EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Absolutely love a good Barlow pocket knife.
It is one of my favorite patterns for a traditional. It combines a timeless elegance while having its roots as a work knife.
Recently, I got to check out a Barlow from Rough Ryder Reserve.
Readers of this column are familiar with Rough Ryder, the house brand for Smoky Mountain Knife Works, one of the largest knife retailers in the world.
Rough Ryder Reserve, or RRR, is the “up” brand from the regular Rough Ryder label even though it also falls squarely within the budget realm too.
Note: Rough Ryder is also sometimes spelled as Rough Rider. The company has been a little bit loosey goosey with the spelling of these knife brands over the years.
Anyway, I have been able to check out the Red Jigged Bone Original Barlow from Rough Ryder Reserve as a loaner from my friend JB over at Big Red EDC.
This knife stacks up favorably with many of the Barlows I either own or have seen as a reviewer, especially when you consider the price point ($45 range. More on that later).
The first thing you notice are the gorgeous red bone handles that have been jigged (lines dug into the handle material.)
Throw in the Rough Ryder “bomb” shield and this knife just has a classic look and feel – hence, the “original” part of its name.
It features a single D2 steel spear-point blade that comes in at 2.75 inches. Readers of this column know I love a pocket knife that has a blade that is 3 inches or smaller. Useful, but non-threatening.
The knife falls well within the traditional specs and parameters of a traditional Barlow – a touch over 6 inches when open and a bit under 3.5 inches when closed.
It weighs in at 3.5 ounces, which is about what you would expect from a traditional knife of this size.
It’s perfect for throwing in your fifth pocket of your jeans or a secondary pocket in your cargo pants.
The signature elongated bolster that Barlow knives are known for does not have any billboarding on this particular offering. The bolster does have two classy, concentric lines etched into it as it transitions to the bone part of the handle.
The knife also has what looks like brass liners along the back spring.
The fit and finish is really nice, especially for the price.
Getting pins to be flush on a jigged bone handle can always be a tough task. This knife has six pins and five of them transition perfectly with the handle. One stands slightly “proud” or high on the back side of the knife, but doesn’t produce a rough spot or anything like that when holding it or using it.
The walk and talk (the way it opens and closes) is really snappy.
This knife is currently listed on the Smoky Mountain Knife Works website for $46.99. Here is a link to this knife. Here is a link to the SMKW home page.
Here’s my verdict:
When I first got back into collecting pocket knives about three years ago, I was initially skeptical of the Rough Ryder (Rider?) brand. The regular RR brand is normally in the $15 to $20 range.
After some knife buddies assured me that they were legitimate, I took the plunge and have liked everything I have seen from Rough Ryder.
This is the first time I have been able to see anything up close from the Rough Ryder Reserve line. Needless to say, I like what I see, especially for the price point.
Here are some YouTube channels on pocket knives and EDC gear that I watch, enjoy and respect:
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