Was reading an old post about Ruanas and though I'd bring it up again.



I guess you can tell, I like them. The top knife was in my Dads tackle box for years. When he died, Mom gave it to me.
The middle knife I bought at a gun show.
The last one I bought from Rudys son in law in Bonner.
I think, the top knife has had the tip broken off and reshaped. I'm pretty sure it is an original Rudy Ruana.
I also think the second knife is a later original Rudy Ruana knife.
As you can tell by the stains on the blades, I use these knives. The bottom one will skin a bear or butcher a moose without resharpening, if you don't hit a bone.
There is an interesting book about Rudy Ruana. The title is something like, "The ring of the hammer." I forget the exact title. I have a copy around somewhere.
Anyone else have any Ruanas?

Very nice knives and worth quite a bit
Keep using them and hang on to them.

Thanks for posting.

Cheers,

André

Thanks Andre.
I'm going to get some polish and work on the blades. Moose/Bear blood stains them pretty quickly.

I purchased a Ruana skinner knife back in the middle 70's. I have used it a few times and it holds a decent edge. Nice collection you have there TJ!

Someone who used to hunt in the area where I hunted had one of the originals.

he loaned it to me one day to cut thru a pelvic bone of a mature dear. Cut like it was cutting thru meat.

jack laughed and said that he bought it from the maker on a trip west and the maker only used the spring from some particular year of studebaker as I remember it. Not likely many of them areound even in a junkyard.

The knif makers I have talked to say it is likely 1095 steel, but whatever it is it is one fine pioece of metal.

Jack also allowed it to be used to gut deer at check station for some study way back when. The number of deer it was used on far exceeded anything one would likey belive and I have long since forgotten the real number.

The man CERTAINLY knew how to heat treat a peice of steel.

I found tne book. "Hear The Hammer". The Authors are Smith, Towsley and Mandell. Published 1995.
If your interested in Ruanas, you need to get the book.

Very under rated knives known only by the real hunters and knife collectors. Will take real hard use and shine!

Very nice working knives. They will put them back to new condition for you in Bonner. I stop and see Them once or twice a year. Own 8 of their knives and a hatchet. finest steel for hard usage I've ever used. Cool looking also. You have a treasure.

I have an old Ruana and it is a favorite. Used it just last month to field dress a Pronghorn. It "lives" in my small hunting backpack along with an old Puma that also has a bone saw blade....

i have an olod ruana and the condition of the blade is similar to those posted at the top of this thread. what is it about these that makes the steel pit like that? my knife was never used, just stored in the sheath... is that it?

Nice knives and i like their design congratulations.Juan