Getting my first Rat (Battle Rat), have lots of questions.

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kgriggs8

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Well my attempt at getting a Dog Father didn't work out. They sold out before I had a chance to get one. People were then re-selling them for nearly $200 so I decided to look at a Battle Rat. Swamp Rats seem like a good deal for the money. I can't see spending the big bucks on a Busse because I doubt my life will ever be on line with one of these knives. If it were, I would spend the cash but I don't see Swamp Rat failing where a Busse wouldn't. From what I know, the strength should be about the same.

Anyway, I am getting a Battle Rat and I have some questions. How does it compare to other large blades like the Busse Battle Mistress, Rat Daddy, Dog Father ect. I mean in size and weight. A pic of a Battle rat next to a BM or Rat Daddy or Dog Father would be cool.

How does it chop compared to other blade? How does it cut light veg compared to other blades?

What do people think if the Battle Rat in general? Is it a low end Swamp Rat? Are there knives in the same class that are better?

I know it is a lot newbi questions but there seems to be almost a cadre of big blade lovers and the names get confusing. There are just so many models and and names and companies that make these large blades that when someone is just testing the waters, it is more then they can handle.
 
I have both a Combat Grade Fusion Battle Mistress (standard handle) and a Black/Tan Battle Rat. See link for pics:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=455066

Both are great blades. The FBM has a thicker longer blade so feels more weight forward to me. It's a great chopper. The blade is 10" long, so it's got a 1/2 inch on the BR. Blade is INFI of course.

My BR is through hardened. All the Black/Tans were. I believe the Tan/Tan and Black/Black were differentially heat treated. You should be able to find some posts here about the differences. I also don't believe the Black/Tans came with the penetrator tip. Anyway, this is also a very good chopper. The Res-C handle is very comfortable. It's not as weight forward as the FBM though. Blade is SR-101, which is extremely durable.

By no means is the BR a low end Swamp Rat. It's put together very well. I don't think you can beat it for the price. Any of the BR models will serve you well.

The chopper models are just that, choppers. They work much better on stouter woody vegetation. For light vegetation I would recommend something with a thinner blade like an AK-47 or a Ruck Kensei. These are pricy, but the AK is an amazing slasher. I assume the same for the Ruck. I've heard that a lot of folks use them for brush clearing.

Good luck with your selection. As you already know you really can't go wrong with any of the Busse family models. Great products and fantastic customer service.
 
I have several large (Chopping type blades)-

The Battle Rat is a very good chopper---Handle is EXCELLENT!!!!

Edge retention is outstanding for a Factory blade.

I'm not selling it -----Does that tell you how much I like it????
 
Well, I don't have a Rat Daddy, so I threw in my Mastiff for giggles. I tried to line up the front of the handles in the first pic, and the rear of the knife in the second. Didn't turn out to be much difference. Oh, well...

Oh, yeah - can you tell I like my BR, too? :D

choppers1.jpg


choppers2.jpg
 
those are great shots Greg.. can really see the relative sizes of all those bad boys.
thanks for posting pics.
 
I have a DF on the way but if I had already owned a BR I would not have bothered. The BR is a wicked deal right now.
 
Here's another for relative size. Battle Rat is 8th from the left.

ChopFest.jpg


From the left: SHBM, BM-E, FBM-CG, FBM-LE, RM, RD, Basic 9, BR, DF, RD-9, MOASH, RTAK-II, BK-1, BK-9, KC4-MC.
 
Guyon,
You have all the toys!

I have a few questions for you. The other two knives I was thinking about were the Dog Father and the RTAK II. You have both of them as well as the BR. How does the BR compare to the other two? Mostly, how does it compare to the RTAK II?

Here is what I will be using my BR for and I wonder if I want to get a RTAK II as well. I will basically be using to cut everything from 6" trees down to tall grass. I sometimes need to take a small tree out or a large branch. I like to be able to chop the tree down and limb it all with the same tool. That RTAK II seems like it would work well. I have to wait and see what I think of the BR before I decide to get the RTAK II.
 
Here is the e-mail I sent out yesterday..
Tested 10 Knives-one was a Battle Rat
----------------------------------


http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4952493
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4952513

TOOK THOSE 10 KNIVES OUT TODAY AND TESTED THEM---SORT OF(CLIFF STAMP -I AM NOT)

TESTED --AS IN- CHOPPED MY A$$ OFF WITH THE BIG ONES AND WHITTLED WITH THE SMALL ONES.

