Rough Ryders new Green & Blue VG-10 knives.

[1967redrider]

Thanks for posting these, Dan. Can they be easily taken apart? If so I might paint them up a little differently. Not Mandalorian style though! On a closer look, they look anodized.

Side question- did SMKW do their Christmas specials like previous years? If so I missed them.

Yes...only three 'torx' screws hold it together, no blade liners, only two handles, one back spring and one blade. Four pieces total, (plus three torx screws.)
Easy to paint. Sounds like fun.

I do not know if the below was a Christmas special, however, they did have a program last month (november 2020) and into the first couple weeks of December with the ability to receive freebies depending on how much you spend $$$.
I received three of the four items. Guess I did not spend enough to qualify for the fourth item, a victorinox multi blade?
However, I did receive the below items.
A Swedish 'Morakniv 511' 8" fixed blade with blade locking plastic sheath, very good workmanship & razor sharp.
A 'Cold Steel Kudu Lite' folder with a half stop, also well made. (My first Cold Steel knife, very nice.)
And a 8"x8" smkw EDC tray. I do not know how I lived without this, very handy, I use it daily.
All the items were very impressively made, and very good quality.
Dan


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Very cool and thanks for the info!

[WillyCamaro]

Dan i would love to order one of these but with the USA/Canada border closed (since March 2020) i cannot use my USA shipping address.
Means i have bought almost no knives since Covid arrived.
kj

Hey Roland, don't you have a p.o. box in your nearest town?
I get all my knives shipped to my small town box, never had an issue.
?

[kootenay joe]

Dan i would love to order one of these but with the USA/Canada border closed (since March 2020) i cannot use my USA shipping address.
Means i have bought almost no knives since Covid arrived.
kj

Hey Roland, don't you have a p.o. box in your nearest town?
I get all my knives shipped to my small town box, never had an issue.
?

Willy are you saying that SMKW ships to your Canadian address ?
kj

[WillyCamaro]

Dan i would love to order one of these but with the USA/Canada border closed (since March 2020) i cannot use my USA shipping address.
Means i have bought almost no knives since Covid arrived.
kj

Hey Roland, don't you have a p.o. box in your nearest town?
I get all my knives shipped to my small town box, never had an issue.
?

Willy are you saying that SMKW ships to your Canadian address ?
kj

They should, they state it in their S&H terms.
Just have to do it by phone, website ain't setup for it.
https://www.smkw.com/shipping-handling

[kootenay joe]

Thanks Willi. I tried calling SMKW a few days ago and hung up after 1/2 hour on hold. I'll try again in a few days. Maybe they will be less busy ?
kj

[jonbowie]

Nice looking knives. Can't help but agree with those who feel that the handle/bolster material use is backward. I keep noticing that some folks label blades VG 10 and others VG 1. Is it the same stuff? What ever it is, if it is the same stuff as my old Cold Steel Voyageur X2 from Japan (which someone on Ebay now seems to think is a valuable collectors item) it is VERY nice steel it takes and hold a seriously sharp edge. Mine is a bit brittle though, but I don't know if that is the steel, or just how mine was treated. If you like the KUDU, you would be impressed with other Cold Steel. IMHO, the Kudu is by far the cheesiest of what I have seen from CS, there's a reason they give them as premiums. Also, most of my CS items are from some time ago when more were from Japan and Taiwan so.....
Is there a particular forum where folks in the know talk about the various blade steels? I don't have any experience with the new "super" steels; I used to think VG 10 qualified, but I am behind the times! It's tough to beat well treated high carbon, so I haven't been that adventurous. I just got my first D2 and it seems impressive, though it is a bit of a challenge to work....not that I'm the first to notice...of course that is what makes it good to start with!

