Which Rockstead folder for heavy use?

Nick H. said:
I could argue that it's the obvious choice for cycle-camping, when every gram counts, because you don't need to pack a sharpener!
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If a few grams will make that much of a difference, you should not be going. And you always take a small sharpener. That's just being prepared.
 
unwisefool said:
If a few grams will make that much of a difference, you should not be going. And you always take a small sharpener. That's just being prepared.
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Rockstead advises using an improvised strop... I use a regular leather on wood with compound strop and it works perfectly
 
CPP said:
Rockstead advises using an improvised strop... I use a regular leather on wood with compound strop and it works perfectly
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Yeah, I usually take a strop with me or a small ceramic rod I have. That's what I was getting at, to take something.
 
Blues Bender said:
Instagram...
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I'm not an Instagram person. And I wouldn't advertise to the world that I'm travelling with a £1500 knife which is illegal to carry in many countries.

I'm not sure why people are confused by the camping aspect. I want a Rockstead for the same reasons that anyone else might want one - because it's beautiful to look at and a joy to use. I'll use it every day, instead of keeping it forever in its box. And with luck I'll have it for life and enjoy it for many years after my trip.

As for maintenance, I'll probably improvise a strop from something which I'm already packing. Dual use is always satisfying. Maybe a leather strap from a bicycle bag will do the job.
 
CPP said:
I'd imagine it takes a good deal of skill to sharpen a convex blade on a ceramic rod
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Why? If you already have the convex shape a touch-up sharpening only needs to hit the final angle on each side like normal, no?
 
CPP said:
I'd imagine it takes a good deal of skill to sharpen a convex blade on a ceramic rod
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It does, and with a Rocky the skill level needed is much higher (virtually impossible) because the acuity of the edge (no angles on a convex edge) varies from the back edge (near handle) to the tip [on the HONZUKURI edge, as Blues mentions]. Rockstead used a special sharpening apparatus to form the variable-acuity edge. The company recommends only hard-backed denim stropping to keep the edge sharp for the first two or three years, which seems highly optimistic to me, and highly unlikely for a hard-use knife.

To even have a chance to make stropping keep a well-used knife sharp that long, you'll have to strop with a high level of skill after each use.

As Evilgreg said, you can use a rod or stone to keep the last portion of the edge sharp -- basically creating a V-edged micro-bevel.

If you want to keep the original edge geometry, you'll have to send it back to Japan for sharpening after stropping no longer does the trick.
 
What's with all the trolling? I usually wouldn't even bother commenting, but it is ridiculous. So the guy wants to take a rockstead, that's his business. Just leave it be and give him some advice or share your experience.
 
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If you're not a knife guy seems a Rockstead is kind of a leap. Yep, they're awful purdy but I'm not sure how one could truly appreciate it without a little experience with many of the other quality and lesser quality knives out there. Did someone tell you that it was the pinnacle of knife crafting and is a must have?

The criteria you've stated as the reason for needing one leaves me wondering 'why a Rockstead'? There are many other great knives that actually fit that criteria better than a RS in terms of weight, durability and ease of maintenance. Camping trips are notorious for losing, abusing and breaking stuff but that's all coming from my world. We all exist within the space we create.

I'm not knocking the RS, never actually seen or played w/one myself and they've not risen to grail status for me either. Perhaps if I knew someone who had some and espoused their virtues I may be swayed. However I've got a s-load of knives ranging from $20 - $1k so would be coming at it from a guy who's had a little experience with knives to start with.

There's no doubt you will enjoy the heck out of it but w/out some knife background it will take a while to truly appreciate what and why it is what it is.
 
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Cryptyc said:
What's with all the trolling? I usually wouldn't even bother commenting, but it is ridiculous. So the guy wants to take a rockstead, that's his business. Just leave it be and give him some advice or share your experience.
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I don't think it's trolling, he stated that he basically needed a rockstead for the trip, so that got many of us curious as to why that seemed to be a requirement for a bike trip. If he had stated he was looking to get his first rockstead and using the trip as an excuse to justify it, most of would have probably not even posted or done so differently.
 
I've been lusting after a Rockstead for ages, but the prices put me off. It seems to me they're in a class of their own. I've been wanting a 'knife for life' for years but nothing I've bought before has ever fitted the bill. I won't list the knives I've owned (or the machetes and saws and multitools) because that would be bowing to the peer pressure here to justify a Rockstead, and I refuse to do it! I'm amused by the assumption by some people that a Rockstead would be wasted on someone who isn't 'a knife guy'. And presumably you can't be a knife guy unless you have a big collection and go to shows and have thousands of forum posts. Honestly, that's such horseshit. Far better not to have a big pile of knives doing nothing, and put your money into one of the best instead of having 5 middle ranking purchases in a drawer. You get the same argument with watches, bicycles, shoes, pens, cars, computers, motorbikes etc. People want to feed the consumerism monster by building collections. It gives them a sense of identity I suppose. There's a lot of peer pressure to buy a house and fill it with stuff. But there's another way to live - on the road, with a bicycle and a tent. If you pack anything you don't use it soon gets posted home or given away. Power leads get chopped in half. Some people cut the handle off their toothbrush. There's one famous guy who gave up his Thermarest mattress in favour of a sheet of bubble wrap. The decluttering is very relaxing. The bike is your mobile home and it contains everything you really need. The self-sufficiency and simplicity melt away the stress. If you haven't tried it you have no idea what you're missing. One thing I'm certain of is that 140 grams of Rockstead would most definitely earn its keep. And finally I can afford it.
 
unwisefool said:
he stated that he basically needed a rockstead for the trip, so that got many of us curious as to why that seemed to be a requirement for a bike trip. If he had stated he was looking to get his first rockstead and using the trip as an excuse to justify it, most of would have probably not even posted or done so differently.
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Er, no. What I said was "I want to kit myself out with a Rockstead." But some people have chosen to interpret that as "I believe a Rockstead to be essential for camping". Which is bizarre. I mean, who here could honestly argue that 'wanting a Rockstead' is incorrect?
 
Nick H. do your own thing. Believe it or not, this is a solid forum. I’ve been a member for years. People usually aren’t so judgmental on this forum. I’m assuming it’s because Rockstead knives are expensive. Ignore it and filter out the meaningful posts. I’m sure others have owned Rockstead knives and will chime in.
 
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