any opinion on Rough Rider knives?

[bigshot]

The Chinese Bucks don't have the heat treatment. They are made with Chinese 420 steel. Only the US Bucks have the 440HC. I collect those and carry a medium stockman every day. I got a Chinese Buck by accident, but it wasn't the same. It didn't feel like a Buck to me and the steel wasn't nearly as good as the HC. That stuff is better than a lot of the highly touted fancy steels. The Chinese Buck was good, but it was just $25 cheaper than a US equivalent. That wasn't that much, so I collect the US ones. Under around $50 is my sweet spot. I've spent a lot more than that, but the expensive knives didn't please me more than a really good Rough Ryder.

I have a couple of the coated Classic Carbon knives. Haven't had a chance to use them much. They were very inexpensive. I imagine they sharpen up really quick and take an incredibly sharp edge, but they wouldn't hold it as long as a good stainless. I thought you were talking about the regular Rough Ryder Canoe. I have a few of those and they are great. Those have 240 steel. They take a little longer to sharpen but they probably hold an edge longer than the carbon steel I would guess. You would have probably been happier with the steel on a stainless Rough Ryder. Those are 440, which is a little better than the 420 on the Chinese Buck. I don't use them hard enough to tell a difference between 420 and 440 myself.

[56Dodgers]

I guess I will throw my .02 cents in...

It is true that many smaller goods like handtools, knives, kitchenware, etc. are made in China, and many of these items were made here. I see how one could take the perspective that we are sending all of our money overseas to buy their products. However, what do those workers make, how do they live, how do they eat, what can they buy with the money they make? I bought two very nice RR knives for about $15-20 each. One is a bone-handled trapper and one is a whittler. They look like Case knives. They are almost as nice as the similar Case patterns that sell for 3x+ the price. The variety of styles and colors they offer is staggering. They clearly are going after those who appreciate older western-style patterns for using and collecting. There will likely be a time when the RRs I bought will be worth something in their own right, much like some of Parker's crazy Japanese-made "traditional" patterns are today.

I think the problem is bigger than just China making inexpensive things for American consumption. If someone wanted to open a knife factory to do Rough Ryders here I don't think they could sell them for anywhere close to what China sells them for - does anyone disagree on that? We have a lot of people in this country who could work (and maybe should work) but won't work because they can make more on benefits or other life subsides. That's clearly a part of the problem those that want to demonize the Chinese manufacturers and ultimately their politicians, and maybe our politicians might not be considering. We clearly have a lot of potential here in the U.S. but much of is squandered away, frankly, through laziness in many instances.

[ken98k]

My "Opinion" is they are good knives that are reasonably priced.
The fit and finish is as good as US made Case knives, and the snap is generally better than Case.
I don't believe they will ever be as valuable as an older Case. But the are collectable and many of our members here actively collect them.

[zed6309]

I feel the same if comparing to Case knives, some of my case knives have weak backsprings and none are centered, fit n finish is good though. my favourite case is my 6344 cv, but sadly its springs are pretty weak and the sheeps foot springs back a bit if you push down on the blade, most of my RR's have good backsprings a few are centered but not all, fit & finish can be hit & miss , but my recent purchase the large congress 2055 is all spot on and has half stops and swedges and matchstrike nail pulls, personally I think RR'S are good value for money, as for case my best one is my mini trapper as has a good backspring, half stops , great fit & finish, blades are off centre though .

[OLDE CUTLER]

The only Rough Rider knives I have I bought at a local estate sale a couple of years ago. I figured that the money I spent on those 4 was going right into the pocket of the widow running the estate sale and not to the ChiComs. I bought 4 of them (for about $30 total) which I examined in hand and they were of a fine fit and finish. A 5th one I passed on because it had issues. I would not buy them sight unseen from a knife dealer/importer. I find it hard to criticize the Chinese worker who makes these, he is just like you and me, working to feed his family. To me the big scoundrel is the Chinese government, but even more so the "American Businessmen" who have taken the manufacturing out of the USA.

[Legend]

Jumping on a bit since the last thread on here to November 2024 . First of all Im from the UK and so I dont want to start or get involved in the Partisan / Patriotic argument of the rights or wrongs of buying Chinese manufactured knives ! I have been a knife owner , user and collector for 60 years and even at one stage in my life used to make my own scandi style knives so I like to think I have a reasonable idea of what constitutes a decent knife regardless of style .
Mainly through health problems I only buy knives now from a collectors point of view so that I can own , admire and cherish what I consider to be nice collectable items that one day when the time comes I can gift or pass down my collection to my Grandchildren . I only recently started looking at folding pocket knives as a collectors item , a few of which I already owned from various manufacturers but something that most street kids carried around in their pockets when I was growing up in the 1960s and I certainly owned a few back then like most kids from my generation . Anyway back to the point . Carrying out my usual research on the internet I discovered Rough Ryder knives from the SMKW in the US but manufactured in China . Mainly on the US forums , I read about this make of knives and the partisan argument apart , I soon learned that many knife owners / users had a lot of good things to say about RRs especially for the extremely reasonable prices even here in the UK . What actually appealed to me with RRs was the numerous and various good old fashioned traditional styles available mostly made with natural bone scales , brass liners and various colour choices so things that I admire in a pocket knife . Soon after I sent for a couple of models to see how good or bad they actually were and as always when buying knives I give them a good check over to see how good the build is . To be totally honest they were almost perfect , no damage , no loose parts , no lateral or vertical movement on the open blades , good half stops , decent walk and talk , maybe the odd small gap between back springs now and then which you can get with any make of pocket knife and overall a great fit and finish with sharp blades ! OK none of us will really know what the forging and heat treatment will be like but at the end of the day they are small pocket knives to be used for mainly cutting / slicing purposes and not tested to destruction , they are what they are for very affordable prices ! I am sure of one thing , if I had a knife like them when I was a kid I would have been ecstatic ! Every now and then like all knives you may end up with a lemon which in most cases if youre not happy with you can return it to the store where you bought it . In my particular case , I mainly use one supplier in the UK with whom Ive never had any problems and always request them to give each knife a good check over before sending it out for delivery which they always oblige .
In an ideal world I also would buy UK , US , German or Japanese made knives whom I believe make some of the worlds best knives but the worlds trade is what it is and people buy what they can afford so without offending any good old US Patriots I just enjoy the selection of pocket knives available from Rough Ryders . Maybe things will change with the new Trump Administration ( who knows ) .

