Rough Rider knife

Like every other modern folding knife manufacturer, Rough Rider makes folders with G10 and micarta scales, with some models even sporting carbon fiber.

But despite the fact that these materials are low-maintenance and affordable, and despite the fact that they are extremely durable, there’s just something about a pocket knife in a traditional pattern made with beautiful natural scale materials.

Like any of the following, which you can find in some Rough Rider knife or other.

Horn

There are a few patterns made with horn, a rich, deep black material that’s lighter than both bone and antler, and which has a luster and sheen that few other natural materials can come near.

Bone

Jigged and checkered bone is a staple in the world of traditional pocket knife patterns. Often white natural bone is used, but it is also often dyed in a variety of colors. It’s also dense, hard, strong, wear-resistant, and relatively easy to care for.

Antler

Some Rough Rider knives are made with natural stag antler, which is similar to bone, but which has slightly different aesthetics. Also, antler is rarely dyed whereas bone commonly is.

Wood

There are Rough Rider knives made with cherry wood, wenge wood, pakkawood, oak, and other hardwoods. Wood might not be as hard or as dense as bone, but it is still a tough natural material.

Mother of Pearl

A few Rough Rider knives are made with mother of pearl inlays that are peerless for their nacreous beauty. These are less common than Rough Rider knives made with the other materials mentioned here, so if you find one, get it.

Malachite

Some Rough Riders are inlaid with malachite, a rich green mineral with swirling, linear, and undulating patterns. It’s also a unique material you wouldn’t forget if you saw it.

Turquoise

Turquoise is one of the more commonly utilized semi-precious stones, and there are a few Rough Rider knives that sport it. The deep blue luster of turquoise is often set against other semi-precious stones in the knives that showcase it.

Copper

Many Rough Rider pocket knives are made with copper or copper wire accents, like bolsters. While nickel is an attractive metal, there’s something unique about copper that can’t be matched by any other metal.

Other Metal Alloys

There are Rough Rider knives made with metal scales, such as aluminum, stainless steel, and even brass, all of which sport unique aesthetics, not to mention the fact that these alloys are relatively low on maintenance and that some, like brass, will develop a rich, unique patina with time.

Leather

If you want a Rough Rider knife with a stacked leather grip, you’ll have to look outside their catalog of traditional folding pocket knives. Still, and all the same, some of their fixed blade patterns and profiles sport eye-catching and practical stacked leather grips which are not just aesthetically pleasing but functional.

Where to Get Your Next (or First) Rough Rider Knife

Rough Rider’s use of these attractive natural materials is not the only thing that has made and kept the brand extremely popular. For another thing, where other manufacturers are increasingly turning to synthetics, Rough Rider is doubling down on natural beauty.

Even if that weren’t the case, Rough Rider has an expansive catalog with an extremely wide range of unique and traditional knife patterns – perhaps more than any other knife maker currently in the industry.

And then there’s the price. You can get a Rough Rider knife in pretty much any pattern you want, with one (or a combination) of the scale materials mentioned here, for a fraction of the price of a Case of GEC knife.

That being said, take a closer look at White Mountain Knives to find what you need. There’s plenty for you to discover in their catalog and their prices are highly reasonable.

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Forget about Great Eastern Cutlery and W. R. Case for a second. There’s another player in town that, while not made in America, is locking down quality in the corner of traditional pocket knife patterns.

It’s Rough Rider (also spelled Rough Ryder) and they bring incredible quality to this area of the knife industry. Here are 6 things that will shock you (in a good way) about a Rough Rider knife.

The Materials

The two brands invoked are not criminal here, as both Case and GEC use some serious quality materials. It’s the other off-brands that are suspect.

But not Rough Rider. This company uses a wide range of super high-end, premium materials in their pocket knife patterns. This includes alloys and synthetics like brass, copper, micarta and G10, along with precious natural materials like horn, bone, antler, mother of pearl, turquoise, malachite, and other semi-precious stones.

The Fit and Finish

The fit and finish is possibly the second biggest selling point of any Rough Rider knife. These things are spotless, built by hand and backed by a strong implicit guarantee. Other cheap knives are shoddily assembled and the fit and finish are questionable.

Not a Rough RIder knife. The workmanship and attention to detail cannot be understated. But you know what – no justice will be done here. Get your hands on one as soon as you can and see for yourself.

The Blade Steel

Many Rough Rider knives are made with average quality blade steel like 440A stainless which is fairly soft and easy to work with, along with highly corrosion resistant.

But many of their higher-end models are made with much more desirable steel alloys, such as D2 (a respectable tool steel), VG-10 (often reserved for much higher end culinary knives), and T10 (used in the construction of swords).

In short, a Rough Rider knife’s steel chemistry will not disappoint you.

The Number of Patterns

Another great thing about Rough Rider is that they still specialize in something that so few other brands do – they make high-quality traditional pocket knife patterns.

And this goes far beyond stockman and congress knives and jackknife patterns like trappers. They make a whole bunch of highly niche patterns like doctor’s knives, pipe knives, cotton samplers, dog legs, canoe patterns, moose knives, rhino and elephant toes, as well as hawkbill patterns and whittler knives.

The Quality of Assembly

The quality of assembly – not just the fit and finish – is a whole other thing to love about Rough Rider knives.

Specifically, everything is tight and proper. Many of their knives have half-stops that are exceptionally crisp, and the slipjoint mechanisms are perfectly fitted.

Nowhere else at this price point will you reap such incredible value – which is a whole other point on its own.

The Price

Get ready to shell out a hundred or more for a Case or GEC knife in one of the patterns mentioned here.

Or, get ready to spend perhaps ten or fifteen on a Rough Rider knife that offers the same quality and construction of materials. Honestly, probably better.

Most high-end pocket knives will cost a hundred or more. A Rough Rider knife of similar quality will only cost a small fraction of that. See for yourself if you don’t believe it.

Where to Get Yourself a Rough Rider Knife

In the market for a new traditional-pattern pocket knife? Check out White Mountain Knives. They carry a wide range of popular pocket knives and Rough Rider as a brand is well-represented. Get your next (or first) Rough Rider knife there today.

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