Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints

[TsarBomba]

My dogbone jack with acorn shield has shipped!

That is all.

 

[Carboniferous]

I received an Old Forge lockback and a RR mini-Barlow today, and I'm almost thoroughly impressed. First, some pictures.

Here are my sub-$10 slipjoints:

And here is the whole gang:

The walk on the two RR slippies, honestly, rival the walk of any of my folders. The mini-Barlow lacks a bit of talk, but the canoe is, again, up there with my nicer folders. Both have better walk than my Case Peanut for 1/3 of the price - that is somewhat unsettling to me. The Old Forge has questionable walk, acceptable talk, and is a bit stiff to open, but it's still very acceptable and the lockup is completely solid. No play at all in any direction. That's more than I can say for plenty of $50+ knives I've owned. The canoe and the Old Forge have pretty tight springs, not much in the way of serious gaps, but the mini-Barlow has a rather large gap between the liner and spring on one side. Both RRs came with shaving sharp edges (TAKE NOTE, PLEASE, QUEEN) while the Old Forge came with a pretty terrible grind and a subpar edge. The yellow delrin on the canoe is rather uneven, but the wood on the Old Forge and the bone on the barlow are both quite attractive in my opinion.

All three of the knives are lacking in at least one major department, but all of them punch way above their weight price-wise. Really rather impressive, I was hesitant at first to even try out a RR but I have a feeling the brand is going to grow rather significantly as a proportion of my total knives quickly.

 

[tstaut]

The canoe and the Old Forge have pretty tight springs, not much in the way of serious gaps, but the mini-Barlow has a rather large gap between the liner and spring on one side. Both RRs came with shaving sharp edges (TAKE NOTE, PLEASE, QUEEN) while the Old Forge came with a pretty terrible grind and a subpar edge. The yellow delrin on the canoe is rather uneven, but the wood on the Old Forge and the bone on the barlow are both quite attractive in my opinion.

I have the same Old Forge lockback and the walk loosened up with quite a bit of break-in. The copper has patina'ed quite nicely also!

Like you, the edge was very uneven but mine was sharp as hell.

 

[TsarBomba]

The yellow delrin on the canoe is rather uneven, but the wood on the Old Forge and the bone on the barlow are both quite attractive in my opinion.]

I wonder if that's a function of how RR makes its composite handles. The F&F on my bone Barlow is a little better than my yeller one, although I didn't take any pictures that show the small gaps where the scales meet the bolsters. Either way, it's not terribly obvious, especially for a $10 slipjoint.

 

[Mort Canard]

All three of the knives are lacking in at least one major department, but all of them punch way above their weight price-wise. Really rather impressive, I was hesitant at first to even try out a RR but I have a feeling the brand is going to grow rather significantly as a proportion of my total knives quickly.

I will have to agree. These knives are much better than their price point. Both of my RR barlows have excellent fit and finish for even a thirty or forty dollar knife.

I do think that the company could use a bit more of a stylist in the design of it's knives. I usually find one or more elements that I would have done differently but those are just personal preferences. In the case of the barlows I like more squared off corners on the end of the bolsters like the TC or the #77 GECs. I do like RR's version of the saw cut and scratted or checkered handles in the picture.

 

[jdracing]

Here are my first look into the world of Rough Rider knives.

Early impressions are decent handle materials, nail breaker pulls, and hit and miss fit and finish on your typical kitchen stainless steel. Edges aren't terrible on them though.

Jeff,Im really suprised to hear that.....I've had 3 of the samplersand all 3 were almost perfect fit/finish and blade centered
as well....The main reason I'd wound up with 3 is that everytime I'd get one my buddys would talk me out of it.....I finally got
them happy and kept my last one....Is it possible you're getting them from someone who's buying up the assembly
line rejects?...Kinda weird all 3 mine were nice,versus both of yours not up to par?...But I guess you could have been unlucky
on both to wind up with par duds......Im glad you liked the blades......That cotton sampler needs to be avail in at least 2 or 3
other cover choices if you ask me......It's almost identical in pattern as the more expensive US made branded sampler....Only
about 1/4th the price......I've have both,and I hate to say it,but my RR has better F/F,and blade centering though I'd never
get rid of either......JD

 

[jdracing]

I will have to agree. These knives are much better than their price point. Both of my RR barlows have excellent fit and finish for even a thirty or forty dollar knife.

