RD-9 DG?

[deadzonepatrol]

I was going through some of the knives that I had forgotten about and found my RD-9 with black micarta handle. 9 and a half inch blade, 1/4 inch thick, gray coated blade, balance point about half an inch on the blade side of the handle. It's got that classic bowie blade shape, with a clip point, false edge on top. I got it around 2014 and it is 5160 steel, heat treated to 53-55 Rc. The sheath is the crappy nylon type, with zero retention. It does have two snaps to hold the handle down. Really nice knife and I haven't used it. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued awhile back.

The main point of contention with this knife seems to be that it has a small, rather uncomfortable handle. A little similar to a kopis handle, with the opposite ends of the handle curling around just slightly. If you have medium sized hands, there is maybe a quarter inch room on both sides when you grip the handle. If you have big hands, this is definitely not large enough. If you wear leather gloves while working, it would probably be uncomfortably small. But I still like the knife. I think it does compare favorably to the Cold Steel Trail Master. The RD-9 is full tang and mine is 5160 steel, whereas my CS TM is only a "substantial" hidden tang with SK5 steel and a rubber handle. The TM would make a better fighting knife, but I think the RD-9 is way tougher, practically bomb-proof.

So I went on evil bay to see if I could find another one that I could use as a beater. The only one I find is a factory second RD-9 DG in 1095 steel. And it's up for auction, not a fixed price. Ugh! Just out of curiosity, because I never bid on any auction item on evil bay, does anyone know what the "DG" stands for? Mine only has the "RD-9" on it. No DG. I can't imagine what the DG stands for.

 

[buckfynn]

DG -> Dark Grey referring to the powder coating.

 

[deadzonepatrol]

DG -> Dark Grey referring to the powder coating.

Thanks! I hadn't checked in to bladeforums for a long while. Not much going on here these days, it seems.

I did pick up another RD9 from a good dealer (the one in Fredericksburg, VA) when new RD9 knives suddenly showed up a while back, some time after my original post. They had 'em on sale for a great deal. I got lucky! So glad I didn't bite on evil bay. I thought this model had been retired, but I guess Ontario made some new ones. Strange, ain't it? It must have been a small batch. I don't see any new ones around anywhere. Do you think Ontario made some new ones, or were they "new" old stock from a warehouse somewhere that they re-discovered?

 

[buckfynn]

I'm not sure if they old stock, a short run, or a marketing test for the new style handles. I was lucky enough to pick one up at Knife Center before they sold out.

 

[Roguer]

Me to. I should of gotten another one, but I got 3 NS4s for some reason. Oh and those are gone now. Seems people are snatching Rangers while they can as they seem to be discontinued. I just ordered my probably last RD6 the way things are going.

My RD NS4s have uses, one for the hunting pack, another for the big critter cutting season and one for in case the hunting pack gets lost. The RD9 I find works like a BK9 only tougher.