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Fixed blades

A dicsussion group about knives of the Great Outdoors needs to have an area to discuss all those fixed blades. This will be a place to show off your fixed blades. Doesn't matter if it for filet fish or just the knife you use around the camp fire. Maybe its your favorite deer skinner! Let's see it!

For years, the knife i took camping was my Camillus Mk2 Fighting knife. But it is now in retirement. Not because I found something better, just because it has too much sentimental meaning to have it confiscated by a park ranger or game warden or lost through stupidity.

My current camp knife is a Rough Rider 844 Burl Wood Hunter. Why? Because it has been getting the job done. I've got Hunters by Bear & Son, Case and Buck that all cost more but this one seems to get the job done better and cost half as much as the others.

The only issue I had with the knife was the strap for the sheath. It got in the way of taking the knife in and out of the sheath . A little altering and all was fine.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Andy Moon on July 20, 2014 at 8:24

Jan Carter said:

Andy, what is the steel in that little beauty!!?

Hi Jan - That one is 01 steel heat treated to 59-60 hrc -

John is just starting to do some stainless steel - cpm154 - but all of my knives from him are 01.

best

mqqn

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on October 9, 2014 at 21:23

I've been remiss. I bought this one a while back. It is by R. Murphy, one of the less known USA knife company. The call it the Fisherman's Pal.

According to the their website:

Camping and Fishing Knife: Polished 16 gauge (1.7 mm) high carbon stainless steel 4-1/4 inch (10.8 cm) blade with serrations for scaling and skinning. Bubinga wood handle.

It is very similar to the Green River Works butcher knife. Plenty of companies have made similar versions of th eknife in the past.

As you can see the blade is a half tang held in place by two brass rivets. Still it is in there pretty tight and considering it is for gutting and skinning small game it'll probably do. The finish is pretty nice. The handle is only four inches so if you have big paws it might be a problem.

The knife came pretty sharp but not shaving sharp. The jimping on the back will work for scaling as well as keeping a thumb or finger in place. Just don't rest your finger on the edge side when scaling!

The sheath looks uninspiring. Murphy used this same sheath on for several knives they make. It is an undyed supply leather that is nicely stitched and riveted. The knife fits snug enough. So while the sheath looks boring and even cheap it is better than many nicer looking sheaths I've come across.

Hey for $20 what do you expect? All in all I'm very pleased with this knife. It is the second knife I've bought from R. Murphy. They are obviously aren't made for collecting but for using. but with that in mind, isn't that why knives are made. If you're looking for a well made, American made bird and trout knife, give R. Murphy a look. If this one isn't your style, then check out their other hunting and fishing knives. They have several to choose from.

R Murphy CRX 125 Fisherman's Pal

Murphy Fisherman's Pal compared to the Bear and Son Upswept Skinner, Both American made and very affordable!

The sheath is better than it looks and can be worn left or right handed!

The knife fits snugly and the sheath molds around the contours of the handle.

Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on October 9, 2014 at 23:32

Nice knife Tobias

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on November 4, 2014 at 11:43

My latest Rough Rider is the RR1278 Outdoorsman Fixed Blade.

I have a full review of it on Amazon.

Here is the meat of the review:

It is about the same length as a Schrade Sharpfinger and features a nice drop point blade with a three inch cutting edge. It came very pointy and quite sharp. The 440A Stainless steel blade is mirror polished with a hollow grind. Mine has a nice evenly colored tobacco smooth bone handle with an acorn shield and lanyard hole. The bone is flush with the full tang and integrated bolster. It is nicely pinned the tang and, if keeping with Rough Rider's normal method, it is also epoxied to the tang.

The sheath is nylon with either leather or pleather accents. It has a plastic insert. The knife fits the sheath quite well... the belt loop is around 2 inches wide so it should suffice for any belt that is used to hold up your jeans.

I think the knife would make a good skinner or capping knife. It would also make a nice neck or boot knife as it is a small knife that could easily be concealed. However the sheath may need to be modified for that purpose.

If you're looking for a nice, lightweight, slim-line fixed blade with an extremely sharp drop point blade you may want to consider this knife. Be forewarned, however, that the handle is only about 3.25 inches so there isn't a lot to hold on to if you have a bear paw for a hand. Also the smooth bone and lack of a guard could be problematic if the handle got slippery. (consider using a lanyard to help keep your hand in position.

Knife in the sheath. The snap helps keep the sheath and I was unable to shake it lose. However I was able to pull the knife out with the strap still snapped!

Compared ot the Schrade 65th Anniversary Sharpfinger. About the same length but much slimmer and less bulk.

Note the good size belt loop. Only a vertical carry option.

Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on November 9, 2014 at 15:54

Nice review, Tobias, and good looking knife.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on November 12, 2014 at 8:50

That Sharp Finger style knife was popular around here back in the late 70's and 80's. I still see some people using it now days. Great little design, just a little to pointed for me. Great review, Tobias.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on November 12, 2014 at 11:23

Thanks Robert. You make a good point regarding the sharpfinge's tip. It seems to me that if you're not worried bout poking the innards, the Sharpfinger might be a good choice. I've always wondered why no one has gotten around to putting a fish scaler along the spine of Sharpfinger. I think it would make a dandy fish knife as will this little Rough Rider.