Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints

[kootenay joe]

Man, now i need one of the Colt G10 Ti coated Canoes too.
Dangerous thread to read but the great thing is: these desired objects are affordable by most of us here. Thank you Colt & RR & Steel Warrior & Ocoee River.
kj

 

[Sonny14]

Here is a RR I got yesterday. First one I have handled.

Cool, another Trapperlock. Same frame, slightly different shield & handles, but a great knife for the money.

Sonny

 

[Captain O]

Recently purchased a couple of new Colts: a "black stag" sowbelly stockman in stainless steel and a G-10 canoe with titanium-coated carbon steel blades. I'm quite pleased with each of them!

The "black stag" is actually stag bone, and I think it looks very good. My photo skills aren't good enough to do it justice; it actually has quite deep valleys/grooves jigged into it that I think look and feel very good. Quite well-made and very solid; it's not completely "light-tight" between springs and liners, but the gaps are very small. The spey blade rubs against the sheepsfoot when I push the spey over while opening it; pull on the blades is about a 6 IMHO, and the action is smooth. Here are a couple of pics of the knife open with the fancy box it came in.

And here are photos of each side of the knife with blades closed.

I like a canoe pattern, and I was curious about Colt's small selection of carbon steel folders, so I ordered the one pictured below, even though I thought the titanium-coated blades were kind of "gimmicky". Turns out I REALLY like this knife! It's also very solidly constructed, although again some light gets through small gaps between the backsprings. No blade rub, blades are nicely centered, main blade about a 6 pull, secondary a 7. I find the knife to be VERY visually appealing: surprisingly, I like the charcoal-colored blades with very nice swedges (the blades are darker in person than in my pics); I think the silver script Colt shield against the black micarta looks awesome; the red lining between covers and liners is a nice touch; and this is my first micarta, and I'm pleased with the texture or grain that I can see in the G-10.

- GT

I like both, but that "Stag" is specially appealing!

Thanks,

Captain O

 

[5K Qs]

Those are great looking knives. Really glad they got rid of the C stamp on the bolsters as that really seemed like decoration overkill to me. The swedges on the canoe are pretty well done. Too bad it's a double spring.

Blades that thick, you'd only really be able to make it work as a double spring. If you put them on the same spring it would be an incredibly thick spring, with catch bits the size of nickels.

True enough, that. I would prefer thinner blades as well.

Thanks for the compliment, Mark. I have a buckshot bone Colt teardrop jack that I also like a lot, but the C on the bolsters is definitely a feature I could do without on that knife. Your comment about the double springs was interesting to me. I've decided lately that I'd like to get several examples of the canoe pattern, and I thought that they'd be single spring pen knives. But I have 3 Rough Rider canoes and this Colt, and all have double springs. Do you happen to know of any single spring models? Do most vendors provide this info on their websites?

I wonder if Colt makes the spines so thick to facilitate swedging. The edges of the blades don't seem especially thick, but the spines appear to be quite hefty!

I almost pulled the trigger on one of these last week, but got the RR Trapperlock instead. After seeing yours though, I think I might just have to go ahead with that original idea. I really like the copper bolsters accented against the dark blades, I just wasn't sure about the quality. Thanks for posting the mini review, gotta have one now.

Sonny

You're welcome, Sonny. My photos aren't the best, and taking them on a red brick probably messes up the true colors, but the bolsters of the canoe are nickel silver, not copper. Don't know if that changes your opinion, but I don't think you'd be disappointed if you got one!

Man, now i need one of the Colt G10 Ti coated Canoes too.
Dangerous thread to read but the great thing is: these desired objects are affordable by most of us here. Thank you Colt & RR & Steel Warrior & Ocoee River.
kj

If you get one, KJ, let us know what you think of it, OK?

I like both, but that "Stag" is specially appealing!

Thanks,

Captain O

You're also welcome, Captain. I'm a sucker for sowbellies anyway, and to get one at this price with such attractive covers was a deal I couldn't pass up. I don't know how manufacturers actually make bone stag, but I really like the way that it looks "randomly" carved compared to the straightforward patterns that jigged bone often has.

