For many of you, the name Doug Ritter is associated with Knife Rights (www.kniferights.org), the organization Ritter founded when he determined no one else was going to do very much to protect the encroachment of laws that were eroding the rights of people to carry knives.
For Ritter, that was simply too-much and he hit began a organization that has stopped passage of bad legislation, repealed worse laws and continues to work and remove the crazy quilt of bad legislation that makes work tools illegal in many parts of the country. We’ve reported more than a few times on his ongoing battle with New York State.
What few people know is that Ritter’s battles have come at considerable cost. You’d think his efforts to protect the rights of every knife owner would have solidified the industry behind him, but the opposite has been true. But he has continued, despite the fact he’s frequently operated Knife Rights out of the “bank of Ritter”.
Knife Rights, unlike another organization that’s been in the news lately, doesn’t have a massive war chest chock full of salaries and benefits for its officers, directors and vendors. Ritter’s primary source of income, at least through 2016, had been Benchmade’s sales of his RSK knives. In 2016, Benchmade told Ritter they were restructuring and would no longer be producing his knives.
“It was quite a shock,” Ritter explained, “these highly-regarded knives had been my primary source of income for the past decade, and had made it possible to spend most of my time on Knife Rights.”
Today, Ritter’s RSK Mk-1 Gen2 knives are back in the marketplace. They are being produced by Hogue, and Ritter’s incorporated a variation of the AXIS locking mechanism. The patent on the lock expired in 2016, and new models of Ritter’s best-known knife now include the ABLE “Ambidextrous Bar Lock Enhanced” system.
This system allows for opening with either hand -and a solid lockup of the blade and handle. I’m no knife designer, but have found the knife to feel as firm and steady. Knives with wobbly blade/handle lockup’s make me nervous - and I prefer a lockback to any other type of folder.
I’ve been carrying one the past few weeks and while I haven’t used it to anything approaching its rough-and-tumble capabilities, I have cut rope, cardboard and a piece of leather I was using to make washers and it’s performed well, held its edge and given me a positive grip.
The new Mk2 has the same 3.4 inch drop point as the originals and has an interesting finish Ritter calls “stonewashed”. It rides on phosphor bronze washers, and the screws are all Torx heads.
The one I’ve been carrying has a feature you might not consider - orange handles. Having dropped knives finished in black or Camo patterns in dark garages, deep woods and water, I’ve become a fan of any color that doesn’t blend into the background.
The clip is reversible for left-or-right deep pocket carry (Ritter knows the hazards of a knife that rides high enough to be considered “brandishing” in some locales) and arrives in a zippered and logoed pouch.
In short, it’s a solid knife that’s tough, easy to clean, and simple to find (in orange). The MSRP’s $189.95, but it’s available online for less. Not cheap, but you’re getting what you’re paying for.
Here are the specs:
SPECIFICATIONS
—Jim Shepherd