Esee 3 vs Ontario Rat 3

C

col902

Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Messages
140
These knives look pretty much the same. Esee is a little bigger, but thats pretty much it. I can find the Esee 3 for $96, and the Rat 3 for $62. What am I getting for my extra $34?
 
For the extra 34 bucks you are getting a no nonsense warranty on the knife. If it ever breaks or fails on you send it back and they will send you a brand new one no questions asked.
 
I forgot to mention the warranty also covers abuse to the knife and stays with the knife no matter how many times it's been traded or sold.
 
They have the same designers. ESEE split from Ontario a while back and started producing their knives through Rowen. I've never owned or used any Ontario knives but I heard they had QC issues. ESEE has a no questions asked warranty which covers all of their Rowen produced knives. If you look at it that way it's a good investment to go with ESEE over any of the models that Ontario is still producing.
 
Nothing wrong with the Ontario RAT knives, the ESEE is just a slightly modified/improved model with better attention to finish & fit.

slightly longer handle, scales individually fit to the knife, more consistent heat treat due to knife being made in smaller batches, hand sharpened, molded sheath designed for that specific knife, and the warranty -- which is there so that if you're ever in a situation where you NEED it, you're not afraid to use it for fear of breaking the blade.
 
I never handled the Ontario RAT 3, but I have been through the same thoughts before I bought my ESEE 3, since there is no big difference between the blades (same designers, come from 2 branches of what once was one company, etc) and I noticed the price difference. I ended up buying the ESEE 3 for the warranty, and if there is one thing I'm sure of, is that it will take a very very long time before any other knife beats it when I go in the outdoors.
:cool:
 
The heat treat alone is worth the extra money. I own a RAT 7 that I've never had any problems with but overall fit and finish is much better on the ESEEs. Go with the better heat treat, better warranty, and better fit/finish; you won't be sorry.
 
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