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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Why no love for the Roach Belly ?
- Thread starter pitdog
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2005
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- 4,360
Handle and a half.
The handle is constructed of polypropylene, a lightweight thermoplastic polymer that is very resistant to acids, stiffness and fatigue. Despite the sound of it, the texture of the handle is well done, a modest wood grain feel that still holds, even when cutting a greasy turkey or washing the knife with soap in the sink. The shape of the handle has no odd edges, ridges or irrelevant nooks that are designed to "hold it" under slick conditions. All those crazy notches and grips I see on handles just seems to lead to blisters when I'm actually using the knife to do heavy carving for a long time. The fingers curl around the tapered handle for a very natural feel. The roach belly also has a handy lanyard hole that will fit paracord. The handle is approximately four inches long, a very good size for both small and large hands, and the taper accommodates it very well. The bottom of the handle is rounded, and proved itself handy for grinding up some finer tinder particles much like you would a mortar and pestle.
I was initially concerned about the joint where the finger hits the handle and the blade, but this worry proved to be superfluous after some heavy use. It would be good to point out that that little spot where the finger rubs on the blade isn’t sharp or ground at any angle, its smooth, something that you wouldn’t expect on any production knife. Even the spine didn’t have any 90 degree angles! Would it spark then? You bet, even with the smoother spine edges. Even the thumb grooves were well done, and didn’t abrade or agitate the thumb during push cuts in the cold.
Steel
The krupps stainless steel held up well to the elements, and didn’t rust or discolor at all in any of my day to day activities. The edge held up fantastic, the low Rockwell made it an ease to re-sharpen, and went from shaving sharp to scary sharp in a second on the ceramic rod that came with the Spyderco Sharpmaker. This knife was a breeze to re-sharpen, though it hardly needed it. I was very impressed and happy with the edge retention of this modest steel. As mentioned earlier, it even threw sparks on the spine. Now I don’t know much about 4116 Krupp Stainless, but I will say that it is a breeze to maintain, as apposed to other stainless steels, which raises more than a few eyebrows from the field aspect (think using rocks to re-sharpen). Though its not the rescue type knife, the sharp edge cut seatbelts very well, see the attached video
How does it ride?
The sheath is of the same material and construction as the Finn Bear of the same line (another great and noteworthy knife). It rides deep on the belt, and didn’t snag in the catbriers or the grape vines during excursions into brush. I love that feature in a sheath, knives that have a lot of handle sticking out seem to get caught on barb wire fences when I kneel to go through them. The sheath is expedient, and holds the knife securely. The webbing that makes up the large loop feels a bit substandard, and the nylon on the front of the sheath did abrade a bit while I wore it working on my vehicle.
The handle is constructed of polypropylene, a lightweight thermoplastic polymer that is very resistant to acids, stiffness and fatigue. Despite the sound of it, the texture of the handle is well done, a modest wood grain feel that still holds, even when cutting a greasy turkey or washing the knife with soap in the sink. The shape of the handle has no odd edges, ridges or irrelevant nooks that are designed to "hold it" under slick conditions. All those crazy notches and grips I see on handles just seems to lead to blisters when I'm actually using the knife to do heavy carving for a long time. The fingers curl around the tapered handle for a very natural feel. The roach belly also has a handy lanyard hole that will fit paracord. The handle is approximately four inches long, a very good size for both small and large hands, and the taper accommodates it very well. The bottom of the handle is rounded, and proved itself handy for grinding up some finer tinder particles much like you would a mortar and pestle.
I was initially concerned about the joint where the finger hits the handle and the blade, but this worry proved to be superfluous after some heavy use. It would be good to point out that that little spot where the finger rubs on the blade isn’t sharp or ground at any angle, its smooth, something that you wouldn’t expect on any production knife. Even the spine didn’t have any 90 degree angles! Would it spark then? You bet, even with the smoother spine edges. Even the thumb grooves were well done, and didn’t abrade or agitate the thumb during push cuts in the cold.
Steel
The krupps stainless steel held up well to the elements, and didn’t rust or discolor at all in any of my day to day activities. The edge held up fantastic, the low Rockwell made it an ease to re-sharpen, and went from shaving sharp to scary sharp in a second on the ceramic rod that came with the Spyderco Sharpmaker. This knife was a breeze to re-sharpen, though it hardly needed it. I was very impressed and happy with the edge retention of this modest steel. As mentioned earlier, it even threw sparks on the spine. Now I don’t know much about 4116 Krupp Stainless, but I will say that it is a breeze to maintain, as apposed to other stainless steels, which raises more than a few eyebrows from the field aspect (think using rocks to re-sharpen). Though its not the rescue type knife, the sharp edge cut seatbelts very well, see the attached video
How does it ride?
