Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints

midnight flyer said:
OK, you got me. I am still chuckling over that one. You draw a clear picture!

Obviously my comment didn't apply to you, but I am used to folks looking at their knives and absolutely picking them to pieces. A $10 knife faces the same examination and standards as a $125 knife. And for me, the Pacific Rim folks turn out a good product, so I wonder why so many really accept their $125 knives warts and all, the pick the $10 guys apart.

After eyeballing so much new domestic product (and again, I go off to the big, quarterly gun/knife/hunting show this weekend) I see quality of all production knives all over the place, particularly the domestic offerings. As one of the BF vendors says of the Pacific Rim offerings, "they're made by robots" so that is what keeps their QC up to a higher level in some cases.

Doesn't seem to apply to the scale materials, eh?



Sadly, all too true for me as well.

Robert
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I think people do tend to be unforgiving and pick things apart regardless of price but some things are worthy of mention. Regardless of cost, supposed quality or value, workmanship or any of the other factors involved the knife you carry either works or it doesn't. If it cost 1000 bucks or 10 is really out the window if it doesn't work. Its no better than a wrench that will not turn a nut! Why would you even use it?

Most people don't have a ton of money and feel thirty bucks is an expensive knife. Recently I was gifted, well, correction, recently I pulled out a gifted knife from a while back. I'm guilty here of being a snob. I have been rather hard on myself over it because due to my snobbery I missed a rather nice folder being offered called the Road Warrior by Frost Cutlery. The one gifted is a blue dyed, lock back whittler like I'd love to own by Case but just don't have $550 laying around right now. This one runs about $18 based on finds after it was sent to me. Along with it came a yellow handled one by Klaus I think it was, which I cannot get to take an edge at all. Its made in China.

The blue Frost Road Warrior is made in Pakistan. The one blade is stamped that. I probably saw that last time and immediately filed it away. The steel is surprising that it at first appeared to be easy to over sharpen. I got a good quick burr with the edge pro but it didn't seem to really take a great edge. I went down to finer stones and used the Sharpmaker after tho and boy that response was terrific as those blades, all three got super biting sharp. I have been pleasantly surprised at the fit and the finish, the overall feel, the weight at 2.5 ounces is perfect! I mean I'm carrying it more and more as I just found it the other day doing a safe cleaning. As it turns out it may not be the Case I'd rather have but for the money and seeing that someone has actually put a belt to the thing and polished it is refreshing!
 
Robert, you keep killing me with the photos of that Colt Teardrop. Love the look and the pattern. I keep wanting get one, but I'm being super cheap and trying to steal on on that site that shall not be named. I need to just suck it up and spend less than a couple of fast food "meals" and just get one.

STR, I ended with a Frost Saddlehorn Trapper as part of a lot of 5 knives I picked up. I get a kick out of it because on one blade there is the etch on the blade that says, "Pakistan" and the tang stamp says "German Stainless." :D I get a kick out of that everytime. I keep it on the desk for opening packages as I hate to get that tape gunk on my other blades.
 
STR said:
I think people do tend to be unforgiving and pick things apart regardless of price but some things are worthy of mention. Regardless of cost, supposed quality or value, workmanship or any of the other factors involved the knife you carry either works or it doesn't. If it cost 1000 bucks or 10 is really out the window if it doesn't work. Its no better than a wrench that will not turn a nut! Why would you even use it?
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I was unclear. The point I tried to make was that people will take overly sunken pins from GEC and love them. They will proclaim their love of (literally) nail breaking blades that you need to use caution and pay great attention to when opening of it is from one of the Eastern made domestic companies. They proclaim they don't care about blade rub between the blades as they are going to use them as work knives anyway, so it doesn't matter to them if their new $125 stockman scores its own blades when opening. The same logic is used when assessing blade location, uneven grinds (some proclaim their love of dull knives so they can bond during the sharpening process) and on an on.

In other words, any flaw can be justified and enjoyed from some folks their expensive knives, but they turn up their noses and *sniff* with disdain at the lowly RRs and their cousins when they didn't come shaving sharp, or a blade wasn't perfectly centered.

Then there are those that expect any knife purchased to be as well made as some of the customs sold here in the traditional sub forum. Unrealistic, but if you had to save for a year or so to get a $125 - $150 knife, I think you would really want to feel you got your full bang for the buck.

Like you, I would carry one of these until I received it as a gift. I dropped it in my pocket and it stayed there about a week, and it reminded me of an old CASE I had decades ago. I warmed up to it pretty fast and really liked the sturdy utility value on the job.

