Rough Rider’s Coal Miner Series
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The Coal Miner Series
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I have a soft spot for coal miners. My family history is firmly rooted in Harlan, Kentucky. And while it is true I have not lived in Harlan for several decades, most of my relatives remain in Harlan and a good part of my soul will always be there. Like much of Appalachia, Harlan lives and dies with coal. My father was one of the first in his family not be a coal miner. Had he not gone off to fight in WWII and then remain in the military he would've probably been a coal miner. My grandfathers were coal miners, most of my uncles were coal miners. even my relatives who weren't coal miners either hauled coal or did some type of coal related work.
I'm not silly enough to think the knives in this series were made for coal miners (although any of them would serve a coal miner well). I'm well aware the knives simply pay homage to those who live and breathe in the tunnels; the men and women who take the short and long term risks, the cave-ins, the black lung, and all the other life threatening challenges.
The Coal Miner Series, pays tribute to this group of unsung hard working Americans who made this country great and made it possible for America to become America. It was coal that fueled the industrial revolution and will probably remain a driving force in the field of energy production for years to come. You can learn a lot about America by learning about coal and coal miners.
To me the knives hearken to the stories of why "Bloody Harlan" got its name, to why Tennessee Williams owed his soul to the "Company Store" and to Brookside strike of 1976. The stories of how the United Mine Workers Union were sometime the working mans best friend and other times no better than Duke Power & Electric. Today the coal mines are once again under attack, now by environmentalists. Coal miners are used to be the targets of undue hatred and resentment. But in the end, they persevere, and humbly go about their work; the same work that made America great and continues to allow the promise of prosperity to live on.
As a series, these knives offer nothing more than a box, a blade etch and some black bone scales. But putting it all together, the knives I think they inspire one to delve into the history and tradition of coal mining and its importance to this country. If you like the series, then take the time to find out about coal miners.
About the knives
The series is unique among Rough Rider Series for a number of reasons. I believe the series began as a series of just four knives: RR 758 (Trapper)' RR 759 (Stockman). RR 760 (Work Knife), and RR 761 (Lock Back). I think : RR 1137 (Utility w/ Wrench), RR 1138 (Electrician), and RR 1143 (Hawkbill) were added later. Also of interest is that the Utility/Wrench and the Electrician knife have smooth handles and a different shield than the other knives. From what I have heard, the earlier release did not have the PAD stamping "Coal Miner" on the blade. There is also different artworks for the boxes. What really seems the set the series apart is the number of work/utility knives in the series and the lack of any small patterns such as peanuts or toothpicks.
The Scales:
All the scales are black bone; either "Coal Miner" jigged or smooth. Some of the literature claims the smooth handles are made of buffalo horn, however SMKW list the slcaes as bonel. I've noticed numerous photos of the black smooth scales looking somewhat like an appaloosa horse, however all of my black smooth bone scales have been fairly consistent in the dyeing, all one color with no splotching. There is no doubt that the Coal Miner Jigged bone seems more black than the smooth black bone, In my mind is like comparing Anthracite to Bituminous coal, with the smooth bone being the bituminous. Those who know coal, will know what I mean. The jigged black handles almost look like Delrin because of the consistency of the dye job.
The shields:
Most of the series has the standard Rough Rider Propeller shield. The Electrician and the Wrench have the "Be Prepared" bar shield found on all of the knives in this pattern. I would have liked to have seen a "Coal Miner" shield, perhaps a shovel, pick, coal car, or just a simple bar shield that said "coal miner".
PAD Stamp:
The main blade of each knife is Pad Printed "Coal Miner" is simple yet elegant lettering. For those unfamiliar pad printing is a printing process that can transfer a 2-D image onto a 3-D object. When done correctly, it should not rub off. There is a a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo to that describes pad printing, but for simplicity sake, I'm going to be very inaccurate and say the "ink" used in pad printing, is not just stamped to the blade but is chemically bonded to the steel so that it becomes permanent and cannot simply be wiped off. However, if you sharpen and polish your knife a lot, you will remove the pad printing, simply because you will remove the steel, the printing has been applied to. While the pad stamping is nice, I think an old fashioned blade etch would be better.