The sheath is of the same material and construction as the Finn Bear of the same line (another great and noteworthy knife). It rides deep on the belt, and didn’t snag in the catbriers or the grape vines during excursions into brush. I love that feature in a sheath, knives that have a lot of handle sticking out seem to get caught on barb wire fences when I kneel to go through them. The sheath is expedient, and holds the knife securely. The webbing that makes up the large loop feels a bit substandard, and the nylon on the front of the sheath did abrade a bit while I wore it working on my vehicle.
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2005
- Messages
- 4,360
GO FORTH AND DICE.
Vegetables were first on the kill list, with a skillet of stir-fry on the order. Fresh vegetables of all type were needed to make this fine Asian concoction. Over at the Misses’ house, the Cold Steel Roach Belly really outdid itself. It made short work of peppers, cucumbers, and even mushrooms. I let my girlfriend use it for half a second before she said: “WOW Joe!!! This is really cutting the peppers better than my other knives!�? She wasn’t even being sarcastic this time! After prying it from her and her roommates, I brought the Roach Belly to the parents’ house for Thanksgiving. It cut summer sausage and cheese very well, and was able to precisely cube cheese and cut bologna rounds for a fancy finger food entrée we ate while watching football (the dish didn’t last long enough to get a picture). Acorn squash, a quite resilient cucurbit, fell prey to the edge where Mom’s cutco pairing knife failed. Put it in writing when I say this is one of the most impressive non-kitchen kitchen knives I have ever used. I need to go grab that Finn Bear and try it too.
This would be a great user knife for dozens of reasons. It would be a great knife to throw in the kayak or canoe, tackle box or glove box. Give it a kydex sheath and now you are really cooking. The economical design and rugged yet easy to maintain aspect of the steel would make it a great knife to loan on a camping, hunting or scouting trip, heck, you could recommend it to some of students on the next class you teach, or better yet, bring a few as users for people to try out. Cold Steel has turned out some great knives, but the Roach Belly and the Finn Bear really stand out in my eyes. You can’t go wrong with either model. Some more
- Joined
- May 17, 2006
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Hey Joe, I remember that old review from Hoodswoods!
-RB
-RB
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- May 22, 2009
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- 1,755
Once, so where's the love now?
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2008
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- 1,810
I like this little one I got
Nice knife and I really like the striker. Have not seen one like that before, nice change.
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2005
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- 4,360
A. I either still have it,
B. I might have given it away to a deer hunting buddy of mine. Not sure! It can take a beating though.
Hollow, what is the story on that little scandi belly there?
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2003
- Messages
- 13,182
Look at my previous post in this thread.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7210605&postcount=13
I got two PurpleHeart slabs set aside for you!
I posted this in the Koyote section a while ago.
This is my no name Roach Belly and it has to be my most favorite knife.
I'm like everybody else and I have a few different knives.
This one goes with me on EVERY hunt!
Sometimes on my belt, sometimes in my pack...but its always with me.
I LOVE how small the handle is and the feel that it gives me. Its easy to lay your finger across the spine and you can "feel" what you're cutting when you're inside the animal...it works equally well in the kitchen!
Someday I'll put new scales on it.
It has cleaned numerous deer, 'lope, rabbits, birds, fish, elk.
Someday I may have one of the makers on this forum to copy it!!!!
This is my no name Roach Belly and it has to be my most favorite knife.
I'm like everybody else and I have a few different knives.
This one goes with me on EVERY hunt!
Sometimes on my belt, sometimes in my pack...but its always with me.
I LOVE how small the handle is and the feel that it gives me. Its easy to lay your finger across the spine and you can "feel" what you're cutting when you're inside the animal...it works equally well in the kitchen!
Someday I'll put new scales on it.
It has cleaned numerous deer, 'lope, rabbits, birds, fish, elk.
Someday I may have one of the makers on this forum to copy it!!!!
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2004
- Messages
- 1,011
Post expired.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2007
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- 3,443
I'm just not a huge fan of the Roach Belly design, personally. I like some straight edge as well as belly on my blades, like, an upswept point (Think Breeden Peacemaker) or even a lot of drop-point designs. Shoot, I even skin critters with my wharny!
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2007
- Messages
- 12,294
Thanks for showing that one buddy, I have to be honest and say I prefer the non-traditional versions of it though !Many of the "roach belly" knives that I see these days are only half-right and, or, bare little resemblance to the originals...sort of like "Nessmuk" knives. HD's little roach belly blade is very close to what the original pattern was.
I believe this roach belly was made by Montana Americana and is a very close design to that which I think of when I hear "roach belly". The smooth upward transition back in to the handle truely gives it a belly. This is the roach belly design that I have viewed in several coveted historical knife collections. Hybrid variations (butcher bellies) of it do exist in collections and I'm not certain what to call the design at that point.
The original design can be a pleasure to use when you require or desire to have that ulu effect or influence. I have used the roach belly here on the cattle ranch and it goes well with fur and hide, but not so well in the butcher shop if it has the true full belly.
