Rough Ryder

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Doppler Bob

Joined
Oct 31, 2020
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Looking for inexpensive knife to be a gift to a 16 year old boy. So I started with Rough Ryder. I noticed quite a discrepancy in prices from place to place. Are there “seconds”? Different blade materials? How do I get a good one, are there specific patterns? Lastly, is there a better brand at same price point?
 
From what I understand, RR is a great place to start if you want to try some traditional designs but don’t want to spend a bunch of cash.

Even though prices may be all over the map, none of them should be very much.

Which models are you considering?
 
Some folks here have many Rough Rider knives. I have two, and I'm very happy with the quality. I buy from one place in particular that doesn't advertise here. Their prices are mostly under 20$.
 
Doppler Bob said:
Looking for inexpensive knife to be a gift to a 16 year old boy. So I started with Rough Ryder. I noticed quite a discrepancy in prices from place to place. Are there “seconds”? Different blade materials? How do I get a good one, are there specific patterns? Lastly, is there a better brand at same price point?
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Rough Ryder is owned by Smoky Mountain Knife Works, so they are the primary source. If you're buying them somewhere else, it's probably a reseller, so prices will vary.

Most of the traditional slipjoint patterns are 440A stainless, with some available in a plain carbon steel whose designation I do not know. There are a variety of finishes and scale materials available, which also affect the price.

My favorite patterns are the large stockman and the sowbelly stockman.
 
Yep, Smokey Mountain Knife Works, and its related companies are the main source for Rough Ryder (older name Rough Rider), Marble's, and a few other brands. They'd be your best source to see them all. Some resellers price them fairly and others try to get top dollar, others deal in discontinued versions, so that add a bit on to the price of wanted models.

Ask in this thread about which models they're doing well now, and which might need some work. They do some patterns great, some good, and some bad -

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/rough-rider-related-slipjoints.582468/page-270 .
 
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RR makes a good knife especially for the price.
What type of knife were you looking for?

They do mostly make traditional slip joints but they also have modern flippers and a decent selection of fixed blade knives.
 
There's a premium line of Rough Rider knives known as Rough Rider Reserve. They fall into the $50-$65 price range and are meant to complete with the budget GEC lines. I've never handled a Reserve knife but I've heard they are nicely done but with many style faults that don't resonate well with the traditional knife crowd.

Regular Rough Rider knives are in the $10-$20 price range and are great representatives of traditional styles. Rough Rider is also making some modern styles and the couple that I've handled have been well done for the price. Some cheap RR knives end up marked up because they are from an older, discontinued run.

It's sad but true that a $15 Rough Rider from China is usually better than a $50 Case made in the US.
 
willc said:
RR makes a good knife especially for the price.
What type of knife were you looking for?

They do mostly make traditional slip joints but they also have modern flippers and a decent selection of fixed blade knives.
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Trapper, sowbelly, stockman, canoe
 
Doppler Bob said:
I get that, but it’s just a one or two blade knife I’m seeking, possibly a stockman but don’t really want three blades
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My favorite pattern is the LoomFixer. Rough Ryder makes one they call it the HalfHawk. View attachment 1579022
They just released this one with Denim Micarta scales. But it has carbon steel blades. They have others with stainless blades. It’s a great pattern.
 
willc said:
RR makes a good knife especially for the price.
What type of knife were you looking for?

They do mostly make traditional slip joints but they also have modern flippers and a decent selection of fixed blade knives.
Click to expand...
Traditional 1-2 blades, 3-1/4” to 4” closed. Solid, this will go to a teenager as a gift and they’re not known for knife care.
 
Doppler Bob said:
Traditional 1-2 blades, 3-1/4” to 4” closed. Solid, this will go to a teenager as a gift and they’re not known for knife care.
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You should have more than a few good choices with your criteria.
The Half Hawk pictured above is a super nice knife.
I have the same pattern in green bone and it is a solid work knife.
 
It’s fairly large, but it rides in a pocket nicely I think because of its organic shape.
view


This is a KA-BAR (it’s the same size as the Rough Rider) LoomFixer next to a Buck 110 for scale.
 
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I only have 1 RR knife, it's a wood handled lock back with some steel bolsters. It's a decent knife for the price, I don't really have anything negative to say about it.
Cheap and cheerful, cut's well, geometry is decent, steel is about right for the price, not great but does the job. From what I understand they are all hand made and have a limited lifetime warranty so that's cool.
 
Looking for inexpensive knife to be a gift to a 16 year old boy. Get him a switchblade - -become his favorite cool person in the world. :D :D
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Anyhow - I'd lean more towards a Buck.
Buck knives are an American Icon.
 
Doppler Bob said:
I get that, but it’s just a one or two blade knife I’m seeking, possibly a stockman but don’t really want three blades
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For a two-blade, I'd go Copperhead, Barlow, or Trapper, or Bow Trapper. I like both blades to open on the same end (aka a "jackknife). A Barlow would be an ideal first knife and has the classic Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer thing to go with it.
 
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