Why So Much Criticism Of Inexpensive Knives Like Rough Rider And Why Is Perfect Blade Centering So Important?

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Not everybody buys RR because GEC and Case are out of their budget. Some of the cheaper Case knives are around the same price as RR Reserve. Even with GEC, the F&F line used to be cheap enough to be cross-shopped with them a few years ago. I do have way more GEC than RR but just buy what I like and currently GEC makes more interesting knives.
None of the GECs I have had centering issues, by the way.

As a side-note, I always wonder how Jack Wolf knives get a pass on country of origin whereas RR, owned by a US company too, do not. I assume that being a lot more expensive gives them more prestige :)
 
My only problem with RR knives is design aesthetics. There is just something a little garish in their designs. Stamped "R" on bolsters, exaggerated swedges, etc. They just look a little off to me.
 
calm said:
As a side-note, I always wonder how Jack Wolf knives get a pass on country of origin whereas RR, owned by a US company too, do not. I assume that being a lot more expensive gives them more prestige :)
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Or maybe because they don't have the word "CHINA" stamped right on the blade?
I think RR should remove that, they'd probably sell more knives since it isn't something you want to advertise. My Civivi doesn't have that stamp, or anything at all stamped on the blade, and I'm not only glad for it, I'm not sure I would have bought it otherwise. It's one thing to buy something knowing that's where it's from, and quite another to advertise it.
 
If a blade is off center it bothers me.
Also if it’s off center with use it may get worse and become difficult to close.
 
calm said:
As a side-note, I always wonder how Jack Wolf knives get a pass on country of origin whereas RR, owned by a US company too, do not. I assume that being a lot more expensive gives them more prestige :)
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Not everyone gives them a pass, but a place like Jack Wolf is clearly owned and run by an American, you can see the owner and his pride in the product, reach out on social media and often get a response, and you buying a Jack Wolf knife supports a small business in the USA. While the knives are not made here, the business is clearly based here.
Same thing with a company like Rosecraft Blades. I bet bottom dollar that they use the very same factories that RR Reserve uses to make their knives, as the fit and finish and quality are near identical. But Rosecraft as a smaller company is clearly an American brand, when you buy them you are supporting someones family here in the USA.

In comparison, Rough Rider is more like a nameless, faceless brand owned by a conglomerate outdoors company. There is no personal connection there, you just buy the knives because they are cheap and fill a role of a cheap knife. Even if you are a fan of the brand, it isn't quite the same.
 
Experts? Meh, most of them probably have very little experience using a knife in a serious manner and I don’t mean cut testing paper or cardboard.

Their idea has more to do with art and perfection or OCD and their complaints have nothing to do with actual performance or function in cutting chores in a work or outdoor environment.

I’ve had knives that were affected by temperature. In warm weather they might be slightly off center but in the cold they were dead on centered. Same with gaps, cold temps they had gaps, warm weather they were snug and on visible gaps. So there’s that.
 
dundak said:
My only problem with RR knives is design aesthetics. There is just something a little garish in their designs. Stamped "R" on bolsters, exaggerated swedges, etc. They just look a little off to me.
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I like them but the broad arc match strike nail nicks look a lil funny to my eye
 
I don't mind blade rub or lack of centering in knives that belong to other people. (Unless I was considering buying them.)



I like and use good inexpensive knives...but they still have to meet a standard...though the standard is not the same one that I demand for knives requiring greater investment.

I know it when I see it.
 
These criticisms seem silly in regards to inexpensive cutlery, but many people here like & buy luxury cutlery. A luxury object is characterized by not merely satisfying the functional aspects, but especially beyond that. Sometimes people can apply this philosophy, no matter how inappropriate, to non-luxury items. I do not think this is necessarily deliberate hostility, nor do I believe most people are even aware of the antithetical nature of it, at least are not in the moment.
 
I think it’s kinda funny that anyone even reviews a $20 knife or that anybody would watch it. I don’t put in much research on products that aren’t going to hurt my pocket book.

And for me, the importance of blade centering increases with the price of the knife.
 
mitchnola said:
I think it’s kinda funny that anyone even reviews a $20 knife or that anybody would watch it. I don’t put in much research on products that aren’t going to hurt my pocket book.

