Rough Ryder Reserve: New Premium Rough Ryder Line

Interesting, but still misses the mark at that price range, strange shape to the blades which I do not think are traditional. I would have to see the fit and finish to see if they are worth those prices. If that first one had a spear point blade rather than the easy open one arm jack, that might make me get it to try it out. And drop the match strike pulls. I do like the arrow shield.
Do we know which Chinese manufacturers make the Rough Rider line for SMKW?
 
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I will have to pass. The couple of RR knives I have checked out have looked pretty good, BUT, I still can't bring myself to spend my hard earned American bucks on any knife coming out of China. I don't judge anyone else for doing what they want so please don't judge me or try to change my mind. Everyone is entitled to do whatever they want but there are too many American brands that I would rather own.

I tend to buy vintage traditional knives because in many cases I can get as good a knife as RR is capable of making for 10 or 15 bucks in most cases.
 
brownshoe said:
Arrow head shields have been around longer than Northwoods. Scagel used it I believe.
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KnivesShipFree is the current owner of the Northwoods and Scagel brands and before that it was Dave Shirley. So it makes sense that KSF uses the arrowhead shield on their current Northwoods.

But my original point is valid. The only reason these new RR knives have a arrowhead shield is to try to take some of brand recognition from the current popular Northwoods knives.
 
Henry Beige said:
Funny bunch. They are capable of doing something really nice, like the D2 sowbelly, the bow trapper or the work knife, but just as capable of a real gaucherie like the big R bolsters on the carbon series. I thought they were doing really well as they were, just refining their product and letting the price inch up slowly.

The Reserve series seems like they are trying too hard, or continuing their tendency to pile on too many “features”. For fitty bucks, I would be more impressed with something really tasteful and really good f&f.
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That (in my opinion) ugly Big R bolster is on a couple others, too.
I can understand it (but still don't like it -- they could have made it smaller) on the "Riders of the Silver Screen" series moose, since it prevents some low life, motherless, dishonest, ... from passing the RR off as an original (and now uber expensive) Camillus original. (as do the other major differences)
But on the Classic Carbon series, and the others? Why bother? What vintage original are they attempting to prevent someone from passing one of the RR Classic Carbon patterns, for example, off as an vintage "original"?

Honestly, I think it would make more sense now that they've acquired the Queen/Queen City brands to make that their "Premium" line with D2 and other "higher end"/"advanced" steels not normally used on a traditional knife, Marbles as the somewhat fancier than RR "mid range" and leave Rough Ryder the nothing fancy basic, sub $20 value/budget price point oriented line.
This new Reserve line could have been brought out as a Queen/Queen City line, possibly receiving a better welcome, considering the price point.

If Marbles (owned by the same company as RR) can have D2 and Micarta on several patterns for under $17 ~ $22, (depending on pattern) why is the RR D2 twice, and more, costly? Generally speaking, isn't Marbles supposed to be a step or two above RR?
 
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RR’s don’t have any soul or connection to the knives of the past like the other manufacturers we have. I think they are kind of boring as a result. It’s cool RR can do what they do for such a cheap price but even then I can no longer bring myself to buy them. I think it’s better practice to buy a $50 case than a $15 rough rider, so a $40-60 RR is a no bueno situation in my opinion.
 
Travman said:
They are using an arrowhead shield to try to steal some sales from the popular Northwoods brand.
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I doubt that people who are aware of Northwoods (and the average person isn't) and want one will decide to get an RR instead because of the shield.

Also its hard to say they are trying to steal sales when Northwoods seldom has anything to sell. When they drop they're gone before anybody but a true enthusiast can get one. Prices on the secondary market tend to be jacked up beyond reason, so people buying Northwoods on the secondary market are well heeled or just really, really want a Northwoods. They're not going to settle for an RR regardless of how nice it might be.

Noirthwoods biggest problem isn't going to be RR, its going to be finding somebody to build them now that GEC has dropped all SFO's.
 
akguy59 said:
I will have to pass. The couple of RR knives I have checked out have looked pretty good, BUT, I still can't bring myself to spend my hard earned American bucks on any knife coming out of China. I don't judge anyone else for doing what they want so please don't judge me or try to change my mind. Everyone is entitled to do whatever they want but there are too many American brands that I would rather own.
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Travman said:
KnivesShipFree is the current owner of the Northwoods and Scagel brands and before that it was Dave Shirley. So it makes sense that KSF uses the arrowhead shield on their current Northwoods.

But my original point is valid. The only reason these new RR knives have a arrowhead shield is to try to take some of brand recognition from the current popular Northwoods knives.
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TheChunk91 said:
RR’s don’t have any soul or connection to the knives of the past like the other manufacturers we have. I think they are kind of boring as a result. It’s cool RR can do what they do for such a cheap price but even then I can no longer bring myself to buy them. I think it’s better practice to buy a $50 case than a $15 rough rider, so a $40-60 RR is a no bueno situation in my opinion.
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These statements pretty much sums up how I feel about the situation and RR.
 
I don't care for that Arrowhead shield (if that is what it is...) in the best of circumstances, and sticking it on one of these is a lame as a leper attempt at imitation. Had they had the originality to opt for a Gimp or Propeller blade as their 'brand' that would've improved the look and the aura of these knives. Opt for Longpull and discontinue those match strikes please.

The idea of an improved quality RR isn't bad as such but RR majors on decent enough quality and bargain price anyway, better stay there.
 
Yes, generally agree with you Will Power Will Power - what they've made thus far is fine imho.

