Rough Ryder pocket knives

[airborne09]

Hello All ,
I know there was a thread on here about ten years ago relating to Rough Ryder pocket knives but I would just like to revive the subject because of increasing popularity in this brand . Now I know they are never going to be up there with some of the top manufacturers but because of their reasonably low price range and after reading numerous reviews etc they do seem very good value for money for what they are . I am only a collector of various knives these days and after carrying out my research have decided to start a small collection of Rough Ryders which by all accounts have a reasonable fit and finish ( many with bone scales ) and can hold their own against the more popular Case knives and indeed other manufacturers .
Any members of the forum here have any experience with these knives ? or own any , if sso would be good to hear your views . Thanks

 

[R_Fonseca]

I have a large stockman with the yellow plastic scales that I use as a general purpose knife around the house. I thought I'd try it out and get a nicer one if I liked the pattern. The different blade types are very useful.

Now it's not perfect. The spring on the spey blade is a little weak. When it arrived the edges of the spacers were too sharp in hand for my office hands. I used a small file to smooth them out. It came sharp enough... but not to my liking.. so got sharpened immediately.

I've used it for garden work (opening bags of compost, cutting bamboo sticks to size, etc.) As a utility knife in the house and shed (marking wood, pencil sharpener, cutting tips off of caulk tubes, things like this) and even a bit of food like cleaning fish and skinning chickens (doctor's orders and the spey blade is super good for it).

The edge holds up just fine and strops up really quickly. Very easy to maintain. It's only seen the stone in January. I like the steel better than my SAKs for what thats worth. I don't cut cardboard and anything I think could be unsafe with a slipjoint goes to a fixed blade. So not hard use. Just cutting.

Not perfect... but much better than the price of it would suggest. If you want something that's perfect it's not for you... if you want something that works maybe it is. I think it's a good tool.

Keep in mind that I have a sample size of 1 and only 8 months straight of use... not daily but most days.

 

[Laurentius]

I have a little toothpick, I like the aesthetic, but it is useful for package opening, string cutting, making holes in things and I have used it for cutting leather so it does hold an edge, never mind everything I have said in the past about made in China.

 

[airborne09]

I have a large stockman with the yellow plastic scales that I use as a general purpose knife around the house. I thought I'd try it out and get a nicer one if I liked the pattern. The different blade types are very useful.

Now it's not perfect. The spring on the spey blade is a little weak. When it arrived the edges of the spacers were too sharp in hand for my office hands. I used a small file to smooth them out. It came sharp enough... but not to my liking.. so got sharpened immediately.

I've used it for garden work (opening bags of compost, cutting bamboo sticks to size, etc.) As a utility knife in the house and shed (marking wood, pencil sharpener, cutting tips off of caulk tubes, things like this) and even a bit of food like cleaning fish and skinning chickens (doctor's orders and the spey blade is super good for it).

The edge holds up just fine and strops up really quickly. Very easy to maintain. It's only seen the stone in January. I like the steel better than my SAKs for what thats worth. I don't cut cardboard and anything I think could be unsafe with a slipjoint goes to a fixed blade. So not hard use. Just cutting.

Not perfect... but much better than the price of it would suggest. If you want something that's perfect it's not for you... if you want something that works maybe it is. I think it's a good tool.

Keep in mind that I have a sample size of 1 and only 8 months straight of use... not daily but most days.

Interesting , you seem to have had a reasonable amount of use from it . To be honest Ive ordered four from HH for a small collection only . Ive had two in the past which were very good for the price but gifted them to people .

 

[airborne09]

I have a little toothpick, I like the aesthetic, but it is useful for package opening, string cutting, making holes in things and I have used it for cutting leather so it does hold an edge, never mind everything I have said in the past about made in China.

Got to say I like the aesthetics and no doubt they will in general light use be very useful knives

 

[airborne09]

I have a large stockman with the yellow plastic scales that I use as a general purpose knife around the house. I thought I'd try it out and get a nicer one if I liked the pattern. The different blade types are very useful.