- GT

 

[RickT57]

Has anyone bought a Steel Warrior Executive twin blade pen?

 

[Sword and Shield]

True enough, that. I would prefer thinner blades as well.

So would I. I love thin blades on pocketknives, sodbusters and larger folding hunters excepted, and those only excepted as they often have to pull the really hard/nasty work when they go in my pocket.

 

[MarkPinTx]

Thanks for the compliment, Mark. I have a buckshot bone Colt teardrop jack that I also like a lot, but the C on the bolsters is definitely a feature I could do without on that knife. Your comment about the double springs was interesting to me. I've decided lately that I'd like to get several examples of the canoe pattern, and I thought that they'd be single spring pen knives. But I have 3 Rough Rider canoes and this Colt, and all have double springs. Do you happen to know of any single spring models? Do most vendors provide this info on their websites?

I wonder if Colt makes the spines so thick to facilitate swedging. The edges of the blades don't seem especially thick, but the spines appear to be quite hefty!




You're welcome, Sonny. My photos aren't the best, and taking them on a red brick probably messes up the true colors, but the bolsters of the canoe are nickel silver, not copper. Don't know if that changes your opinion, but I don't think you'd be disappointed if you got one!



If you get one, KJ, let us know what you think of it, OK?



You're also welcome, Captain. I'm a sucker for sowbellies anyway, and to get one at this price with such attractive covers was a deal I couldn't pass up. I don't know how manufacturers actually make bone stag, but I really like the way that it looks "randomly" carved compared to the straightforward patterns that jigged bone often has.

- GT

Come to think of it, most of the Asian canoes are double spring. I have handled some RR and own a Buck. Single spring, as Sword mentioned, is going to require blade crinking (bending) and/or a "catch bit," the little liner spacer used next to the thinner blade. Crinking I understand, but both of these techniques are regarded as fairly advanced knife craftsmanship or are expensive to mess with or both.

The first canoe pattern I bought was a Queen, and to my knowledge all of their variants are single spring. The D2 model I have from some years back (guessing mid 2000s) has a VERY thick main blade and a thin secondary with catch bit. It's slim for a very stout knife but is sufficiently heavy that it loses a bit of the "carryability" of the canoe pattern. It's a single spring, but the spring is probably 3/16" wide. In addition to being heavy, but stout, the profile on that main blade is a prime example of a Queen butterknife that needs pretty serious reprofiling.

However, your expectation that your new canoes would be single spring knives I think is warranted based on the historical pattern. Maybe vintage is where to look for some single springs.

I believe Case canoes are double-spring now, although they didn't used to be. Can't speak to the baby butterbean. A canoe with a single spring and blade thickness typical of Case knives, in CV, would be a dream, I think.

 

[kootenay joe]

2 blades, 1 spring, that's why i like Pen knives, and if over 3 1/2", Double End Jacks. It takes more skill to fit the 2 blades in giving each maximum length possible. And, the ends of the spring were tempered differently so that the thin razor like secondary had a softer pull than the stout powerful master blade.
Up the ante by 2 and you get 4 Blade Senators. The vintage ones (Sheffield, German, and U.S.A.) show the zenith of cutlery craftsmanship: 2 springs, 4 blades, each as long as possible, tucked together so closely that you cannot see any hint of the 2 springs, yet no blade rub and perfect walk/talk.
does this fit in this thread ? i just got carried away 'Senator Dreamin'.
kj

 

[knarfeng]

The other option to crinking is to offset the blades.

My Queen canoe is single spring. The blades are offset, not crinked.

 

[MarkPinTx]

Is that Queen D2, Frank or one of the various 1095 versions? It would appear to have slightly less thick main blade, but that may be something else. For some odd reason I have fantasized that maybe the 1095's aren't as thick as the D2 models.

Don't get me wrong, the Queen D2 Canoe is a heckuva knife once you get the edge thinned. It is slim for what it is. But I think one with blades more like the Case version, and single spring, would be pretty fantastic.

