Rough Rider Elephant's Toenail - Preliminary review

[Draven]

Howdy folks! Just got this in the post so I figured I'd show it here

A bulky knife by all accounts It's so rounded, though, this is surprisingly unnoticeable in your pocket. It's smaller than most cell phones, and doubtless more useful The cross section is like a thin oval with the ends flattened, so it's really quite discreet despite first appearances.

Fit and finish between scales and liners is just about flawless all the way around. Extremely minor gap on the top left side of the top pic, but certainly nothing to complain about in an £11 knife. Also a very small gap between the springs, but again, nothing too serious.

Two nice sturdy blades! The larger one is about 3mm and the smaller about 2mm thick - very good choices IMO. Both are comfortably under the legal EDC limit, so you don't have to worry about a police officer having a slightly wonky ruler The backsprings are comfortable - both of them are quite easy opening to a point, and then you really feel the click as they pop into place - extremely well done, IMO, particularly for the price tag. Starts out to open easier than my tidioute, but the final push into place is greater.

The slight forwards angle of the blades, coupled with the fact that the smaller blade is a bit off centre towards the spring, means that punching or boring holes should push the blade backwards rather than onto your fingers, if you do it right. Definitely a plus for any non-locking folder IMO.

As you can no doubt see, I've sharpened them both up, but had no complaints out of the box. The smaller one was certainly the sharpest I've had a folder brand new, and the angle on the larger one was just a bit too obtuse for my liking, but still good enough.

Just so you can see that the blades are straight - I believe someone on BB had a problem with one.

And an in-hand shot, so you can see that this really is a hefty knife!

I'll probably do a bit more reviewing later, but I have to get to work now

Pete

 

[Hoodoo]

Nice review! Thanks for posting it! Be careful though. Those RRs are addicting!

 

[Draven]

Nice review! Thanks for posting it! Be careful though. Those RRs are addicting!

They most certainly are Been chopping up boxes at work and it cuts like a champ Still paper-slicing sharp after that, too.

It's been in my pocket much of the day - my left pocket actually, which usually carries nothing but my zig-zags and a couple sticks of filters, so I expected it to be uncomfortable given how large it was, but I couldn't really feel it at all - excellent EDC ergonomics IMO!

Pete

 

[bushwacker bob]

Zig zags? tut. cheap papers. (Rizla Liquorice )
I had a RR peanut. The fit and finish was pretty good as were the dyed bone scales I found one of the springs was a bit soft for my liking. My Case's are a bit 'snappier' but cost 4 or 5 times as much, so all things considered the RR's are good value. That elephants toenail is just such a fugly pattern.:yikes:

 

[Tye Possum]

Cool knife, I'm thinking of getting a rough rider knife now... Maybe a stockman or a canoe... or both!

I'd get a Case but they seem a little pricey and I've heard some bad things about them too, as in they're more collectable and not so much a working knife, no idea if that's true though. Anyways a rough rider should work fine for my needs, I think so at least, we'll see. Good review.

 

[Draven]

Zig zags? tut. cheap papers. (Rizla Liquorice )
I had a RR peanut. The fit and finish was pretty good as were the dyed bone scales I found one of the springs was a bit soft for my liking. My Case's are a bit 'snappier' but cost 4 or 5 times as much, so all things considered the RR's are good value.

Rizzla? Not as bad as Swan, mind, thats just printer paper!
To be honest, I could see why someone would think that even these ones are too soft; they are pretty easy opening (not easy enough that they'd open accidentally, though) for the most part, it is just the wonderfully reassuring snap when the blade is fully open that makes me smile One thing that has annoyed me with slippies in the past is that they can be hard to open, but there's no real snap at the end and they're too easy to close. While I would ultimately like it to be a bit harder to open and maintain the snap, this is preferable IMO

That elephants toenail is just such a fugly pattern.:yikes:

Lovely pattern This isn't the best looking one out there, but the best looking scales I've seen. I'd prefer the bigger blade to be a bit straighter in relation to the handle. Different strokes though, I think SAKs are horrible, though quality kit they may be

Pete

 

[Draven]

Cool knife, I'm thinking of getting a rough rider knife now... Maybe a stockman or a canoe... or both!

I'd get a Case but they seem a little pricey and I've heard some bad things about them too, as in they're more collectable and not so much a working knife, no idea if that's true though. Anyways a rough rider should work fine for my needs, I think so at least, we'll see. Good review.

I'm going to get a Canoe myself! It was my first choice, but they only had one left and I needed two of the same, so I thought this would be an excellent compromise I think I'll get a whittler as well... and maybe the rest...

 

[Tye Possum]

I'm going to get a Canoe myself! It was my first choice, but they only had one left and I needed two of the same, so I thought this would be an excellent compromise I think I'll get a whittler as well... and maybe the rest...

Ya I like the canoe pattern and I've been looking for a cheap but good one, guess I found it, and since their cheap I can even afford to get two, or maybe even... no no I guess two's enough... Though that whittler does look pretty good... and the rest do look good too... They may be cheap but I still can't afford them all.

 

[Draven]

Ya I like the canoe pattern and I've been looking for a cheap but good one, guess I found it, and since their cheap I can even afford to get two, or maybe even... no no I guess two's enough... Though that whittler does look pretty good... and the rest do look good too... They may be cheap but I still can't afford them all.

Ahh I know the feeling One or two a month for a while perhaps...