[GrayGhost465]

Chinese junk

[Mumbleypeg]

If it’s your thing, there is a subforum here dedicated to discussion of Chicom-made knives viewforum.php?f=79. Included in it is a subforum dedicated to Rough Rider/Ryder. Thats likely why until today there haven’t been any recent posts in this thread.

Ken

[Madmarco]

Chinese junk

O.K., GG465, but tell us how you REALLY feel! to AAPK!

[Quick Steel]

Legend, I agree with you concerning RR knives. They are decently made attractive knives offered in a wide variety of patterns. Their low price makes them an excellent value. I expect your children/grandchildren will be delighted to receive them.

[Reverand]

I have a few, and have never had a bad one. The heat treatment on the steel is very good and seems to be consistent. They, alongside the Frost Cutlery knives made in China, and the new Queen cutlery import knives, all seem to be good quality pocket knives.
I rarely ever carry mine as I prefer aged and repaired knives with carbon steel blades. That, alongside the aforementioned political reasons have stopped me from buying more, but they ARE good, well-made, and affordable knives.
I highly doubt that they will ever have much in the way of value for collectors, mainly because of their high rate of production. But then again I have been wrong on that before.
Most importantly, you are free to enjoy any knife you choose to, as long as they adhere to the laws where you live.
I like to think of them as a good introductory knife. If you (or whomever receives it as a gift) likes the knife, then it is far more likely that they will move on to other high-end knives. If not, then they have a good knife that is useful to carry.

[Madmarco]

Well stated, Rev!

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

My opinion was that i don't really care for anything of recent manufacture because there's already so many knives in existence. I buy old or used knives, just like I thrift my pants and rummage for my tools. Just don't need anything new.

But then I just read a really old post on this site. 17 years old. In it, the user stated they hoped not to talk about the subject again, so I hesitate to link it. But it's about Schrade closing. Certainly changed my opinion of SMKW. Kinda made me actually.

For rough riders and the places that sell them, It's gonna have to be a no from me my dudes. And it'll stay a no until my grampa's old timer breaks.

Which will be when hell serves snow cones.

[RedRaiderRick]

Is there any chance this $15 RR handle is celluloid? I keep it with other knives in a drawer. There was nothing in the ad or packaging that said anything about materials.

[royal0014]

I will say highly unlikely, probably just swirly polyproprylene.
Rub it vigorously to warm it up and see if you smell camphor ....

[Modern Slip Joints]

SMKW used to advertise their RR tortoise shell series as celluloid but changed the description to the less specific word synthetic. A few recently introduced RR knives including a couple of the Toad Stickers are advertised as celluloid. However, members here argue SMKW is just playing fast and loose with words and it is highly unlikely that the Chineese would actually revert to such an obsolete plastic. Celluloid was a fire hazard in the factories that used it.

SMKW website describes their RR Tie-Dyed series handles as "polymer." Since all plastics are polymers that's no help. All the Tie-Dyed knives are out of stock. Apparently not all hippies died of heroin over doses at Janis Joplin concerts.

[tvic]

Don’t know if this makes any difference, changes your opinion one way or another, or whatever, but just throwing out this tidbit I found on the internet.
“Thus, on average, of every dollar spent on an item labeled “Made in China,” 55 cents go for services produced in the United States. In other words, the U.S. content of “Made in China” is about 55%.”

[RedRaiderRick]

SMKW used to advertise their RR tortoise shell series as celluloid but changed the description to the less specific word synthetic. A few recently introduced RR knives including a couple of the Toad Stickers are advertised as celluloid. However, members here argue SMKW is just playing fast and loose with words and it is highly unlikely that the Chineese would actually revert to such an obsolete plastic. Celluloid was a fire hazard in the factories that used it.

SMKW website describes their RR Tie-Dyed series handles as "polymer." Since all plastics are polymers that's no help. All the Tie-Dyed knives are out of stock. Apparently not all hippies died of heroin over doses at Janis Joplin concerts.

Thanks for the info! While I'm no hippie, I am a child of the 60s and I dig tie dye. I will try the "warm and sniff" test when I get back to the knife in a month or so.