Now it's not perfect. The spring on the spey blade is a little weak. When it arrived the edges of the spacers were too sharp in hand for my office hands. I used a small file to smooth them out. It came sharp enough... but not to my liking.. so got sharpened immediately.

I've used it for garden work (opening bags of compost, cutting bamboo sticks to size, etc.) As a utility knife in the house and shed (marking wood, pencil sharpener, cutting tips off of caulk tubes, things like this) and even a bit of food like cleaning fish and skinning chickens (doctor's orders and the spey blade is super good for it).

The edge holds up just fine and strops up really quickly. Very easy to maintain. It's only seen the stone in January. I like the steel better than my SAKs for what thats worth. I don't cut cardboard and anything I think could be unsafe with a slipjoint goes to a fixed blade. So not hard use. Just cutting.

Not perfect... but much better than the price of it would suggest. If you want something that's perfect it's not for you... if you want something that works maybe it is. I think it's a good tool.

Keep in mind that I have a sample size of 1 and only 8 months straight of use... not daily but most days.

Hello mate ,
Ive just bought a Rough Ryder large stockman bone stag scales from Heinnie Haynes , ( see my short review on edged tools section ) what a class knife !

 

[R_Fonseca]

Ah brilliant. I'll have a look. Mine is actually in pocket right now. Really useful to have the three blades. Though when I go into a woody area I carry my Vic camper for the saw and awl. But around the house I still really like my stockman

 

[airborne09]

Ah brilliant. I'll have a look. Mine is actually in pocket right now. Really useful to have the three blades. Though when I go into a woody area I carry my Vic camper for the saw and awl. But around the house I still really like my stockman

After being around knives for 60 years in one form or another , I can highly recommend the RR Large bone stag stockman for aesthetics and handling ability and having looked closely at the three blades I would imagine practical use .

 

[sidpost]

RR knives of a few years ago seem to have been of much better overall quality, fit and finish, than those of more recent times here in the USA.

I would suggest buying at a retail where you can actually see the knife in question in person. For myself, a Case equivalent knife costs ~4 times ($20 vs. $80) what a similar RR would. The older D2 steel bladed models were pretty sweet for $20~$30. Carried a Ram's Horn model for many years until the scale broke ...

 

[airborne09]

RR knives of a few years ago seem to have been of much better overall quality, fit and finish, than those of more recent times here in the USA.

I would suggest buying at a retail where you can actually see the knife in question in person. For myself, a Case equivalent knife costs ~4 times ($20 vs. $80) what a similar RR would. The older D2 steel bladed models were pretty sweet for $20~$30. Carried a Ram's Horn model for many years until the scale broke ...

HI sidpost , think Ive got 18 Rough Ryder slip joints now and each one damm near perfect with overall great fit and finish , but there again I insist that each knife I buy is pre checked before it is posted out by my supplier .
Im using the RR Rams horn bone Trapper as my EDC and find it a great all rounder general purpose knife with looks to match .

 

[airborne09]

Ah brilliant. I'll have a look. Mine is actually in pocket right now. Really useful to have the three blades. Though when I go into a woody area I carry my Vic camper for the saw and awl. But around the house I still really like my stockman

Hello RF , interesting that you mentioned the Vic camper with a saw and awl . I know it may be breaking with tradition slightly but Ive often wondered if it would be practical on the Stockman ( especially the large version ) to maybe do away with either the sheeps foot or Spey blade in favour of a decent Saw ( as on the SAK Farmer ) or Awl ?? As I said its kind of breaking tradition but nothing is written in tablets of stone ! But looking at it from another point of view , I suppose thats why the Camp knife style slip joint exists ! Regardless I am totally impressed with my new acquisition of the Stag bone Large Stockman ( it ticks every box ) , only wish I was able to get the practical use out of it these days . Overall , its got to be my best RR knife yet .