The new Queen Ranger

[needbucks]

I really like the new Ranger knife from Queen with the damascus blade. The queen website doesn't provide any information as to the size. Anybody know anything about that?

Thanks

[needbucks]

Just got the word back from Queen.

Blade is 2.5 inches. Overall length is 6.125.

Can't wait to see how it feels in hand.

[mito0]

what a weird departure for queen.
i mean, i could see someone like kershaw or moki making a knife like that, but queen?

i'm not sure what to think of the knife itself.
the handle seems way too big for the blade.

[wasteland16354]

Just got the word back from Queen.

Blade is 2.5 inches. Overall length is 6.125.

Can't wait to see how it feels in hand.

The knife has a nice feel to it other than the weight of it, a little heavy for my taste.

what a weird departure for queen.
i mean, i could see someone like kershaw or moki making a knife like that, but queen?

i'm not sure what to think of the knife itself.
the handle seems way too big for the blade.

It's not weird, it's nice to see something new from the company. And the handle is just right for the blade, trust me it's not to big for the blade.

[mito0]

It's not weird, it's nice to see something new from the company.

no, it's weird.
queen has been a maker of premium, classic slipjoints and fixed blade knives for decades.
now, it releases a damascus-bladed modern japanese-looking thing (i guess it's a liner lock?).
it's as if ford decided to release a moped or a lawnmower.
if nobody had ever seen this knife and you showed to a bunch of knife collectors and asked them who made it, you'd probably hear "al mar," or "a.g. russell," or "mcusta," or something like that.
nobody would guess "queen."
in the marketing world, that's known as brand confusion.
every successful company spends a lot of time carefully crafting a brand identity.
it's not normally considered good business acumen to release a product that is totally out of character.

And the handle is just right for the blade, trust me it's not to big for the blade.

trust has nothing to do with it.
the handle, aesthetically speaking, is too big for the blade.
the slim blade looks tiny sticking out of that bulbous handle.
i'm sure it feels great in hand and cuts like the dickens, but looks play a role in it as much as functionality.
it's just not a visually "balanced" looking knife.
and after reading the description on the queen website, i think i understand why.
"First folding knife Justin Gingrich (Ranger Knives- OKC) has designed"
what?
i'm fairly surprised that a manufacturer of queen's caliber would actually make someone's first folder design.
case uses tony bose folder patterns.
queen counters with ...justin gingrich's very first folder pattern?


i'm sure this knife will find its fans and it'll probably sell well, but it would have made a lot more sense to market it under the "ontario" name, since that's where mr. gingrich's knives already have a foothold.

is queen going to start making fencing foils next?

[mito0]

by the way, it's good to see you back here, wasteland16354.
it's good to see queen represented on the board again.

[jmh58]

Call it what you want to.. I think it looks good and with the limited numbers it will become highly collectable!! John

[mito0]

you're probably right!

[mito0]

actually, the pearl version looks much better than the acb version shown above:



the lighter handle material makes the knife look much more proportional.

[justold52]

Well all said so far. WHERE do I buy one with the Pearl handle?

What steel was used to make the blade?

What does Queens call that Damascus ?

One post made me think of GEC making that Football knife...

[jerryd6818]

Rounding out the line will be one in stag and one in abalone.

Just doing the math in my head so correct me if I'm wrong, that would make it 3 5/8" closed? I can't put my finger on the reason but I like it. Now if I could just afford it...

I just noticed these were released late last fall. There were only 125 of each handle material made. A set of all four on Chestnut Ridge for $600. Holy Guacamole!!

[trail]

I'm not a great fan of tacticals, but I like this knife a lot. To me it looks very elegant with the nice handle materials and big bolsters. It's certainly a departure for Queen but then, so was the Shark Tooth for Case, and it is now a well regarded pattern. I would be interested in knowing who supplies the Damascus, could it be Bear & Son in Alabama?

Wasn't that football knife a Canal Street? Justold, did you get one of them, in yellow?

[mito0]

I just noticed these were released late last fall. There were only 125 of each handle material made. A set of all four on Chestnut Ridge for $600. Holy Guacamole!!

they won't be released until may at the earliest.
they'll probably retail for around $125-$190, depending on handle material and dealer.

[mito0]

I would be interested in knowing who supplies the Damascus, could it be Bear & Son in Alabama?

is "alabama damascus" a bear & son company now?
i know, at least several years ago, they were separate companies, but these things get bought and sold all the time.