I have had an account with Blue ridge for many years - I gave up on the rest a long time ago - If Blue Ridge don't have it - I just do with out - They still have the dealer 100 dollar min on an order - tom

Stephen, I have given over a dozen of those RR clasp knives away as presents over the years and everyone loved them.

A True story:

This is a tuffy – My wife & I have been foster parents for many years – we have shared our home with 36 foster kids and have adopted 4 children out of the system.

Last night we got a call from CPS to see if we could help with a 16-year-old girl.

I normally don’t share these stories but we never had one like this before.

The young lady & her dad have been homeless since last June. Living in the river bottoms. The dad took amber to school & signed her up for home school. Amber has her schoolwork completed thru February!

Now with winter setting in & the cold weather (cold for our area) & living in a tent without electricity it has just over whelmed Amber’s father. He sent her to the store. When she got back to their shelter her dad wasn’t there but he had lift her a note.

He told her he loved her but he just couldn’t deal with life anymore & told her he was going to commit suicide. He told her to take the note to a police officer & that they would see that she was taken care of.

The police haven’t been able to locate her dad, we can only hope they can find him alive & get him the help he needs.

Amber is a very polite young lady. She wants to be a social worker when she grows up.

Most foster kids are in the system because their parents have turned to drugs but in this case it not drugs. Lots of folks out there loosing their homes or not able to pay the rent.

Damn we need to take this country back!

Tom Hudson

Foster Parent

Tom,my hat is off to you i have a freind that i have known for over 25 yrs that takes in foster kids that have special needs and has adopted one of them. my freind and his wife are special people whom have opened both their home and heart to the children that they have taken in.

Got my RR muskrat in the Moonshiner series,Pretty cool!

Great story, Robert. I found a quill pen that Rough rider makes to trim quill feathers for feather writing pens. I take my hat off to foster parents. We are raising 3 grandkids that are 1 &1/2, 3 and 8. It takes a special person to be able to share that much love and caring. These are our grandkids and they try my patience quite a bit, but I love them to pieces. They were taken out of there home and given to us by OK DHS. It takes a really special person to take in complete strangers. Anyway here is the picture of this knife. it is only about 2 1/2" long with blue smooth bone .

Tom, my post was meant for you especially. You are a special person for taking these kids and giving them a loving home. I don't think I could do it if they were not my flesh and blood. May God bless you and your wife in what you do.

Just a note - I'm thinking I'll close my shop one of these days - not sure when but business isn't what it use to be -  gun laws are horrable to work with & I give 100 qoutes for one job anymore & I'm working for less than I ever have - I turn down 4 or 5 jobs a week - this time of the year folks want complete love letters engraved on the back of a watch for 20 bucks - I send them to the trophy shop - Just a sign of the times - tom

Drew, you just might be shocked at just how similar that RR is to a Case!

Drew ,Tobias is right the RR Yellow trapper is very similar to a case.And Craig i do like it Get your Own LOL,have a merry christmas everyone

Yeah, I better get one of those Moonshiner Muskrats before they're all gone!

I ordered mine through a dealer that i do business with and he got it from blue ridge.They still have some i am pretty sure.

I got a Colt moose pattern for Chirstmas and was wondering if anyone on here knows something about the brand? I find it very well made, maybe a step up on the Rough Rider. I was told they were made by the same people. Thanks.

Robert,

It is my understanding that the Colt is made by United Cutlery.  With the exception of the 75th anniversary run that is being made by Case

The one I have is the anniversary eddition. No wonder its so well made.

I heard that they are made in the same factory as RR, but I don't know for sure. The ones I've seen looked about the same as RR....actually most of my RR I thought were as nice if not nicer.

Hey guys, I had only a couple of knives to compare so I wasn't saying one was better than the other. I just was surprised at how well it was made and thats a good thing. I said it before and I'll say it again those knives just keep getting better and better.

Check out the picture on a Box Full of Knives Group/Moose Pattern discussion.

Smoky Mountain Knife Works currently owns the Trademark for  Colt Knives.  They make them in the same factories they use for Rough Riders and several other house brands.  Most of the fixed blades are made with 420j2 stainless,  and most of the folders use 440a.  Im not sure what steel is used on the titanium coated blades.    Same factories also make the Chinese made Remington.   I'm not sure if their is connection between Colt and United, other than they probably share manufacturing facilities in China.  Elk Ridge is a United Brand.

Back in the 90,s Colt was a united brand. the knives were made in taiwan,germany and the us.the steel used was either 440 c or 420j2.SMKW now owns the colt trademark and has expanded the line

Craig i own the large version of the RR damascus lockback it is a real nice knifegreat buy for the money 

My thought on the Colt line is this.   SMKW is trying to use the line as sort of a upscale version of Rough Riders.   They seem to do the same thing with the Marbles TM.  As far as I'm concerned, I'll stick to RR unless I can only find the knife in the other two brands.   The quality of the Colt Folders is a little better than the RRs but I'm not sure if that quality translates to the higher price tag.  I know the quality of Marbles knives is about the same as that of RRs and the price tag will need to be lower before I guy the Marbles five inch toothpicks.   I'm not paying an extra $6 for fake leather pouch I'm not going to use and the marbles blade etch.