I do think that the company could use a bit more of a stylist in the design of it's knives. I usually find one or more elements that I would have done differently but those are just personal preferences. In the case of the barlows I like more squared off corners on the end of the bolsters like the TC or the #77 GECs. I do like RR's version of the saw cut and scratted or checkered handles in the picture.

I got to agree with that Mort......Especially the Barlows need a little less bolster,and lil more cover length,plus lil less
rounded edges as welll.....But that's just pur opinions.....The 2 above remind me of the vintage Queen Barlow if looking from
the reverse(pile?) side......Not sure the Queens #,but think it was #62?....JD

 

[jdracing]

My dogbone jack with acorn shield has shipped!

That is all.

Hope this holds you over until yours arrives Tsar.....

 

[r redden]

Hope this holds you over until yours arrives Tsar.....

I gots to order me one of those. :thumbup:

 

[Will Power]

The RR Barlow is generally very well made by anybody's reckoning, I especially like the sawn brown bone versions, a really different type of scale. Yes the bolster is rather oversized (perhaps they save costs by having the same one for the G.dad Barlow as well??) and three pins would be nicer than 2..but it remains an excellent and very workable knife, with many choices. A Spear version could be welcome. I don't really care for shields on Barlows at all, rather a mess actually, but you can get them without too. The stamped bolster is EXCELLENT though, nice design and a quality nod to Barlow origins, you even get i on the Mini version, which as I've said before, beats any Peanut out there.

Nevertheless, despite some shortcomings (which knife doesn't have them??) it provides a very affordable example of what was once the toughest and most proletarian of knife patterns-the Barlow. It may have some more illustrious or prized rivals for sure, but then, you can find them on the Bay costing up to 250 Dollars, such things are very unlikely to be used as an everyday work-knife. RR can and are but remain a decent item worth getting.

On the Yellow D they offer, yes the colour can be unmatched-although it is often a very nice pale shade - but it has its own drawbacks which are more serious. Many of mine have rapidly developed a centre-pin crack on one side, the material is quite thin but evidently brittle which may explain the prevalence of liner gaps on Old Yellow knives. Pity as it looks good with that shield and the Whittler (got the crack both of them) and the Eureka Stockman (no crack) are very nice patterns to use and carry.

Thanks, Will

 

[black mamba]

. . . . and the Eureka Stockman (no crack) is a very nice pattern to use and carry.

Thanks, Will

Agreed, I love mine, and have bought a bunch to give away, as well. It's my favorite RR pattern, 3⅜" closed.
The yellow is #890, but if you prefer bone, they made a nice dark red jigged bone, #406, as well.

 

[TsarBomba]

Hope this holds you over until yours arrives Tsar.....

Thanks, JD! :thumbup: I am glad that I will soon be a member of the DBJ fraternity. I hope my luck with RR slipjoints continues, because I really like this pattern and it could easily become a star of the EDC rotation.

On the Yellow D they offer, yes the colour can be unmatched-although it is often a very nice pale shade - but it has its own drawbacks which are more serious. Many of mine have rapidly developed a centre-pin crack on one side, the material is quite thin but evidently brittle which may explain the prevalence of liner gaps on Old Yellow knives. Pity as it looks good with that shield and the Whittler (got the crack both of them) and the Eureka Stockman (no crack) are very nice patterns to use and carry.

I guess I've been lucky to date, the yeller Barlow has been the quintessential "beat-er-up" knife -- including about a month banging around in a tool bag -- but the scale separation hasn't really gotten worse and no cracks or tears of the material have come up yet. I must admit I actually like the way the bomb shield looks on that particular one and I find myself wishing the same shield and placement had been used on the sawcut brown Barlow, which is a very nice looking knife (I am perfectly fine with the size and shape of the bolsters on the medium RR Barlows) with the exception of the "duplicated" horseshoe logo both on the bolster and in the middle of the knife on the shield. The sawcut pattern is pretty cool and the swell of the scales makes the nice fit nicely in hand. After a while I think that knife might be a candidate for a custom shield.

Agreed, I love mine, and have bought a bunch to give away, as well. It's my favorite RR pattern, 3⅜" closed.
The yellow is #890, but if you prefer bone, they made a nice dark red jigged bone, #406, as well.

