EDC XIII Which knife or knives are you carrying today?

Another trip down the really long hallway.

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ChazzyP said:
In an effort to channel our friend DA170 DA170 , and following up on our interaction earlier on these pages concerning his nicely embellished Ontario knife, I ordered the KC exclusive "Red RAT" in S35VN, the same sweet blue Micarta scales, and a very similar black powder coated U-clip along with a bead to go with the tail I'd hang on it. I originally planned that knife for myself with the possibility of putting together the same thing for my son's upcoming b-day early next month, if I liked the assemblage well enough.

Well a couple things happened along the way. Firstly, I thought my now mid-30's son should come first, as a good dad should, and I'd put something together for myself after. Secondly, the knife came in yesterday and just kinda blew me away. I've got that old combo-edge AUS8, black nylon-handled RAT and always thought it a solid piece, especially for 40 bucks, but this 100 dollar version just put an exclamation point on that--the S35VN blade is nicely done, well-sharpened out of the box, and flicks out smoothly with a resounding thwack. The red G10 is perfectly milled and super grippy without being uncomfortable and the red color just pops! I shot this pic on a cutting board in the kitchen last night.

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Edit: That's better, somehow the pic above originally showed up as an attached thumbnail at the bottom. All better now, I hope.

The several plain stand-offs, with the forward one as stop-pin, kept reminding of another knife besides my old RAT, which turned out to be my SERE 2000--also an acronym and about the same size.

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I wanted to get a better feel for the knife, so this morning I temporarily put the new clip on in tip-up configuration, successfully trying it in and out of pocket. Tracking had the new scales at my local PO box this AM, despite some addressing/delivery clumsiness from the supplier, but before picking them up I went ahead and ordered a Red RAT and the same clip for myself. I'll put the scales on my son's knife after posting here, but in the meantime I had everything I could do not to carry the knife as is. It feels just great in hand with the stock scales and I might just keep the handsome bright reds on mine.

Anyway, I stuck with Micarta again for my carry today, and will head downstairs and put the new blue canvas ones on my son's knife-to-be after posting here.

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ChazzyP ChazzyP The execution of these S35VN versions are nicely done! I love how these Micarta scales “feel” in hand. I’m sure your son will love it!😍IMG_8942.jpegIMG_8938.jpegIMG_8936.jpeg
 
knarfeng said:
I have one. I completely agree. The RAT 1 is a solid design. The upgraded materials take it to a whole new level. Ditto for the RAT2 S35VN version.
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You've got a whole RAT pack, IIRC. I was wondering how you like the D2 on that Model 1 you've got. I've got a number of knives in that steel and like well heat-treated D2 a lot. I thought a little about getting that one following up on the knife I'm gifting my son, but was so taken with the S35VN and the sweet red scales that I just had to get that one for myself.

A couple of looks at blue Micarta scales and new clip on the soon-to-be gifted knife....

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DA170 DA170 , those Micarta scales really do feel nice in hand. I was mixed up on the dates and my son's birthday is late next month, not early in a month like the younger of his two older brothers, so I'm gonna have to hold onto his knife for over a month without carrying it. I do like the feel and look of the red G10's too, so I think I'll get the Micarta's for when my S35VN shows up and put the reds on my old combo-edge RAT and promote it from back-up truck knife to work user and take it to Vermont too as the bright scales will serve the same homing-beacon role as the bright orange knives I pocket in our woods and fields up there.

Even without any embellishments that Red RAT is sure a lotta knife for a hundred bucks, and after rehabbing my old AUS8 knife last week, I rediscovered there are no flies on that forty dollar baby either. :D
 
First Bradford - local seller that I had no idea existed until I stumbled upon website. Kind of strange/weird that I had never heard about store. (I ain’t saying them were aliens but them were aliens 😆). Went to store and left with this for less than $120 out the door.
 

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ChazzyP said:
You've got a whole RAT pack, IIRC. I was wondering how you like the D2 on that Model 1 you've got. I've got a number of knives in that steel and like well heat-treated D2 a lot. I thought a little about getting that one following up on the knife I'm gifting my son, but was so taken with the S35VN and the sweet red scales that I just had to get that one for myself.

A couple of looks at blue Micarta scales and new clip on the soon-to-be gifted knife....
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It feels to me like they ran the D2 on the soft side. I saw that Ontario ran the D2 on the Shikra at a nominal 56HRC, and I think that's the same rhardness they used for the D2 RAT1. It feels like it when sharpening.

But the D2 is a still a step up in edge retention from the AUS8, which they also ran soft. (2023 Catalog claims a hardness of 56 for the AUS8. AUS 8 at a hardness of 59 is usually preferable, but according to their metallurgist, they were aiming for toughness with the original RATs because they were originally intended as outdoor knives, rather than EDC. )
I run both the D2 and AUS 8 versions with a 20 DPS primary bevel, and they're good to go.

Both RAT 1 & RAT 2 S35VN knives and the Magnacut RAT 1.5 are a step up from the D2. They feel much crisper on the sharpening stones.
Their 2023 catalog claims a nominal hardness of 59 for the S35VN, and that seems accurate to me. I've not seen a hardness for the 1.5, but it feels very crisp.
I run a primary bevel of 15 DPS on the S35VN and the Magnacut versions, and they shine in everyday use.

Of the three models, I still like the RAT 1 best. I wish they'd do a Magnacut version on that one.
 
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