And for me, the importance of blade centering increases with the price of the knife.
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Sometime it happen in reverse. Over a decade ago(maybe 2? Time fly...) I was flipping through youtube and stumbled upon a review of a Ka-Bar Dozier. Light, solid, one hand open and close, pocket clip, good design, decent steel and very good grind for 15 buck Canadian; well I ordered one right on the spot, perfect work knife(I'm a millwright) I thought. So I brought the knife to work, somebody bought it off me the same day, so I ordered 2, sold those etc. At one point, I was ordering 4 at a time so popular those were with construction people, I still have 3 left from those days. And it all started with a review, a review I didn't even search for to begin with.
(Btw, I wasn't making money off of those, I was just happy to put a decent and inexpensive tool in the hands of my companions).
 
Hey gents thanks for all your varied opinions. All very interesting! I watch some of those videos on Youtube because they’re so silly. Criticizing to the umph degree about a $10.00 knife! Blade centering is a little off, back spacers have some slight gaps, bolsters have some minute gaps. Yikes! This is a $10.00 knife! Love watching them sometimes as they make me laugh!

I can understand that if you spend $150.00-$200.00 or much more for a knife, you would want it to be perfect even considering blade centering. But come on and be honest, if you spend that much on a knife, it’s not going to be used much if at all and just taken out once in awhile and be admired. Like A.G. Russell said a long time ago, “we’re not really knife users but knife accumulator’s” and that’s fine.

Whatever you do with your money and your knives is perfectly okay and hand made knives deserve to be expensive as it takes hours to produce one and the ones who can do it are real craftspeople but I still suspect that CNC is still in the background and that’s also fine.

I like these RR knives and especially at their price point and are a super bargains for what you get and you can use the hell out of them and not worry about it and enjoy your expensive knives that are to be admired.

I too wish all knives could be made in America like in the old days where they were made all by hand and there were no CNC machines and they sold at a fair price and most of the time were flawless. These RR knives and others even though made in China give the new knife “accumulators” a chance to enjoy knives without the high entry fee.

Hey, enjoy what you all like no matter what. I’m not here to judge anything even though it may seem like I am and sometimes I am. The knife world is wonderful and I like that we all have different opinions and they’re all viable.

See you on my next rant and peace and well being to all!
 
Rough rider gives me the opportunity to experience different types of knives that I probably wouldn't bother with had they been expensive.
 
Gene said:
Hey gents thanks for all your varied opinions. All very interesting! I watch some of those videos on Youtube because they’re so silly. Criticizing to the umph degree about a $10.00 knife! Blade centering is a little off, back spacers have some slight gaps, bolsters have some minute gaps. Yikes! This is a $10.00 knife! Love watching them sometimes as they make me laugh!

I can understand that if you spend $150.00-$200.00 or much more for a knife, you would want it to be perfect even considering blade centering. But come on and be honest, if you spend that much on a knife, it’s not going to be used much if at all and just taken out once in awhile and be admired. Like A.G. Russell said a long time ago, “we’re not really knife users but knife accumulator’s” and that’s fine.

Whatever you do with your money and your knives is perfectly okay and hand made knives deserve to be expensive as it takes hours to produce one and the ones who can do it are real craftspeople but I still suspect that CNC is still in the background and that’s also fine.

I like these RR knives and especially at their price point and are a super bargains for what you get and you can use the hell out of them and not worry about it and enjoy your expensive knives that are to be admired.

I too wish all knives could be made in America like in the old days where they were made all by hand and there were no CNC machines and they sold at a fair price and most of the time were flawless. These RR knives and others even though made in China give the new knife “accumulators” a chance to enjoy knives without the high entry fee.

Hey, enjoy what you all like no matter what. I’m not here to judge anything even though it may seem like I am and sometimes I am. The knife world is wonderful and I like that we all have different opinions and they’re all viable.

See you on my next rant and peace and well being to all!
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Think I’m going to the closest ACE hardware store next payday! … I’ve never been to a store that had so many “name brand” knives. Walmart, Dicks, Home Depot, they all have the same 15 knives from Buck, Kershaw and Gerber. I have never seen Microtechs, Cold Steel, or Benchmades at a store before. I would love to see a Black Talon 2 in person, and several others before spending the money, when possible.
 
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