Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints

[5K Qs]

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Dwight, I sure admire all your canoes!

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Rough Rider's sawcut bone models are splendid knives IMHO, and your trapper and stockman are not exceptions!

Today's work carry, my Wookie friendly Doctor's Knife.

I've never had a physician's knife, and, as is so often the case for me, I think Rough Rider is going to be the Rx to cure that problem!

I just got a new Rough Rider and it is a keeper. It did have some blade rub on one side of the main blade but it is going to be a user. All the blades have half stops. No gaps. No blade play. Really well done at any price. This is the Carbon Classic Swayback Whittier. (RR1741) Not sure if the steel is 1070 or T10 but it sharpened up nice. The steel felt harder than Condors 1070 but who knows. It is perfect for whittlin and feather stick making. If I pair this up with the Kephart and a tomahawk, I am ready for my backyard. Enjoy the pics.

The main blade has a taper for a fine tip.

Thanks for your review of the knife U unklfranco ! I've been looking at Rough Rider's carbon steel knives with the yellow synthetic handles for a while, including that wharncliffe whittler, and your positive impression has pushed me over the edge. I think I'll try the yellow carbon canoe, sowbelly stockman, and wharncliffe whittler next time I put an order together!

- GT

 

[Henry Beige]

Every once in a while I see a review of a knife, and it just pushes a button for me. Unklfranco, your review of the RRcarbon whittler did that for me. I pushed a button of my own, just one click, and mine is on its way.

 

[Modoc ED]

RR 479 Sowbelly. Solid 3 3/4" knife. Excellent fit and finish. New in this picture but it has seen some use around the property since I got it. It's holding up rather well and just as solid as the day I got it.

 

[Fodderwing]

Dwight, I sure admire all your canoes!

Thanks Gary. I only have a few. You on the other hand... have a HERD!!!

 

[unklfranco]

Dwight, I sure admire all your canoes!


Rough Rider's sawcut bone models are splendid knives IMHO, and your trapper and stockman are not exceptions!


I've never had a physician's knife, and, as is so often the case for me, I think Rough Rider is going to be the Rx to cure that problem!


Thanks for your review of the knife U unklfranco ! I've been looking at Rough Rider's carbon steel knives with the yellow synthetic handles for a while, including that wharncliffe whittler, and your positive impression has pushed me over the edge. I think I'll try the yellow carbon canoe, sowbelly stockman, and wharncliffe whittler next time I put an order together!

- GT

Your welcome. I am going to add the sowbelly stockman and canoe to my collection before they are all gone.
Take care.

 

[unklfranco]

Every once in a while I see a review of a knife, and it just pushes a button for me. Unklfranco, your review of the RRcarbon whittler did that for me. I pushed a button of my own, just one click, and mine is on its way.

You won't regret it. It really is a nice knife. I already shredded a bunch of junk mail with mine. It is the kind of knife you look for reasons to use. Have fun.

 

[Henry Beige]

RR 479 Sowbelly. Solid 3 3/4" knife. Excellent fit and finish. New in this picture but it has seen some use around the property since I got it. It's holding up rather well and just as solid as the day I got it.

How does that knife look after some time in the pocket? I love the way the RR sawcut bone looks, and have a few knives in that finish. However, I hesitate to carry them because that gaudy finish easily takes on a shopworn appearance. I resolved not to carry mine until I had some suitable pocket slips to keep them looking pimp-a-licious.

 

[Modoc ED]

It looks fine. Of course it's stainless so there is little if any patina and the covers are fine; however, I don't carry my knives in slips so there are some scratches and dulling of the bolsters and some dulling of the covers just as another knife would have.

 

[Henry Beige]

My sowbelly whittler arrived. RR sure does know how to pimp a knife. Elaborately lined, pinched, slanted bolsters. Matchstrike nail nicks.

