Yep, you can over do it, I guess.

You guys are doing a great job keeping the forum going - I thank you for that - MY wife has been having serious health issues & with 6 kids I have been a little busy - I closed down my big web site I used for my engraving - I'm still engraving but it's now a part time deal - No longer doing any firearms - just knives & motorcycle parts for old customers - So keep up the good work - this is one of the few places on the net that we can talk about RR & Marbles knives & not be looked at like a your one step below a bull fighter - again - good job - I look in often - just haven't posted in a while - tom

sorry to hear about your wife tom our prayers our with her and you and your family.you do what you need to and we all well help out to keep the site well and going .if you need anything please let us know we are all family here... 

thanks so much - she has MS - no cure for the damn stuff - it went away for about 25 years or so then about a year ago it came back like a tornado - We have been married almost 49 years - I have always been very protective & able to help fix stuff that comes along in life but with this stuff I'm helpless - every couple of years they come up with something that gives hope but nothing has really helped - the latest stuff  cost $4,000.00 a month! no miss print 4 grand a month & it, like so many of the other snake oils they have come up with can have major side effects  - some times the cure is worse than the problem - tom

Like Stephen said, she will be in our prayers. 

Do let us know if there's anything that we can do.

Tom, that is very bad news about your wife, I am sure she will be on the prayer list for many of our members. I am so sad to hear about that. Tom, we try to make this a knife collector site for all nice collectors. Whether or not you are a high dollar collector or a person that loves knives and wants to collect them but with their income can't afford the high dollar knives. I think this is a place for all nice knife collectors and we are glad to have you.

Tom, You have my prayers for your family.

Tom my prayers are with you and your wife.  It is hard for many to understand just how physically, spiritually and emotionally draining living with a chronic life threatening diseases can be. It takes a very strong will to endure such a devastating illness such as MS.   Stay strong  and may the Lord's blessing shine down upon you and your wife and may His love you bring both of you the strength, courage and inner peace to cope with this horrible cross you must bear.

Here are some photos of the white bone  on my latest Rough Rider purchase.   To me the flecking shows a lack of recent quality control.  I've kept the knife because of the price but the quality of the smooth white bone is not what it used to be or that of the recent Marbles line.

Top is the one with the good blade, bottom the one with the bent tip.

Close up of the unbleached bone.

The back sides of the two barlows.  Again the top knife is the one with the good tip.

Three knives, and older small barlow, the sowbelly and the big daddy barlow.  The barlow doesn't even seem to belong with the other two knives.

The Marbles white bone barlow is much cleaner.   As a big, big fan of Rough Riders and as someone who often pushes peoiple to take the Rough rider challenge, I'm hoping that SMKW can kick a few tails and get the quality back into this line of knives.  Even if it requires a price hike of a few dollars to get the fit and finish back to the way it used to be, they will remain on of the best bargains on the market.  If the quality continues to slip, they'll lose my vote as the best traditional patterns of the global marketplace.

Just uploaded my review of the RR1192 Once in a Blue Moon Folding hunter.  This is the 5 inch lockback.  This is only the second 5inch LB I've ever bought. It isn't a pattern I collect or carry yet  I took one look at this one when I was at SMKW and I had to buy it.

http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/RRR/rr1192.html

Tobias,

I am surprised that you see an issue with RR quality on the smooth white bones.  One of the things I have always admired about RR is their ability to create quality knives

Jan,  I guess the real problem is that it seems to stand out compared to all the other WSB I own, including that other 12 RR.  The other night they were selling similar WSB on Knives Live TV and it wasn't called White Smooth Bone, they called it "Pepper bone"  They actually commented on the quality of the black flecks in the white smooth bone.  

(Above:Rough Riders, Below US Classics and a Frost Trapper)

(Above the U.S Classics, Below Marbles Scrimshaw and a RR after market Scrimshaw)

It sounds like the have a batch of bone that is different from what they are use to selling.

Okay what is going on!  I just saw Rough Riders being sold on Cultery Corner Network!  I've seen the Colts and the Marbles in the past but I've never seen Rough Riders, the housebrand of SMKW, being sold there.  First a Stroke of Kuck 6 blade stockman and then the Orca Dive knife.  At no time did they identify the Rough Rider brand.

it sounds like they are using two different kinds of white bone a bleached bone and a pepper bone.is that right?

Well, I have very recently became the owner of three Rough Riders. I took advantage of the SMKW promo with discounted knife costs, reduced shipping, and a free knife roll with the purchase three or more RR's. Having never even handled a Rough Rider before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, especially at that price point. Was I ever in for a surprise!

