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Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints
- Thread starter dalee100
- Start date
Got the TaylorSchrade 93OT in today. Not bad. As you will see from the pics, VERY serpentine. The frame is slightly more serpentine than the scales, causing some small misalignment/gaps toward the butt end between the scales and bolsters. Blades are nicely done with even, coarse grinds. Toothy, sharp edges. The clip is a little narrower than I would prefer and you can see that the sheepsfoot is broad and typically, if not excessively, proud. Just noticed a slight hump in the spine of the sheepsfoot above the nail nick. Probably caused by "punching" the nail nick.
Bolsters and shield are fine, with the yellow cast typical of Chinese nickel-silver. No gaps between springs, liners, and scales. Center pins are a little proud. Blades are straight, pretty centered and walk and talk is decent, about a 4-5 pull. No half stops.
To be honest, compares pretty favorably with what Schrade turned out in the last few years. However, they are not the bargain that most Rough Riders are, especially considering the synthetic scales.
Bolsters and shield are fine, with the yellow cast typical of Chinese nickel-silver. No gaps between springs, liners, and scales. Center pins are a little proud. Blades are straight, pretty centered and walk and talk is decent, about a 4-5 pull. No half stops.
To be honest, compares pretty favorably with what Schrade turned out in the last few years. However, they are not the bargain that most Rough Riders are, especially considering the synthetic scales.
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Coming back to the Schrade above, the main blade, as mentioned, is fairly narrow. Narrower than it appears even in the above photo and other photos of the knife. It's a real needle. But it's growing on me. I have to think such a blade is good for something, but I am not sure what it is. 
Will Power
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 33,576
Yes, I'd like to try one of those looks decently turned out.
How big is it please?
Thanks, Will
How big is it please?
Thanks, Will
3.5 on the nose.
I'll add that the steel seems pretty decent and run fairly hard. Ive been trying to polish up the edges with a ceramic rod and strop and it is resisting my efforts a bit. Also broke down some fairly gritty cardboard (cat food box/pallets) that I like to use for stropping. No harm. The edge bevels are really well executed, even and about perfect for the geometry of both blades.
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Here is my newest Rough Rider, a RR1130 Jigged Red Bone Trapperlock. Beautiful color, very deep red, almost crimson. In general fit & finish is as I have come to expect from RR, but I was surprised to find one small issue. The liner lock does this awkward double snap thing when opening, ("snap snap"....sounds and feels weird). The lock snaps once at the half stop, then again at full open, so basically it has to be released twice when closing, (unless you hold the liner lock back continuously until past the half stop). So I would have to say that this knife "walks", (good snap opening, even with the double snap thing), but it has issues when it tries to "talk" because the lock is so tight against the blade it simply cannot "snap" closed. This is the only liner lock knife that I have that has that odd "feature", if you want to call it that. The word awkward describes it better than anything else. Then, though it is very tight & secure when fully open and locked, it is nearly impossible to unlock with my thumb due to the lock being so tight against the back of the blade. You actually have to squeeze the lock with two fingers to get it to release, (like I said, "awkward"). I suppose it will "wear in" and eventually loosen up, but right now it takes two hands to unlock the knife. I did a little surgery with a needle file, and oiled the joint, so that helped a little. I can now open it with my thumb, (with difficulty), but it's still stiff enough that I am getting a blister from it, so it is still a little too tight for my taste.
That aside this is a typical RR knife, pristine handles, great jig pattern with no gaps at the bolsters or cracks around the perfectly smoothed pins. I like the lined bolsters, which are seen on many of the higher quality Chinese knives, so it probably comes from Guangdong Victory factory where so many of the well made PRC knives come from, (you'll see those lined bolsters on several different brands). The blade is super sharp and exceedingly tight with not a hint of wiggle when open, so other than a sore thumb I think I got a great knife for nary a Franklin, (I mean really, a good knife for ten bucks??.....What a weird world we live in!).
That aside this is a typical RR knife, pristine handles, great jig pattern with no gaps at the bolsters or cracks around the perfectly smoothed pins. I like the lined bolsters, which are seen on many of the higher quality Chinese knives, so it probably comes from Guangdong Victory factory where so many of the well made PRC knives come from, (you'll see those lined bolsters on several different brands). The blade is super sharp and exceedingly tight with not a hint of wiggle when open, so other than a sore thumb I think I got a great knife for nary a Franklin, (I mean really, a good knife for ten bucks??.....What a weird world we live in!).
kootenay joe
BANNED
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2015
- Messages
- 1,566
It is better to have a liner lock that is on the tight side because it will loosen with use as the tang and liner wear on each other. A liner lock on the loose side can only get looser.
kj
kj
True, I wasn't complaining so much as describing. If it had come in loose I would have sent it back as defective, but tight I can work with.