The Individual Coal Miners
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As many folks will tell you, the Trapper is the most collected of all traditional patterns. It is often the flagship pattern of any series of knives produced by just about any company producing traditional patterns. It is also a pattern I rarely collect. I bought the Trapper in order to complete the entire series. It is a standard pattern Trapper in every sense of the word and it is a well made beauty. The knife meets every quality control measure I expect from Rough Rider and would be a great addition to anyone's collection of trappers. My other Trappers include a Taylor made Schrade "Buzz-saw" Trapper which cost $10 more and is about the same Quality. A Camillus made Remington Trapper from around 2001. The Remingtons blades are better polished than the Rough Rider and also a better fit and finish overall. I would expect as much from a knife form that period and factory. My fourth Trapper in comparison in made by Frost, and while a not a bad knife, the fit and finish are not ad good and the dye on the bone scales seems flawed. For overall quality and the price you'll pay, the Rough Rider is better than any similarly priced Trapper out their. As a flagship pattern I would expect no less from the company. If you were to remove tang stamps and do a side by side comparison between this knife and similar knives by Bear & Son or Case, I bet the untrained examiner would not be able to tell the difference. Will I buy more Rough Rider Trappers? It is hard to say. But my decision to buy a Rough Rider Trapper would not be based on poor quality; it would solely be based on my lack of interest in the pattern. I really have no interest in that big spay blade. Now if they did made a buzz-saw trapper (with a saw blade) or slim-line, single clip blade trapper, I'd be pounded down the door to get one.
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RR 758 (Trapper)
Trapper with the new style coal miner box. |
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My usual choice when it comes the Stockman pattern is good ole Sowbelly. I like the wider blades found on the pattern. I only have two or three medium Stockmans. This little slim line serpentine stockman makes a great little pocket carry for everyday use. It is the smallest knife in the series and is well made in every aspect imaginable. Like most of the Jigged bone Coal miners the bone appears black but is actually a very deep and very dark brown. The build is great and like I've said many times, is on par with a modern Case Knife. Otherwise this is a perfect little pattern that not only looks great but is very affordable.
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RR 759 (Stockman)
A nice view of the blade's pad stamp. My only wish is that Rough Rider would make the same knife as a cattleman, that is swap the spay blade for a punch.
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Call it what you like, The knife is a spittin' image of the old discontinued liner-lock sod buster first made by W.R. Case & Sons. And guess what? It is fantastic. Case has said repeatedly that they have no plans to re-release the pattern. Rough Rider has been making this pattern for some time and quite frankly, if you don't own one, what are you waiting for! Anyone who collects Sodbusters or sodbuster like knives should jump on this pattern. I have two of these Rough Riders. The coal miner and tortoise shell. Both are excellent in every aspect. Sharp right out the box with a very positive, super strong liner lock, and just a beauty to cut with. They make an excellent work knife and are half the price of Case's cheapest non-locking sodbuster. |
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RR 760 (Work Knife)
Just a great work knife and perfect for the back pocket!
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Another pattern I rarely collect is the lockback hunter (Buck 110, or Buck 112 style knives) I know they are very popular but for some reason I just never seem to buy them. Despite my lack of interest, I've got to say this knife is all that I would expect of a Rough Rider, Blade lock is very positive, There is no play whatsoever in the open or closed position. And over all fit and finish is excellent. The size makes it perfect for small chores and everyday carry. I especially like the slanted ringed bolsters used on this knife. All in all very pleasing to the eyes and quite functional. Lockback enthusiasts will be very happy with this knife.
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RR 761 (Lock Back) My lockback arrived in different box than the other knives in the series. I'm assuming this is the older style box. I've heard the older knives lacked a blade etch. If this is true, it would seem SMKW used existing old boxes to sell new stock. Either way, the knife has the coal miner stamp and it is nice to have the different box.
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When I first saw this knife/tool in the SMKW catalog , I thought, "Wow I gotta get me one of those" (My thought are rarely grammatically correct.) The very next day, during the KnivesLive TV show i decided to take advantage of $5 flat rate shipping and tried to place the order, only to be told by the Operator "Sorry, out of stock" I asked about back-ordering and she said Sorry, no back orders" Two weeks later I was finally able to order it. Even before I ordered it I was curious about the crescent wrench. I could imagine how you could mae a decent crescent wrench from 440 Stainless steel. I assumed the grip of the wrench was somehow part of the spring for the blades My assumption was wrong, The spring is separate and wrench is made of drop forged steel. If you look closely at the photo you will see two brad rivets at the end of the handle. These hold the wrench in place. They also seem to do a very good job at it. I compared the wrench to another crescent wrench I own at is pretty much the same. And while the wrench is not a craftsman, it is able to tighten and loosen small nuts and bolts without a problem The other end of the knife is the same style and quality as the RR1138 electrician knife and discussed in the section. All in all a neat little knife. I'm not sure if I'll buy the rest made in the pattern, but it is very tempting. |
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RR 1137 (Utility w/ Wrench)
The wrench will handle most nuts and bolts that you can fit in the jaw.