The Wharncliffe blade slots between the pen blades without rubbing, but a thumbnail’s pressure on the small blades will force them to rub on the big one. The pull on the main blade was quite stout, but with a little use has settled to a 6. To get it past the very positive half stop takes a 7 or 8, which should also ease off with use and lubrication.

On the main blade, a very faint etch reads “440 razor sharp steel”. I will assume for now that is a misprint, as we have seen before. Has anybody tried to pot a patiina on it?

The Similar Case Seahorse Whittler has an edge in finish and build quality. The bolsters are more tastefully done, with four thin lines. Also the main blade’s joint is dicsreetly sunken, in contrast to the joint on the RR. All in all though, the RR is a pretty nice knife. Now to slice an apple or two and see what we can learn about the steel.

 

[5K Qs]

My sowbelly whittler arrived. RR sure does know how to pimp a knife. Elaborately lined, pinched, slanted bolsters. Matchstrike nail nicks.

The Wharncliffe blade slots between the pen blades without rubbing, but a thumbnail’s pressure on the small blades will force them to rub on the big one. The pull on the main blade was quite stout, but with a little use has settled to a 6. To get it past the very positive half stop takes a 7 or 8, which should also ease off with use and lubrication.

On the main blade, a very faint etch reads “440 razor sharp steel”. I will assume for now that is a misprint, as we have seen before. Has anybody tried to pot a patiina on it?

The Similar Case Seahorse Whittler has an edge in finish and build quality. The bolsters are more tastefully done, with four thin lines. Also the main blade’s joint is dicsreetly sunken, in contrast to the joint on the RR. All in all though, a pretty nice knife. Now to slice an apple or two and see what we can learn about the steel.

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Congrats on the new Wharncliffe whittler, and thanks for the informative illustrated review!
Certainly not as refined as the Case Seahorse whittler, but given my knife acquisition criteria, I can easily see the RR as an acceptable "substitute" for the Case.

- GT

 

[22-rimfire]

RR 479 Sowbelly. Solid 3 3/4" knife. Excellent fit and finish. New in this picture but it has seen some use around the property since I got it. It's holding up rather well and just as solid as the day I got it.

I'm thinking about getting one of the sowbelly's if they are still available on my next store visit.

I notice that they are putting "R" on some of their bolsters now. When did this start? Going to be all new production?

 

[22-rimfire]

RR 479 Sowbelly. Solid 3 3/4" knife. Excellent fit and finish. New in this picture but it has seen some use around the property since I got it. It's holding up rather well and just as solid as the day I got it.

That is a nice knife. I visited the Rough Rider store yesterday and looked at that particular model (version). Ended up buying a Black Cherry Bone sowbelly (RR1663) and a Black Smooth Bone Canoe (RR1786). That was my first store visit in months and I specifically visited wanting to look at the Rough Rider slippies.

 

[Modoc ED]

That is a nice knife. I visited the Rough Rider store yesterday and looked at that particular model (version). Ended up buying a Black Cherry Bone sowbelly (RR1663) and a Black Smooth Bone Canoe (RR1786). That was my first store visit in months and I specifically visited wanting to look at the Rough Rider slippies.

Your picks sound interesting. Post pictures of them when possible.

More and more people in the Traditional Forum seem to be getting more interested in the Rough Rider knives and buying them. I just ordered another Sowbelly with Smooth Tobacco Bone covers with Acorn shield and a Coal Miner like Frank showed in another thread.

 

[22-rimfire]

I'll try to take a few pictures; probably won't be artsy shots, but you'll see the knives. The spring strength on the peanut is a little weak, but okay. I looked at several and they were all consistently the same pulls. Looked at the Tobacco bone and I like them. I was torn, but I went into the store wanting to look at the Black Cherry bone. They have the sowbelly in a light brown jigged bone that is nice. Rough Rider has gone with a fancier packaging on some models. I suspect it is in anticipation of Christmas buying.