These are GOOD knives! Good fit and finish, sharp right out of the box (maybe I was just lucky, but all three were sharper than a new Queen toothpick that I recently purchased!, just darn good traditional design pocket knives. I will try to get my own pictures up on all of my posts as soon as I get some camera issues straightened out, but the three Rough Riders that I bought were:

1. Outdoorsman Series Swing Guard Lockback

2.Big Daddy Barlow - White Smooth Bone Handle

3.StoneWorx Large Toothpick

I am very very impressed with all three of these knives. These are the first China knives that I have ever bought, I do believe, and I must say - I don't care where they came from, these are good knives! Since I an the type of guy that still carries a pre-Cheetah Case swing guard from the late 70's - early 80's (police duty knife pre one hand openers) and keeps a 70's Queen Big Chief that I bought new in my tackle box, rest assured that I'll see how the Rough Riders hold up over the long haul. But at this point, they appear to be a lotta bang for the buck, and I definitely got my moneys worth from SMKW.  nuff said...

You weren't "just lucky", Steve.  When it comes to import knives, Rough Riders are heads and shoulders above the competition.  SMKW (the fine folks that own RR) take pride in producing patterns that are traditional as well as seldom seen patterns.

Best part about Rough Riders, apart from what you've mentioned, is the fact that if you carry one and it gets "lost", it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to replace.

Steve, those are nice Rough Riders and you made a good choice of patterns. I really like that Big Daddy Barlow in white bone. Hey I heard you mention your tackle box, well we are having a "Fishing Photo Contest" in the Outdoor Group, please come join us and enter as many photos as you like. Good luck with those Rough Riders.

My annual Rough Rider Appeal. Feel free to contact them on Facebook in support of my plea or to make your own plea.


1) I’d like to see the five inch toothpick in White Smooth Bone. I would also like to see it in the Blue moon series and the new purple smooth bone.

2) A white smooth bone bartender would also be a great little knife.

3) I’d like the see the scout knife in the Outdoorsman, Moonshiner, and Coal Miner series. The pattern is a natural for all three series.

4) The small 3 inch lockback similar to RR137 needs to be released in more handle materials. It’s a great little knife.

5) The marlin spike in blue or purple smooth bone would also be great.

6) How about a buzzsaw trapper (saw blade instead of spay blade) for the Trapper series

7) How about a basic pen knife similar to the Case Eisenhower, but instead of small pen blade have a small nail file or pair of scissors.

8)  I'd like to see an armed forces seires, based on the  Scout, Marlin Spike and Electician,   The Scout knife for the Army and Marines, the Marlin Spike for the Navy and Coast Guard, and the Electrician for the Air Force.  I suppose we could debate other patterns but for me it has to be  anything but  the damn Trapper.

Hi has anyone in the RR group ever used or owned a ceramic blade knife, i recently purchased a timberline ceramic folder with carbon fiber handles and black pearl inserts on the blade pivot and thumb studs, nice little knife but not cheap for a chinese made knife. Robert Benton

I am a traditional knife collector so I wouldn't know anything about it but some of our members might. Good luck with it.

For the toothpick fan.  Finally got around to picking up the green smooth bone 4 inch toothpick.  Still need to buy the 3 inch peacock green toothpick (RR062) but for now the lime green will do.  Seriously thinking of picking up more smooth green bone.

Left to right:  RR 1174 - lime green, RR 453 - peacock green, RR1174 - Stroke of Luck

As each knife is from a different series, they each have different shields.  When I pick up the 3 inch peacock green I'm going to shoot for run with the propeller shield.

I've also got the red smooth bone in the 4 inch toothpick (RR 452)  THe only other Rough Rider 4 inch toothpick I'm aware of is  the Brown Jigged (RR 451).  

IMO It is a dis-service to the pattern the Rough Rider seems to ignore the 4 and 5 inch toothpicks.    But then again maybe I'm the only one who buys the pattern.  I guess on the bright side, I'm shelling out a lot fewer dollars collecting standard and large toothpicks than say the Trapper and muskrat collectors!

Hey, is the large one a 5" toothpick? Miss Jan was looking for a Rough Rider 5" toothpick.

Robert,

Yes th elarge one is 5 inches, closed (9 inches opened)  Rough Rider makes a total of  five 5 inch toothpicks.

See:  http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/RRR/RR-lg-toothpicks.html

L-R  RR526 - Sawcut Bone, RR 917- Stoneworx, RR 711 Rifleman, RR1059 -  Stroke of Luck, RR 731  Long Rifle.

I also have several other Globals 5 inch toothpicks.  Still have dumped $70-100 in a USA made.  

Among other Companies making them is  Buck's Bill Lowen "I'm Hooked" toothpick, in blue smooth bone with the Bass shield.

anyone have any of the RR,s with Bark Pearl scales? I remember seeing them in the SMKW catalog acouple of years ago, are they still being made?