Nice stockmen, mamba! This thread is pure gold for people looking to make a nice splash into the pool of slipjoints without breaking the bank. I will be sure to post photos and pros/cons of the DBJ once I receive it. Thanks for sharing, folks!

 

[r8shell]

I wasn't planning to purchase any more Rough Riders, but y'all know how it is when there's $12 left on a gift card balance at the online store. I just ordered a hawkbill in white bone. Now I'm pondering what to skrim on it. If it's as big as the half hawk, that''s a lot of canvas!

 

[5K Qs]

I wasn't planning to purchase any more Rough Riders, but y'all know how it is when there's $12 left on a gift card balance at the online store. I just ordered a hawkbill in white bone. Now I'm pondering what to skrim on it. If it's as big as the half hawk, that''s a lot of canvas!

Nice! :thumbup: I look forward to seeing what you come up with, r8shell!

- GT

 

[TsarBomba]

I wasn't planning to purchase any more Rough Riders,

Told myself the exact same thing at one point. Fast forward to some point next week, however, and I'll be a new owner of a dogbone jack.

Looking forward to the work of art you come up with on that hawk. People on the porch sure are talented!

 

[midnight flyer]

Nevertheless, despite some shortcomings (which knife doesn't have them??) it provides a very affordable example of what was once the toughest and most proletarian of knife patterns-the Barlow. It may have some more illustrious or prized rivals for sure, but then, you can find them on the Bay costing up to 250 Dollars, such things are very unlikely to be used as an everyday work-knife. RR can and are but remain a decent item worth getting.

An interesting comment. I own one knife without a single flaw, and it isn't a traditional pattern so no mention of it here.

But I have to say, no other brand of traditional has been so inspected, criticized, analyzed, closely looked at and debated as these RRs. Applause and approval for the brand is only given grudgingly and with qualification. The prerequisite "not a bad knife for the money" is almost always added to make sure that no one gets the wrong idea about this knife brand.

I only have a couple of them, and a couple of their cousins. The 4 inch stockman as been a regular in my pocket for years now and it has worked for me on site as well as any domestically made knife I have ever owned. (That would be several since I started with traditional patterns in the early '60s.)

It is interesting to note that the knife inspectors see problems with RRs as flaws, but the same folks that look at their knives made on the NE coast see the same issues and they love it more for being "hand made". I have seen every justification and allowance made for domestic knives, not so much for the lowly RR. BTW, the last Queen I bought about 4 years ago is the last domestically made knife I purchased and I won't buy another unless I can hold it in my hand. It was pretty, but it hardly closed and the fit an finish was marginal at best.

This is the RR style knife that won me over. I wouldn't have purchased this knife because for a work knife I wanted CASE or BUCK. This has proven to be their equal, and I would never have known about this brand had this knife not been gifted to me.



After several years of carry, it is still this tight, and this pictures is about 5 years old, taken after I had the knife for about 3 or 4 years.



I rarely buy knives any more as I am not a collector, but a user. I have my favorites and I am content with them, carrying various knives in rotation. I have plenty. But when I buy a knife for a gift, I have no problem getting someone a RR or one of their cousins. This goes double if the guy isn't a "knife guy" and just wants something with an edge in his pocket.

I think these knives are like all other manufactured products, you have good ones and bad ones from the factory. Since I have used these for so long now, I don't see any reason to put the "at their price point" or "for the money" or any other qualifiers. They are good knives that represent a great value as a tool/work knife. Some are pretty nice to look at, too!

Just my 0.02.

Robert

 

[GasMan1]

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These are the only RRs I own at the moment. Great bang for the buck. Fit and finish are pretty great IMO. And come really sharp. Thanks to everybody here for opening my eyes to them. The Barlow is the only one that actually sees any pocket time but I'm already eyeing some different patterns.

 

[GasMan1]

Hey Rachel, I didn't know you did scrimshaw. I would love to see some of your work.

 

[ginnyroscoe37]

Here is a few of my Rough Riders, I love these old slip joints, really interested in the Elephants Toenail, and Sunfish patterns, along with the sheeps foot blades, and single arms.

 

[ginnyroscoe37]

Blade patterns on my Rough Riders, got to love'em