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With their smooth black bone handles and "Be Prepared" shields, the Electrician and the Wrench knife differ from all the other knives in the series. The shield is also used on all the other Electrician and wrench knifes. I'm not sure why the different shield is used on these knives but it really doesn't matter much as the series doesn't have a distinct shield. As with most Electrician knives, the flathead screwdriver is held open with a brass liner-lock. the lock is very positive and certain. No play whatsoever. Both blades also snap to the half and full open position. If you like electrician knives, this one is definitely one worth having. Of note, however is the bottom edge of the screwdriver. It is one sharp puppy and needs to be treated with care or you will slice open a digit. This is not always the case on the screwdriver in electrician knives. If you aren't used to that edge being sharp and intend to carry the knife and are not concerned about keeping it in mint condition, you may want to take a file to the edge. |
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RR 1138 (Electrician)
Old American made electrician knives in good used condition go for a dime a dozen. So it is hard to say you can't get a good user for this price. But this one isn't used and looks fantastic. It is a top-notch knife worth being in a pocket of display case.
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The Hawkbill is currently surging popularity and for good reason. It is just a terrific all-around great work knife. Most commonly called a pruner, it is also known as a carpet knife, box cutter, rope knife, and simply the "Hawk" Just about any profession that requires continuous cutting seems to use hawkbills and the traditional sway-back hawk is probably the most popular among this pattern. Rough Rider currently makes five knives in this pattern. I won two already (the white smooth bone -1144 and this one). Right now I'm waffling between picking up the other three or buying one from Case that will cost more than all five combined! The quality on these knives is phenomenal and at just $10 it is hard to go wrong. Yes, no doubt you can pick up a good used one with carbon steel blades for about the same price, but the blade will have been sharpened to the point that it no longer has the beautiful hawk bill profile. My suggestion is get an old one for cutting carpet and get one of these for show. They make a great looking Sunday back pocket knife. |
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RR 1143 (Hawkbill)
The hawk has slim profile and nice lanyard hole. It'll make a great cutter for the back pocket. |
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The Half Hawk is a new pattern in both the Coal Miner Series and Rough Rider Brnad. While Rough Rider calls the knife a Half Hawk, the main blade is actually a sheepfoot as the cutting edge has no curve to it whatsoever. Interestingly, Rough Rider has decided to team up the sheepfoot main with a somewhat robust spear secondary. The frame of the knife is the same as the one used for their Hawkbill knife, however it lacks a lanyard hole. I suspect this is in part due to the new blade configuration. Along with the main sheepfoot is a robost spear blade. Obviously, the addition of a second blade increased the width of the handle, however this is negligible. The knife features full brass liners and spacers so in chance of blade rub is completely avoided. The handles are well pinned and the overall fit and finish is exceptional. The knife has a nice walk and talk with an excellent closing snap. Both blades have a clean, positive half stop. The only thing really lacking is a lanyard or bail. This would have been a really nice feature on a knife of this style. (perhaps in future iterations!) All in all the knife is a worthy addition to Coal Miner Series. Unfortunately Rough Rider opted to issue the knife so once again only the blade pad stamp and box make this knife part of the coal miner series. |
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Summing things up.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the knives of the series. They all live up to the Rough Rider challenge in fit & finish, stay & play, and walk & talk. I'm glad I bought the whole series but if you're not interested in the series but are pattern collector like me, any of these knives are in you collected patterns would be a great addition.
My only real concern is the lack of continuity of the series. Essentially, all that has been done is the knives have been given a pad stamping and different box than the usual Rough Rider box. They don't even all use the same style of knife scales. It seems the series is piece-meal. Considering the importance coal has had on the formation of this country, I feel the Series deserves a second look and should be made more uniform. These are my suggestions to make a pretty good series a great series:
Perhaps as final note, each knife could come with the Coal Miner's Prayer
Coal Miner's Prayer
Take a look at these hands, Lord.There’s sulphur and coal-dust and sweat on my brow.
To live like a rich man — I’d never learn how.
But if you’ve got a corner when my work is through.
I’d be mighty proud to live neighbors with you.
Each dawn as I rise, Lord, I know all to well
I face only one thing — a pit filled with Hell.
To scratch out a living the best that I can.
But deep in this heart lies the soul of a man.
With black-covered faces and hard calloused hands,
We ride the dark tunnels, our work to begin.
To labor and toil as we harvest the coal.
We silently pray, “Lord, please harvest our souls!”
Just a corner in Heaven when I’ve grown too old.
And my back it won’t bend, Lord to shovel the coal.
Lift me out of the pit where the sun never shines,
‘Cause it gets mighty weary down here in the mine.
But I’d rather be me, Lord, Tho’no riches I show,
Though tired and wary, I’m just glad to know
When the Great Seal is broken the pages will tell
That I’ve already spent my time in Hell.
Author Unknown
