It’s been a minute since I bought a new knife.  But I do tend to keep up with interesting new trends, and learned while reviewing some of the new models that came out of Blade Show last month that there was a new version of the RSK MK1-G2.

HISTORY

The original RSK MK1 came out back in 2004 as a collaboration with Benchmade and was based on the Benchmade Griptillian.  Doug Ritter was looking for what he considered the ideal survival/EDC folding knife and worked with Benchmade to create it.  Rather than using Mel Pardue’s original spear-point Griptilian blade, Ritter designed a completely new blade profile with:

• A much wider drop point
• More steel at the tip for strength
• A high flat grind for excellent slicing
• CPM S30V steel (which was quite premium in 2004)

At the time, it was one of the earliest examples of a well-known knife designer collaborating with a major production manufacturer to create a knife that wasn’t just a cosmetic variant.  The RSK MK1 was almost immediately embraced by the EDC/knife enthusiast communities, and continued to produced until 2016 when Benchmade discontinued the Ritter models during a lineup restructuring, effectively replacing the niche with the Freek.  Two years later in 2018 partnered with Hogue, introducing the RSK Mk1-G2, which retained the blade philosophy but moved to a completely new handle, lock geometry, and deep-carry clip.

The RSK MK-1 G2 has an excellent deep carry pocket clip.

In 2020, I picked up one of the Hogue manufactured RSK MK-1 G2 models – it was already considered legend in the EDC/knife enthusiast community – I reviewed it on my YouTube channel.  I was never crazy about the blade shape/geometry on the Benchmade Griptillian/RSK MK-1 – purely for aesthetic reasons.  When the G2 version from Hogue came out, the leaf shape that was used was much more appealing to me.  I also was never a fan of glass-filled Noryl GTX handle scales Benchmade used (often generically called “FRN” scales).  They always looked and felt less than premium to me – to put it kindly.  The Hogue G2 switched to G10 for the handle scales, improving the look and feel of the knife but at the expense of added weight in the pocket.  The original RSK MK-1 weighed just 3.8 oz. vs. 4.5 oz. on the Hogue manufactured G2 model.  If there was one specification that gave some enthusiasts pause, it was weight.  Many enthusiasts prefer knives around the 3-ounce mark, with anything under 4 ounces generally considered comfortable for all-day carry.  So being over 4 oz. will give some potential buyers pause.  That’s where this latest iteration of the RSK MK-1 G2 comes into play.

THE FIRST VERSION OF THE RSK MK-1 G2

(TOP) The black G10 RSK MK-1 G2 with the (BOTTOM) blue Richlite version.

My black G10 Hogue manufactured RSK MK-1 G2 came in the original CPM 20CV blade steel – a nearly identical chemical analog of Böhler M390.  At the time, Böhler M390 and its US made analogs were considered the darlings of the knife enthusiast community.  That is until CPM MagnaCut steel hit the market in 2021.  To their credit, Hogue rather quickly shifted over most of their flagship knives to MagnaCut steel in 2023.  I believe it was around that time that Ritter & Hogue produced a sprint run of the RSK-MK1 G2 with carbon fiber handle scales and a MagnaCut blade – I really wanted one of those models but alas, it sold our rather quickly and I could never source one.  Which brings us to the present day release of the Richlite RSK MK-1 G2, also with a MagnaCut steel blade.

NOT ALL MAGNACUT IS CREATED EQUAL

Since blade steel is such a significant factor in the choice of a knife for most buyers, I thinks it’s important to discuss heat treat.  Dr. Larrin Thomas’ (the creator of the MagnaCut steel formulation) own testing found that MagnaCut really shines around 63–64 HRC (using an optimized heat treat around 2050°F). At that hardness, it achieves an exceptional combination of toughness and edge retention while still maintaining excellent corrosion resistance.  The appeal of MangaCut is that it can perform optimally in all three critical benchmarks of toughness, edge retention, and corrosion.  Most “super steels” that preceded MagnaCut  excelled in one or two of these benchmarks – usually at the detriment of the third.  Depending on a knife maker’s philosophy for the use of a knife, they may choose to heat treat their blades to achieve a different Rockwell hardness.  Hinderer Knives is perhaps the most notable example, and heat treats their MagnaCut blades to a Rockwell hardness of 60-61 HRC.  Hinderer’s philosophy has been that their knives are intended as hard-use tools. By staying a bit softer, they maximize toughness and reduce the likelihood of chipping under abusive use. In other words, they’re making a deliberate engineering tradeoff rather than maximizing edge-retention testing.

