Fallkniven A1 or Ontario RAT 5

I think I will buy the A1, and then buy the RAT 3 to use as a smaller knife for more delicate tasks. I have been studying how to survive in the wilderness for a long time now and want to see if I can. (it will be in my back yard) Anyway, I was wondering what price would be considered a "deal" for the Fallkniven A1. Thanks for the help and the responses. I'll be sure to post my final decision.
 
Cuchuga said:
I think I will buy the A1, and then buy the RAT 3 to use as a smaller knife for more delicate tasks. I have been studying how to survive in the wilderness for a long time now and want to see if I can. (it will be in my back yard) Anyway, I was wondering what price would be considered a "deal" for the Fallkniven A1. Thanks for the help and the responses. I'll be sure to post my final decision.
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Other people may disagree with me on this, but I don't think the RAT 3 is a very good "small knife." The steel is okay, but having a huge choil on a knife of that size is a waste. It doesn't aid in fine work, it hinders it (on a 7" + knife it's different). There are other knives of similar size that are much better in small knife tasks, largely by virtue of not having that choil. Of course, they say it's for "choking up on", but it's the handle of the blade that you're supposed to hold - the blade should be for cutting stuff, not for holding the knife by.
 
how about a F1 to go along with the A1? :D

The F1 is world renowned as a smaller knife.
 
Well, is there a small knife that comes with the same type of sheath the RAT 3 comes with? Those are my favorite type of sheath.
 
Cuchuga said:
Well, is there a small knife that comes with the same type of sheath the RAT 3 comes with? Those are my favorite type of sheath.
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If your going with the A1 I would suggest you pick up a Fallkniven WM1, U2 or P1 as your smaller knife. :thumbup:
 
I'd go with the RAT 5, the flat ground blade will make it a good cutter but the 3/16" 1095 blade will still stand up to as much rough use as you can give out.
I watched the Fallkniven tests on Noss's site and was left feeling less tham impressed, it started to chip very early on and yeah it was still useable but that's not the point.
Also the idea of metals laminated together kinda worries me, even though I have not heard of Fallknivens de-laminating I have heard of other Scandinavian blades doing so !!!
Stick with plain High Carbon blades such as the RAT line, TOPS, Scrapyard and Ranger etc the oldtimers never had problems using Carbon steel !!!!!
 
Elen said:
Of course, they say it's for "choking up on", but it's the handle of the blade that you're supposed to hold - the blade should be for cutting stuff, not for holding the knife by.
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Elen,

I never looked at a choil this way. You made me re-think again about choils! You have a good point here!

Thanks
CZ
 
I can not see any point in putting down the A1 because of a test done by hitting it in concrete and other materials it is not made for.
My conclusion of the test you are referring to was that even though the A1 split in two the main part did still work as a knife. The A1 and the RAT5 does not have the same features as well. While the A1 has a flat part of the tang coming out, the RAT5 has a pointed part, making it impossible to pound on it.
Carbon or SS is also dependent on where you are using your knife. There is a reason why the A1 is SS, it was developed for use in the harshest condition possible. Yes, I am talking about the moisty, rainy, snowy, windy, frozen parts of Northern Sweden.
So you are actually comparing one knife developed for combat in temperate and hot climate with one developed for survival in the arctic. Hence the rubber handle and the steel. If you look at the websites and compare how they are marketed you see what I mean. One is full of ugly looking south american merc and fat guys with assault rifles and small pictures of the knives. The other page shows the knives and some odd hunting pictures.

The best option like someone said is to buy both. I have 26 Fallknivens but I might buy a RAT just to test it in the environment we have up here. I guess it will start rusting quite fast.
 
nodh said:
I can not see any point in putting down the A1 because of a test done by hitting it in concrete and other materials it is not made for.
My conclusion of the test you are referring to was that even though the A1 split in two the main part did still work as a knife. The A1 and the RAT5 does not have the same features as well. While the A1 has a flat part of the tang coming out, the RAT5 has a pointed part, making it impossible to pound on it.
Carbon or SS is also dependent on where you are using your knife. There is a reason why the A1 is SS, it was developed for use in the harshest condition possible. Yes, I am talking about the moisty, rainy, snowy, windy, frozen parts of Northern Sweden.
So you are actually comparing one knife developed for combat in temperate and hot climate with one developed for survival in the arctic. Hence the rubber handle and the steel. If you look at the websites and compare how they are marketed you see what I mean. One is full of ugly looking south american merc and fat guys with assault rifles and small pictures of the knives. The other page shows the knives and some odd hunting pictures.

