Ruana Knives?

The last time I spoke with them, I think they said that Vic had retired, but is back working part time..
They used to have a dealer network, but dropped most or all of them. As it was mentioned, there are only a few guys making knives these days as there had been for years.
BB
 
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You'd have to ask them. :) I suppose there's always a chance, but I didn't get a hint of that the last time I was over there a couple months ago. It has been a family business for a long time.
 
You can't go wrong, as you discovered. Just give Mike a yell.
Cheers,
Steve
 
Not too long ago they turned out a really nice custom for me---a 7" blade, 1/4" stock Sticker variation that I'd essentially requested to be their variation of a Buck 124. The finished blade is a little narrower, but it's a tank and overall I've been thrilled with it. Despite the thickness, they know how to bring the geometry down thin enough behind the edge that it'll still slice like crazy.
I've loved Ruana for a long time. :)
 
Hi there. This is Mike from Ruana Knife Works. I spoke with Bobby Branton earlier this week and he invited me to drop in and say hello. First of all we appreciate the kind words about our knives and business. As time allows, I'll try to drop in and check out what's happening and do my best to reply to any questions you may have about our knives in a timely manner. Thanks to Bobby for the invite. Hope you all have a good Labor Day Weekend!
 
TAH said:
It would being interesting to see how many knives are produces in a year from each company.
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A Randall employee answered this a bit back, they produce 150-170 knives a week. The Gaddis book on Randall mentions that they've been making 1000's of knives a year since the mid 50's.

I think Ruana's main thing for a lot of years was lack of advertising. Randall has been aggressively marketing since the 50's, while Ruana up until recently was more of a word of mouth brand.
 
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ruanaknives.com said:
Hi there. This is Mike from Ruana Knife Works. I spoke with Bobby Branton earlier this week and he invited me to drop in and say hello. First of all we appreciate the kind words about our knives and business. As time allows, I'll try to drop in and check out what's happening and do my best to reply to any questions you may have about our knives in a timely manner. Thanks to Bobby for the invite. Hope you all have a good Labor Day Weekend!
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Welcome to Bladeforums, Mike! We're always happy to hear from you. :thumbup:
 
When I was at the shop this past summer, I was talking with Vic and asked how many knives he and Rudy made together, he said they once had figured that total R.H. Ruana production to be somewhere around 125,000 knives....a pretty amazing number considering that Rudy worked solo for so long before Vic joined the business. Ruana Knife Works continues to produce outstanding quality knives at very reasonable prices. I've dealt with numerous custom makers over the years....Vic and his sons are by far the very best I've ever dealt with. I'm anxiously waiting for a "Smoke Jumper" building process display that I ordered last summer....9 stages from steel blank to finished product...it's gonna look great on my wall.
 
I received my first Ruana knife, a 20 B, yesterday. I also have a 5 AD in route. (I couldn't decide between these two, so I felt that the best way to rectify this dilemma was to buy both.)

The workmanship and attention to detail of the 20 B are darn impressive.

I wish I had discovered these knives earlier. It came razor-sharp, and I can't wait to put it to good use. I will try to take some "snapshots" this weekend.
 
I thought it was time to bump this one. Collaboration with Gerome Weinand of Missoula, Montana. 1084/L6 Damascus. I have one of the four shown and am wearing it on my belt every time I can. I boned out a mosquito with it this morning, one of the first of the year.

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tongueriver said:
I thought it was time to bump this one. Collaboration with Gerome Weinand of Missoula, Montana. 1084/L6 Damascus. I have one of the four shown and am wearing it on my belt every time I can. I boned out a mosquito with it this morning, one of the first of the year.

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Those are fantastic. I hope that mosquito hadn't eaten much before you got 'im.:D
 
Ruana's catalog hunting knives range in price from $300 to about $385 and even that damascus knife is listed on their website for $450. People can actually "afford" to use them even after all these years.
 
When I was a kid, about 150 or so years ago, give or take a few, I broke the tip off my Boy Scout fixed blade knife, by throwing it at the outhouse door. It was thin carbon steel, upswept tip with stacked leather washers handle. My dad, who I thought could do anything (and more than not I was right) took it to the cotton mill with him and reground the blade and point. As a result, I had a perfect hunting and skinning blade 40 years before I ever heard of the term, "semi-skinner", but that is what it was. I dressed out a ton of rabbit and squirrel with that knife, as well as my first deer. Somewhere after I went off to college it disappeared. I wish I still had it.

Two yeares ago I walk by a table at Blade, and there lay my knife! It didn't have leather washers, and was called a Ruana 95 MP, but it was the same blade, albeit a little thicker. I had to have it, for pure nostalgia's sake. Every time I pick it up it brings back a flood of memories. I have so many other hunter/skinners (being my favorite knife pattern) that I don't know if I will ever use it or not. I probably will, for old times' sake. This is my idea of perfection in a hunting knife.
 
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