Hogue has developed a reputation for running MagnaCut in the low- to mid-63 HRC range on their premium folders, including the 3.4” blade on the Doug Ritter RSK MK-1 G2. While Hogue doesn’t publish an exact target hardness for every model, independent testing and owner reports consistently place them around 63 HRC, which is essentially right in Larrin Thomas’ preferred operating window.

WHAT IS RICHLITE?

One of the more interesting aspects of this latest RSK Mk1-G2 is Hogue’s use of Richlite for the handle scales. I have to admit that, despite collecting and carrying premium folding knives for more than two decades, this was my first experience with the material.  Although Richlite has existed for decades in industrial and architectural applications, its adoption by premium knife manufacturers is relatively recent.

Richlite is an engineered composite made by saturating layers of paper with phenolic resin and compressing them under tremendous heat and pressure.  While its origins may sound unusual, the finished material bears little resemblance to paper. Instead, it produces a dense, durable composite that has found applications in everything from commercial countertops and cutting boards to musical instruments and, more recently, premium knife handles.

On paper, Richlite offers several advantages over traditional G10. It is slightly lighter, highly resistant to moisture and chemicals, dimensionally stable, and is produced from renewable paper fiber. Unlike G10, which is made from fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin, Richlite is also known to develop a subtle patina over time as it is handled and used.

When I received my Richlite RSK MK-1 G2, what surprised me most was how familiar it felt. Had someone handed me this knife without telling me the handle material, I would have assumed it was G10. The texture, rigidity, and overall feel are remarkably similar. The only immediately noticeable difference is a modest reduction in weight.  Curious, I broke out my food scale.  I first weighed my original black G10 RSK MK-1 G2, and on my scale it weighed the same as the spec sheet for the knife – 4.5 oz.  I then weighed the Richlite version of the knife, and it also came in right about what spec sheet says – 3.9 oz. That brings the knife into the coveted ~3 oz. range for EDC – thought admittedly the ~.6 ounce difference was difficult to perceive when holding the knives.  The new “Canyon Blue” coloration of the Richlite is attractive to my eye – a deep navy shade of blue.  It’s dark enough that under indoor lighting conditions it could be mistaken for black.  It’s also offered in a “redstone” colorway with a black stonewashed blade.

Like many Hogue knives, the RSK MK-1 G2 features Hogue’s ABLE Lock – an enhanced design based on the  Benchmade AXIS Lock (after the AXIS patent expired in 2016).  I can’t say the ABLE/AXIS lock is my all-time favorite folding knife lock design but it’s a classic in the knife industry and extremely functional.  The design makes disassembly for cleaning/maintenance just complicated enough that I prefer to avoid it.  I simply blow compressed air between the handle scales,  and spray some lubricant between the scales.  That seems to be all the RSK MK-1 G2 has need in the six years I’ve owned one.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

After spending time with the Richlite version, I came away with an appreciation for just how little Hogue chose to change. The knife still feels like the RSK Mk1-G2 I’ve carried for years. The ergonomics, lock, blade geometry, and overall character remain intact. Richlite doesn’t reinvent the RSK—it simply trims a little weight and offers buyers another premium handle option. For many owners, that’s exactly what they were hoping for.

The retail price of the Ritter-Hogue RSK MK-1 G2 in Richlite is $199.95.  That’s outside the “budget” knife range but represents a tremendous value for a knife with this premium blade steel and the innovative handle scale material.  Hogue continues to package the knife with an excellent braded zipper pouch which I greatly appreciate.

Doug Ritter set out to create one folding knife capable of doing almost everything, and more than twenty years later the design still delivers on that vision.  It’s perfect for most EDC cutting tasks yet could easily flex into a tactical/defensive use case when needed – something I look for in my EDC knife.   It’s a great knife – and sales help to support Doug Ritter’s KNIFE RIGHTS organization which promotes pro-knife legislation and opposes anti-knife legislation.  I know Ritter helped to change some laws in my own state of Ohio (particularly with regard to OTF knives) so I’m happy to support him.

Here’s my video review: