Rough Riders!

[Quick Steel]

And if you get a second lemon it probably indicates that RRs once excellent quality control has gone to pot. Something we can all be on the look out for.

[marinaio61]

This was a High Carbon with G10 scales which was a totally new product line for RR. SMKW admitted there was a tang stamp error regarding the blade steel and I'd be willing to bet the designers and factory were unaccustomed to working T10 steel and G10 scale material. The G10 looks too thin and the T10 may have had some residual stresses from machining and/or heat treat. If I order another knife it will be from their more established product lines.

[Stanwade]

I've been using this one off and on for a few weeks now..by the condition you can tell I've barely used it at all and it's already developed considerable side play... I've used a few of my american-made knives in the same time frame off and on and they are a few years old and they have not developed any side play/issues... Rough Ryders do not "have the same quality as most american-made knives"-- just my opinion... Most Rough Ryders I've owned and used have developed some issue within a short time frame... Maybe I'm just unlucky but I don't think so....

[dlr110]

I have 47 Rough Rider/Ryder knives and granted like the majority of my collection they are for display only and have never been carried or used by myself. The only two that I have been carrying in the past few months are the Rough Ryder and the Kershaw shown below. The RR is still just as tight and solid as the Kershaw and I have used both in the house and out in the garage/workshop for various tasks and there is no change in the performance of the RR. I wouldn't rate the brand at the very top of my list when compared to brands such as CASE, Buck or other such brands, but it's not at the bottom either. The RR brand diffidently has attractive styling, good material, craftsmanship and affordability. I use the $16.99 knives, but I only collect all the others. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
.

[kootenay joe]

Nothing lasts forever. The Rough Rider knives i have used are ones made 12-6 years ago and they are holding up perfectly. In the last few years RR has brought on many new unusual patterns, different steel and different handle material. Now it seems that some of the more recent RR knives do not hold up well when used.
I wonder if RR began using different manufacturers for the 'less traditional' style patterns ?
I have about 200 RR's bought from 2007 to about 2015. All are traditional style patterns and none have any blade play, poor snap, etc. I have used a few of them with great results: edges stay sharp, no change in blade action, etc. Yet i have often wondered, how long can this go on for ? A really good durable knife for as little as $10 delivered seems too good to be true. But it was true, but is it sustainable ?
Maybe now the days of amazingly good RR knives every time you get one are over ?
The 'older' RR knives have lower pattern numbers, in the 100's or low 1000. They can still be found at many dealers. BUT, are these knives ones that were made back in the years of top quality ? or, are they more recently made 're-runs' in which the consistently high quality is no longer the case ?
If you find a dealer that has low pattern number RR's that he says he has had for about 6 or more years, these would be the best ones to buy.
Maybe i should try to sell some of mine ?
kj

[Old Folder]

For a excellent review of the new Rough Ryder Highland lockback cleaver knife, RR2044 $16.99.
Check out the below youtube excellent review by "Ryan Shaner"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX7rw3u ... ubeYl7b53M

I received my new RR2044 a couple days ago. My first "cleaver." This knife is gorgeous.
Ryan's video above says it all.
The belt clip can be removed if you choose.
Dan

[jerryd6818]

RR comes up with some of the most interesting patterns.

[Old Folder]

I agree Jerry, seems like something new every month.
Martha Stewart would even put this cleaver to good use.
Dan

[jwwood]

Dan, I like that knife. Does it have half stops and did you do the pictures? Are they taken inside or outside?
Joe

[Dinadan]

I like that Highland RR a lot. Looks like just the knife for rough garden work like pruning. Great photos, Dan!

[Old Folder]

Dan, I like that knife. Does it have half stops and did you do the pictures? Are they taken inside or outside?
Joe

Hey Joe;
Yes, I took the pictures, natural lighting, my desk is directly in front of the window, I get a lot of indirect sun. You can observe the horizontal blinds in the top picture's large bolster mirror reflection.
No half stop. It opens so easy, I don't even have to use the match-strike pull, the blade is so big and hefty I just pinch the blade above the handles, one easy wrist swing and the blade is locked open.
I actually find it difficult to stop playing with it. It has been within hands reach for days now. I feel like a child with his Teddy bear. (Teddy Roosevelt) RR that is.
Pick one up Joe, I think you'll love it.

[Old Folder]

I like that Highland RR a lot. Looks like just the knife for rough garden work like pruning. Great photos, Dan!

Thanks Mel.
Great idea Mel, I think it would be great in the garden. The locking blade would sure protect your pinkies.
$16.99, Can't go wrong. I'm even thinking of getting a second one. (Hard to explain that, but you know why)

[treefarmer]

Question for the Rough Rider/Ryder Experts:
Since I splurged and purchased the $9.99 RR Black Cherry Bone Moose because of the unique spay blade, I realized I have no idea what the engraved IRT on the mark side front bolster stands for? Went back through the whole RR thread and noticed quite a few different patterns with the same markings. Any body have an idea about this? I even went to the RR website read all about Teddy Roosevelt but didn't see any thing about the bolster markings. I may be like the feller that couldn't the forest for the trees.
Something else that I noticed, about 40% of the RR posts have been made in 2020.

I noticed several of these pictured in the thread.

What does IRT stand for?

Treefarmer

[jerryd6818]

Question for the Rough Rider/Ryder Experts:
Since I splurged and purchased the $9.99 RR Black Cherry Bone Moose because of the unique spay blade, I realized I have no idea what the engraved IRT on the mark side front bolster stands for? Went back through the whole RR thread and noticed quite a few different patterns with the same markings. Any body have an idea about this? I even went to the RR website read all about Teddy Roosevelt but didn't see any thing about the bolster markings. I may be like the feller that couldn't the forest for the trees.
Something else that I noticed, about 40% of the RR posts have been made in 2020.032.JPG030.JPG
Treefarmer

Never noticed that until you pointed it out. I'll be interested to hear the answer.

[jwwood]

Until someone comes up with the answer, I'm going to say "READY TEDDY".

[Dinadan]

Question for the Rough Rider/Ryder Experts:
Since I splurged and purchased the $9.99 RR Black Cherry Bone Moose because of the unique spay blade, I realized I have no idea what the engraved IRT on the mark side front bolster stands for? Went back through the whole RR thread and noticed quite a few different patterns with the same markings.
Treefarmer

I do not think the engraving is actually the letters IRT. I think it is simply an underlined R, kind of like an old time cattle brand. Here is a photo of a RR with that bolster alongside a Colt with a similar bolster with a C instead of an R.

Very nice knife: Treefarmer!

RR and Colt

[bighomer]

Mel beat me to it. Just a R over a bar in the middle of the groove that circles the knife.

There's lots of them

[treefarmer]

Well that makes sense, as a cattle brand. I suppose it would be called R Bar.
Thank y'all for the common sense approach, I was trying to read too much into my Chinese prize.
Treefarmer

[doglegg]

Well that makes sense, as a cattle brand. I suppose it would be called R Bar.
Thank y'all for the common sense approach, I was trying to read too much into my Chinese prize.
Treefarmer

Did you have a brand when you were running cattle Philip?

[treefarmer]

Yes Sir, Floyd, we did. The brand was registered with the Marks and Brands Division of the Florida Dept. of Agriculture. It was known as Rafter M Bar. an "M" with a rafter over the "M" followed by a bar(-). Here is a couple of pictures of our branding iron, hadn't been used in over 30 years:

Treefarmer

[Stanwade]

That's really neat, Philip...

[Steve Warden]

Yes Sir, Floyd, we did. The brand was registered with the Marks and Brands Division of the Florida Dept. of Agriculture. It was known as Rafter M Bar. an "M" with a rafter over the "M" followed by a bar(-). Here is a couple of pictures of our branding iron, hadn't been used in over 30 years:034.JPG039.JPG
Treefarmer

Cool!!

[doglegg]

Very nice Philip. I only have one branding iron from the Tom Christian Ranch in Amarillo but I sure enjoy them. I one time got to participate in branding the Texas State herd out in Albany Texas. Work but fun. I think I could ride for the Rafter M Bar. Thanks for sharing.

[dlr110]

Got these two today and that completes my purchases of the
Backwoods Bushcrafter Series.
.

[Old Folder]

Congratulations on the complete series David.
The Backwoods Bushcrafter Series is exceptionally nice and hard to complete. Even smkw has five of the eight in the series on backorder.
Dan