Toenail knives

[Draven]

Nope, not clippers

I stumbled upon the Elephants Toenail knife on the Heinnie website, this one being made by Rough Rider.

http://heinnie.com/2ofXds224663/Knives/Rough-Rider/Rough-Rider-Elephants-Toenail/p-92-602-4190/

I've bought a couple for me and my dad, should be here tuesday

Has anyone any experience with Toenail knives, though? They seem to date from the early 20th or very late 19th century from what I've seen, and seem to have been advertised as a rope cutting knife or just generally heavy duty folder; apparantly, they tend to have very strong springs and, again from what I've read, could withstand battoning. How much of that is advertising, though, I don't know.

I'd also heard of them being used by sailors, which seems to make sense. They strike me as being like a short, folding Green River knife (which was originally a deck knife too, was it not?) intended for the same no-nonsense hard use.

They're pretty big for EDC, at 6.6" overall with main blade open, and a 2.7" blade. That's a big handle for a pocket knife I'll try it out though - they seem to have been used in vest pockets rather than trousers.

Any info and opinions on them would be great
Pete

 

[fishfish]

is the scales elephant toe nail then??

 

[Draven]

is the scales elephant toe nail then??

Nah mate just the style of knife The scales on that one are sawcut bone.

Pete

 

[dwardo]

Nice looking EDC especially at that price..

 

[Draven]

Nice looking EDC especially at that price..

Definitely Their whole range looks pretty good, and the folks on BB seem to consider them good value working knives. I'm glad I found them, I'd been on the lookout for that style knife after I decided the tidioute my girlfriend gave me is too close to the 3" mark to risk EDCing it...

Pete

 

[Hoodoo]

Those Rough Rider knives are pretty darn good. Amazingly good for the price. And they seem to hold an edge well. There's a woman on youtube that does a lot of woodcarving with Rough Rider knives.

I have a pretty good collection of them and I'm rarely disappointed, especially given their price. This is the last one I bought for $11.

 

[Draven]

Should've known you'd have one Hoodoo That looks like a great knife! Wish Heinnie had that one

 

[Hoodoo]

Should've known you'd have one Hoodoo That looks like a great knife! Wish Heinnie had that one

One?

Got a few more around here somewhere...

 

[Draven]

One?

Got a few more around here somewhere...

Lucky sunnuva...

Have you noticed any quality control issues, or are they pretty good?

Pete

 

[Hoodoo]

Lucky sunnuva...

Have you noticed any quality control issues, or are they pretty good?

Pete

Walk and talk are almost always very good. Once in a great while you get a weak blade. I've yet to find one that has side to side wobble. Can't predict the grind on the blades. Sometimes hollow ground, sometimes flat. On the bone handles, sometimes real minor chipping.

A few more...

Here's another shot of one of the barlows. I think I paid around $10 for it.

 

[Draven]

Very nice, that barlow with the sawcut bone is stunning.

I take it the hollow ground ones have a pretty big radius? What are he springs like?

I hope Heinnie get more of these in stock, I can see a collection forming

 

[Hoodoo]

Very nice, that barlow with the sawcut bone is stunning.

I take it the hollow ground ones have a pretty big radius? What are he springs like?

I hope Heinnie get more of these in stock, I can see a collection forming

I just grabbed a couple trappers and checked them out. If I close my eyes and work the blades, I can't tell the difference between the RRs and my Case trappers.

 

[Draven]

I just grabbed a couple trappers and checked them out. If I close my eyes and work the blades, I can't tell the difference between the RRs and my Case trappers.

Sweet Cheers!

 

[Pryderi]

Previous to the ebay ban I used to buy Rough Rider knives from an ebay trader in the States (TTT knives if remember correctly) who had a good selection and good prices. Does anyone know of a trader in the UK who is stocking the full range? Failing that can someone recommend a US trader. I have emailed two asking for shipping prices including smokey mountain knives but neither answered.

 

[Draven]

I have to say, for cheap and cheerful knives you cant go wrong.

Well made, sharp as a razor and if you lose it out walking it shouldnt worry you too much.

Used to sell them on evil-Bay before the ban. Proved quite popular.


Also got a couple of CRKT, Gerber and Smith & Wesson.

Cheers

The Badger

Fancy posting pics of 'em?

Pete

 

[bushwacker bob]

I just grabbed a couple trappers and checked them out. If I close my eyes and work the blades, I can't tell the difference between the RRs and my Case trappers.

I could with a RR peanut Vs Case mini copperhead

 

[Hoodoo]

I could with a RR peanut Vs Case mini copperhead

Be easy to tell the difference blindfolded since they aren't the same pattern.