All About Pocket Knives

TwoFlowersLuggage wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:32 am I've honestly never been using a knife and said to myself "This 440 steel is just not good enough, I really wish this knife had D2 or VG10 steel."

I hear what you're saying...however, the time I appreciate the higher quality steel (especially VG-10) is when I use it over and over and it retains a hair shaving edge (sometimes just a light stropping will bring the edge right back if/when it ever gets a bit dull). With my carbon steel blades, on the other hand, it seems I have to sharpen them a lot more frequently. Just my experience, YMMV.

Modern Slip Joints wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 3:52 am No or sluggish snap into full open usually is from the bolsters being squeezed together too tight during assembly but a tiny amount of polishing abrasive dust in the joint will cause that in a tight knife. Keeping it oiled open then close it over and over. Fifty times will usually cure it. More than a hundred or a hundred fifty is not likely to loosen it noticeably more. It's not only a problem with inexpensive knives. I had to do that to a GEC that I bought off evil bay. In the end it's better than having the blade wobble looser bolsters cause.

I'll try working it with a drop or two of Quick Release...but that "snapping/clicking" sound is worrisome...I feel as if the back spring is going to snap at any moment when closing the blade.

they're getting some bad feedback on RRRoo69's---I received one few weeks ago and posted my opinion of them--seems like a lot of people are getting bad RRR's---just cause they're pretty to look at doesn't make them good knives

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 12:40 am After my experience with the two Rough Ryder Reserve knives I got (Kayak, Hedgehog), both of which are excellent knives in every respect, I was elated to discover a RRR in one of my favorite patterns: Wharncliffe Swayback...and it has an EO cut-out as well, which I like . It was less expensive than the other RRR folders by nearly $20 (I paid $38.00 for mine, but have since seen them for even less), which was nice, but, sadly, not up to the same quality standard as my other RRRs (or even a regular RR, for that matter).

It looks great, but has absolutely no snap going into the fully open position; the blade actually has to be manually pushed the final 1/16" or so in order for it to seat against the back spring, and it makes a strange clicking noise when closing (when I first heard it, it sounded like the back spring had snapped in two ). Great looking knife, but very disappointing performance/construction. I wonder if anyone else has had any similar (or other) issues with the RRR009 or if perhaps I was just unlucky and got a lemon?

You might have got a lemon.
The one I got if anything has a very strong pull, almost too strong.
It snaps open well and snaps shut with authority. Maybe oiling the joint will help.

I'd send that bad RR back. I've got all but three of the RRRs so far (two more arriving this week). So far, every one is absolutely perfect- snappy and smooth. I really like the EZ open micarta. I've got no problems opening it at all. I have a Case on the other hand that requires folded paper to get it open. It makes the knife completely unusable.

I agree. If a knife is not 'right' send it back. This is the only way that the importer or owner of brand can know that the quality needs improving.
kj

I've ordered a lot of Rough Ryders in the past few weeks... A couple of dozen. More on the way. I've learned a few things. I discovered that the regular Rough Ryders (as opposed to the Reserves) arrive filthy. I spent 20 to 30 minutes on each of them cleaning, oiling and waxing them to make them look nice. One of them had a big stretch of gaps in the back springs. But when I cleaned it and I worked the blades open and shut with oil, the gap disappeared. Black oily grit came out of the springs. The grit was what I thought were gaps. Out of somewhere between 25 and 30 Rough Ryder knives, only one of them had a problem... One of the springs was out of align so the back wasn't smooth when the knife was closed and the pull on that blade was looser than the others. This was on a $12 knife. All the rest were great. Sharp out of the box, no flaws. I also bought a Case Sod Buster. It had a long stretch of gaps in the back springs, and the blade still had a massive burr on it, as if they didn't finish sharpening it. It was quite dirty too. I understand that it's a work knife, not a pretty one, and it works fine, but it still should have been better than that. I have almost all of the Reserves now. Every one is absolutely perfect. I have another dozen or so knives on the way. When they arrive I'll tally them up and post some photos.

bigshot, the dirty, new knife seems to be a common thing at some companies.
Several years ago I was gifted a Case canoe that was almost embarrassing to comment on. I opened the gift package and this gritty, nasty, no snap, brand new Case was in my hand, what to do? Be polite, take it home and give it a good bath and I was amazed at the junk that came out of that one brand new knife! A little bit of Quick Release and a few exercises, it became a knife I could almost brag on.
I've been anonymously gift a Rough Rider or two and found them to be quite acceptable and as you said very sharp out of the box, sharp enough to dress a deer without touching up the blade!
Treefarmer

Update: I cleaned & oiled my Sway RRR009 and a bunch of gunk came out of the pivot area...possibly polishing compound. That seems to have done the trick as it now snaps open and closed as it should with no clicking sound. I did manage to slice my finger pretty badly when the chamois I was using to hold the blade slipped. Who knew a finger could spurt so much blood so quickly?

