The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
You could think about using a forwarding agent also, then you have a permanent American postal address.Yes, I'm disappointed not to be able to get one but it might be that the company is still expanding and not set up for outlets to the EU. ? I may have to ask my American friends to help buying one and sending it on but don't know how quickly these sell out? Pretty fast it appears
I can tell you, that these knives are probably destined to be desirable, there’s not a single one of their earlier models for sale that I’ve been able to find. They’re clearly resonating with the community.
I am a new convert to this brand, and momentarily debated even mentioning anything about it. I will start out saying that I do not as a general rule purchase Chinese knives, and for the longest time, the idea specifically of slipjoints* made there was something I felt pretty strongly about in the negative. It was a position that was much easier given that there aren't really any stores carrying these knives in my area, so they weren't really in my mind. However, this year at BLADE Show, RoseCraft had their own booth and there were many other tables selling their knives as well. So, I was walking by, saw them on a table, shrugged, and said why not, and had a look at a few of them. I was pretty staggered at what I saw after handling a few. The quality of which they were made was of a very high level, also the folks who work for RC were very nice and answered all my questions and we chatted for a bit. At that point, I knew I was going to make a purchase.
So, below are the three I picked up, and due to RC's show special pricing as well as some special deals I was able to make at another table, I picked up all three of these for like, a hundred dollars. Nope, not a typo. Would I have picked these up if they were $100 apiece? Sure...if they were made here, as they would basically be more than even GEC or Case could match at that price point. But that's neither here nor there. These knives represented an incredible deal for what I received. Have a look:
Top to bottom:
- Briarpatch Jack
- Little Riverbend Skinner
- Savage Creek Gunstock
All three are flawless, with no issues anywhere, good snap, all blades perfectly ground and centered, and absolutely perfect fit and finish. There were Case Bose knives at the show at a few tables that I handled that didn't have as nice F&F as these do. Now, I don't like that fact one bit, so trust me when I say I'm not saying this with any sort of condescension or "HA! American slipjoints suck!"
type of comment. I was just blown away by the comparison right there in my own hands, with my own eyes. The backsprings on the Briarpatch Jack for example look virtually identical to the Boses, where you'd think it was one piece of steel because the lines between the liners and the backsprings are virtually undetectable. That was crazy to me. Blades all perfectly ground, scales mated perfectly to all bolsters, even the black micarta on the Riverbend and Gunstock could be considered "book matched" because they were identical and matched on both sides (something that I sure can't say for the last several GECs I'd gotten).
These knives are of very high quality, and I just decided that disliking these based on where they're made, eh, just wasn't that important in this moment. These are excellent knives. If I see other patterns that speak to me, I'm going to buy them.
* Something I consider to be the very epitome of "Americana"
Jakeywax31
What everybody does with their turn with the box is completely up to them, Ed.Those are some very nice knives. There should definitely be a spot for them and Rough Ryder Reserve knives in the "Mr Knife's Never Ending GAW Box Round # 89!!!!!" but sadly, it appears no crappy Chinese knives are allowed. At least that was my take from Paul
I'll have to order a couple Rose Craft Knives to check them out.
. I’m not the knife box police or care to ever be one. I don’t have an issue with Chinese made knives. Just don’t care for the old heritage brands that used to be made here that are being imported from there.
Glad you are happy with them. I have not had the chance to handle one but I don’t think I a have heard a bad thing spoken about them.I am a new convert to this brand, and momentarily debated even mentioning anything about it. I will start out saying that I do not as a general rule purchase Chinese knives, and for the longest time, the idea specifically of slipjoints* made there was something I felt pretty strongly about in the negative. It was a position that was much easier given that there aren't really any stores carrying these knives in my area, so they weren't really in my mind. However, this year at BLADE Show, RoseCraft had their own booth and there were many other tables selling their knives as well. So, I was walking by, saw them on a table, shrugged, and said why not, and had a look at a few of them. I was pretty staggered at what I saw after handling a few. The quality of which they were made was of a very high level, also the folks who work for RC were very nice and answered all my questions and we chatted for a bit. At that point, I knew I was going to make a purchase.
