Rough Ryder RR1730 Highland Bowie (Full Tang)

In 2018 Rough Ryder came out with the Highland Bowie. At first it was advertised as a "Full Tang" knife. However, it ended up being knife with an encapsulated tang. Rough Ryder quickly changed the description and went back to the drawing board. Now, some five years later, Rough Ryder has released the Bowie Knife that they wanted in the first first place, a truly Full Tang version of the Highland Bowie.
In this video I talk about the new knife and show you how you can tell the two apart without taking the knife handle off.
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[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I mentioned in a comment that encapsulated tangs are limited to Budget knives. This is not at all the case. Knives in every budget category have used encapsulated tangs.

[@richardmcginnis5344]

i bought a robert e lee commemorative bowie with the encapsulated rat tail sad to see this kind of cheapness in a knife

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

@@richardmcginnis5344 , Encapsulated and rat tail tangs are actually quite common in knives of all budget categories. For instance the FairBairn-Sykes fighting knife (commando dagger) is made with a rat tail tang. They go for over $100 all the time. The problem is when you expect one thing and end up with another. I was also ticked when I found a similar rat tail in the Rough Ryder D-Guard (Same knife Colt used to make). What was even more problematic is the rat tail was passed through a 1/2 diameter hole in a hollow stag handle. see: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ_SmoGkopt2qacsi=VMl2Wtb5Yo5H2ugF

[@jasonwolfe9892]

Nice knife Tobias. Good little widdler. Lol

[@jorgefernandez6407]

Sharing this video on a SMKW page! I'm pretty sure that there are A LOT of people like me are not aware of this, and would be very pleased to know!!!❤

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for supporting the channel!

[@madtownangler]

I think this was the first video I've seen from anyone that wasn't a folding knife by Rough Ryder.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I’ve done a couple videos on Rough Ryder Fixed Blades. I own at least a dozen or so.

[@powerplay4real174]

So they upgraded the Tang to a full tang. I may get one now ,thanks for the.up dated information Sir . It makes me have more respect for Rough Ryder and budget knives because may of them are done with quality like they should be. ⚔️

[@Stans_Collectors_Universe]

Thanks for sharing this beautiful Bowie. I have one in my cart at SMKW, just need to pull the trigger. Have a great week and GOD Bless.

[@obirato]

Nice update. Wise decision by RR.

[@jorgefernandez6407]

Ordered!!! Can't wait..."❤"!!!

[@mangojack1]

Great big blade! Nice to know the tang was fixed 👍 Got Me thinking I need one now lol Thanks a bunch Tobias!

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

That was my thinking as well. I saw the prototype of this thing almost a year ago. At the time, I heard it was finally going back into production with the changes. and now almost a year later it is finally back.

[@ericstarr9399]

Wow, that is one heck of a knife!! Glad to hear it works fairly well in the sheath for left-handed. Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed the discussion on the types of tangs.

[@jimmyj4811]

Excellent video, Tobias. I guess I'll have to order one now.

[@gizmocarr3093]

Nice looking big blade.👍

[@Pocket_EDC]

Wow. That's bigger then I expected from scrolling over it on CKW. Definitely an attention-getter. Thanks for the peak. Cheers.

[@trynsurviven2440]

Now that’s a knife!!! Seriously good looking knife indeed.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

It is indeed. Thanks for dropping by!

[@danieltporter959]

Glad they fixed that. I always liked the Knife and was going to buy one, then I saw Donnie B's Vid where he showed it was not full Tang. Now the Highland Bowie is back on the Radar.

[@deniskozlowski9370]

Great knife for the price. As for the steel used in this knife. The bowies made by Sheffield during the Civil War were massed produced and probably made from the cheapest steel. The ones made before that were made by lical blacksmiths out of whatever junk they had laying around. I do wish Rough Ryder would offer a leather sheath with a retention stud like the old west versions. Great video.

