Managed to bring out a few appealing colors by burning the cyan blue this series features. So far blue-dyed bone seems to transform the most from being torched. I also like the way it appears on the sawcut texture.
I have other questions regarding this as well, such as: Have they always shipped knives with this super rough/unfinished edge? It’s like they ground it on stucco or asphalt at highway speeds. Is it a cost saving measure? Don’t get me wrong I love Case knives and don’t consider this a QC issue.. mostly because every Case I’ve bought has had the same kind of ‘sharpening ready’ edge. And I don’t mind correcting this, but then again I love sharpening and honing blades. However some folks definitely do not.
To be clear the initial photos show the ragged factory edge with massive jagged burr. The last two photos show the edge after I’ve finished it using a white ceramic rod and strop.
In just about every thread featuring or discussing Rough Rider knives you’ll find the following comment: “RR’s are really good for the money.” Now I don’t disagree with that.. But after reading that sentiment more than a few times, I do have an issue with it as a truism. That’s because many knives at a wide range of price points are good ‘for the money’ ..otherwise why would anyone buy them? So what is it folks are saying with this?
Now what I find remarkable about Rough Riders —the vast majority of the dozens I’ve handled— is that they are actually much better than their price would suggest. And a number of times I’ve come across examples that are truly bafflingly good. For instance, I am quite fond of Case traditionals and I think especially their bone jigging/dyeing exceeds their Chinese-made counterparts. But looking at some RR’s I see things they are managing to do as well as what Case is offering for five times the price.. and some things they are doing better. This Barlow in Red ‘Worm Groove’ Bone is definitely one of those examples
The Böker Plus Subcom 2.0 is my favorite subcompact/fifth-pocket folder hands down. I’ll take it over any of the recently released flippers and I’ll even take it over a Spyderco Dragonfly. The original Subcom was released 20 years ago now(!) And after first being produced briefly for Bökers Magnum line it became the first knife to be released under the Böker Plus branding. Designed by Hawaiian knife designer Chad Los Banos it was one of several excellent models they put out (including the sadly discontinued Trance). It was initially made in Taiwan and featured AUS-8 blade steel.
The Subcom 2.0 is a better knife basically in that it features blackwashed D2 steel that has been heat treated to ~60HRC and the action (to me) feels smoother. Otherwise it’s the same great design that CLB penned back in the aughts. It’s very flat yet somehow very ergonomic. It’s fidgety even though it’s not a flipper. And it’s a knife that truly goes unnoticed in your pocket until you need it.
Got my very first Case Sod Buster(Jr. ..which I find to be the most useful size). Went with the Peach Seed Jigged Amber Bone because it’s classic, and the stainless blade because I like ‘em shiny. The one I received was just right ..other than I had to correct the (slightly rounded) point and refine the edge. But the MAIN question I had was: What do I polish when there’s no nickel silver bolsters??
Well I ended up hand buffing the heck out of both covers —using a thick microfiber shammy with a lot of green rouge on it, then a quick rub with Renaissance Wax— and I love the effect. It feels much better and smoother in hand.. but just as importantly it shined the peach seed jigging, giving it an almost ‘antiqued’ or ‘pocket worn’ appearance. It also cleaned the remaining factory gunk off the shield and shined the pins nicely.
It’s a proper pen knife too! Nice and compact with both blades on single spring. Carbon steel ground nice and thin. The covers are black micarta with blue liners and pewter shield. They nailed this one
Always find myself craving different textures and colors of bone when I’m in a different place.
My favorite Frost-branded traditionals and the only Pakistan-made knives in my entire collection. Not surprisingly these are also the lowest priced knives I own.. yet I really like them🤷♂️ They are properly good pruning knives (which is what they get used for). I’ve been particularly impressed with the blades and how easily they take a keen edge.
I post a lot of the stuff available through my Etsy shop but these are my personal traditional slippies. Probably not gonna post a comprehensive list of each one but if there’s something you don’t recognize just ask.
Trying more with red bone lately, though I do think blue and green bone color more consistently from the torch. The white ‘winter’ bone muskrat is supposed to come both jigged and lightly burnt (based on stock pics) but kit really didn’t come burnt at all.. love how it looks now tho.
Done a couple with this method for scrimshaw pieces before. This time just thought I’d see how it looks to just keep it plain. It turned out very similar to other versions of ‘Appaloosa’ bone. I wonder if it’s similar to how that’s normally done …Renaissance waxed and highly polished after staining.
Lucas Burnley design, one of many made by CRKT. I like the size and heft of this guy more than the Squid.. it’s a bit more ‘slicey’ in terms of cutting geometry too. The front scale is milled peel-ply G10 with a carbon fiber layer. I dyed it with Rit which resulted in sort of a dark plum purple.
First one of my own knives I’ve taken the torch to and I’m really happy with it. Still learning about how quickly different kinds, treatments and jigging of bone cause the cover to respond to being burned. Honestly there’s so much variation you just have to feel each one out. I’ve taken to keeping the flame lower and holding it closer for more control. I also highly recommend doing some light hand-buffing afterward as the burned areas take a nice shine.
Got 2 here and I think they’re my favorite results so far from torch-burning jigged bone. These are both Frost models, a Black Hills Stockman and a Steel Warrior one-arm Barlow. The burning brings out all sorts of iridescent hues in the cyan-blue bone.. also pleasingly, the torched area polishes up nicely along with the rest of the cover and bolster.
Was worried it would end up looking like RR’s ‘Cinnamon Bone’ but I like the appearance of this quite a bit better… the color is also much more durable this way
Particularly their big boys.. they just seem really excellent. This is their ‘Cigar Jack’ with a clip and spey that I’d take over almost any trapper. I burnt both covers to create a kind of green/gold bone that I think adds a bit of panache.
Think these are the two newest patterns of the Rough Rider Blue Dragon series, a Peanut and a single-blade Sheepfoot Barlow. Soon as I saw ‘em online I knew what I wanted to do with them. An adjustable butane kitchen torch (for searing) was used.. carefully. Here are the results
Suffice to say I understand how the 'sea dragon' effect is created now
The total cost of these two was literally $25 ... appropriate cause if they fall in I'm not diving for them