Battle Horse Large Workhorse or Swamp Rat Rodent Solution????

Wheeler80

Wheeler80

Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
1,951
I'm looking to get a new small hunting/fishing/camping/whatever fixed blade. I've narrowed it down to these two but I can't decide which. I like that the BHK is thinner but I'm not sure about the grip material. Doesn't look super comfortable. The Rat looks extremely comfortable but it's thicker than I'd like. I'm also not crazy about the textured coating or non-removable scales.

Both are similar $ after you add buying a sheath for the Rat. So what say you?
 
Both great knives, and companys. Definitely a hard choice. With the swamp rat you can always get your full money back out of it no problem, the BHK will losse a few dollars, but wont be a hard sell either.

I would personally go with swamp rat, I see no benefits to removable scales. The coating is added protection from the rust.
 
You look at the swamp rat rodent trail? Same handle as the solution but more of a trailing point...might do some of what you want done a little better. Ymmv.
 
Of the two, I'd go with Swamp Rat too. Great warranty from a good Co, and yes the handle looks more comfortable.

Have you checked out Bark River knives? Something like a Highland Special should be around your price range.
 
Swamp Rat 100%. I have several BHK s as well and the handle on the Rodent Solution is far more comfortable to me. Plus the SR101 steel is superior to O1 in my own opinion. If you do not care for the blade coating on the rat just strip it off.

I highly recommend the rodent.

 
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I'd recommend the Battle Horse Knife. I have around 3 knives from when it was Blind Horse Knives, all have served me well for any cutting needs in the woods.
 
I owned the RS and sold it. It's a brick of a knife with a really thick edge. You're going to have to thin the edge out if you want the knife to perform well at anything besides bashing the knife through things. I also didn't think the handle was as comfy as a lot of people say. I vastly prefer a mora over the RS for anythinig besides prying. No experience with the Blind Horse.
 
FIRST check if anything interests you here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/754-For-Sale-Fixed-Blades
Lots of comparable blades for similar and even lower prices on occasion, hand-made.


Of the two, I'd take the RS in a heart-beat. Better design, steel, etc. LOTS of leather and kydex options for the RS including leatherman (refined leather sheath) and Wild Boar Blades (simple leather sheath, sells them for ~$15 each). And yes, that Rodent can take a beating, but you can request that the shop put a specific angle on it prior to shipment from the Swamp or it isn't that difficult to thin out yourself (I did mine on Norton crystolon combo-stone).

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That coating wear seems so strange to me...more chipping than rubbing off.
 
rpn said:
That coating wear seems so strange to me...more chipping than rubbing off.
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Cutting, actually :cool: Most of that damage was done cutting steel-roofing and gutter for the goat/cow/hay shed i built onto my garage. The tin-snips weren't doing the job so i took the Rodent (sheathed at my side) and a mallet and did the job in half the time :thumbup:

The sharp edges of the cut-steel dug into the coating and the fine edge I'd given the knife was torn in a few places by the lateral stresses, but she cleaned up nice and is back to shaving-sharp!

Under normal cutting circumstances, that is NOT the type of coating-wear you're likely to see ;)
 
chiral.grolim said:
Cutting, actually :cool: Most of that damage was done cutting steel-roofing and gutter for the goat/cow/hay shed i built onto my garage. The tin-snips weren't doing the job so i took the Rodent (sheathed at my side) and a mallet and did the job in half the time :thumbup:

The sharp edges of the cut-steel dug into the coating and the fine edge I'd given the knife was torn in a few places by the lateral stresses, but she cleaned up nice and is back to shaving-sharp!

Under normal cutting circumstances, that is NOT the type of coating-wear you're likely to see ;)
Click to expand...

I had an M6 that chipped like that from batoning.
 
Thanks for the insights and opinions guys. I'm leaning towards the RS but I came into some extra $ so I may just get both and see which I like better.
 
Wheeler80 said:
I'm looking to get a new small hunting/fishing/camping/whatever fixed blade. I've narrowed it down to these two but I can't decide which. I like that the BHK is thinner but I'm not sure about the grip material. Doesn't look super comfortable. The Rat looks extremely comfortable but it's thicker than I'd like. I'm also not crazy about the textured coating or non-removable scales.

Both are similar $ after you add buying a sheath for the Rat. So what say you?
Click to expand...

I would keep looking simply because you don't seem to excited about either one. I don't have experience with that particular BHK and although they make a very good knife but I can understand your concern about the handle as I can usually tell by looking at a photo and considering the measurements if a knife handle would be to my liking. I do have a couple of Rodent Solutions and would echo many of the previous comments about the coating and the edge thickness as I find the blade fresh out of the factory paper sheath to be less than desirable. All of my Swamp Rats have the edges thinned out and convexed. I find the RS a very good hard use utility knife with excellent steel but it would be down my list as far as knives to take hunting or fishing. Between the two I would go for the Rodent Solution.
 
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