Fallkniven S1 vs. Rat-5 vs. SOG trident II/tech bowie

L

Lukthree

Joined
Jul 25, 2008
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I'm buying my first fixed blade knife for camp/survival use and I've narrowed it down to these 4 knives, does anyone own two or more of these that can make any comments comparing them? side by side photos would also really help in my decision!
i know the whole fallkniven vs. rat vs sog vs brk&t has been done to death but what im really looking for is some input from someone who has used more than one of these knives who can compare them, not just simply say they own one and it is amazing
 
I've got a RAT-5 (Ontario-made; RAT doesn't have a 5" blade out yet) and a Fallkniven S-2. I don't have either knife, or a camera, with me now so I can't take photos. In general, I prefer the Fallkniven. Camping / survival chores (like you are going to be using it for) are easier, at least for me, with the Thermorun handle.
The Fallkniven is convex-ground as opposed to flat ground for the RAT-5. I prefer a flat grind (easier to sharpen), but Fallkniven's convex grinds are great. Either knife will cut through a lot of stuff without dulling, but I find the Fallkniven to hold its edge a little longer and get just a little sharper. If I remember correctly, the blades are about the same thickness, and are stout.
Price-wise, you're going to pay about $40 more for the Fallkniven. I'm not sure what your price range is, but it's something to consider. To me, the extra $40 is worth it. I'm not saying that the RAT is bad; it surely isn't. The RAT-5 is one of the better blades for outdoor work to be sure, but I prefer the S-1.

I wish I had in-hand photos so you'd have something to look at, but for right now all I have is my experience with them. Both are great knives and you won't go wrong with either. I guess it all comes down to personal preference, and I prefer the S-1. It's just easier to use for my outdoor tasks.
 
actually, does anyone have side by side photos of a fallkniven S1 and A1? i really wish i could get both knives in hand to compare their size but a photo would be the second best thing
 
Not my photo, but here you go...

Top to bottom: F1, S1, A1...
S6302277.jpg
 
i dont own the fallkniven of the rat but i do have the sog tech bowie.

it is a great knife. however personally i find it geared more towards combat then camp chores. that being said, it can still do camp chore kind of tasks fine. there is a member on here called mistwalker who uses sog style bowies for doing a variety of interesting bushcraft work.

personally from your choices i'd go with the fallkniven. i'd get it with the leather sheath instead of the zytel one. just a personal choice. the stainless is easier to maintain then carbon steel, which opens up more options to service it as a canoe knife or for time spent on/near water.

cheers.
 
I have one of the RAT cutlery RC5's which just came out. Great knife with a fantastic sheath. It is however a heavy blade due to the factit was designed for heavy survival use. A plus is the fact it comes with one of the nicest, thonnest edges of a production knife I've seen. The 1095 blqde is coted to prevent rust, and while durable it will eventualy wear off. just oil the blade once in a while. The sheath is excellent and is the best sheath I've seen offered with any such knife. with the pouch and other features on the sheath one can with a little ingenuity carry a complete mini kit on the knife. I tested the pouch on mine and it will hold a falkniven dc4 sharpener, a sog pwerplier, and a boys scout pocket knife. plus I can attach a strikeforce forestarted to the outside of the pouch under the elastic band.

The RAT cutlery RC5 (not the ontario rat 5) also comes with the best warranty in the business.
 
JNieporte:
S1 looks like it has higher grind, is that true? I've A1 (Vg10-Lam) could you tell me how it compares to S1, when it comes to cutting.
 
Michael.D said:
JNieporte:
S1 looks like it has higher grind, is that true? I've A1 (Vg10-Lam) could you tell me how it compares to S1, when it comes to cutting.
Click to expand...

The S-1 has a higher grind, but only by a tiny margin. The size of the A-1 and its swedge instead of clip point (like on the S-1) make it look much lower than it actually is. Look at that photo again and cover up the swedge with something, it will look truer ;)

The S-1 is a better cutter, at least for me. The blade isn't as thick as the A-1, so it glides through materials more easily. But if you've got an A-1, you're still set :thumbup:
 
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