The good news: I’ll be at Blade Show on Friday and Saturday. This is actually my first Blade Show. I’ve had schedule conflicts for years, but this year Blade Show took priority, because...

More good news: I won’t be empty handed. The prototypes of some new versions of the RSK will be on display at the Benchmade booth.

The bad news: The Benchmade Doug Ritter Fixed Blade will not be one of them.

The good news: While frustrating, as will eventually be revealed, this will end up being a really good thing for all concerned and well worth the wait. Really! I promise!

More good news: The Benchmade Doug Ritter Fixed Blade is not the only fixed blade I’ve been working on. I’ll be splitting my time between the Benchmade and Camillus/Becker Knife & Tool booths! Some folks prefer smaller knives and some prefer larger knives. I aim to please. If I’m not at the Camillus booth, ask to see the prototype RSK MkII/BK12...

Looking forward to meeting any of you attending.

Crap, that means I gotta buy more knives.

Any chance of sharing some of the prototypes with your loyal forumites after the show?

Also, to clarify, I interpret what you're saying is that a Ritter fixed blade knife is likely coming - just not as soon as you had hoped. Correct? Any hint of timing (weeks, months, ...)?

My prototypes are never sold. At least not anytime soon.

The Benchmade DR Fixed Blade, which has been widely rumored to be in development, is still not ready to show. The Becker/Ritter RSK MkII/BK12, a much better kept secret and itself a few years in development, should be entering production shortly ("shortly" being a relative term. <~>). At least should be available for holiday season.

Any pics that you can show us?

Sorry, but no. I expect that someone will post pics on Blade Forums or the Benchmade Forum this weekend.

Just to play devil’s advocate:

I’ve got a LeatherMan Charge Ti clipped in my pocket, a Mora and a Gerber Sportsman’s saw in my CamelBack. What is a RSK going to add to my survival situation?

Absolutely nothing and everything. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You can read about the RSK MK1 at http://www.equipped.org/rsk_mk1.htm.

If it floats your boat, great, if it's not the sort of thing you would find useful, that's OK. too. Knives and sharp stuff are extremely personal items. I, personally, don't find a Mora satisfies my needs, but there's nothing partcularly wrong with it if you want a small, relatively thin fixed blade without a substantial guard and what I find to be an insubstantial, not particularly ergonomic handle. I prefer my folders and fixed blades to have a more substantial handle, more substaintial guard and more substantial blade. Some folks prefer an even larger fixed blade, a la the BK&T line, and the RSK MkII/BK12 is designed to satisfy that person while still keeping to my blade design philosophy. Knives are all about "different strokes."

I sure hope that it's going to be in that wonderful high carbon steel that the Becker line is famous for... My Beckers seem to hold an edge forever, love that stuff.

Yes, it will be offered in 0170-6.