I have two Colt Fixed blades.  Both a re decent enough knives, especially in the looks department but the blades are 420j2 Stainless.  I think if I get other Colt fixed blades (which is doubtful), I'll have to go with the Damascus blades.

In the end, I'd say the Chinese made Colt and Marble's knives are decent enough for the price but if you can find a similar style in Rough Rider then you'll get a similar quality knife for a better price.  (Same for the Chinese made Remingtons)

One thing that turns me off about the Colts is the corny looking (to me) BIG "C" on the front bolsters. Now the Colt "Signature" series I would definitely consider buying.....those look nice.

I really like my Colt whittler...

Would it help if you knew the big C  on the colts is a snake, such as Anaconda, Boa, Cobra, Diamondback, King Cobra, Python, Viper, etc. Look closely.

LOL...Drew love the enthusiasm!!!  Show us the knife?

Comment by Drew Rossman 5 minutes ago

I got my new RR Yellow Trapper. Just as nice as my Case Yellow Trapper...and I could get 6-7 for the same price! I freakin love Rough Rider knives!

Another person who took the challenge and discovered what they've missing.    Drew, take a look at  "Case Vs. Rough Rider at Rough Rider Reviews.  You're not alone.

I got a new yellow delrin hawkbill that I won on ebay. Pics to come later.

Here is a Quill knife. It's amazing the patterns that RR will make. This is about 2" long

And here is my Brotherhood trapper.

Welcome to the Rough Rider's Collectors, David. It's about time you found your way here. Tell Jeannie  I said Hi.

Thank you for the welcome!  I am one of the bigger advocates for Rough Riders, and should have come here before this!!  While my collecting has been somewhat curtailed by my economic situation, my enthusiasm thas not!  I am looking for great topics of conversation for my favorite off-shore knives!!

Welcome David

Tom

Here is the  Rough Rider Yellow Delrin Hawkbill I got about a week ago.

it,s going to be interesting to see what RR brings out this year. i would love to see the large swing guard lockback offered with more handle choices.

I really, really, really wish they'd bring out a line of  kinves with"cracked ice" handles..........really. They can start with the baby barehead Trapper, mini Trapper, and standard Trapper.........please and thank you. Then, they can do some in ebony wood......that would be cool........to me.

Craig commented: "knives with"cracked ice" handles."

I for one would rather see something other than acrylic/celluloid/plastic.  Not a big fan.  But I do have to admit, I've bought the Synth stones in the past and would buy more.

Ebony on the other hand  would be nice.

I know, I'm one of those weirdos that likes imitation handles! LOL!

Talking about new knives this year has anyone seen a RR moose patern knife before? I have looked all over and can't find one. I guess none were ever made.

Robert,

The only moose in the Rough Rider line I'm aware of is the "Once in a Blue Moon" which is made on the Remington/Colt Frame.

I've suggested they make a Teddy Roosevelt commemorative  "Moose" knife called the "Bull Moose"  We'll see if that happens.

I know about the Colt moose knives, infact I own some, I meant the Rough Rider line.I don't think they made one. I like that idea "Bull Moose" it better be something special.

here is my r. r. turtle shell sunfish catching a ride....

some RR patterns made with buffalo horn handles would be nice too.

Craig said "A Teddy Roosevelt  "Bull Moose" Moose knife seems like a natural."

My actual suggestion was to have it be a commemorative  and to sell it in a display that included one of the Teddy Roosevelt Coins to be issued in 2013 by the U.S. Mint.  That coin  should be released around the middle of May, 2013.  which would put the knife/coin combo ready in time for the Christmas rush.   Seems to me it belongs with the Rough Rider line.  But I'd guess if they don't snag it, someone over at Cutlery Corner will!

Wouldn't hurt for a few other people to mention it to Mr. Koontz at SMKW.  I think he'd be a person who could make it happen.

Hi Mel,

I've seen a variety knives refered to as "Moose"  some in swell center, humpback , equal-end/cigar and serpentine.  

My opinion (and it is just that) is the Moose is a large, thick  frame knife (four inches or more) with a large clip blade at  the top and a large spay blade at the bottom.  Normally the blades operate on their own springs and have a space between them (but not always).

As the RR is just 3.5 inches closed, I consider a  somewhat puny Moose or a Moosling.

(PS, the Boker Moose pattern  has clip and spear blade and often a swell or serpentine handle... The Case moose is built on the #75 frame -a  square end serpentine frame)