What steel does Rough Rider use on thier knives

C

Cyblade

Joined
Aug 16, 2001
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A friend was looking at my Smoky Mountain catalogs and asked about the fixed blade hunter they have for 12.99. I've heard that the folders are well built slipjoints but I dont know about the fixed blades and all they say is Stainless Steel which to me always means 420j2 soft as butter steel. Anybody know if it's 420j or 440a ????
 
In the past, they've told me that it's 440, and they couldn't clarify whether it was -A, -B, or -C. I've also heard that it's 420hc.

My RR's have held an edge pretty well over the last 8-9 months, so whatever they're using seems to be ok.

thx - cpr
 
I've read comments in a couple of threads from members that I think would have insight that their standard stainless approximates the properties of 420HC.
 
I bought one of the Rough Rider fixed blade knives.

It looks real nice and has some kind of burl wood handle scales on a full tang blade.

I have not used it yet, but it seems to be good quality, especially for the price.

As far as the steel is concerned, it seems any cheap stainless from Asia is called 440.
 
I purchased a couple of Rough Riders, stock man pattern. Also purchased a Chinese made Buck stockman

The Rough Rider shows excellent worksmanship. No gaps, everything nicely lined up, walks and talks OK.

Same thing for the Buck.

The steel for the Buck is harder and holds an edge better. I think Buck says their stuff is 420.

The Rough Rider was about $10.00 and the Buck was about $20.00.

These are cheap little knives that if you loose them, you won't be out much. They are good for opening envelopes, cutting tape, cutting string. Cardboard will dull them quickly, but they sharpen quickly too.

I have never had a Chinese 440 knife that held an edge as good as an American 440 knife. You just have to sharpen them more.
 
I have a few and one for the shop. The shop knife really got a work out last week on a crunch job. I used it to pry parts from a mold, trim flash, cut string, scrape bondo, spread epoxy and she held up very well. After a week of abuse it still cuts string, opens boxes and cuts cardboard but but needs a GOOD cleaning and a few swipes on the stone. If it didn't hold up I would have chucked it and not spent time cleaning. They are good knives. I wouldn't use my S&M for the same task and these RR have more than earned a place on the bench and in the pocket. They won't impress a knife snob but they do perform well and are cheap enough if someone admires it and likes it I just hand it to them and say "keep it" possibly making a new knife nut in the process!
 
When they first came out, I emailed them and they told me 440A.

That's been a few years ago though.
 
I don't know, and frankly, I don't really care. They are cheap and chinese. When I got, I wasn't expecting much. They're great knives for the money, and come in a nice variety of styles and colors. Same styles and colors as Case, but for a whole lot less money. Now, I'd much rather have a Case, and have bought Cases, but I'm a poor high school student living on $14 a week. So, I also buy some RR.
Plus SMKW has free shipping!
 
I got a pretty nice three bladed,red bone one for $9.99+$2. s/h.The blade's not marked,but I would assume it's 420A,from experience with other knives of the same steel.Doesn't hold an edge very long,but sharpens to a razor sharp edge very easily & quickly.Great bang for the buck.I won't buy another though,reason being that it's made in China.We buy way too much stuff from them IMO.
 
I have one that my FIL gave me for Christmas last year and the blade is stamped "440 razor sharp steel". So there you have it...
 
Sam Patch said:
I purchased a couple of Rough Riders, stock man pattern. Also purchased a Chinese made Buck stockman

The Rough Rider shows excellent worksmanship. No gaps, everything nicely lined up, walks and talks OK.

Same thing for the Buck.

The steel for the Buck is harder and holds an edge better. I think Buck says their stuff is 420.

The Rough Rider was about $10.00 and the Buck was about $20.00.

These are cheap little knives that if you loose them, you won't be out much. They are good for opening envelopes, cutting tape, cutting string. Cardboard will dull them quickly, but they sharpen quickly too.

I have never had a Chinese 440 knife that held an edge as good as an American 440 knife. You just have to sharpen them more.
Click to expand...
Buck knives are usually 420HC which is usually worse than even 440-A, but in Buck's case their proprietary heat treat brings it up to the quality of something more like AUS 8 I believe. I know you can't compare it to regular 420.
 
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