Rough Rider & Related Slipjoints

[Rhinofly]

Sorry you didn’t get the Bark Pearl you were looking for but those two stag whittlers are really nice.

Thanks. To be honest I was not disappointed. I am a fan of genuine stag after all. That is your Bark Pearl Barlow posted above, does your box say RR562?

Although I did not actually get the Bark Pearl knife, I did get a box and what is on the side of the box is interesting. It reads, "Bark pearl is an extremely beautiful natural handle material that was popular with craftsmen of the late 1700's and early 1800's. Today, just like yesteryear, our modern day craftsmen take the natural shell and then ground and polish away the outer layers to reveal a handle filled with small cracks and imperfections that nature has produced. No two Rough Rider Bark Pearl knives will be alike." Pretty intriguing stuff. It suggests that the Trapper I saw on the Bay, with all the little cracks in the scales, was supposed to look like that.

 

[nickvnlr]

I feel like the bark pearl would not be very durable. I am imagining dropping one and the handle would just shatter.

 

[bigfish64]

Yes, here is the actual box mine came in.

 

[Rhinofly]

I feel like the bark pearl would not be very durable. I am imagining dropping one and the handle would just shatter.

You may be right. Of course, exactly the same argument could be make of Mother of Pearl and Black Lip Pearl as well (they are all shell material), and those have been successfully used for a very long time on knives.

 

[nickvnlr]

You may be right. Of course, exactly the same argument could be make of Mother of Pearl and Black Lip Pearl as well (they are all shell material), and those have been successfully used for a very long time on knives.

I thought MOP is just a veneer. I don't know what black lip pearl is.

 

[Rhinofly]

Here is a direct quote from a very informative post by Hukk over at All About Pocket Knives. The photo below (mine) has a Black Pearl RR on the far left - it is quite beautiful in person. Notice it too is not pinned?

Begin Quote:
Well to start with both Gold Lip Pearl and the white Mother of Pearl come from the same species - Pinctada Maxima. Black lip pearl is Pinctada Margaritifera. Black lip pearl comes from French Polynesia around Tahiti and its Archipelagos. The white MOP comes from the inner shell and the Gold (or yellow) comes from the opposite side - the outer side. The best Gold comes from the Phillipines and Indonesia. I went to
Culpepper's website for the scientific names and they have all the information on their website that I just used. http://www.knifehandles.com

I don't know what species of Oyster or other shellfish that Rough Rider is using for Bark Pearl. But with the term Pearl Bark they could be using several species that are not in high demand to get a less expensive product. Although I don't know for sure, I figure on cheap knives that they are using a cheaper shellfish to avoid the competition that Pinctada Maxima would generate. Kind of like the use of the word Rosewood, that can be one of dozens of species.

Black Lip Pearl species Pinctada Margaritifera may not be the one Rough Rider is using. There are other shellfish over in Asia that will produce a black MOP but not be of the same quality. The Black Lip Pearl I see Rough Rider using does not appear to be as deeply colored as the Pearl we are used to. But that is a guess on my part.

So, there are a number of species that they could be using, most of them already rough in texture on the outside. I looked at the RR on the link and it looks like they took a shell that was rough on the outside and then sanded it down and fitted it to the knife. They could easily do that in mass production and since the shell is already textured they won't need to do any jigging.
End Quote:

 

[bigfish64]

Very interesting and informative, thanks for posting that Rhinofly.

 

[thedonald]

I guess this falls under the category of "...related slip joints." A Marbles black stag bone cattlemans jack. Really like the treatment of the bone handles. Looks, feels and performs like a knife that costs three times the price that I paid.

 

[bigfish64]

I guess this falls under the category of "...related slip joints." A Marbles black stag bone cattlemans jack. Really like the treatment of the bone handles. Looks, feels and performs like a knife that costs three times the price that I paid.

Totally agree thedonald. The Sowbelly in that line is nice also, but I didn’t have much luck with the whittler.
Edited to add a new picture because I couldn’t find the older one.

 

[ebrandwein]

This Damascus Bone Stag has become my EDC knife. I can't get over how nicely made it is. Pictured with my knife, flashlight & pen holster

https://imgur.com/a/6rSLiIp

 

[Rich S]

I hope your knife is better designed/made than mine is. I can't physically get to the nail pull on the sheepfoot blade; sits too low, had to put a wad of paper under the kick to be able to open it.

 

[ebrandwein]

I hope your knife is better designed/made than mine is. I can't physically get to the nail pull on the sheepfoot blade; sits too low, had to put a wad of paper under the kick to be able to open it.

It could be better but I can get it open without issue. I did oil the blades/pivots though which might have helped

 

[joeradza]

I guess this falls under the category of "...related slip joints." A Marbles black stag bone cattlemans jack. Really like the treatment of the bone handles. Looks, feels and performs like a knife that costs three times the price that I paid.

That is a beautiful knife beautifully done. It’s going on my gotta try this one list.

 

[thedonald]

I also recently acquired the Rough Rider cinnamon bone stag copperhead like ebrandwein above. Exceptionally good looking bone covers. My knife came from the merchant with a very slight bend in the secondary blade. Gave it just enough of a tweak to get it better centered. These come with damascus blades. No gaps. Decent snap. Very solid knife. I was considering getting a second, but they have been sold out. One to consider when back in stock.

 

[black mamba]

The placement of the nail nicks makes these copperheads a good candidate for modding the skinner blade into a sheepfoot, like this one I did.
To my thinking, it's a lot more useful now.

 

[ebrandwein]

I also recently acquired the Rough Rider cinnamon bone stag copperhead like ebrandwein above. Exceptionally good looking bone covers. My knife came from the merchant with a very slight bend in the secondary blade. Gave it just enough of a tweak to get it better centered. These come with damascus blades. No gaps. Decent snap. Very solid knife. I was considering getting a second, but they have been sold out. One to consider when back in stock.

Nice photography!

 

[Rhinofly]

The placement of the nail nicks makes these copperheads a good candidate for modding the skinner blade into a sheepfoot, like this one I did.
To my thinking, it's a lot more useful now.

Great idea!

 

[lentuk]

https://imgur.com/JkpvRs0

 

[LastRodeo]

Totally agree thedonald. The Sowbelly in that line is nice also, but I didn’t have much luck with the whittler.View attachment 1638661
Edited to add a new picture because I couldn’t find the older one.

Is that shrinkage between the covers and bolster or another material inlaid?

 

[bigfish64]

Is that shrinkage between the covers and bolster or another material inlaid?

There’s a joke there if you’re familiar with Seinfeld!
There are black liners under the bone. RR do this on a few other lines but they have use red or blue. I’m glad they chose to use black on this one. It actually adds to the look in my opinion.