 

[5K Qs]

Come to think of it, most of the Asian canoes are double spring. I have handled some RR and own a Buck. Single spring, as Sword mentioned, is going to require blade crinking (bending) and/or a "catch bit," the little liner spacer used next to the thinner blade. Crinking I understand, but both of these techniques are regarded as fairly advanced knife craftsmanship or are expensive to mess with or both.

The first canoe pattern I bought was a Queen, and to my knowledge all of their variants are single spring. ...

However, your expectation that your new canoes would be single spring knives I think is warranted based on the historical pattern. Maybe vintage is where to look for some single springs.

I believe Case canoes are double-spring now, although they didn't used to be. Can't speak to the baby butterbean. A canoe with a single spring and blade thickness typical of Case knives, in CV, would be a dream, I think.

The other option to crinking is to offset the blades.

My Queen canoe is single spring. The blades are offset, not crinked.

...

Mark and Frank, thanks for the helpful information about construction options for the canoe pattern. :thumbup::thumbup:
I really appreciate the free education I get here!
(Free except for the knife purchases my newly acquired knowledge typically leads to. )

- GT

 

[knarfeng]

Is that Queen D2, Frank or one of the various 1095 versions? It would appear to have slightly less thick main blade, but that may be something else. For some odd reason I have fantasized that maybe the 1095's aren't as thick as the D2 models.

Don't get me wrong, the Queen D2 Canoe is a heckuva knife once you get the edge thinned. It is slim for what it is. But I think one with blades more like the Case version, and single spring, would be pretty fantastic.

The blade steel is D2. This knife was a real eye-opener to me. The blades are both the same shape, but because of the difference in thickness they lend themselves to very different uses.

 

[swaybacksteve]

Got in this Colt Teardrop in the buckshot bone...this is a heavy knife with a thick main spear. Good walk and talk, 6 pull. Just slightly rough when moving my finger at he edges of the scale and bolsters, but but for the cost...terrific!

 

[5K Qs]

Congrats, SBSteve! :thumbup::thumbup: I have a Colt Teardrop just like that, and I'm very pleased with it; a solid, well-made knife, and I think it looks good, too.

- GT

 

[Will Power]

Decent scales that Buckshot, interesting & different. I have the same on a single blade Gunstock, well worth the modest cost for decent quality!

 

[swaybacksteve]

Yup, now I'm eyeing the buckshot peanut and join the peanut gang. Although I should get a Case peanut eventually. All I have that small is an old
japanese Sabre

 

[Captain O]

Got in this Colt Teardrop in the buckshot bone...this is a heavy knife with a thick main spear. Good walk and talk, 6 pull. Just slightly rough when moving my finger at he edges of the scale and bolsters, but but for the cost...terrific!

Love it!

Captain O

 

[Bloefield]

Old pictures I posted before,but this Colt carbon bladed Trapper has been a great knife.
Built like a tank.

I was thinking of getting one as a gift for someone and don't see them anymore at the usual places.
That Colt Carbon Canoe looks really nice too The Buckshot Jack is well done as noted. I have the same one also.
I like these colorful RR's too eg: A 3 and 3/4" stockman and lockback Barlow

 

[FordRanger]

I have a question for all you Rough Rider aficionados, what is the faint, hazy look along the edges of RR blades? I've seen it on every single RR I've ever seen in person, and in a few pictures including my own. It almost looks like a differential tempering line, but that can't be what it is.



Here's the line I'm referring to, no matter how much I wipe the blades they all still have this line. it only shows up in certain light though, as looking at it from other angles makes it go away. I've never seen anything like it before to my recollection, but all of my Rough Riders have it. It doesn't really bother me but I've always wondered what it was.

 

[Fanglekai]

I have a question for all you Rough Rider aficionados, what is the faint, hazy look along the edges of RR blades? I've seen it on every single RR I've ever seen in person, and in a few pictures including my own. It almost looks like a differential tempering line, but that can't be what it is.



Here's the line I'm referring to, no matter how much I wipe the blades they all still have this line. it only shows up in certain light though, as looking at it from other angles makes it go away. I've never seen anything like it before to my recollection, but all of my Rough Riders have it. It doesn't really bother me but I've always wondered what it was.

I've always thought it was a tempering line.