First Rat first impressions!

[ehhh]

Got home today and had a box waiting for me from Swamp Rat. Big box for such a small knife, I might add.

Here are some pictures first:

And a comparison shot with a SERE 2000 and 710HS:

First thought that came to mind was that the knife is quite large, making my 710 look small. Despite the size, it is very light and very thin. The downside to being so thin is that the lockbar also needs a diet. Don't let its looks fool you though, the lockbar is deceivingly hard to disengage and locks up tight. A bit too hard to disengage in my opinion. The "serrations" got my thumb red after only one try. In my opinion, the serrations don't help closing the lock. In fact they seem to only cause discomfort when operating it, making it very hard to operate one handed (for me at least). I would *think* that leaving the lockbar straight would give more room to push down on as well as be less abrasive. I assume the idea behind serrating it was for use with gloves? On the positive side, the lock seems very trustworthy for now.

The fit is excellent, though it seems that one side has a thicker washer than the other on mine, since there is a larger gap on one side (was it designed that way?). Other than that, the only thing I could nitpick is the edge bevels being slightly uneven. The G10 is very grippy; grippier than the SERE 2000. I have read others saying the inner edges of the scales could be rounded a little, and I agree, they seem like they could get abrasive. Of course, that shouldn't be too hard to fix on my own with a little sandpaper. Speaking of sandpaper, the action is a little rough for my taste, even after blowing it out with canned air and adding a drop of oil. I'm not sure why this is (anyone else have this experience?), but it is a little disappointing. Maybe the pivot is too tight, since the blade is unflickable.

The blade is what I like most about this knife. It is big and very sharp. The blade is very wide with a high flat grind which leaves the edge quite thin and thus cuts very nicely. It pushcuts paper and cardboard great, and I would put it a bit ahead of the SERE 2000 which came quite sharp out of the box. The BM on the other hand, is a bit dull with the factory edge.

Overall I am very pleased with the purchase, but if anyone can help out with gritty action please help Does taking the knife apart completely void the warranty, even if I fit it back together fine? I'm thinking of taking it apart to clean it out and just get a look at the guts, but I'm afraid of what might happen to the warranty (Eric, I'm looking at you for an answer ). Thanks for looking! Now I just have to try one of their SR101 offerings, let the vicious cycle begin :thumbup:

 

[Troy H]

I can't speak for Eric, but I hope that this helps. I have never heard of anything voiding the warranty on any Rat...even the Trap.

I would discourage you from disassembling the knife though. More specifically, I would avoid removing the blade if you haven't completely disassembled the handle. Those little washers are really tough to get back in there otherwise.

I've noticed that the Rat Traps do come from the factory pretty stiff. I assume that this is a liability issue to prevent the flick opening (which is illegal in many states). That's just a guess though. You might try loosening the main bolt to your taste. I did this to mine and it's now perfect.

Hope this helps and thanks for the review! Enjoy your new Rat!

 

[J85909266]

I came home to the very same experience today.

I had a lot of the same observations that you did. That handles and liner lock seem a tad thin to me. I'm able to feel the flex on the knife when gripping it tightly, and the liner doesn't feel or look near as safe and solid as the one on my Spyderco Military. The lock up is excellent, however, and there is no play at all. My washers are also even as far as I can tell, and the blade is centered perfectly.

I agree that the liner lock is stiff and tougher to disengage than I'm used to, but I have no problems using it. It just puts a little soreness on my thumb. The action is stiff, but I'm confident that I'll be able to wrk it out with some pivot adjustment and oil. It's not gritty at all, just tight and stiff.

Ergos are great, and the blade is fantastic. I would add some jimping to the G10 where the index figer rests with holding the knife open, as well as extending the jimping at the rear of the blade spine towards the opening hole some as well.

I would also note that the ball detent is a bit weak and doesn't have that click and secure feel that my other do. I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying the knife tip up, which I suppose doesn't matter, as it isn't tapped for tip down carry.

Overall, the knife is great looking, feels good, cuts great, and has great F&F.

 

[G3]

Nice folder. I may have to get one.

 

[ehhh]

Gritty was the wrong word. The action is just very tight and feels like the blade could be rubbing on something aside from the washers. As far as I can see, though, it isn't rubbing on anything else. Nowhere near as smooth as my SERE 2000 (which is exceptionally smooth for how tight it is) or 710HS, but the pivot does seem a lot tighter than both as well. Hopefully loosening it will get it smoother.

Overall a great knife that will probably see a lot of carry-time. Really love the thinness and lightweight combined with the low ride clip. Just seems like a great EDC. Barely feel it when I wear it IWB. Definitely worth the wait in my opinion. :thumbup: :thumbup: