Visit to Ruana Knives on 07/15/2010

My dad (Vernon), my friend (Wade Woodward), my daughter (Ruby), and I visited Ruana Knives in Bonner, Montana last Thursday afternoon (07/15/2010) on the way to Hamilton to participate in Cooper Arms' 2010 One-Shot Competition, and had the pleasure and honor to meet and shake hands with Mike and Mark Hangas, along with their father, Victor. Of course, I took some photos with my Canon PowerShot S90.

Here is the outside of Ruana Knives, with my Infiniti FX35 parked outside:



Here is a mold that is used to cast the aluminum handle onto the blade (the mold is made out of aluminum):

Here is one of their many (old) milling machines, and if memory serves, this one is used to rough-contour the handles after they are cast:



Here is a box of knives that seem to be in need of only final polishing of their blades and handles:

The highlight of the trip was being able to see the blade blank of the CB CK (Custom Brass Camp Knife) that I ordered earlier this year:

Very interesting, Ken, thanks for posting. I always imagined it was a much larger shop.

I have eight more photos, but the forum isn't letting me post them. Maybe there is a "photo whore" filter or something...

Well, that's a CRAPpy thought.

Great photo's of the Ruana shop. Those guys are still doing some remarkable work considering their "old time" knife making equipment. Quality stuff.

Pap

If anyone wants to see the other five photos, which the forum will not allow me to post in this or a new thread, please send to me your email address.

Hi Ken
Thanks for posting Ruana shop pictures, it is always nice to see where and how the knives are made.

Peter

Good show! These knives feel good in the hand. I do not own one, at present, but have in the past...and will in the future. Thanks for sharing your trip with us Ken..."BUT"...(There's that word again) What about the "ONE SHOT SHOOT"??
Best, Capt. Chris

The One-Shot Competition was fun, as expected. Nowhere else will you see that many Cooper Arms rifles in one place.

Anyway, my dad, my friend from Florida (Wade Woodward), and I competed. My daughter came along, too. Prior to the actual One-Shot Competition, which is shooting at two-foot diameter oil paintings at 150 yards, there were money shoots. I participated in two $5 and two $10 ones, and won both $10 ones, meaning that I paid $30, and won $80. I came out ahead $50. Wade did the same, and won one $10 money shoot, and came out ahead $10.

My dad and I didn't win the paintings at which we shot, but Wade won his, which was of an elk. Wade also was able to participate in the shoot off for the rifle (an M54 Classic in .308 with French Walnut stock), but didn't win it. (The first and second place shooters on each of the five paintings participate in the shoot off for the rifle, meaning ten shooters.)

First of all, let me start by saying I'm a big fan of Cooper rifles. I have a Montana Varminter in .308 and they make very nice rifles.

That being said....I have always found the following story to be absolutely crazy.

I can't believe how many people were bamboozled by Obama.....the "socialist" writing was on the wall well before he was elected. If you voted for Obama and are now very disappointed with him....shame on you!

www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-30-gun-ceo-ousted_N.htm

Doug, you wrote:I took my first three pronghorn antelope with the same rifle, in terms of configuration and cartridge.
While only Dan Cooper knows what was going through his mind at the time, it doesn't change the fact that Cooper Arms makes extraordinary rifles.

Also, Cooper Arms has had a new owner, Hugo Vivero, for about a year and a half. He is an outstanding gentleman. I have met him several times, and he clearly has a strong passion for the company.

Actually, Dan Cooper became a friend of mine several years ago, and regardless of his lapse of judgment and political views, he will remain a friend.

Ken,
Thanks for the pics!
I think I'll have to "acquire" a Ruana sooner than later.
Cool looking knives!

Very interesting photos of the Ruana shop. I really like my Ruanas a lot. I've been by Bonner many times but never had a chance to stop in.

I was also able to choose the handle material. Here is the box from which I was able to choose:



And, here is the CB CK blade blank together with the handle material that I ended up choosing:





Here is Mike putting the Stag back into the box:



You know how RMK has a display case that shows the various stages of making an Randall? Well. Ruana Knives has something similar in their show room:



This was also in their show room:



Here is something special: a "Bleeding Heart" Tomahawk, with Stag inlay in the handle:



It turns out that my dad and Victor Hangas have something in common: fly fishing. They chatted a bit about this fabulous sport, and my dad gave to Victor a dozen or so flies to try.



It was a great visit, and am more than ever looking forward to the CB CK later this year, especially because I was able to hand-pick the Stag for its handle.

That is very cool to pick out the stag yourself and great pictures.

Ken,

Thanks for the info! I'm hoping to pull a Montana Mountain Lion Tag this year (bonus point from the one I didn't get last year) and will definitely go by Ruana on my way back to the Misoula Airport. Great looking stag and awesome to be able to pick the piece your knife will be made from.

Regards,

Tom Flynn

Good news. I got a call from Mike Hangas today, letting me know that my CB CK is a week away from being done.

Even more good news. The CB CK arrived today! It turned out better than my expectations, and my expectations were fairly high. Photos in a day or two...

I'll drink to that.

I just posted these "quickie snapshots" to the SHAG thread, but I figure that they belong here, too, given that I photographed the raw blade and handle materials in July:











Better photos will follow later this weekend.

That is one of my favorite Ruanas...and (please don't take this the wrong way) it doesn't look like a Ruana. By that I mean it doesn't have their traditional castings of hilt and butt, etc. SWEET!!! Thanks for posting it here also. It is, after all,a "blade" as in Blades, Bullets & Bows...
Best, Capt. Chris

Cap, you wrote:Actually, that is probably why the CB CK appealed to me. It is the most Randall-like Ruana knife, with a spacer configuration reminiscent of the Randall #27, though with thick Black Micarta spacers in lieu of Maroon Micarta ones.

I also liked the single hilt.

I like that "mostly" black no-hone sheath, too. Very classy rig.

I paid $20 extra for the sheath to be (mostly) black, but the no-hone aspect was standard.

That's a damn fine looking knife!
Tony

Great looking Ruana. I am very jealous.

Pap

Here are the better photos of my Ruana CB CK:

Ken, Thats a greak looking knife and thanks for sharing.

Just saw this thread. Can't focus for long at a time so I seem to miss a lot of things. That is one sweet Ruana. As I've stated before I was into Ruana's before I knew what a Randall was. Oh I learned since. But Rudy and Victor's stuff was and is very nice.