[@powerplay4real174]

I would like one of those new versions with the full tang so I'll be giving SMKW a call ,rhe old version was inexpensive & I hope this new one is not mush different if not the same. ⚔️ It restores my confidence in Rough Ryder Bowie Knives again.n✌️

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

I guess it depends upon how good the weld is on those encapsulated tangs. Sometimes a weld is the weakest point & sometimes it's the strongest. I've done a little bit of welding before on target frames using angle iron for tabs to hold the target. I've seen welds break & I've seen them hold after bullet strikes.

[@dm1523]

A lot of fascinating history and information here. Thanks for the good look at this interesting knife.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for dropping by and the input!

[@joethanks3745]

Thanks for the great review ✌️

[@jorgefernandez6407]

Thank you! I've liked that knife for a while but was hesitant about it's rep. Not anymore! Ordering one as soon as I finish this comment lol!!! I subscribed too!!!

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I was in the same boat. I do have many knives with encapsulated tangs and have had no problem with them. But something about the whole fiasco when this first came out made me pass on the first run. It's good to see they went back to the drawing board.

[@bdh3949]

The 1730 looks to be a heckuva bowie Tobias. I did pick up the 2250 Highland Throwing Bowie and it is a beast also. Same OAL and blade length as yours and same thickness though the handle end is slightly thinner like only 1/100th of an inch thinner. The guard is smaller and only on the finger side and it is definitely all one piece, hefty too at 19 oz. The tang is also skeletonized with five nickel-sized holes down the center with the balance point being 8.5" from the tip (just about half-way down the OAL), good for throwing. I've only thrown it a couple sessions as it is so big it quickly chops up the straw bales. Thanks Tobias, I need to get it out again...maybe put a crown stag handle on it if I find one this year.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I'm going to get a couple of the throwers and use them from blade blanks. The fact that it has the sheath is cool!

[@davidkurle5418]

Nice looking knife! Thanks for the look at it, buddy!

[@ddrod8128]

Thank you so much for this honest nugget of knowledgeable.. I had no idea!! Who knows how many companies do this crap!?

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

It's a common way to make knives and swords and its not necessarily crap as it has been done for centuries.

[@teeflo2757]

good review, very informative. gotta love a proper Bowie! 👍🏼✌🏼🖖🏼

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Thanks. I’m glad you found the review helpful.

[@rasputinscastle]

Thanks for the review 😊

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

It's a beast of a knife. I know the big bowies are not for everyone and I know many insist on their big one coming from someone like Cold Steel, ESEE, or Tops, but I think this one can handle any medium duty camp chore. Still, I wouldn't take on a grizzly bear with it, but If I has a Teddy Ruxpin laying around it would be toast by now!

[@rasputinscastle]

@@KnifeChatswithTobias 😄🤣

[@hleeky]

What bugs me about this is, while I respect that they acknowledged what happened and changed it, it was never caught until it got to the customer, who provided the feedback.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

This is absolutely the reason it is as fair to complain about what happened. This was an epic fail on SMKW's part. I suspect some one got his @$$ chewed out over it. There may have been other serious consequences.

[@lowrangeoverland9013]

Outstanding,👍💯🗡️

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Thanks. I'm glad they fixed this one. Its a brute of a knife

[@JoseGonzalez-yx6vm]

Perfect for a large Tomahawk steak, awesome knife, thanks for sharing it, Tobias.

[@GlockNinja]

Awesome looking knife.

[@beeferbaron]

Bowie all American baby

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Except this one is made in China and most of the original ones from the 1800s came out of Sheffield England. That said, yeah. When you say Bowie Knife, the rest of the world thinks of America!

[@tcup3946]

I will say Donnie B all day did stress test the highland bowie and it held up to severe stress and throwing. The welds must be pretty strong.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Thanks for mentioning this. This type of construction has been used for centuries and has been commonly used on not only large knives but also swords. When done correctly, you have a strong serviceable knife or sword.