[dlr110]

Two new Slip Joint Folders from Rough Ryder.
The new Blue and Green VG-10 Slip Joint Folders feature a 3.25" VG 10 stainless steel clip point blade with a polished finish. They feature one blue and one green aluminum handled with a lanyard hole. They are 4" closed and 7.25" overall.
They sell for $14.99 each at smkw.
Oldtowncutlery is selling them for $24.95 each. They state that they only have 4 left.
Fit & Finish is excellent. Blades are perfectly centered. Half stops, no gaps.
Dan


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Nice looking knives Dan, but do you really like the aluminum handles?

Thanks David.
I must admit, I paused a bit before I hit the "Buy Now" button. As usual, smkw's pictures need attention.
I am now happy I made the purchase. I love these knives. Two of the best Rough Ryders I have.
If you order one (or the two) I think you'll be pleased.
Dan

Okay Dan I finally made up my simple mind and ordered them. They should be here by the middle of the week providing USPS can still find Ponder.

[Old Folder]

Glad to hear that Dave.
I'll wait for your opinion.

Dan

[kootenay joe]

David, i have a blue & a green VG-10 RR knives thanks to Old Folder Dan. You will be very impressed especially so if you like thin grinds and ultra sharp edges.
kj

[dlr110]

David, i have a blue & a green VG-10 RR knives thanks to Old Folder Dan. You will be very impressed especially so if you like thin grinds and ultra sharp edges.
kj

I'm betting I'm going to like them. I'll make a post here when I get them. Thanks kj.

[dlr110]

Drum role please……got these in the mail today and here is my initial observations:

A very simple knife style; 2 handles (the bolsters are a part of the handle); a backspring; a blade;
and 3 fasteners per side to hold it all together.

The blade has a smooth action when opening/closing with a very pronounced half-stop. A
good size blade at 3 /14” long and 1/8” thick at the back of the blade. It has a crisp snap
and is perfectly centered between the handles. The edge is VERY sharp.
SMKW lists the blade thickness as 1/16.”

There are no liners. The aluminum handles are very comfortable and the texture provides an good grip.
Fasteners are below the handle texture so they are not felt in your palm or on your fingers.

This knife appears to be a very well made knife and my only complaint is the colors. To me these two colors
make it look like a inexpensive novelty knife, when in fact it’s a quality product.

Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

[kootenay joe]

David your review is just how i see them too.
Rather than being a 'collectible' i see these as GREAT user knives: very sharp and lightweight and slim so very easy to carry. It will cut better than most knives that cost many times as much so if you happen to loose it you are not out of pocket by much.
kj

[Modern Slip Joints]

While their construction is simpler, these essentially are the latest reproduction of Remington's Pre-WW II R1303. I'd be more tempted if I did not already own reproductions made by Camillus and Queen. The design does fell good in hand.

SMKW also has a RR VG 10 mini-trapper and a medium Stockman constructed the same way. I'll probably by a stockman but I'm hopping they offer a larger one. What do you guys think of the mini-trapper and stockman?

[dlr110]

While their construction is simpler, these essentially are the latest reproduction of Remington's Pre-WW II R1303. I'd be more tempted if I did not already own reproductions made by Camillus and Queen. The design does fell good in hand.

SMKW also has a RR VG 10 mini-trapper and a medium Stockman constructed the same way. I'll probably by a stockman but I'm hopping they offer a larger one. What do you guys think of the mini-trapper and stockman?

I'd bet they are pretty much like the one's I described above and at some point I will most likely buy them.

[Stanwade]

Ugly knives, IMO... But that's ok, I'm sure there are knife patterns/styles that I love that some hate.. I respect the knife owner's opinion.. I would never make passive aggressive
remarks like some other knife enthusiasts do when people disagree with their "expert opinion"... Once again, David, this post has nothing to do with you, my friend... Just making a general statement..

[dlr110]

Ugly knives, IMO... But that's ok, I'm sure there are knife patterns/styles that I love that some hate.. I respect the knife owner's opinion.. I would never make passive aggressive
remarks like some other knife enthusiasts do when people disagree with their "expert opinion"... Once again, David, this post has nothing to do with you, my friend... Just making a general statement..

No worries Ryan. If everyone agreed with me we'd all be in trouble.