Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints

That RRR Barlow is a great little knive. I just wish they could get the arrowhead on straight and in the middle. No idea why that's so hard to manufacture.
 
66sprint6 said:
The rest of the weekend I had thoughts of taking both apart and swapping the handle scales around but I will likely just keep them as is and enjoy/abuse them like the previous generations of Rough Ryders before them.

Matt
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Well...that didnt happen. I blew them apart shortly after typing this and got to work blade swapping a carbon blade to the blue jeans handles. Long story short and 6 knives later I have one really really good blue jeans handled, carbon bladed knife and a BUNCH of other pieces laying around. Rather than let them go to waste I decided to put the Stainless blades on the yellow handles and make my Mom and I some tackle box knives. Ones that can be thrown around, cut bait on concrete, left wet and if they sieze up or go missing...oh well. That kinda deal. Then I thought the plain handles would be a good canvas for some scrimshaw...no...fakeshaw (because plastic) and the real fun began.

Bait Knife (6).jpg

Bait Knife (3).jpg

NOW she loves it so much she is afraid to toss it in the tackle box in fear of losing it or ruining it. I told her it was meant for abuse and would be just fine!!!! The pivot pin was left peened and I didnt file it due to the fact that the brass discs popped out of the plastic handles and wouldnt stay put. This is stronger for the long run. I peened the tubing for the lanyard hole to match. You can see my practice piece above hers in the first pic. I will likely try to salvage it and use it on my knife tho the other side handle is broken and mangled. Just some fun from the leftovers. Thanks RR for the cheap fun!

Matt
 
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Two new.
Marbles MR365 Ram Horn Barlow.
View attachment 2022125
No issues that affect the use. Pull on both blades is a solid "5" and smooth, with no half stops. Grinds are even. After stropping (but not honing) the edges feel keen.
There are a couple cosmetic "defects, however; two small very slight gaps between the liners and backsprings. (one each side, both are under an inch long. A cigarette paper will not fit in the gaps.
Not a real issue, per se, but I'll mention it anyway. The Rams Horn on my MR360 Canoe is translucent in the bolster areas on both sides. The Rams Horn on the Barlow isn't.
Either way, as you can see, the two pair well together. 😁👍
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Rough Ryder RR1736 Classic Carbon Canoe.
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This example required a little work.
Out of the box, it was a bit stiff, with no walk n talk. The blades had to be pushed to fully closed the last .25 inch or so. Flushing, cleaning, and lubing the joints fixed that issue, and improved the pull a little bit.
Inspecting the blades with a 30x lupe, I saw there was some blade rub, just behind the inside swedges. A little time with a "400" and "1000" grit diamond hone to lengthen the inside swedges fixed the blade rub. (see before and after pictures)
The pulls feel like a high "6" to mid "7" now. (my other Rough Rider/Ryder canoes have a pull similar to a Buck 301)
There is one other issue I have not addressed yet, that might make the pulls feel lighter once addressed.
The depth of the pulls are roughly half as deep as my other two Classic Carbon knives ... and the rest of my Rough Rider/Ryder knives, making it difficult to get a good grip. My thumbnail keeps sliding off.☹️

I sent SMKW an email last night (specifying I am NOT interested in a refund) asking what my option are, and asking if I would void the warrantee, if I made the pulls deeper, using my "Dremel" (I have the rotary tool, and it uses the same bits and accessories, however, it is a different brand)
BEFORE Pen Blade: see photo above.
AFTER Pen Blade
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No before inside primary blade swedge photo.
AFTER Inside primary blade swedge
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Paired with my Classic Carbon Barlow
View attachment 2022165

Over-all I'm satisfied with both the knives. While the pen blade on the canoe is still somewhat difficult to open, the pen blade on the Barlow opens normally. Since the canoe will always be paired with the Barlow, it isn't a "big deal" if the canoe's pen blade is more difficult to open, since if/when I need that blade, I can use the Barlow's. Having a yellow canoe to pair with my yellow barlows (or large stockman) is more important to me. (YMMV)
 
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A couple new.
1) Marbles MR592 Orange G-10 Scout Knife, with black G-10 uni piece bolsters, liners, and on the mark side, "sausage" shield.
(sorry. I despise/loathe hotdogs and squished hotdogs; AKA: "Bologna" 🤮)
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All blades have half stops, but the pulls are smooth, with a pull of around a "5".
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No visible gaps.
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All blades are stainless. The spear point's edges are even side to side., and "arm hair shaving sharp" out of the box, after stropping, but not honing. No blade rub, blades well "centered" for a quad blade, twin spring knife. 😁👍
View attachment 2036442

Did I mention it is 4.75 inches closed? 😍🥰
Shown next to vintage circa 1980 3.625 inch closed Ulster Official BSA scout knife.
View attachment 2036438

As you may be able to tell by the lanyard chain, the Marbles MR592 has been clipped to a belt loop as part of my EDC for the foreseeable yet to occur during at least 2023, if not into the presently unforeseeable yet to happen.
 