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 5:53 pm Update: I cleaned & oiled my Sway RRR009 and a bunch of gunk came out of the pivot area...possibly polishing compound. That seems to have done the trick as it now snaps open and closed as it should with no clicking sound. I did manage to slice my finger pretty badly when the chamois I was using to hold the blade slipped. Who knew a finger could spurt so much blood so quickly?

Bin there, done that!

I wonder if some of the reports of poor quality control in Rough Ryders aren't just dirty knives. I was very surprised when the gaps I saw in the springs started dissolving into black sludge and oozing out as I worked the blade back and forth. I also had one that had no snap into shut. I oiled it and it started to snap, then it stopped again. The next day I oiled it again and now it snaps perfectly. I imagine youtube commentators don't take the time to clean and oil a knife before doing a video on it. They just take it right out of the box and review it. That may be why so many reviews mention gaps in the springs and lack of snap when I didn't find any of that at all in the batch I bought. (I did get Marble's and Case knives with spring gaps though.)

It's interesting how inconsistent it is though. I would run a gun cleaning patch through the inside of one knife and it would come out clean, and I'd run it through another and it took patch after patch to get it clean inside. I don't mind cleaning a $15 knife. It's actually kind of relaxing to watch Tiger King 2 and while I clean the crud out of knives.

Just received Rough Ryder work knife RR2181. Fit and finish perfect IMO. Knife also has half stops. Must be old stock from SMKW as you can see old style box and logo. I like it.

Nev52 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 11:50 pm Just received Rough Ryder work knife RR2181. Fit and finish perfect IMO. Knife also has half stops. Must be old stock from SMKW as you can see old style box and logo. I like it. RR Work Knife.jpg

Very nice Nev! I have one too, it's a great knife!

Throwback Monday!
Here is the RR727 Gunstock pattern, in all its glory.
This has to be the most solid, well built RR I have. It is a pleasure to handle, perfect size at 3 1/2", and a handsome fella. All three I own have very robust snap and half stops (thankfully).
Thanks to our valued member here Roland I learned a little about the history, and how RR stuck with the early design of the wrap around spring when designing these. They didn't have to do that - as popular makers had long since been foregoing the extra expense of doing it. Props to them for making this knife built true to the early pattern.
Started out with two of these and started looking for info on what scales they were offered in and learned there weren't many. In the process another classic yellow popped up on "the Bay". I couldn't help myself.
The fellow has 3 more, so please someone spare me from my demise!!

Nice Gunstock Chris.

Dan

My more recent one was there large stockman, I was thinking about getting a #75 Case but got the RR as there about the same size, blade I did as this would be to big for uk laws , I used it in a recent camp and really liked it

zed6309 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 8:17 am My more recent one was there large stockman, I was thinking about getting a #75 Case but got the RR as there about the same size, blade I did as this would be to big for uk laws , I used it in a recent camp and really liked it
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Great knife Paul! I bet it glows in the dark?

Nice photos and knives, Nev, cbay, and zed. I especially like the photo with the carving, zed!

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 5:53 pm Who knew a finger could spurt so much blood so quickly?

Lol. All of us knew that.

Madmarco wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 10:19 pm

zed6309 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 8:17 am My more recent one was there large stockman, I was thinking about getting a #75 Case but got the RR as there about the same size, blade I did as this would be to big for uk laws , I used it in a recent camp and really liked it
20211024_150503-01.jpeg
20211024_111626-01.jpeg

Great knife Paul! I bet it glows in the dark?

Cheers , no it's not the glow in the dark one

Dinadan wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 10:56 pm Nice photos and knives, Nev, cbay, and zed. I especially like the photo with the carving, zed!

Cheers Mel

Happy Thanksgiving everyone
Enjoying this Boxcar Whittler today. What a great knife. Built like a tank.... err... Boxcar!

cbay wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 6:47 pm Happy Thanksgiving everyone
Enjoying this Boxcar Whittler today. What a great knife. Built like a tank.... err... Boxcar!

Sure looks like a solid well-built knife Chris! Happy Thanksgiving right back at ya!

Chris, great pictures. It is a pleasure for me to be able to pass along my RR knives to someone who really appreciates them.
I prefer the earlier Rough Riders when they were accurately reproducing old Traditional patterns. Just like now, they were all very well made and always have very sharp edges.
kj

That Boxcar Whittler looks great! What model number is that? I’d like to look for it. Most Whittlers have such small secondary blades. That one is almost a stockman.

bigshot wrote: ↑Fri Nov 26, 2021 12:08 am That Boxcar Whittler looks great! What model number is that? I’d like to look for it. Most Whittlers have such small secondary blades. That one is almost a stockman.

Believe it's 1044, hasn't been around for a while