If I Ran The Company (Rough Rider Knives)

In this episode of If I Ran The Company, I look at a couple knives that I feel Rough Ryder should release in every series/ handle material the company makes. Case has chosen the Trapper as their flagship pattern. These are the patterns I think Rough Rider should choose.

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[propblastnd]

Sounds like a good idea, I’d like to see more copperheads as well, thanks for another fun video 👍

[WilliamsKnifeLife]

The reason i started collecting Rough Ryders is because of the variety of traditional patterns available. I was going to collect one of each pattern, but my strategy went out the window and i started buying whatever i liked. Some of my favorite patterns to collect are Doctors knives, Canoes, Stockman, Cubs, Barlows, small toothpicks, and small cotton samplers. I kept expanding that list. Something i go for a complete series. Other times it's just one or two patterns out of a series.

[donaldperson]

They make quality knives! Believe it or not! 😊 I never had a bad Rough Rider knife!

[gregwillis]

You definitely have your finger on the pulse there Tobias. If a company ever ignores the Barlow pattern, I'd know who not to buy from. We grew up with the Barlow!!

[James-ojck]

Interesting, ideas. I'm a Barlow and Stockman and Whittler fan. I might check out canoes after this video.

[artawhirler]

I love Rough Riders and have a bunch of them, so of course I clicked on this video right away! Thanks!

[davidkurle]

It was good to hear your thoughts on this, buddy👍Great video!

[artawhirler]

My friend, who's gone now, had a Rough Rider "Coal Miner" knife just like the one you showed in this video. That was the first Rough Rider I had ever seen or heard of - and now I have quite a collection of them!

[slick_slicers]

I think those are really good options. Of the little knives, I’ve always liked the Butterbean and indeed, I filmed a video of one this week. It will be up soon. If there was one pattern that I would like to see in all of their ranges, it would be the Barlow. Every time TEW find a new cover material, they always put it on a Barlow first. Hence, half of my TEW collection is Barlows. I understand why the sodbuster is such a popular pattern, because it is such a good working knife. Thanks for another great video.

[WilliamsKnifeLife]

Some small patterns i want to expand my collection with: small canoe, peanut, and any usual pattern that still remains traditional.
Series: Stoneworks, Glow, Texas flag, 30th anniversary, and some select Reserve knives in a nice handle material.
I do the same thing as you on buying a series, if there's enough patterns that i like, I'll go for the whole series.
I'd like to see the doctors knife pattern offered with the spatula more often. Same with the small cotton sampler. Wharncliffe blades. Sunfish or elephant toes, and any old pattern that was useful but unusual, like the wrench knife, hawk bills, those small neck knives in the same handle material as the rest of a series, bird and trout knives.
That's about all i could get out of my brain 🧠 this morning. 😂

[nram]

I like your thoughts on this. I don’t consider the trapper my favorite pattern but I found that I have a ton of trappers and mainly it’s because the trapper is available in every series. I don’t know the numbers but it seems like the barlow and work knife would both be strong contenders in every series. Personally, I would rather see the halfhawk in every series than the mini canoe but I think the mini canoe would be a better choice economically and for sales. I also think the mini canoe can conveniently fall into the category price-wise of being one of those knives you add on to reach free shipping. To my understanding, that was why the marbles us army milk knife sold so well a few years ago.

For random additional thoughts that came to my mind during the video, I’d like to see a Barlow released with the pen blade replaced with a cap lifter. I think Boker may have done something similar but on a razor trapper which not as big of a fan of the razor trapper. Also it would be cool to see the carnivore 3 (I guess not a jack at that point) be a large locking serrated work knife. Huge fan of the carnivore jack 1 & 2.

[glenh]

I started out buying different RR patterns. After some point I realized I am enamored by Barlow's and to a lesser extent, Canoes. I have quite a few Barlow's now. I don't need any more now. My plan is to just enjoy what I have. Rough Ryder finally began improving the Barlow. They need to square off the front bolster. They need to stop using shields on the handle covers. They need to come up with a variety of really cool shields to put on the front bolster. For example, the horseshoe shield. That is a classic shield. Rough Ryder also needs to vary the blade action. Some should have no half stops. Also, they should make some with no blade swedges and also they should make more models with one blade. They can really do a lot with the Barlow if they wish to do so. Maybe its not practical?

[donaldperson]

I wish they would put Tourquoise in the handels!

[Pezzeroni]

I collect the half hawks. There are currently 18 different handle materials with mostly 2 blades versions but there are a few with one blade. I would buy that pattern in every series if RR would make them. Thanks, Tobias!

[bdh]

I wish I knew what I was doing. Sometimes I've bought by series, some by pattern, some by cover material, some by reputation, and some by country of origin. Then in order to make sense of what I bought I've had to "fill-in" a few like knives, then a few more. Now though, while I still get excited about yet another shiny bead or bauble in the form of a knife, I found the where-with-all to resist....mostly. I like both the Barlow and the large work knife too so now there is that layer to look at. This is a fun roller coaster ride Tobias, thank you.

[singingtoad]

I'd like to be the CEO of RR knives. 😁👍 Thanks for sharing, take care my friend and Cheers!

[richardmcginnis]

i love my rough riders, the first one i got i picked up at the flea market for 5 bucks and it was with 2 frost mini sunfish or elephant toenails i thought all 3 were the same but the smooth orange bone of the rough rider was it for me, the other 2 were just bonuses so really i paid 5 bucks for 3 knives when i only wanted the one, i still have it and i have bought as many rough riders as i have seen since

[madtownangler]

I buy the Rough Rider knives in the patterns that I can't get in other knives, like the one that's black and red with a spider on it, for example.

[donaldperson]

I like the 3 blade knife pocket knives!

[LeashMechanic]

Watched this for the third time. Man that large sodbuster looks great! Thanks for doing this video! There’s another pattern that never gets any mention, it seems like not many are made and for the life of me I can’t understand why, the pattern is elegant. Among the small knives it’s more substantial than many, more so for sure than most if not all tiny toothpicks. It has more handle real estate to show off cool jigs, cuts and also other handle materials and would look great in all of them. A pattern that certainly ought to be in every series and that’s… the two bladed dog leg jack! The premier example is RR1015 which is actually called Dog Leg Jack and it’s set up like a mini-trapper with a very nice clip point master blade and a spey blade (which could in some cases be substituted with a number of other options such as large pen or a wharncliffe for the secondary but on the 1015 the spey is a pretty useful one). It’s roughly as substantial as a Barlow, has good heft for a small knife and the wicked little clip master blade is a mid-lock!! It’s a superior small knife pattern. The dog leg shape imho looks way cooler than a standard straight mini trapper clone. Fits well in a small slip. It should be included in every series!