Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades R. H. Ruana knifes out of Bonner MT.

Mike, those are leather working tools.

Actually that is an awl, sometimes called a stitch awl. It is used for piercing leather an opening holes in leather. The white object is a "creaser. Some folk use antler or bone. That one happens to be plastic. I use it on wet leather to form creases. The third item is a burnishing tool with variou radii for burnishing the edges of leather.

When you cut out your pattern, the edges are rough.



Next you dampen the leather and stamp it or carve it and mark your stitch holes



Next I'll paint/stain/dye.




Next glue and then either use a stitch awl and stitching pony



after I sew I usually do a finish coat, then burnish the edges



When the edges are smooth I will typically use an edge dessing as a protectant

I'm guessing the item you're calling an ice pick, I'd be calling an awl.

Missed it by that much

a piece of antler used for a creaser!





creases




and a few more!



I call it my "NRPT" leather!




ya!

GWB

Was that the old ones are the ones made now. I always thought the old ones could use a little finishing.

and re-shaping........

gedubya, thank you for the thoughtful and informative reply. It is a rare pleasure to see the way you use your very cool stuff in their natural environment. You appear to live comfortably w/ style and humor in a world that you made for yourself. Well done.


mike r

gedubya
"Reckon ya know, now that ya kilt that thar bar, there will be even more pigs a runnin round bout"
Your posts are always a pleasure to peruse what with you have "pictured".

One has to remember The original Ruana's were made as tools for working men, likely nothing more.
Only today do some one want knife that are works of art and only some are ever used.
That is one reason I appreciate one persons posts here, he "uses" his knives.

A friend of mine paid to have a custom home built with the money he got from selling his collection of early Randalls. Don't know how many he sold or how much he had in them but he had been collecting them for a long time and was very knowledgeable about them. He would have someone to watch his tables at the big gun shows so he could roam looking for old Randalls. Just the old Heiser sheaths are worth more than most of the new customs that I see here on the 'fire.

Those knives are artistic.

For actual hunting I prefer a folder with one serrated blade from Walmart.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Smith-We...Serrated-Drop-Point-Tanto-Boxed/22089361

A fancy knife I have here is the single 4" blade engraved STEYR dated 1947 that my late uncle a USA officer had made for me in Europe.

Some beautiful work there Gee!!!

Was able to stop in their shop, Ruana Knives. They have a nice small shop. Met the "son", nice fellow. They have a lot of nice looking knives on display. He took me on a "tour" of their shop.



Guess everyone is intiled to their own option, but I think their knives are better then any JR. High shop project I have ever seen.
My inlaws live in the area, and all talk highly of their knives. I have an older 4" fixed blade made in the '60's according to the fellow I talked too. He, the son of the operation, said my knife was worth about $500. because of the age, current model sells for $375. Dad gave me the knife for my 10th birthday. Attached a pic of said knife.

Must be an 'eye of the beholder' kinda deal.....

Rudy built knives for the working man to have a quality tool for a reasonable price. IIRC he initially charged a days wage at the Bonner mill for a knife that he expected to be an EDC. He had no intention of his knives being collectible, he built them to be used. His finish did lack some, but the blades perform. The knives that came later in his career can be a little worse as his eyesight started going.

Geedub's knife was built by Rudy's son in-law Vic Hangas. Vic began working with Rudy in the 60's as I recall and now it is Vic and his kids, Rudy's grandkids.