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2) Rough Ryder Classic Carbon RR1743 old style (forum approved) tab liner lock "Work Knife".
a) bit narrower than my Case Sodbuster ("Sod Buster"?) Junior. Blade "centering" on both is about the same. Neither rubs against a liner, so not being "perfectly centered" when closed is a non-issue to me. (YMMV)
View attachment 2036458
b) There might be a very small gap between the spring and liner ... or a reflection, since the liner feels maybe 0.003 or perhaps a little more proud. Either way, another non issue, to me.
View attachment 2036460
c) IMHO, it is a good looking knife. (c-1) It's yellow. 😍🥰 (c-2) it is unpretentious; it isn't "fancy" and don't put on aires.
View attachment 2036469
d) T10 Carbon Steel blade. The pull is around a "5", and can be pinched open
Personally, I would not be upset if they ditched the mirror polish, and used a brushed/acid washed, or "as ground" blade finish. Something that would eliminate the fingerprint and smear magnet tenancies of mirror polished blades.
I doubt I'll ever use one of my knives as a signal mirror. Back when I went hunting, fishing, camping, and so on, I carried a pocket mirror with me. Didn't/doesn't everyone?!? 🤔😳

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I haven't decyded yet when this is going into my pocket.
 
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3) Replacement/duplicate Rough Ryder RR1736 Canoe.
View attachment 2036485
No issues on this one. The match strike pulls are the proper depth. Blade pull is acceptable (to me); somewhere between "5" and "6", and smooth, considering the half stops. No blade rub that affects functionality.
The first one is going back in the box as a back-up.


Of the three that arrived today, I am very happy with them.
 
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5K Qs said:
Alan, that faux tortoise bow trapper is really nice! :thumbsup::thumbsup::cool:
I like the RR tortoiseshell examples I have, but your knife is an improvement. I like the shield, and I like the glimpses of the shield design in the "gold leaf" in the handle!

- GT
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Thanks Gary. It’s one of Rough Ryder’s strongest efforts. I also appreciate the plain bolsters and for those that like lanyards, the hidden lanyard post.
 
Received the denim bow trapper today. Even better than the tortoise shell. I’m not a nit picker so I guess there were a couple of small things that I overlooked but the denim has nothing wrong with it. The denim micarta is well done and looks good with the orange liner. The big ‘R’ on the bolster doesn’t bother me as much as I imagined it might. And of course it’s DENIM!2FA9F697-CCAF-4D94-BCBE-66735E8255DD.jpeg
 
I've been planning on picking up one of those RR large stockman.

I've use the Buck and Case 6375 a lot. They are just a works horse of a knife and not much that they can't do.

Interested in seeing how the RR version holds up.
 
StrayRound said:
I've use the Buck
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Here are some comparison photos between this RR and the overseas made Buck large stockman.
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The Buck is a great knife, and I didn't need another but these carbon II Rough Ryder's are just awesome.... Couldn't pass up the jumbo. I like the sheepsfoot location on the Buck a bit better. It's the blade I use the most.

As far as them holding up, I've been beating on a RR half hawk for a little while and it's still tip top. Long term use, I don't know. I'm curious as well. It seems very solid. Not finely finished, but well made.
 
Arrived 03-09-23. In 03-10-23 mail call.
Rough Ryder RR198 Smooth White Bone Barlow. (3 1/4 ~ 3 5/16 inch closed.)
This may be a standard production model? I ordered the same knife twice before the name change from Rider to Ryder. Both times the knife was lost before I could get home time to get it.

Anyway ... worth the wait.

No noticable gaps. All the pins are flush. Even grinds, and as expected, sharp. Both blades are more or less "perfectly" centered. (I don't have a way to measure, but they look centered to me. IMHO the Horseshoe stamp on the mark side bolster looks a heek of a lot better than the big "R" they are using on some of the knives now. (ymmv). The pull on both blades are a Buck 301-ish 4 to 5, and very smooth. No half stops.
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(on an 8 inch keyboard)
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It was a rough day in the Frank household today. Well technically only half because the cub lockback is a Queen City. Man is it small. It’ll go into the 5th pocket. The faux abalone is gorgeous. The Rough Ryder fixed blade was the one I was looking forward to and it is just what I hoped for. A solid thick piece of steel that I did a paracord wrap on.D214B6FD-947F-4C86-B689-EF776C850633.jpeg92AEC41E-AA72-4834-9CBA-0E898614EE8B.jpeg900EA2C1-64D2-41A3-9CAF-5220EF728393.jpegBB6ED297-758C-4239-BD0E-AA24B749B027.jpegF95BAFA2-D788-4937-86CA-143217694864.jpeg
 
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