CHOPPED AT LEAST 150-200 TIMES INTO WOOD WITH EACH KNIFE( AS WELL AS AIR TO TEST BALANCE)-.THAT'S RIGHT 800-1OOO CHOPS--PLUS.

RIGHT SHOULDER PAIN AND HAND BLISTERS(FROM KUKRI)

RESULTS---


SIEGLE "HOODLUM 2" OUT CHOPPED THEM ALL-AS EXPECTED.EXCELLENT ERGONOMICS-AND MAN CAN THIS BAD BOY CHOP!!!!

FOLLOWED BY "BATTLE RAT"-FEELS GREAT IN HAND-AND CHOPS VERY WELL..

THEN RANGER RD-9(THAT BILL SIEGLE RE-PROFILED)-GRIP NEEDS TO BE SMALLER FOR MY HAND.CHOPS ABOUT 20% LESS EFFECTIVELY THAN THE BATTLE RAT.LESS COMFORTABLE AS WELL.(BUT ALSO 1/2 THE PRICE)

THEN THE MUELA(BOTTOM RIGHT),WORKED GOOD-FIRST TIME OUT..TENDED TO GET WEDGED INTO THE WOOD-GRIP WAS COMFORTABLE AND SECURE BUT STUNG MY HAND AFTER 10-15 HITS..VERY SECURE GRIP!!!

THEN MARTINDALE PARATROOPER(GOT IN TRADE FROM BILL SIEGLE)-GREAT BEATER KNIFE.LIGHT-FAST.HEAVY CHOPPING IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT A LOT OF EFFORT.

THEN THE MACHETE WORKED BETTER THAN EXPECTED-IT'S A NO NAME BRAND GOT ON E-BAY.NEEDS A LOT OF ROOM TO GET STARTED.HANDLE IS ALL PLASTIC-AND MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE THAN I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED

THEN KUKRI(POS I GOT ON EBAY-NOT A QUALITY PIECE AT ALL)-YES THE MARTINDALE OUT CHOPPED THIS POS.THIS IS BEST USED AS A TRAINING KNIFE--NOT TO RELY ON.

-THE KUKRI HAS THE WORST FEELING GRIP-

THE GRIPS ON THE BATTLE RAT AND SIEGLE ARE THE BEST---

MY WIFE CAROL LOVED THE BATTLE RAT'S AND MUELA'S GRIPS(SIEGLE WAS TOO HEAVY FOR HER-SHE IS 115lbs-BUT LOVED THE BATTLE RAT )

AS FAR AS THE SMALL ONES

CAROL LOVES HER NEW BENCHMADE RANT AS WELL AS HER S30V DROP POINT FROM CMD KNIVES.BOTH KNIVES CUT VERY WELL(CMD KNIFE CUTS ABOUT 25% BETTER)

THE SMALL RAZORBACK IS MINE--AND IT'S GREAT!!!

I HAVE 2 RAZORBACKS COMING FROM ANOTHER FORUM MEMBER-WILL TEST THEM NEXT WEEK,.

FOR ALL PHOTOS CHECK HERE

http://www.putfile.com/samuraironin/images/90006

DAMN-MY SHOULDER HURTS.BUT IT'S A GOOD HURT..

Dr.WILLIAM R.MARTIN, D.C.
 
I am really happy about all I have been hearing about the Battle Rat. I wasn't sure at first but it looks like I made a good purchase.
 
kgriggs8 said:
Guyon,
You have all the toys!

I have a few questions for you. The other two knives I was thinking about were the Dog Father and the RTAK II. You have both of them as well as the BR. How does the BR compare to the other two? Mostly, how does it compare to the RTAK II?

Here is what I will be using my BR for and I wonder if I want to get a RTAK II as well. I will basically be using to cut everything from 6" trees down to tall grass. I sometimes need to take a small tree out or a large branch. I like to be able to chop the tree down and limb it all with the same tool. That RTAK II seems like it would work well. I have to wait and see what I think of the BR before I decide to get the RTAK II.
Click to expand...


Both would work well, but I think that the Dog Father would slightly outshine the RTAK-II for chopping and limbing. More weight forward. Tougher steel. However, the RTAK (which is more like a short machete on steroids) would do great on tall grass.

