- Joined
- Feb 3, 2001
- Messages
- 32,359
I've never had a Sunfish/Elephant's Toenail, to be honest I've always felt they were a little ridiculous, kinda like an overcompensation type of knife, an exaggerated pattern that was really more of a curiosity than a useful pattern. Now mind you my opinion was purely based on the fact that I'd never held one or used one before, only in pictures and at shows but I never picked one up to check it out so my opinions were based on aesthetics alone.
Now every year around the time for the new forum knife to be discussed the cry for Sunfish/Toenail start and I used to laugh because it was the pattern I never would suspect would get a shot. Well that all changed when a little over a week ago we were discussing what pattern to pick for next year's knife and the Sunfish fans started lobbying immediately, almost as fast as the peanut lobby.
Well during the discussion I mentioned that I've never even held a Sunfish so I really couldn't comment on it as far as what kinda knife it was. Almost immediately I got a pm from a member here who said he had a Rough Rider Sunfish and he'd gladly send one to me.( Thanks Dan (Parke1) the generosity of our community still amazes me although it shouldn't anymore ). Here's a pic of a similar knife, the one Dan sent is nearly identical.
I received it in a few days and it was one of those knives that felt eerily familiar and I couldn't figure out why, then it dawned on me, it's very similar to a Schrade 51OT. Now I know the 51OT is a single blade lockback but the overall shape is very familiar.
The Sunfish is probably the first over built knife pattern, beefed up in every aspect, bigger bolsters, bigger frame, thicker blades. It was the Strider and ZT of its day and it was here first.
I've been carrying it in my back pocket since I received it, it has heft, it has mass and where you would think it was an unwieldy knife it's really quite comfortable and cuts really well.
Now this is only my second Rough Rider the first being a locking Sodbuster Jr and granted its no Tony Bose but it's an impressive knife, I've seen Case knives at 10X the price and the quality was not even close to the same RR knife. Maybe not the best steel or the best handle materials but they're pretty darn good and I would definitely not hesitate to get a Rough Rider knife.
Rough Rider is an example of what can be accomplished in China with the right people running the factories. There may be hope for Schrade...
I just wanna say thanks again Dan I really appreciate your generosity and it's just another example that speaks volumes about the community we've built here at BFC.
Now every year around the time for the new forum knife to be discussed the cry for Sunfish/Toenail start and I used to laugh because it was the pattern I never would suspect would get a shot. Well that all changed when a little over a week ago we were discussing what pattern to pick for next year's knife and the Sunfish fans started lobbying immediately, almost as fast as the peanut lobby.
Well during the discussion I mentioned that I've never even held a Sunfish so I really couldn't comment on it as far as what kinda knife it was. Almost immediately I got a pm from a member here who said he had a Rough Rider Sunfish and he'd gladly send one to me.( Thanks Dan (Parke1) the generosity of our community still amazes me although it shouldn't anymore
). Here's a pic of a similar knife, the one Dan sent is nearly identical.
I received it in a few days and it was one of those knives that felt eerily familiar and I couldn't figure out why, then it dawned on me, it's very similar to a Schrade 51OT. Now I know the 51OT is a single blade lockback but the overall shape is very familiar.
The Sunfish is probably the first over built knife pattern, beefed up in every aspect, bigger bolsters, bigger frame, thicker blades. It was the Strider and ZT of its day and it was here first.
I've been carrying it in my back pocket since I received it, it has heft, it has mass and where you would think it was an unwieldy knife it's really quite comfortable and cuts really well.
Now this is only my second Rough Rider the first being a locking Sodbuster Jr and granted its no Tony Bose but it's an impressive knife, I've seen Case knives at 10X the price and the quality was not even close to the same RR knife. Maybe not the best steel or the best handle materials but they're pretty darn good and I would definitely not hesitate to get a Rough Rider knife.
Rough Rider is an example of what can be accomplished in China with the right people running the factories. There may be hope for Schrade...
I just wanna say thanks again Dan I really appreciate your generosity and it's just another example that speaks volumes about the community we've built here at BFC.
