Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Ruana knives

Hey, I was just wondering if anybody had put any serious use on a Ruana and how they compared to any other knives that you might have in terms of edge holding and cutting ability. Thanks in advance.

I have never used any type of hand made knife and mostly used stainless blades of some sort. I would prefer to use carbon steel for edge holding and ease of sharpening.

At one time I was a meat cutter for 5 years, so am pretty fair with a knife still.

I had a Ruana that was made sometime around 1950 to 1953. My grandmother bought it for my uncle. He had it from 1954 till he gave it to me in 1984. I used it on my first Sitka Blacktail I ever killed on Douglas. It saw a fair amount of use from 1984 until I sold it in 1990. I wish I could get that one back only because it was a family knife. Can't speak for the knives they are turning out now. That knife I had was good.

I've used a couple of Ruanas made during the last 15 years. They are sharp out of the box, fairly thin blades, very easy to sharpen, rust easily. They don't make a real drop point and the hilts are small and rounded and the handles can get slippery. But they're still my "go to" hunting knives. I'd like to hear the report on them after a real meat cutter tried them.

Ive got one older Ruana...and must say I have never been impressed with it at all....its sitting on my loading bench right now to cut cleaning patches.
Steel is soft, design is opposite of ergo, fit and finish amateurish compared to hundreds of other makers out there now...

I know this kind of talk is heresy if you are from Montana...but there is one mans opinion, and as they say, its worth what you paid for it...

ingwe

I agree with you. I wouldn't go buying one now that is for sure. Way to many other options out there that are much better.

I have a couple. I agree on the fit and finish compared to the makers of today. I once read that Rudy Ruana's favorite steel for blades was from old Studebaker leaf springs. I do think that lots of working guides and outfiters still carry them in MT.

Guess I have a little different opinion. I think they're a pretty descent knife for the money. I also think the workman ship is kinda unique, and definitely their own style. I have one of the 5AD 4" drop point. Yes they use plain carbon steel (I think 1095 or O1), just keep it oiled. Yes, it isn't super hard on the rockwell scale, but that makes it easier to sharpen for the average guy, and you won't chip it or snap off the point. They do take a good edge and are easy to touch up in the field. Randalls are about the same, and what do they have like a 5 year waiting list.

I also have custom knives on ATS34 and 154CM that are definitely harder, don't normally worry about rust, and will hold an edge longer. But they are much harder to sharpen.

I'm partial to a properly hardened knife from ATS34, for field dressing and boning out game. But if I just wanted a knife for general outdoor use, where it might see some abuse I'd take a carbon steel forged knife.

I have no problem with it being carbon steel. As to the RC well there are trade offs on both sides. The knife I owned was an older model as I stated, there wasn't anything wrong with it. But there also wasn't anything that stood out about it either. The only reason I would want it back is that it was handed down to me. I have seen a few around and as others have said the fit and finish is amaturish. Their designs like Randalls are pretty much out dated. That doesn't mean they are not useable, just that there are better designs out there. Not sure what they are going for but I do know that you can get a well made/designed blade for less either in Stainless or carbon.

Hi Gentleman, thanks for all the replies.

Montana Creek...I feel your pain...I've had a few guns from the family go the same way unfortunately. Maybe some day you'll get her back.

Domhnall...I used to be a real meatcutter long ago, however sometimes that can make no difference in skill with a knife...I will expound on that.

Ingwe...heretic.....I have to say I agree on fit and finish. I was able to play with a Jerry Halfrich knife one time. Gorgeous, beautiful workmanship, D2 steel. I think that may well have been the sharpest knife I've ever laid hands on. At one time it was said that you couldn't get a D2 very sharp but it would hold whatever edge you gave it indefinitely. I think they must have solved the D2 problem judging by the one I fiddled with.

Croldfort and Ccrifles.....thanks. Rudy liked the Studebaker springs all right. I guess he kept looking farther and farther and finally ran out of old wrecked cars to pull them out of. Makes you kind of curious what the composition of those springs were. They now use 1095 for the hunters and I believe 5160 for the bowies and hatchets.

Dave93

Jerry is a true master of his craft. In my opinion he is in the top 5 of active makers.

D2 is a fine steel, not my favorite but still a great knife steel.

I doubt I will ever see that knife again. I sold it to a guy that was deckhanding on a friend of mines boat in Alaska. That was a long time ago. I don't think I would even be able to tell 100% it was the one.

Domhnall...a little continuation for you about meatcutters and sharp or not so sharp knives. It is hard to believe but not every meatcutter can sharpen and keep sharp the tools of their trade. When I started cutting meat I WANTED to work with a knife, and I watched like a hawk for anybody that seemed to know what they were doing, to see how easily and smoothly they were able to do their jobs. I used Forschner 5 inch boning knives and an F. Dick steel to keep them going. The steels that we used were called a " slick ", because when you bought them, there wasn't a groove on them....totally smooth. Then you got some med to fine grit emory cloth and worked over your steel from handle to tip and you were ready to go. Where I worked we had 2 big old round grindstones that were both out of round and had a water drip on them. We would use these to put a slight hollow grind on the blades when we wore down into the thicker portion of the blade from too much sharpening. Those out of round stones made the grinding sort of interesting trying to anticipate the bumps, but even so still did the job.

I worked with a guy named Bob...I think he had worked in this meat plant since the early '50s. He looked a little like Charles Bronson....Slavic, slim build and the meatiest hands. Mechanics hands, farmers hands. I nicknamed Bob....Rapid Robert. Bob did not know how to sharpen a knife and didn't even know that he didn't know. Bob would take his stone in his left hand and knife in his right and he would "sharpen " it about 6-10 strokes per side, then pick up his steel and steel his knife as fast as the TV chef guy, only it was clackety, clackety, clackety, clack. Banging his knife on the steel like a crazy man. Bobs technique for boning a ham was to see-saw the knife back and forth like crazy until the ham surrendered the center bone. His work looked like he had done it with a chain saw. He would do this 8-11 hours a day depending on the season. I have no idea how he never figured out a better way.

Dave93....That's a great story about the meatcutter who couldn't sharpen his knives. The few I've seen work really seemed to know what they were doing. The knives flew onto the steel, zip, zip, zip. The the knives all got worn down to a thin long point. And sharp! Slice, slice, slice, then out came the cleaver, BANG, never missed. I was impressed. And the cutting blocks got really sway-backed from being scrubbed with a wire brush, and the cleaver.
And I still like the Ruanas, despite their faults and their being old-fashioned. That's OK with me because I'm old-fashioned too.

After looking at the prices of the Ruana's, if you are ok with spending that kind of money on a halfazz fit and finish it's your money. There are many makers out there that can and will make a knife designed similar to or like it for that money. With a much better fit and finish.

Well gents, thanks for all the input. I believe I will be looking into something other than a Ruana, though I'll still be looking at forged carbon steel.

Domhnall...most of the guys I worked with were pretty good and some were real wizards with a knife. It is a pleasure to watch a guy that is good with a knife.