The best option like someone said is to buy both. I have 26 Fallknivens but I might buy a RAT just to test it in the environment we have up here. I guess it will start rusting quite fast.
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I didn't mean it to sound that bad !
Fallknivens have a huge fan base so obviously they must be doing something right.
You are quite correct in stating that they are really designed for different climates.
I guess I'm just old fashioned and opposed to change when it comes to my preference for plain old HC steels !!!:D
 
Actually, the climate view was something I never thought of before. The Swedish armed forces actually bought some 500 SRKs to evaluate for a new survival knife way back and way up north. They gave them to the arctic rangers (K4) to play with. The result was that they went for a Swedish knife instead, The F1. There are stories about the tests. Some made in labs and some made out in the middle of nowhere. Some tests were somewhat like those on knifetests.com

Some of the unissued, unused SRKs surface from storage to end up in the hands of collectors.

It would be nice to read about the environment many of these high end knives are destined for. There are after all some difference between using a knife in the desert, in a jungle, in santas hood or just cutting some sticks at a scout camp.

My very unscientific conclusion is that their is no big difference between Bark River, Fallkniven, Dumpster Mutt, RAT, Becker or any other 4-6" knives made for tough use. The most important feature is not the knife, it is the user. One guy might survive with his 2 bucks Mora but the other guy will not, even though he has a 700 bucks survival system with turbo and stealth and whatnot. The guy with the Mora was wearing his puny knife when he did an unplanned exit from the canoe, the other guy had his cool knife strapped to the canoe, which is now about two climate zones away :)

So if you decide to get a cool and BIG knife, just remember to bring a small knife too, just in case the big one gets lost.

I myself carry a FK U2 as last resort in the city (the WM1 is in my pack). When outdoors I put everything up a notch, the WM1 goes around my neck and the F1 goes into my belt.

Good luck with your knife choice. Take care and remember, a knife is not really yours until it has tasted your blood.
 
Cuchuga said:
These are the two knives I am looking at buying. I want a tough knife that will serve me well, one that can handle abuse. (not prying my fridge up to put a shim under or anything) I am leaning towards the RAT. It will be used in the woods as a knife which I will cut branches down to make a fire/ build a shelter. What do you guys think?
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This is a little out of your current search but here's what I've been carrying lately: FT. Turner Camp Hawk, TAK-1 and CS Belt Knife.

The reason I mention this is you stated cutting branches for fire and shelter.

The other reason is cost: The FT. Turner I bought new. Current price is just under 50 bucks. The Tak-1 and CS I picked up on the secondary forum markets for 40 and 12 bucks shipped respectively. Both very lightly used. Total cost $102.00. I saw a RAT-5 also in 1095 new from an online catalog for 103.95 w/o shipping.

Here you get a solid fixed blade, a good light hatchet/hammer and a small blade for your intricate work for the cost of just one of the blades you are considering.

Good luck in your decision.

hatchet-

tak.jpg
 
I always carry my S1 into the bush with me as my main camp/survival knife.depending on what I'm doing I'll either carry my Busse Hell razor or my Cold Steel trail hawk as my heavy hitter for bush work.
I love the Fallkniven knives I have and I'm looking hard at the Rat 5 (it's on the list).It as stated earlier,handle them both first to see if you like either better than the other.
 
hatchetjack said:
This is a little out of your current search but here's what I've been carrying lately: FT. Turner Camp Hawk, TAK-1 and CS Belt Knife.

The reason I mention this is you stated cutting branches for fire and shelter.

The other reason is cost: The FT. Turner I bought new. Current price is just under 50 bucks. The Tak-1 and CS I picked up on the secondary forum markets for 40 and 12 bucks shipped respectively. Both very lightly used. Total cost $102.00. I saw a RAT-5 also in 1095 new from an online catalog for 103.95 w/o shipping.

Here you get a solid fixed blade, a good light hatchet/hammer and a small blade for your intricate work for the cost of just one of the blades you are considering.

Good luck in your decision.

hatchet-

tak.jpg
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How'd ya like the TAK bro ? My son has just ordered one !!!
 
pitdog said:
How'd ya like the TAK bro ? My son has just ordered one !!!
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Not to hijack this thread:

The handle is a bit long and could be contoured better but additional finish work drives up cost. Overall, it's been a good performer. Has a good edge from my Sharpmaker and cuts fuzz sticks with ease. Great beater for the price I paid (40 bucks shipped). I alternate it between ma SRK, Bravo-1 and Ranger.
 
Cuchuga said:
These are the two knives I am looking at buying. I want a tough knife that will serve me well, one that can handle abuse. (not prying my fridge up to put a shim under or anything) I am leaning towards the RAT. It will be used in the woods as a knife which I will cut branches down to make a fire/ build a shelter. What do you guys think?
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You can't really go wrong buying either one. I couldn't decide either, so I
ended up buying a bunch:

Rat-7 - 1095
Rat-7 - D2
Rat-5 - 1095
Tak-1 - 1095
Tak-1 - D2
Fallkniven S1, A1 and F1

I like them all so much that I can't bring myself to use them. I don't
want to scratch the blades. How sick is that ?
 
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