I had years of ignoring these knives and whining about the lack of quality from current traditional makers these days. Truthfully, had I not seen threads on these knives here years ago that piqued my interest to look into them, it is pretty likely I still wouldn't own any of them. Score one for BF!

My latest acquisition is one that I have had a couple of months now. It is a Boker Plus 4" stockman in the classic style of large clip, sheepsfoot, but with a punch instead of a spey blade. It is 440c, and the large clip is hollow ground! It takes wicked edge and according to AG Russell's site (where I purchased it) it is hardened to a 57 to 59 Rockwell hardness. I believe it, it holds and edge very, very well. I bought this because I am not in the position (and couldn't really justify buying) a Pennsylvania made Harness Jack offering for $100 to $140. Then when I saw this one with a sheepfoot... a federal shield... yellow scales... $15... I'm not made of stone! I would be happy with this knife if I had paid $75 for it.

The only disappointment was the punch. I am not sure what they were try to do with this blade, but it was pretty far from being a punch to me. I am pretty picky about a punch as I had a Boker years ago that had an excellent punch and all other knives after that with a punch have to live up to that standard. I used my small vertical belt sander to grind it to a very sharp fingernail point, and sharpened the entire length of the single cutting edge. It punches leather, cardboard and even drills wood now with ease. For now it has bumped out the Remington stockman in my pocket as I like the punch and actually use it a few times a week. Really like that hollow ground clip as it reminds me of the old CASE knives that were ground that way and were such great slicers.

And it all started with a gift five years ago...

Robert
 
Look at this thing. Marbles Hobo Camp Cleaver.

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I've found the RR's to be so much fun I thought I'd better to try a couple of Colts. Yep, I like them too.

Ed

 
I just ordered the RR Trapperlock. And a Spyderco Byrd Serrated modern. Going to use them as garden knives ... in a comparo modern vs traditional. The Trapperlock does have a thumb stud so I won't be posting up photos of the studded side though. It will be interesting to see how the thin blade of a trapper will go up against a serrated blade for garden use!
 
midnight flyer said:
...Anyway, I got this Colt:


...
Robert
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Dagnabbit! :D Ya posted that pic one too many times and I couldn't help it. I have one on order now. Yeesh, at least it wasn't a three figure knife. LOL

I really think it's a beautiful knife, at least from all the photos I've seen of it including that one.

Now if it worms it's way into the pocket my Case Mini-Trapper is in I'm going to be frustratedly upset. :p
 
Amos Iron Wolf said:
Dagnabbit! :D Ya posted that pic one too many times and I couldn't help it. I have one on order now. Yeesh, at least it wasn't a three figure knife. LOL

I really think it's a beautiful knife, at least from all the photos I've seen of it including that one.

Now if it worms it's way into the pocket my Case Mini-Trapper is in I'm going to be frustratedly upset. :p
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Sorry Amos, you are up a creek! If the one you get is half as nice as the one I have you will be thrilled. The detailing you can't see in the pics is the detailing such as the swedges cut (even on the pen blade), the beautiful gunstock checkering on the scales, and the great polished finishes. This honestly rivals my Dan Burke Queen knives for fit/finish/operation.

Don't worry about that "C" on the bolster. You won't see it after you carry it for a few days of enjoying the knife.

The only thing I didn't like about the knife was that the banner in the etching alongside the Colt pony proclaiming the anniversary was gold filled. It looked too much like a collector's knife to me. But... when I rebeveled the knife I had a bit of metal powder and stone dust mixed with the honing oil on the rage that I wiped the blade with while working on it. The gold came right off! It is as you see it now.

Hope you are happy with yours. Post a pic and let us all know!

Robert
 
Yup, you got me too. I had to add a RR Peanut to my order also, been holding out on getting my first Peanut for awhile.
 
I expect the Teardrop will be very nice. I have a Black Stag (bone) anniversary Colt Barlow that is really well done and a Black Stag regular issue Congress. Both very nice and cleanly fit and finished. Just the jewelry type box the congress came in seems like it should sell for over half what I paid for the knife.

Appreciate the heads up on the lettering.
 
I just got a GEC #15 Clip in Nifebrite in the mail today but there was another package too. I love the 15 but I have to say this RR small stockman in Smooth Black Bone with bowtie shield and file worked back spring has really got me drooling. 9 bucks. Good things do come in small packages. Bad pics but a very handsome knife with overall almost spotless fit and finish.


 
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