 

[22-rimfire]

I'll try to take a few pictures; probably won't be artsy shots, but you'll see the knives. The spring strength on the peanut is a little weak, but okay. I looked at several and they were all consistently the same pulls. Looked at the Tobacco bone and I like them. I was torn, but I went into the store wanting to look at the Black Cherry bone. They have the sowbelly in a light brown jigged bone that is nice. Rough Rider has gone with a fancier packaging on some models. I suspect it is in anticipation of Christmas buying.

The last shot is a Case Stag Peanut with the new Rough Rider Black Smooth Peanut (the attached one at the end). As you can see, the RR is thinner than the Case. I really like this Case as the stag looks almost like mammoth. It was expensive for a Case Peanut.

(Edit) For some reason, I stated "canoe" instead of peanut. Corrected.

 

[Getting older]

Your pocks sound interesting. Post pictures of them when possible.

More and more people in the Traditional Forum seem to be getting more interested in the Rough Rider knives and buying them. I just ordered another Sowbelly with Smooth Tobacco Bone covers with Acorn shield and a Coal Miner like Frank showed in another thread.

It's hard to pass up that kind of quality for the money

 

[Modoc ED]

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The last shot is a Case Stag Canoe with the new Rough Rider Black Smooth Canoe (the attached one at the end). As you can see, the RR is thinner than the Case. I really like this Case as the stag looks almost like mammoth. It was expensive for a Case Peanut.

Very nice. The Black Cherry Bone looks great. The Case Peanuts with stag are always expensive but well worth the price.

 

[Henry Beige]

We might be seeing the beginning of a phenomenon that I thought might come about eventually, but did not expect so soon. Tariffs, the growth of the Chinese economy, and improvements in Chinese production capability will eventually push the price and quality of Rough Riders to a level commensurate with Case. In some instances the quality is already there.

New “premium” knives in fancy packaging now command prices nearly double what RRs have sold for heretofore. The packaging and more elaborate designs may be seen as justification for price increases which are inevitable in any case. I think the economic factors will continue to push prices beyond that point. We may soon be looking back fondly (or ruefully) on the bygone days when you could get a pretty darn nice slipjoint for under ten bucks.

 

[22-rimfire]

We might be seeing the beginning of a phenomenon that I thought might come about eventually, but did not expect so soon. Tariffs, the growth of the Chinese economy, and improvements in Chinese production capability will eventually push the price and quality of Rough Riders to a level commensurate with Case. In some instances the quality is already there.

New “premium” knives in fancy packaging now command prices nearly double what RRs have sold for heretofore. The packaging and more elaborate designs may be seen as justification for price increases which are inevitable in any case. I think the economic factors will continue to push prices beyond that point. We may soon be looking back fondly (or ruefully) on the bygone days when you could get a pretty darn nice slipjoint for under ten bucks.

I think Rough Riders are very close to Case in overall quality at least with the slip joints. (Never paid any attention to their modern's.) The pricing has been going up and frankly I always felt that they could get more at retail than they were asking, but still stay below Case. But, there is a reputation involved and as long as the Chinese production maintains the quality, I can see pricing continuing to go up on Rough Riders. I know my last one was $15 + sales tax since I live in TN and because I purchased at their store. I don't know if the more fancy packaging is a knife quality thing or simply a marketing scheme. The "R's" on the bolsters may be another reflection that "they" feel that RR slip joints are something to be proud of and should be easy to identify.

The other consideration is that Frost Cutlery also sells a wide selection of slip joints at the Rough Rider store and may have a tempering effect on RR pricing. I always felt the RR's were generally of higher quality regardless of the branding the Frost put on their knives... Steel Warrior, Ocoee, etc. For one thing, the bolsters tend to yellow (even only in storage) after a couple years with Frost's slip joints and I haven't seen that with RR's.

 

[22-rimfire]

I also wonder if the US company is pushing quality with the Chinese manufacturer, hence the overall quality is increasing. ?? Don't know if tariff's have anything to do with it at this point.