Cold steel mini recon 1 vs ontario rat 2

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Jraut98

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Aug 31, 2014
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Which knife would be the best toughest EDC knife? Which of the two is the smoothest and most durable? I'll be using the knife for everyday tasks as well as some outdoor stuff.
 
The Rat is a good knife, but if you are looking for tough, the Recon is the way to go. I have the Recon mini spear point and love it. You can get it for around $30. The Triad is the toughest lock out there, and Cold Steel's Aus 8 is as pretty darn good. I vote Recon all the way.
 
The mini recon has much better ergos. So it'll be more comfortable to hold for extended periods. The rat is a great knife, and I feel that ontarios heat treatment is superior than cold steels.
 
The RAT will be much smoother to open. I have a RAT 1 and when the pivot is oiled it shoots out like a rocket. Due to the backlock design, the Cold Steel ain't gonna do that.

The Triad lock will be much stronger than the liner lock of the RAT2, but I doubt this would matter all that much for such a small knife.

The G10 of the Recon 1 will be much gripper than the RAT's plastic handle.

The Ontario has full steel liners, which will add weight, but also strength. I don't think the Cold Steel has any liners.

You can adjust the pocket clip for tip down carry with the RAT if you want that, you can't with the Recon.

Also, beware, the grippiness of the Recon's handle combined with the tight pocket clip will probably rip up your pants pocket after putting the knife in and out of your pocket after a while.

Both knives are great and will serve the same purpose. I'd say pick your favorite and buy it. Hope that helps :).
 
I can only speak towards the mini recon as I have a spear point version. The action is not that smooth but when the blade locks open it feels like a vault closing. The g10 is very grippy but I hit it with some sandpaper and it's perfect now (a 5 minute fix) and while you have the scales off you can lube her up a bit to help the action. The rat is a liner and I'd be willing to bet money isn't as tough as the recons triad. Probably can't go wrong with either but for strength alone I'd opt for the recon.
 
Jraut98 said:
What tip point for the mini recon should I get for outdoor use
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It depends. The spear point will be stronger, and the clip point will be better at piercing. The tanto looks cool. Also FWIW, my Recon is very smooth to open. It may not be the norm though as I have some Cold Steels that aren't.
 
Jraut98 said:
What tip point for the mini recon should I get for outdoor use
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Tanto would be best for poking things and stabbing, due to its durable point. The clip point is pretty good for general purpose, since it has good belly, but the tip will be delicate. The spear point would be sort of in between.
 
I own both knives. My Mini recon is the clip point. To answer your question, they are both good, but i have to give the Mini Recon the edge as being the toughest of the two.
 
I have the mini recon 1, clip point (I have the full size one too). It's a great little knife, and if I was not into traditionals and Emersons--and a knife nut in general--I could see getting all my edc stuff done with the mini. As for outdoor stuff, it depends; it's likely tough enough, but it's hard to tell if you'll need a longer blade or not. For outdoor activities, I typically turn to a fixed blade, small or large.
 
Rat 2:
-Smoother deployment (liner locks are traditionally smoother than lockbacks)
-Lighter
-Nicely rounded handle (Less hot spots on the hand after extended use)
-More color options

Mini Recon:
-Stronger lock ("triad")
-Thicker blade
-Very grippy G10 (I had to lightly sand down the area under the clip as to not shred my pants)
-No steel liners
-More blade variations
-A little less comfortable in the hand IMO
 
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