Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints

I have been collecting RR knives since 2007. What continually amazes me is that every pattern (and there are about 100(?) of them, and every knife, is a 'good' one. They feel good in hand, work as they should, arrive shaving sharp, cut very well meaning blade grind is good, not thick or chunky, and edge hold for a long time and very rarely have any significant 'issues'. (significant meaning impairs function). To get this level of performance and quality control in another brand you have to go to SAK which are 2-3x the price of RR's, or GEC which are 8-10x the price.
Even though i have a few hundred RR's i still am amazed when the newest one comes in and every aspect of it is 'right on'.
kj
 
I don't recall seeing anyone post a picture of the RR sodbuster without the linerlock, which is a favorite of mine. Here it is next to a Case for size and blade shape reference. I really like the pointy tip of the RR.

IMG_20150422_111741_hdr_kindlephoto-72562113_zpsndvnkd09.jpg
 
kootenay joe said:
I have been collecting RR knives since 2007. What continually amazes me is that every pattern (and there are about 100(?) of them, and every knife, is a 'good' one. They feel good in hand, work as they should, arrive shaving sharp, cut very well meaning blade grind is good, not thick or chunky, and edge hold for a long time and very rarely have any significant 'issues'. (significant meaning impairs function). To get this level of performance and quality control in another brand you have to go to SAK which are 2-3x the price of RR's, or GEC which are 8-10x the price.
Even though i have a few hundred RR's i still am amazed when the newest one comes in and every aspect of it is 'right on'.
kj
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Just picked up my first RR a few days ago - a Barlow. I have to say, that for the price, I was amazed at the sharpness, fit and finish. I still have a special place in my heart for USA made traditional blades, but RR provides an opportunity to try more patterns in a way that's easier on the wallet.
 
swarthys said:
Just picked up my first RR a few days ago - a Barlow. I have to say, that for the price, I was amazed at the sharpness, fit and finish. I still have a special place in my heart for USA made traditional blades, but RR provides an opportunity to try more patterns in a way that's easier on the wallet.
Click to expand...

The Gateway drug of pocket knives :D

Regards

Robin
 
I won this in a GAW hosted by BDEV and it is an amazing knife!! I can't believe the quality of this Rough Rider. I don't understand how RR can make knives of this quality knives for the price.

 
The pointy tip is why I picked up the latest RR Soddie and gaveaway the Case and German Bull Soddies that I had which were much more expensive relative to the RR.
 
That's right. RR always grinds the edges all the way 'past' the tip, both sides. Most other manufacturers get a bit sloppy close to the tip, at times leaving a blob of steel where the tip is or should be.
kj
 
This thread always costs money every time it pops up. Thankfully these knives are affordable! Really liking the moon glow so I ordered a sodbuster to try out. Now I see the non locking bone version and....well you know the rest. 😁

Here's a whittler that I have been using around the house today.

 
Still using the stag sowbelly, which has better than Case quality stag . . . for under $25 shipped (six years ago).
Check out the even grinds, too. Never had to sharpen this one, it was a razor out of the box. Stropped it a couple times lately.

RRsowbellystag_zpsx51slwq3.jpg~original
 
Here's a medium congress that I've been carrying for about a year.It had acrylic covers that I cracked over the winter so I popped them off and made the new ones from some curly maple and popped them over the old pins. I also ran a chainsaw file over the bolsters to give it a bit of a pinched bolster look.

Best regards

Robin
 
Nice work Robin, as you always do.
black mamba, that Stag was used on a few RR patterns about 5(?) years ago and it really is nice. Some of the examples i have arrived very dry and a couple had pin cracks so i put on a few thin coats of mineral oil and they have been stable (and attractive) ever since.
RR must have had a chance to buy only a small amount of this fine looking Stag or they would have put it on more knives.
kj
 
Thanks Brother, spending hours on a $10.00 knife seems strange but it's a heck of a great knife for leather cutting. This one has two sheeps foot and a coping blade, so perfect for lots of pull cutting.

Best regards

Robin
 
LastRodeo said:
I don't recall seeing anyone post a picture of the RR sodbuster without the linerlock, which is a favorite of mine. Here it is next to a Case for size and blade shape reference. I really like the pointy tip of the RR.

IMG_20150422_111741_hdr_kindlephoto-72562113_zpsndvnkd09.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow, that Rough Rider is just flat out awesome. The jigging and bone color on it is incredible. Also, one of the things I don't like about most sodbuster type knives is the lack of point due to extreme belly, so I like that Rough Rider blade shape much more.
 
Here's the big linerlock in coated micarta, they used to sand it out which gave a great gripping surface. It's next to a Case small soddie. The next pic is the Jumbo trapper, a wonderful big knife that they foolishly no longer make.

Best regards

Robin

 
I hate it that sometime I am walking take something out of my pocket hear a click and never bother to looks down.

Carrying my Moonglow today as I lost my whittler in the above mentioned way so I just ordered another one. Love the size, quality and the fact that I didn't have to sharpen it or have to create my own secondary bevel for it like how I've had to do with a $100 folder of another brand.
 
After reading about the Rough Riders and seeing the pictures posted, I just had to see one for myself. Being fond of the Muskrat pattern made it an easy choice of which to get. The knife came very sharp out of the box (as most have said) and the fit and finish is great. I brought it in to work and the only fault is the crack in the scale from the rivet. I own many traditional knives with Delrin scales and a lot of cracked scales so I am not concerned about this at all.


 
Pipeman -

Re: your RR jumbo liner lock sodbuster - mine came and the coating on the micarta was stuck to the plastic sleeve in the box; when I peeled it out, the micarta finish was all messed up, some areas showed linen, others black slick finish. Can I sand it down to all linen micarta? This is the first (of many RRs) I've had that arrived messed up. Actually I mis-ordered the wrong knife. I thought all the RR sodbusters were like the standard ones; didn't realize the micrata was so large. All my other RRs are great knives.

What I've done (and can undo) is go over the handle with a black magic marker and then use a spray acrylic to finish the handle. Looks "sort of" ok, but not really happy with it. Suggestions?
Rich
 
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Rich S said:
Pipeman -

Re: your RR jumbo liner lock sodbuster - mine came and the coating on the micarta was stuck to the plastic sleeve in the box; when I peeled it out, the micarta finish was all messed up, some areas showed linen, others black slick finish. Can I sand it down to all linen micarta? This is the first (of many RRs) I've had that arrived messed up. Actually I mis-ordered the wrong knife. I thought all the RR sodbusters were like the standard ones; didn't realize the micrata was so large. All my other RRs are great knives.

What I've done (and can undo) is go over the handle with a black magic marker and then use a spray acrylic to finish the handle. Looks "sort of" ok, but not really happy with it. Suggestions?
Rich
Click to expand...

Hi Rich
If you're sure its micarta it would be fine to sand it down. I bought them for about 5 years and they were alway sanded out micarta. I ordered the same knife (number) but got the one in the pic so I assume it's micarta under the glaze.

Best regards

Robin
 
Rich S, i have never heard of an RR with the handle melted (?) in to the sleeve baggie, and i have read every post in this long thread. Any idea of what happened to mess up the handles ? I would like to know the RR # if you have it.
Sounds like it is not too hard to fix.
kj
 
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