We all possibly seek slightly different attributes and features for our respective sharps and as such perhaps a good number of folk will be pleased for a lot of the time.

Personally, I now favour natural materials on handles for all my knives over Micarta or G10, for example. All the RRs I have bought to date are bone - all to an amazing finish, albeit CNC’d. The heft and quality of these folders is quite something, not just for the money, but generally speaking anyway. If they're going to improve on their natural handle knives, very keen to see...

It is not easy to say that their quality is above and beyond many other folders I own, as I know very well what a motivated and patriotic bunch you all are............ it’s all very well owning an iPhone made in China, but to have your beloved pocket knives made there too is a step, definitely too far, for many..!

Had anyone said to me not that long ago that I’d own half a dozen Rough Rider pocket knives soon, I’d have likely been a tad rude ;)
 
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I have three RR’s coming in the mail, the combined price of which is about one of these “reserve” line knives. For $15 bucks I’d consider buying one of these slightly non traditional, traditional knives in some roughly 420C/1095 equivalent steel. Maybe I end up with a good user/abuser I don’t mind getting engine oil on. The Rough Ryders sure do look better finished and of higher quality than a lot of the other formerly American made brands. Not to mention it seems somewhat inline with history that I should own a cheap Barlow knife. I got two Barlows (one stainless for a friend and a carbon for me), and one work knife because the GEC produced viper isn’t in my collection yet and I want one so bad I’ll try a knock off.

I sometimes find that spending the money it takes to buy a good quality American made knife takes the fun out of it. (Only sometimes!). Spending 50-100 bucks isn’t something I can casually do, and it’s so disappointing if a knife doesn’t turn out like I hope at those prices. For 15 bucks I can over look a lot of issues and still have a new toy to fiddle with, or even disassemble if I feel like it.

D2 tool steel is a great working steel, and on a traditional Barlow type knife made by Rough Ryder I’d spend $25 bucks and consider it a wash if it didn’t work out.

if you could guarantee a good heat treat, no blade play in the joint, no cracks in the covers, good fit-n-finish, and blade that doesn’t strike the side of the liners? I’d consider getting one at $50. At that point they’d have produced a better knife than I’ve had with Case for the last 4-5 knives I’ve received.

More power to them. They will have a lot to prove though! @JohnDF ’s point is spot on. They’re either going to have to make more traditional patterns, or come up with traditional knives that are so unusual and beautiful/useful they are a “must have”... or both.

either way, more traditional knives being made is exciting.
 
I went back and had a look pretending I was going to buy one.
  1. I just don’t care for single arm blades. At 4” this is a little big, but it looks well done. At $40 with a clip point, no easy open and 3.5 inches I would buy one, for sure.
  2. This one is the one I would get of the three, but two almost identical reverse tantos? I could see past it if maybe it was actually identical, like a muskrat, or if they were completely different blade shapes or sizes. Change that and I’d spend the $50 bucks they’re asking. I’ll even forgive the tantos and regrind them to be proper sheepsfoot blades.
  3. What on earth were they thinking? A 4.5” whittler with a swell that big hardly looks comfortable. $60 bucks would be fair for a divided spring whittler. The leaf blade really is unattractive. Main blades should be small enough to make the knife comfortable for extended use of the secondaries; which on a whittler pattern is kind of the point!
I like that they name the designer so that they can live with a little shame. :D:p.

close, but no cigar. Better luck next time, RRR!
 
hornetguy said:
I'm waiting for the "TR" commemorative.... I'm surprised that has slipped past them so far..... I suppose the stories of San Juan Hill aren't big in the far east... :p
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From http://www.roughriderknives.com
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Rough Ryder Knives – Always Ready
Rough Ryder Knives takes it name from the group of men who volunteered to follow Teddy Roosevelt. In 1898, 23,000 men volunteered to ride with Teddy Roosevelt, but he hand picked only 2,000. The men hailed from every corner of the country. They were Princeton football players, full-blooded Pawnee Indians, trail-wise cowboys, aristocratic Englishmen, polo players, and even Rhodes Scholars. They came from every state and social class. Those men became one of the best fighting forces in history. They became his Rough Riders.
_____________

Text similar to this appeared on many of my early Rough Rider knife boxes.

- GT
 
You get what you pay for. I bought a work knife and it was just over $14 shipped. For the money it appeared at first to be the deal of the century. There is no shield on the model I bought so the fact they were not pinning shields meant nothing to me with this one. I opened it, loved the snap. Its got a good sway to it but not so much as to make it uncomfortable to use. However, when you close the blade you have to let it drop gently holding it firmly the entire time because if you just let it fly, it bangs on the spring in two places dinging up your edge no matter how long you spent on it. I thought, okay, I'll sharpen it down and that should fix it. NOT! No such luck the blade slams those spots with mine.

I have not heard of this new line but I think it's worth mention that most of the new stock GEC offers is spoken for by the time it hits shelves. I see some I want all the time and miss out so you know I don't see this competing with them. What I see is RR being smart knowing that there are a lot of people out there missing some and they just may settle for a compromise if it's very similar and less $$$. So I see this is as a test the waters kind of adventure on the part of RR and then if it takes, and it appears it did, well we'll see them doing some other select popular models. What would help RR for me is to at least offer some actual carbon blade option on these select models. I think they'd be shocked at how popular they would be over the stainless.

Oh and personally I hate the nail nicks. The match strike or whatever that is looks cheesy and it would be much classier used on a long pull only with the regular knives having the regular smooth nail nicks. And pin the shields for crying out loud!
 
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