ROS Arms ?

K

KnifeFury

Joined
Sep 21, 2006
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ROS Arms :thumbup: or :thumbdn:

During some web searching, I came across ROS Arms,
http://www.rosarmsusa.com/

There are some very cool looking models in their inventory, including the "ermak", "russian - 3", "paw", "federal-super", & "baby".

According to the website:
What type of steel is used for your knives?
Knives' blades are made of the famous Zlatoust forged and hardened stainless steel 110x18M and 40x10C-2M . You can check chemical components chart here. Hardness is <59 Rc. 110x18 was the best stainless steel in Soviet Union and always been used for military needs. Closest standart would be BG-42.
Click to expand...

Does anyone know if these knives are any good (worth buying) and if so where the best place to order them might be? I have not had any experience with the BG-42 steel.

They are some neat looking knives!
 
KnifeFury said:
ROS Arms :thumbup: or :thumbdn:

During some web searching, I came across ROS Arms,
http://www.rosarmsusa.com/

There are some very cool looking models in their inventory, including the "ermak", "russian - 3", "paw", "federal-super", & "baby".

According to the website:


Does anyone know if these knives are any good (worth buying) and if so where the best place to order them might be? I have not had any experience with the BG-42 steel.

They are some neat looking knives!
Click to expand...

I think the have some interesting designs and might acquire one next year. One thing to take note of is that many of the blade dimensions as given on the website means that the pictures may serve to "inflate" the actual size of the blades.

On the spec sheets, some of them seem awfully thin for fixed bladed knives.
 
"Boats", Next year is right around the corner! :D I might have to join you.

I was considering the "RUSSIAN - 3" which has a blade thickness of 0.2 in or 5 mm which is a decent thickness. I also like the "ERMAK", but now that you mention it, the blade thickness is only 0.08 in (2.2 mm), OMG, that is thin for a fixed blade. You are right, you need to pay attention to the specs on these!
 
This is my faivorite fixed blades and this is not only because this is Russian knives.

They have exceptional ergonomic - handles are very comfortable in terms of shape and materials. I recommend birch bark handle - warm and light. Overall knives are very light in comparison with usual american military stile knives with G10 and full Tang:

RosArms-Utes-005.jpg


Here RosArms "Utes" vs Buck 888 "Solution" - Utes is twice lighter.

Also they are well balanced in terms of weight.

Somehow they manage to have good stock of Russian military stainless ball bearing steel, US analog BG42. But I think 110x18MShd outperforms it. It cleaner I guess because of use ESR and VAR process in combination, while BG42 is only ARCed.

Only cons is sheath. Sometimes they are good, sometimes leather is too thin INHO. May be they fixed it right now, I don't know.

Most important - they just unbelivable beautiful! I am enjoing just holding it in my arms! It is not seen on their websit, but check out my pictures:

RosArms-Fox-II-01.jpg


RosArms-Cadet-001.jpg


RosArms-Ataman-001.jpg


RosArms-Utes-017.jpg
 
These two are really making me interested in ROS Arms....

baby-bg.jpg


federal-s-bg.jpg


Does anyone know where the best place to buy these are? I talked to some of the folks who I usually by knives from and they stated their distributor, Blueridge Knives, only carries a handfull of models - of course not the ones I want! Maybe ROS Arms is not that popular in the US as of yet....
 
I've had one about 6 weeks now and used it alot in the kitchen adn around the house.

I am really impressed with it, holds it's edge great.

It's a small utility size knife called the "Fellow Traveler" or "Traveler Companion" depending on what website your reading.

ROSarms-Fellow-Traveler-1.jpg
 
Originally it called "Poputchik" which means fellow traveller, somebody who share trip with you, somebody you may relay on and trust to go together in trip which may be dangerous.

I just forun RosArms listed on KnifeCenter! Now one of the major and popular Internet Store also selling them. I hope soon NG and others will start selling them.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Those Birchbark handles are beautiful. And I'm picky about wood handles.

I'm pretty sure I've seen RosArms mentioned more than once on here.
 
Hey, I noticed looking at the ROS Arms website there is only one Regional Store listed in the world!
"Russian Gifts and Collectibles" store
Westfield Shopping Town Fox Valle, Aurora. IL, 630-820-1111
Click to expand...

Has anyone ever been to this place? Do they have a good selection of knives for show and tell (maybe buy!)?

The only reason I ask is because my Wife has some family that live in Batavia, IL which is right next door. Maybe on the next visit I will need to check it out...

:D Aurora, IL -> Wayne's World :D
 
Hmmm, that is not too far from the homestead. I will have to check it out, and of course... I'll report back.
 
Tetsusaiga said:
Vassili, so I ssume that the steel that they use is stainless and not carbon steel??
Click to expand...

Yes this is old Soviet stainless ball bearing steel used in aero-space industry, military aviation in general from 1966. Western analog - BG-42, however 110x18MShD purified both ESR and VAR while BG42 goes only through VAR. Manufacturer has 20 years warranty on bearings made out of this steel.

Somehow RosArms manage to hold good stock of this steel, or may be they in the same city where they made it Zlatoust (Ural mountans is old known metallurgy region for few centuries and Zlatoust is Russian Zolingen or Seki), but this is only Russian company which making knife out of it as well as I know.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Neo said:
Vassili, have you any experience with AIR (www.zlatoust-air.ru)
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babe...ttp://zlatoust-air.ru/katalog.php?iraz=15&n=4
The "seal" looks interesting
Click to expand...

Unfortunately no, it is not available outside of Russia, as well as I know. It is only RosArms and Kizlyar selling knives in US.

AIR is from the same Zlatoust city, which is founded 200 years ago by Solingen and Klingenal bladesmithes. It is same Russian style, same schoool with stacked birch bark handles. Zlatoust has many companies making good knives, especially exclusive top grade with gold inlays and engraving etc all based on workes which doing this for generations.

AIR steel is bit different 95x18, less carbon (0.95%) - also good stainless.

I wish they also make their way to US market. But it is only RosArms has permanent representation here.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
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