exposes the needle tip to a lot of stress.

The Ronin is a superb self defense knife. If you're after a utility knife I'd suggest a Moran.

I noted on the Spyderco Forum here at BladeForums that I'd stand in line to get a clip point style blade on a Ronin handle. That still goes.
 
Originally posted by Scott Ridgeway
It would be used for cord, cardboard, rubber, wood-- stuff.
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When I listed my "utility cutting needs, I should have also mentioned leather and warm kydex (soft.) I want a true wharncliff with a straight point. It may sit on my work table more than it would be carried. I'm not too concerned about the tip of the Ronin breaking using it in the way I intend. (I don't break exacto blades.)

My choices are quite limited as far a fixed blade production knives are concerned. I can't think of anything beside the stuff from CRKT.

So-- I really want the Ronin to work.

Malcolm-- You gave me the TYPE of information I'm looking for. You didn't tell me what I wanted to hear, though. So now I'm looking for someone to dissagree with you. :-)

Scott
 
Scott Ridgeway,

I had the same needs myself. I just bought a Super Knife and a pack of 100 Stanley utility razor blades.

I intend to use this for cutting crappy things, when cutting open numerous boxes (like cleaning my basement) or when sharpening might be difficult.

Rather than take the Edge-Pro to South Dakota, I might take a good knife with a fresh edge (like my SnG), and the Super Knife and a packet of spare razors. I don't like to bothered with maintenance issues when on vacation.
 
I've been looking for a small wharncliff fixed blade for some time. It would be used for cord, cardboard, rubber, wood-- stuff.
Click to expand...

Me too. I bought a Dozier Personal Wharncliffe - and it's brilliant. Bladeart.com has them.

*I don't work for Bladeart*
 
The Super Knife (or a Lowes utility knife) is certainly the most practical answer. This is about "needing" yet another new knife, though, more than it's about practicality. Unfortunately the Super Knife doesn't quite scratch the itch.

The Dozier (if it had a straight edge) would most definitely provide the right "fix," but it also happens to be twice the price of the Ronin.

hmmm...

Scott
 
I think the Ronin is fantastic for any task that doesn't put stress on its needle-thin tip. It is hands down the meanest slicer I own, but the tip is just itching to snap off under medium/hard duty.
 
if you want a nice wharncliff fixed blade, Murray Carter makes an excellent wharncliff neck knife. japanese steel and all. they go for around $150.
 
Ya know... I'll clear that comment I made in a minute, but only because I'm in a chipper-enough mood. But I would suggest that some people need to thicken their skins a bit -- especially those who deal with *knives* -- because it was a damn *joke*, alright? Let's not be sissies. (UH oh! Now I'll bet the gay contingent will want me to clear *that* one, too!)

Knife nuts, gun nuts... we all have to deal with so much bullsh*t political correctness run wild that it felt good to be here where it wasn't so friggin' rampant. If I read a comment making some crack about "Yanks" I would maybe make a comment back -- or let it slide, which is the normal thing to do -- but I wouldn't go being such a priss that I asked that it be edited and removed. But that's just me.

We all know the stereotype I was conjuring -- that of the plump peasant women in babushkas. Jeez, is that SO offensive? And if it is, is it that big a DEAL?

Used ta be, if we read something that we found offensive, we contented ourselves with just thinking that the writer was an ass. Now we have to entreat him to swallow his words? Can *prior* restraint be far behind?

Just this once. Then never again.

---Jeffrey
 
Scott,

I have to agree that a Superknife doesn't have much sex appeal or ambiance.

Now that you have better defined your "utility" use, I see you will have good control of the media to be cut and the surface underneath.

If you like the Ronin, it's a lot less expensive than a Dozier, buy it. Be prepared to reprofile the tip when the extreme end breaks. It is not more likely to break than that Xacto tip (good analogy, think of the Ronin as a big Xacto blade;)). I believe after about 1/32 of tip loss you will be able to reshape it to something that is less likely to break. Besides, knife sharpening and tip profiling are almost as much fun as using the knife.

So there, I've disagreed with myself :rolleyes:
 
As much as I love my Spyderco Ronin, I'd just as well use a box cutter for the jobs indicated by the thread starter.
 
The right tool for the right job is always a joy to have.

Last night, my wife got her order from Cold Steel. My knives were on my side of the couch, along with the Super Knife. She handed me the package. Yikes, the package almost fell apart.

Sure I could have used a 400 dollar Microtech, but the Super Knife was the one we needed at that moment.
 
You guys and your Superknives make too much sense! I think you should all be banned for trying to discourage a fellow forumite from an expensive knife purchase! :-)

Scott
 
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