My two weigh about the same (22 ounces for RTAK-II versus 20 ounces for DF), but the Dog Father is a much thicker blade with a sweet spot that is further forward (.195" for RTAK-II versus .286" for DF). I was surprised that the sweet spot of the RTAK-II is closer to center of blade.

Given the $84 price on the RTAK-II, it's a good choice. I understand the handle is much improved over the first RTAK design.
 
It sounds like the RTAK II should be on my to get list as well. I think if I need a larger blade than the Battle Rat, I will go to an axe. If I need a longer blade on the RTAK II, I will go to my 18" Ontario Machete.

With these two large blades, I think they make a good pair. Does that sound like a good idea? I don't see needing any other large blade knives if I have these two. It looks like I will have a good chopper that can limb if needed and I will have a good limber that can chop if needed.

I know a lot of you have many large blades but I am not sure if it is because you think you need the different sizes/weights or if it is just because you like them. Nothing wrong with that, I have dozens of folders and I can't say I NEED all of them. It doesn't stop me from wanting more however. With large blades like machetes, Kukris and such, I think of them more as tools than toys. I don't want to own them all, I just want to get one or two that will work for me for what I need.

The main thing is, I need something more compact that a machete or axe for when I am not at home. At home, I can go to the shed and choose form about half a dozen machetes or a axe. When camping or outdoors, I want something that can be hiden in a pack. That means a shorter blade. Light weight is a big plus. I won't want to carry a 5 lb knife in a pack if I get a 2 lb knife that will do 99% of the same job.
 
kgriggs8, with that Battle Rat, you're pretty much set. It'll do what you need it to do.

As for choppers, I just like them. I'm looking forward to the release of this big honkin' Spyderco.

Spyderco_FB16-FB17-FB18-FB19_JerryHossom_700w.jpg


Top knife: Spyderco Forester. Overall 15.563 in. / Cutting edge 9.125 in. / Weight 16.8 oz
 
Well I got the Battle Rat today and I went right out and tested it out. First, let me say that it was not quite what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be much bigger and heavier. When I got the box from the mail man, I was thinking that it must be something else because it wasn't heavy enough for what I was expecting.

In some ways it is less knife than I expected and in some ways it is more. It is less in the obvious ways of being smaller and lighter. It is more in that it is really well balanced and more refined than I thought it was going to be. It is actually a better knife that I thought it was goign to be. I am impressed already.

The balance is great. It is a fairly heavy knife of course but it feels light in the hand. When you use the choil, it feels even lighter. Also, I see why they put a choil on the blade, you can actually use this as a KNIFE! It is not just a chopper or a short machete. You can choke up on the blade and CUT things with it! I was not really expecting it to work so well as a knife. Most of the big blades I have owned were really choppers (RD-9, HI Kukris) or whackers (short machetes, RTAK ect.).

I tested it on various woods and shrubs. It can be used to cut light living veg but it worthless on dead twigs. Being the end of winter, we don't have much green growing so most of the light veg I could find was dead twigs. It works very well on living soft wood like Birch. I have a large Briar root that is dead but well seasoned that put any blade to the test. It made the Battle Rat look bad but it makes everything look bad expect a 18" machete or axe. The one thing about the Battle Rat is, if you get a glancing blow that goes a little sideways, you are not afraid to just pry it and break it. I wouldn't do that with a machete.


All in all, I am impressed and I think this knife preforms as well as a knife of this size and weight can. It can't do everything well but nothing can.. If it is large and heavy enough to chop hard dead wood, then it is too large and heavy to carry and using it is very hard work. This is perfect for putting in a back pack like I wanted. It is not so heavy that it will stay home like some larger blades.

I think I finally found what I have been looking for all these years! Now I see what all the fuss is about with the Swamp Rat/Busse/Scrap Yard knives. The Res-c handle is the only way to go. I wouldn't buy one of the micarta ones if Res-c was available. Micarta looks better but it doesn't feel better in the hand. I was getting shocked even with the Res-c handle in the hard wood. I can't imagine what hard micarta would feel like. Not good, I am sure.
 
CongRatulations!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

I remember thinking those same things when I first got my BR - it was a little smaller and a whole lot lighter than I expected. Now I wish I had bought 5 more of them.
 
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