The smoky mountain knife works current catalog (page 42) offers a bark pearl medium stockman for $16.99. The catalog picture is not that clear. Does anyone have pictures of any of the bark pearl series of knives?

I have a couple of Benchmark knives with ceramic blades. I have not used any except for a paring knife I bought for my wife. It worked really good for a while. My wife would wash it in the dishwasher and it developed some small chips in the cutting surface. Debra really liked it. It was a white blade which stains really easy. 

Jay,

I've got one of the bark pearl whittlers.  Nice scales but one of the back springs broke when setting it up for pics.  Bee a couple of years, didn't think they were still in production.

JJ. I had a Queen knife back spring brake, they replaced the knife. I wonder what SMKW would do?

Robert, my experience has been they will honor their warranty so if the backspring broke, then they will honor it unless it was altered in some way such as file work or such.

I'm sure that they'd replace the knife, just not sure if they still carry it in the Bark Pearl.

I've never had a problem with one of their knives, just wondering.

The boys on Knives Live TV has been saying for some time now that Rough Rider knives with Pearl (as well as Stag) are pretty much a thing of the past.  They will not be remaking them and if a decision to remake them ever comes up it will be at a higher price point.  

From what I've seen they have opted to put use pearl in some of their other higher priced knives and on imported Remington's made exclusively by them.   The stag is showing up on their TM Colt and Marbles knives. 

Apparently both pearl and stag are bit too expensive at current market prices.  I guess what I'm saying, is if you want it, get ready to pay more and get it on eBay or some of the other knife sellers.  It is out there but it ain't as cheap as it used to be.

Didn't meen to digress into a discussion if they would replace the knife or not.  Just wanted to let Jay know that I really liked the scales on mine.  It was the first "Pearl" handle that I bought, only because of the appearance of the scales.

I'm not a big collector or pearl or stag but have been buying the occasional piece if it is a pattern I like.  This of course limits my choices as my Rough Rider has not produced pearl or stag in my absolute favorites (large toothpick, marlin spike, or scout)  Sigh.  You'd think the marlin spike would be a no brainier for pearl and the toothpick and scout would be perfect for stag.

I'm sorry JJ. I brought that up and didn't mean anything bad, I was just wondering about their warranty on their knives. If I digress the discussion, I didn't mean to, I guess I just come off wrong on what it is I'm trying to convey, sometimes.

Toby,

 You'd think the marlin spike would be a no brainier for pearl and the toothpick and scout would be perfect for stag.

Your right, that would seem to be a no brainer LOL.  My guess is your also right about the price point for the materials and why we would only be seeing it on a knife that costs a bit more.

How many brands do the boys at SMKW actually make?  Is it like GEC where they have an actual structure to their three brands and what handles or embellishments are available on each of their "brands"?  I have bought and used RR but honestly have not paid attention to the brands avail made by SMKW

Well, I'd love to get a whittler in barnboard...

Hi Jan.

As for brands owned by SMKW, My Who Owns Who list at "A pocket guide to knives gives that info.  Frost and SMKW own quite a few TMs.  See the list at:

http://apg2k.hegewisch.net/wow-6.html

If you do a search for Smoky Mountain Knife Works while on the page, you should be able to scroll through  with little problem.  I would estimate 20+ brands by SMKW and 30+ and growing for Frost. 

This doesn't include the knives both companies have made exclusively for their own stores.  SMKW  has Case, Schatt & Morgan, and Queen make numerous knives just for their store.   Almost any handle Case Corelon was made for Frost.

J.J., I 'd like almost anything in a barnboard jig or real barnboard.

I've never seen a good picture of a Barnboard knife, anyone have a picture? They must be nice, the way ya'll are talking.

I don't remember Rough Rider ever having a Barnboard jig. I have one that is a Case blue barnboard jig pilot test knife.

I'm pretty sure that RR hasn't made one in Barn Board.  CASE has made several different runs of their Barn Board.  The first almost looked like it came off an old barn...

I always thought that a whittler in the Barn  Board would be nice.

Boker has a series of knives that has handles made from old Beer Barrels...

I like the Boker Beer barrel knives.

It is kind of neat that they use actual barrel staves to make them.

I've seen those knives before, they are neat, that beer barrel knife is the perfect thing for the man that loves beer. I just thought that Rough Rider had come out with a Barb Board pattern knife, I missunderstood ya'll.

Nope,  I got mine several years ago.  Only reason I kept it was because of the scales.

Hell all, is it true that RR is going to stop producing Pearl knives ? I just got a RR 228 black pearl trapper it sure is nice ,the black pearl on my trapper is real nice.

That's a good question Robert, I just don't know maybe one of our members will know. Hey has anyone got a new Rough Rider lately?