Rough Rider’s Large (5 inch) Toothpicks
The Large Toothpicks.
Currently Rough Rider offers five large toothpick knives. In most cases, each of the five knives is unique unto itself with different styles of bolsters, blade etches and handle materials. In every case, the large frame toothpicks are have been made as part of some other popular series of knives. Despite every knife having unique features, they are all based on the same frame and same style 4 inch clip blade. This frame and blade design is shared with SMKW’s Marbles Trademark line of large frame toothpicks. Raging Bull Knives, (a small independent importer) apparently had their large frame toothpicks made on the same frame, as well.
As mentioned all the knives use a standard 4 inch clip blade in the same 5 inch frame. The blades open and close smoothly. There is no half stop and there is not a loud snap upon opening but they all open cleanly. RR are often said to be nailbreakers when opening. I should also note that because the blade is a standard clip in a toothpick frame, enough of the blade protrudes from the frame so that you can easily grip it between thumb and finger and pull it out without the use of the matchstrike nail-nick. In the case of all the toothpicks, the blade opens with a smooth easy pull. The blades will close with a loud snap, if you let them. They spring is such that the blade needs to be opened beyond 45 degrees to remain opened. A good choil prevents the blade's edge from making contact with the back spring upon closing; so there is no fear of the blade chipping or getting dull when you let it snap closed.
All of the knives have brass liners and nickel silber bolsters. The long rifle and rifleman series share the same triple ringed bolsters. The other three knives have different style bolsters. The Stoneworx knive has nickel-silver channel inlays for the genuine and natural stones. All other knives have bone handles attached with brass pins. Shields, were applicable are nickel-silver.
These are some of the best made large frame toothpicks around. Probably the one drawback, if you want to call it a drawback, is the use of the standard style clip blade over the more traditional California clip found on the knives made by Case, Queen, Bear & Son, etc. Which brings up a down side on the knives made by these American Companies (besides the much higher price): They lack any type of imagination when it comes to design. The bolsters are are down right bland. Admitedly, the American companies do sometimes use a better steel (Queen's D2, Case's CV, and Bear's Carbon Steel) but they also are just as likely to use a steel no better than RR's 440 Razor Sharp.
As I mentioned the RR large toothpicks share a frame with those made by Marbles and Raging Bull. The principle difference between the knives is price and building materials. Marbles toothpicks cost on average about $8 more. The main differenc is you get the Marbles blade etch. The Marbles knives come in different colors of bone as well as an imitation tortoise shell They also normally come with a storage pouch. Raging Bull makes knives at a comparable price but scales tend to be made of colored plastic. The fit and finish is comparable but because they use cheaper material in their production you are paying about the same for plastic instead of bone handles.
From what I've seen other global large frame toothpicks, tend to favor a slightly different frame and a cali-clip blade. This is espeically true of the Frost made and Taylor brand large toothpicks.
The Individual Tootpicks
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