In the meantime, I've been sitting and working the lock back and forth against the back of the blade to "lap" or seat it in so to speak, and it's already getting smoother to unlock. I'm sure with use it will continue to improve. I carry my trappers in belt sheaths, (I have several spare sheaths). and I just found one that fits this one perfectly, so this knife is going on the belt and into my EDC rotation today. I'm also carrying my 70's Buck 311 Thinline Trapper on the other hip, so if I run into anything that needs cutting today I'll be set!
Sonny
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2014
- Messages
- 4,505
I haven't but that's a great name for a knife.
5K Qs
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2014
- Messages
- 15,808
Recently purchased a couple of new Colts: a "black stag" sowbelly stockman in stainless steel and a G-10 canoe with titanium-coated carbon steel blades. I'm quite pleased with each of them!
The "black stag" is actually stag bone, and I think it looks very good. My photo skills aren't good enough to do it justice; it actually has quite deep valleys/grooves jigged into it that I think look and feel very good. Quite well-made and very solid; it's not completely "light-tight" between springs and liners, but the gaps are very small. The spey blade rubs against the sheepsfoot when I push the spey over while opening it; pull on the blades is about a 6 IMHO, and the action is smooth. Here are a couple of pics of the knife open with the fancy box it came in.
And here are photos of each side of the knife with blades closed.
I like a canoe pattern, and I was curious about Colt's small selection of carbon steel folders, so I ordered the one pictured below, even though I thought the titanium-coated blades were kind of "gimmicky". Turns out I REALLY like this knife! It's also very solidly constructed, although again some light gets through small gaps between the backsprings. No blade rub, blades are nicely centered, main blade about a 6 pull, secondary a 7. I find the knife to be VERY visually appealing: surprisingly, I like the charcoal-colored blades with very nice swedges (the blades are darker in person than in my pics); I think the silver script Colt shield against the black micarta looks awesome; the red lining between covers and liners is a nice touch; and this is my first micarta, and I'm pleased with the texture or grain that I can see in the G-10.
- GT
The "black stag" is actually stag bone, and I think it looks very good. My photo skills aren't good enough to do it justice; it actually has quite deep valleys/grooves jigged into it that I think look and feel very good. Quite well-made and very solid; it's not completely "light-tight" between springs and liners, but the gaps are very small. The spey blade rubs against the sheepsfoot when I push the spey over while opening it; pull on the blades is about a 6 IMHO, and the action is smooth. Here are a couple of pics of the knife open with the fancy box it came in.
And here are photos of each side of the knife with blades closed.
I like a canoe pattern, and I was curious about Colt's small selection of carbon steel folders, so I ordered the one pictured below, even though I thought the titanium-coated blades were kind of "gimmicky". Turns out I REALLY like this knife! It's also very solidly constructed, although again some light gets through small gaps between the backsprings. No blade rub, blades are nicely centered, main blade about a 6 pull, secondary a 7. I find the knife to be VERY visually appealing: surprisingly, I like the charcoal-colored blades with very nice swedges (the blades are darker in person than in my pics); I think the silver script Colt shield against the black micarta looks awesome; the red lining between covers and liners is a nice touch; and this is my first micarta, and I'm pleased with the texture or grain that I can see in the G-10.
- GT
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 3,536
Blades that thick, you'd only really be able to make it work as a double spring. If you put them on the same spring it would be an incredibly thick spring, with catch bits the size of nickels.
True enough, that. I would prefer thinner blades as well.
Recently purchased a couple of new Colts: a "black stag" sowbelly stockman in stainless steel and a G-10 canoe with titanium-coated carbon steel blades. I'm quite pleased with each of them!
I like a canoe pattern, and I was curious about Colt's small selection of carbon steel folders, so I ordered the one pictured below, even though I thought the titanium-coated blades were kind of "gimmicky". Turns out I REALLY like this knife! It's also very solidly constructed, although again some light gets through small gaps between the backsprings. No blade rub, blades are nicely centered, main blade about a 6 pull, secondary a 7. I find the knife to be VERY visually appealing: surprisingly, I like the charcoal-colored blades with very nice swedges (the blades are darker in person than in my pics); I think the silver script Colt shield against the black micarta looks awesome; the red lining between covers and liners is a nice touch; and this is my first micarta, and I'm pleased with the texture or grain that I can see in the G-10.
- GT
I almost pulled the trigger on one of these last week, but got the RR Trapperlock instead. After seeing yours though, I think I might just have to go ahead with that original idea. I really like the copper bolsters accented against the dark blades, I just wasn't sure about the quality. Thanks for posting the mini review, gotta have one now.
Sonny