[@Vengeance_Reaper]

@@KnifeChatswithTobias He did a video on the older Highland Bowie and it started to crack and make tinging sounds so it did not hold up. Have to watch the whole video.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

@@Vengeance_Reaper multiple times It began to fail when he started chopping into some very hard wood. While the handle came lose, the welded in tang did not fail. And Donnie B said it would be good for light to medium camp duties. I think that was a fair assessment for that version of the knife. This doesn't change that knives and swords have been constructed in this manner for hundreds of years. We as knife users need to get out of the habit of thinking every knife needs to be able to act as an axe. BTW, hen did not take the knife apart and check to see if the weld was still holding that holds the blade to the tang. My bet is the weld was still holding. however the handle scales that attach to the handle center had been jarred lose. If the blade weld had broken the blade would actually have been wobbling.

[@propblast82nd]

Really interesting, what’s the price on that new version?

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Currently $30 (on sale) but otherwise $35 smkw.com/rough-ryder-highland-bowie

[@WoodsmanHobo777]

I wouldn't even call that a tang, it can't even be an inch long. I would be afraid to even use that knife.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Encapsulated tangs have been used for centuries and are quite common on swords. When done correctly they are quite safe and effective.

[@WoodsmanHobo777]

I agree, any bowie should definitely be made out of carbon steel. I might add no hollow grinds on a bowie, i see so many big bowies with hollow grinds.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Hollow grinds were and are quite common with fighting knives and larger blades. The type of grind should be controlled by the main function of the knife. Flat and convex grinds are all the rage these days, especially for people who think every knife needs to be able cut down a sycamore tree.

[@kennethanway7979]

It's either full Tang or not.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Have you seen the tang on a Sheffield made Commando Dagger? But yea, there is a difference between encapsulated and full. Folks describing the knife for sell need to get things straight.

[@kennethanway7979]

First knife is junk!

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Have you seen the tang on a Sheffield made Commando Dagger? I won’t go as far as calling the first knife junk but it was misleading. And when you get something like that wrong, it’s going to come back and bite you.

[@kennethanway7979]

@@KnifeChatswithTobias I have a swiss army knife...I dropped it, and the main blade bent! They used to be the pinnacle of blades, but not so sure now. I have a very nice Bowie that I got at a gun and knife show... very nice.

[@scottfergusson8411]

Would you bet your life on that rough rider ? NO !!!!!!! Buck using 420 comes down to their heat treatment… 420 is cheap junk ! Full tang can be junk knives too. Do a tip test….try to pry with that rough rider… it will bed or break really fast. Or just chop with it and show us the results.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

@@scottfergusson8411 , first of all I wouldn't bet my life on any knife steel. This knife uses 440a A very common blade steel. Buck uses 420HC with a supposedly mythical heat treat. I have used several Rough Ryders with 440A and they have done quite well. I have also used Case's tru-sharp (420HC) and it does just a well a Buck. I have also done some stupid stuff with 420 that would not do with better knives and it has lived up to the test. But my father taught me a long time ago that knives aren't a pry bar. So why would I do something that stupid. Bottom line is you just came here to bash a knife company you don't like. There are plenty of videos out there where people test blade steels. My advice is if you want to see how well the knife did (with the encapsulated tang check out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6GVeKtsg7t9erM

[@CNYKnifeNut]

​​@@scottfergusson8411we're 50 years past believing all that woo-woo nonsense about heat treatment. It was never right, but now it just makes you look foolish. You're probably experienced and comfortable with that, though!

[@andycandal5934]

TRASH ! and not full tang but partial tang. Watch the video uploaded by Joe Doomsday regarding the issue.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Apparently you didn't watch this video. The original release has an encapsulated tang. This new release has a full tang. Maybe you should actually watch the video before expressing your ignorance. This video discusses how you can tell the difference between the first knife without a full tang and the new release with a FULL tang