So, below are the three I picked up, and due to RC's show special pricing as well as some special deals I was able to make at another table, I picked up all three of these for like, a hundred dollars. Nope, not a typo. Would I have picked these up if they were $100 apiece? Sure...if they were made here, as they would basically be more than even GEC or Case could match at that price point. But that's neither here nor there. These knives represented an incredible deal for what I received. Have a look:
Top to bottom:
- Briarpatch Jack
- Little Riverbend Skinner
- Savage Creek Gunstock
All three are flawless, with no issues anywhere, good snap, all blades perfectly ground and centered, and absolutely perfect fit and finish. There were Case Bose knives at the show at a few tables that I handled that didn't have as nice F&F as these do. Now, I don't like that fact one bit, so trust me when I say I'm not saying this with any sort of condescension or "HA! American slipjoints suck!"
type of comment. I was just blown away by the comparison right there in my own hands, with my own eyes. The backsprings on the Briarpatch Jack for example look virtually identical to the Boses, where you'd think it was one piece of steel because the lines between the liners and the backsprings are virtually undetectable. That was crazy to me. Blades all perfectly ground, scales mated perfectly to all bolsters, even the black micarta on the Riverbend and Gunstock could be considered "book matched" because they were identical and matched on both sides (something that I sure can't say for the last several GECs I'd gotten).
These knives are of very high quality, and I just decided that disliking these based on where they're made, eh, just wasn't that important in this moment. These are excellent knives. If I see other patterns that speak to me, I'm going to buy them.
* Something I consider to be the very epitome of "Americana"
What everybody does with their turn with the box is completely up to them, Ed.
Jakeywax31
I agree that it's a shame the old heritage brands closed up here and moved off shore.
I'll also say, as someone with eeeeeeextensive experience with in-person Case handling during the "Search" we all do, that I handled every single Rosecraft knife on like, four tables and could not find a flaw in any of them, and that includes the several that the purveyors behind the table were happy to unbox for me on the spot so I could check them out as well to find "the right one". That was the problem, every single one I handled was "the right one". Whereas, we all know how it sometimes takes a minute to find a Case knife that is flawless. This one has excellent, perfect covers, but no snap to speak of. That one has perfect walk and talk but the blades are off-center. This other one has perfectly centered blades, but the blade grinds are very poor. Then you find the right one, and pay for it right away. Every RoseCraft I handled all had excellent...well, everything. I will buy more of these, and I say this as someone who doesn't enjoy Rough Riders, because I think they mess with the classic recipe of each model a bit much. RC is just cranking out excellent knives, and I have to say, I think in a year or two, the prices will have increased, and if their plans to bring production Stateside comes to fruition, I absolutely do not believe (or expect) that we'll see perfectly made knives for between $48-$60 again from the brand when that happens.
Quiet
- I know this is a thread on Rose Craft knives but I just want to say I have a Rough Ryder Reserve Hawkbill that is as described by many in this thread about their Rose Craft knives as being right at the edge and perhaps actually perfect. Knives from China are on the up tick. As you indicated too, the prices of those knives are on the rise. I've even noticed that some USA custom makers have aligned themselves with China companies.
RC knives are clearly made by cutlers, as I understand the term. Also, with respect, I would hope that you aren't insinuating that many of the "many" wouldn't enjoy RC knives, because that sure didn't seem to be the case at the tables I was at, where I was hearing a bunch of guys crowded around, inspecting the knives and talking about how these were better made than the last several GECs they'd gotten their hands on, and it sure was nice to actually be able to get their hands on these at all, and at such a lower price. Are these knives made by American cutlers entirely by hand? Of course not, and I don't think anyone would fool themselves and think that these are. The fitment is entirely too perfect, in a way that Case and GEC can't really match. I can't remember the last time I received a GEC (or Case for that matter) with the precision of the spine of the blade and the backspring meeting so perfectly when the knife is in the open position. I've got something like 140 GECs and around 50 or 60 Case knives at this point (a small collection compared to many folks here, I'm sure), so I'm not missing out on anything by purchasing a few of these, especially at their price point. I can always put a GEC or Case in my pocket when I wish.
Hey, don't blame me! I do it to myself as well! I just ordered both the Appalachian Jack and the large Riverbend Skinner. Also, I'm going to have to replace the Little Riverbend Skinner as it became an impromptu Father's Day gift to Dad when I showed him my BLADE show haul on Sunday. He kept coming back to examining that one, and loved everything about it, so it's his now. Hey, it's what they're for, sometimes!
Given that I mentioned what I heard others were saying (which is what I'm guessing you felt it necessary to respond to), I feel compelled to respond in kind. If you don't like people enjoying something you don't agree with, you could just say that, instead of making insinuations with words like "upsell". I don't think anyone in this thread works for RoseCraft, or any of their dealers.Cracks me up that people need to upsell their purchases of Chinese knives.
"Better than Case"... "As Good as GEC"... "If These Were Made in the USA"... Same story every time.
You'd hope the knives were good enough to stand on their own merit without having to trod on other beloved brands.
Below is a picture of three back springs on single blade Barlows: one Case, one Rosecraft, and one GEC... you be the judge.
I'd say that all three are just fine-and-dandy.
How about the blade centering and spring end finish... yup, all are still just fine.
