hornetguy
I also like to support American knife manufacturers when possible, but as to your observation, i have purchased 3 Bear&Son knives, the first 2 i returned at my expense, and not cheap from over here. The next one i kept, was not going to waste any more money, as a junk knife in my toolbox. Never again, their QC is non existent in my opinion. Just my experience and thoughts. You have a good week my friend.
Oops I didn't mean to imply you specifically about the politics of it all. I was trying to imply that for myself, I try to keep an open mind and didn't want to say any one opinion was right or wrong. Maybe with our current growth in jobs and businesses another company like GEC will start up and have a chance at success. Personally I'd like to see Bear&Sons do better with their QC issues. I want to support them as an American company, but wont buy anything from them unless I can handle it first. Their QC is just to spotty
cudgee
To be fair it didn't unlock, no real damage to the g10 handles (its linerless) just some noticeable side to side play that I cant get out no matter how hard I squeeze the pivot. It actually is a tough knife,to bad you gotta go through 10 of them to find one thats decent enough to drop in your pocket 
Yep a hammer,I was not pleased to say the least. However I bit my tongue because I have a good working relationship with his wife,my boss. Then this past Christmas I gifted him a Rough Rider Masonic toothpick. Partly just so if he ever asked to borrow mine again I will ask "Wheres the knife I GAVE you?" Which honestly is a good aspect of RR, the value alows the gifting of a nice knife. I do have a habit of giving a knife to someone who asks to borrow mine.
It sounds like the g10 sodbuster lockback is the one that i purchased that i keep in my toolbox. I had exactly the same issues that you had.
So far I've only actually bought one Bear&Sons,a lockback sodbuster. Had to look at several before settled on one that was pretty decent. Even then it was a beast to unlock, but I kept working it until I could unlock it without it hurting my thumb. Had a little up and down play when locked, but no side play. That is until I let my bosses husband borrow it,I thought he was going to cut something but he instead used a 2 pound hammer to drive it through some thick plastic under seat bins on his pontoon boat to drain water.
Thanks for the input, I definitely wouldn't buy one I couldn't handle first,and thats a shame. Hope your week is a good one as well
I also have a RR locking sodbuster type,liner lock. Looking for more information on it is what led me to blade forums actually. The only problem I had with it was that the lock bar wouldn't engage the blade enough to lock. Being brass I simply tweaked it a little bit with some needlenose pliers.
Thats how I see it.
I suppose most of you probably know, but for those who don't and are interested, Rough Rider have just released a 3 Blade Sowbelly Stockman in Green Micarta for fifteen US dollars[ bit more over here ] and they look okay. There is a brief video clip on youtube from SMK.
