Will throw one other quick one out. The "mundane" 1095 used by the Ruana shop since 1962.

It actually is a trickier steel to work than several popular steels, as it must be quenched within seconds of coming from the heat. This leads to rushing, knocked over oil, and dropped knives which immediately cause an uncontained oil fire in a shop. Not a good thing. This steel generally not recommended for guys starting out in forging.

My experience with old smokie is quite positive as for edge holding, pretty much as good as any. In the main, there are no magic super steels, no matter the brand name, only steel with good heat treat and bad, and a steel chosen properly for a task, or a poor steel chosen for the use.

If shearing large rolls of paper continuously in a papermill, the hard abrasion resistant steels cannot be beat. But make a bowie of that steel and it breaks.

1095 is a high carbon steel, and a tough steel with good edge holding, when done properly. End of discussion from my end.

Anecdotally, one guy wrote of using his Ruana to skin a buffalo and needed to touch up the edge 4 or 5 times, which he thought pretty darned good.

A more proof positive, and even a fitting test, is this one regarding a knife which might have inspired my larger, heavier, more solidly made newer skinner.
http://www.knivesillustrated.com/putting-marbles-knives-to-the-cutting-test/

In the main, my advice is do not worry about the steel. Worry about the knifemaker.

And what would an ABS Master such a premier knifemaker, Ed Fowler, make of Rudy, his 1095 knives and his shop? Below are a few lifted quotes...


"Rudy's knives were made to use. I have cut with them and they do very well, better than most of knives being made today.

I have never seen a broken Ruana, considering that he made them for working men in working country this speaks very well for them. They were made and sold as users. 

Had Rudy decided to go for more expensive knives he certainly could have done so. I have seen some of his knives that knew excellent fit and finish and still maintained the honest strength through design and materials that a working knife needs to have.

Rudy forged his blades on a 50 pound Little Giant and did his own heat treating. I have never sought to know how he heat treated, but there is no question that he knew what he was doing. Next time I talk to his grandsons I will ask.

I am told that he made his own milling machines out of parts from other machines. A friend of mine told me that he knew Rudy well when he started making knives, he was also a pretty good machinest and was there when Rudy set up his milling machine for handles.

Rudy had a knife throwing set up behing his shop and liked to throw his bowies. When you study his designs, the probability of damaging one is very remote. The elk antler is very very effectively protected form damage should the handle striking an object or be pounded on to add force to the tip. 

As Rudy's "art knives" come to the surface, we gain a greater appreciatiion for his knowledgable workmanship. In my book he was one of the best makers in our history."

Also, from same....will leave his typos intact on below.

"My opinion of Rudy Ruana as a maker has changed greatly in the past 6 years. I feel that he stands alone when it comes to knowledge of cut and design of lady knife when it comes to function. Rudy also made an individual and creative statement of origonal design, the intregity of all his blades was as good as it gets and made a living doing it. Very few makers have been able to achieve these objectives.

I remember a time when new makers criticised Rudy's knifes as crude and laughed at his 'lack of craftmanship'. Most of those 'superior' makers are no longer making knives. Looking at his early knives he could have gone after the high ticket market had he chosen to do so, (the Bowie that I have written about and this latest $10,000 knife are examples of superior craftmanship) instead he identified the market he wanted to serve, designed a great knife and brought pleasure to many men who needed a knife.

Rudy was in complete command of all the materials that went into his knives, they were his, he understood them well and made it work. These are the hallmarks of a true master."

Next time anyone asks for opinions on Ruana, just point them to the above quotes.