cold steel master hunter vs Ontario rat 5.

K

Knifeforone

Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
16
Purpose . camping outdoors wood work hunting Survival Shtf Defense if need be. Just all around last knife you can leave with knife. Opionions on both and why Cold steel master hunter vs Ontario rat 5.
 
In my opinion, those two are choices are like comparing apples and oranges. Pretty much everything is different.....blade length, blade material, handle material and ergonomics, and sheath material. Either knife can serve as a jack of all trades if that is what you're looking for. Edge maintenance will be somewhat easier on the RAT-5 due to it being 1095. But if presented with these two knives as my only options, I would choose the Master Hunter. I find the blocky handle scales of the Rat-5 to not be comfortable for extended use. You might want to expand your choices to include the Cold Steel SRK. Similar to the Master Hunter, but a little longer blade and a proven jack of all trades knife.
 
Munzer said:
In my opinion, those two are choices are like comparing apples and oranges. Pretty much everything is different.....blade length, blade material, handle material and ergonomics, and sheath material. Either knife can serve as a jack of all trades if that is what you're looking for. Edge maintenance will be somewhat easier on the RAT-5 due to it being 1095. But if presented with these two knives as my only options, I would choose the Master Hunter. I find the blocky handle scales of the Rat-5 to not be comfortable for extended use. You might want to expand your choices to include the Cold Steel SRK. Similar to the Master Hunter, but a little longer blade and a proven jack of all trades knife.
Click to expand...

Good advice. I like the Master Hunter much better than the RAT-5 but, despite the 3/16" thick spine, it is ground very thin and is really a slicer more than a tank. Given that, of the two options I would take the RAT if I was planning on putting a real beating on it, but I would prefer the SRK in 3V to either for serious abuse.
 
I haven't used either knife. However, I agree with what has already been stated. They are completely different. What led you to these two choices? For hunting, hiking, kayaking, I would go master hunter. For camping, shtf, probably go with the rat.
 
The two choices really do suit different purposes.

I had an SRK and foolishly let it go here on BF ... and it was USA made to boot!

The RAT-5 is a really cool knife that I do not own but am often tempted.

Have you looked at the Becker line-up? For a SHTF knife a BK2 is just about bomb proof and there's not much that cannot be done in the woods with a BK-9.

All of that being said, you will likely find, as I and others have, that there is no one knife than can do it all. Much of camping is wood processing and food prep - a fatter grind helps with the former while a thinner full flat grind is well suited for the latter.

1095 is a great field knife steel as it takes a beating, has memory and is not only forgiving, but easy to bring back to a usable edge. Millions of truck springs and lawn mower blades can't all be wrong.

The RAT knives are very nice designs but i prefer the handles of Beckers for longer sessions. For the slicing and dicing of food prep in camp, the BK-5 is great but for wood processing and SHTF stuff, the BK2 and BK9 are well suited - wroth at least checking out.
 
Last edited:
Uh, truck springs and lawn mower blades are 5160 steel. But I could be wrong.....?

Actually I'm pretty sure truck springs are 5160. Lawn mower blades, I have no idea.
 
If both knives were lying on a table and I was asked to choose one... it would be the Cold Steel Master Hunter.

You can do pretty well with the Becker line (not the BK-2 however), or the Condor line if you want something less expensive but still very functional.
 
sirupatespecial said:
Uh, truck springs and lawn mower blades are 5160 steel. But I could be wrong.....?

Actually I'm pretty sure truck springs are 5160. Lawn mower blades, I have no idea.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's particularly standardized. I know some use 5160, but there are a lot of steels in the spring steel family that get used.
 
I've had an old master hunter for many years, and while it's probably my favorite hunting knife (familiarity may play a role in this) it probably wouldn't be my first choice for survival/shtf. It would be excellent at lighter tasks like game processing, food prep and bushcraft, but would likely come up a bit short for heavier survival tasks in my opinion.

I've never used a rat 5, so I can't offer much advice on that one. My experience with other Ontario fixed blades would agree with Munzer's comment on the uncomfortably blocky handle scales. The corners are only slightly rounded off, like a 2x4, but that's a problem that can be solved with sandpaper and elbow grease. It just depends if you want to buy a project or not.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
I don't think it's particularly standardized. I know some use 5160, but there are a lot of steels in the spring steel family that get used.
Click to expand...

5160 and 1095 are both well represented in these applications.
Neither one of these steels would do you bad in the field.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top