I want a Rat 1 in ZDP-189 or S110V

S

Sterculius

Joined
Oct 12, 2003
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With all the great knives I have, I keep gravitating back to the very classic design of the Rat 1, and its great durability and solid construction. I don't mind AUS8, and it does sharpen easily, but I would sure love other steel options - even S30V. Just something that will keep an edge longer.

I know the price will go up, but I don't mind that. I guess I am thinking about how Spyderco offers the same knife in different steels, like the Delica/Endura in both VG10 and ZDP-189 or the LW Manix 2 in CTS BD1 and S110V.

Will we ever see more steel choices from Ontario in this knife?
 
Well the delicate/endura are made in Japan where vg10 and zdp 189 are native steels. The manix is made in the usa where bd1 and s110v are native.

So unless you want to pay 150 bucks for a rat 1 so they can import the steel to Taiwan like Spydeco does, it's not going to happen.
 
Maybe ask OKC if they have plans for an upgraded version of the Rat 1, or another model, in OKC sub forum? Not sure if they would reveal any future plans of course but they seem responsive.
 
I doubt you'll see a better steel from Ontario in that folder as well. I do agree with you though that the RAT I & II are very, very good designs and deserving of better materials all around...blade steel, scales, and relieved liners. At $100 street price with S30v, or XHP, and G10 scales and I think they'd sell more than a few.

I've given a couple of the RAT II's as gifts to non-knife guys and they have both come back to me months later telling me how much they use and like those knives.
 
singularity35 said:
I find the threads where people request premium steels for budget knives, really amusing.
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Budget knives or not, is it so unreasonable for someone to like the design of a knife so much that they wish it was available in higher quality steels?
 
fetzer85 said:
Budget knives or not, is it so unreasonable for someone to like the design of a knife so much that they wish it was available in higher quality steels?
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When its a massive company thats not very "mobile" and rarely if ever uses high end steels, yes. Comically so. People forget just how tiny Spyderco is, and their small size is what lets them be flexible enough to make one design in multiple steels. Why would a big company bother to fix what isn't broken?

Now there is a better chance of them making it in D2, since OKC does produce knives in that steel already.
 
So you want a budget knife, but with a supersteel and priced accordingly... Why not to start with a nigh-end knife and then modify it to look cheap, why nobody ever suggests that?
 
The truth is, the supersteels/powdergrades are difficult to work with, expensive, and extremely volatile in the production environment. It is not uncommon to need to reject blades during the process due to quality issues. This becomes an expensive proposition when working with $25 per/lb steel vs. 1095 at about $2 per/lb.
The best thing about knives and materials are ALL the options, not everybody wants to buy knives using super high end materials, not all companies want to use supersteels in their production process, but for those of us that require that quality, there are choices :)
 
Aren't you the guy that was stepping on folders not too long ago? Bashing them with 2x4's ? Now that's freakin' amusing!!!
 
Poez said:
So you want a budget knife, but with a supersteel and priced accordingly... Why not to start with a nigh-end knife and then modify it to look cheap, why nobody ever suggests that?
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Oh they do that too, take X expensive folder and use Y cheap steel......

Seen a lot of both lately...

Take the Spyderco LW Manix 2 in S110V as an example since it was already mentioned in the thread...

Retail is $179 from Spyderco, Street price is around $110....

Compared to the Standard Manix 2 in S30V and G10 at $150 Retail from Spyderco and $97 Street price.....

Add in the Comparable BD-1 Manix 2 LW at $129 retail from Spyderco and $84 Street price....

So we have:

  • S110V at $110 (LW FRN)
  • S30V at $97 (Standard G10)
  • BD-1 at $84 (LW FRN)
 
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There are budget knives available with better steels, but they will cost more than a Rat 1. Kershaw and Spyderco both make good knives with good materials for not that much more money.
 
I don't get all the ridicule the OP gets for this, maybe he just likes the ergos and the blade shape, but would like better steel. Nothing wrong with that at all, have you never had a budget knife that fit your hand really well and better steel would have made it the perfect knife ? He never said it would have to be the same price.

A sprint run in D2 or 154cm would be great, seeing that Ontario already uses those steels in other knives. BTW there is already a thread going on about this in the new OKC subforum :thumbup:
 
C_Becker said:
I don't get all the ridicule the OP gets for this, maybe he just likes the ergos and the blade shape, but would like better steel. Nothing wrong with that at all, have you never had a budget knife that fit your hand really well and better steel would have made it the perfect knife ? He never said it would have to be the same price.

A sprint run in D2 or 154cm would be great, seeing that Ontario already uses those steels in other knives. BTW there is already a thread going on about this in the new OKC subforum :thumbup:
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Thanks for the support -- I don't expect the knife with upgraded steel to cost the same -- I know the price will go up, but I like the design enough to pay more. And I fully admit I don't know or understand the ins and outs of the knife industry, manufacturing issues, import costs or restrictions, etc.

So let me spin my original question -- I would like better steel - an upgrade over AUS8, in the Rat 1. (not necessarily ZDP-189 or S110V) What steels are practical or feasible given country of manufacture, Ontario's size, capabilities, etc.? D2 has been mentioned -- I think that would be an excellent upgrade over AUS8, and I would pay more for a Rat 1 in that steel.
 
C_Becker said:
I don't get all the ridicule the OP gets for this, maybe he just likes the ergos and the blade shape, but would like better steel. Nothing wrong with that at all, have you never had a budget knife that fit your hand really well and better steel would have made it the perfect knife ? He never said it would have to be the same price.

A sprint run in D2 or 154cm would be great, seeing that Ontario already uses those steels in other knives. BTW there is already a thread going on about this in the new OKC subforum :thumbup:
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Kinda like asking for a low end Hyundai with a high performance engine from the factory, wouldn't you think?
 
singularity35 said:
Kinda like asking for a low end Hyundai with a high performance engine from the factory, wouldn't you think?
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No, it's more like asking for a lower maintenance longer lasting engine in a low end Hyundai. That would require no upgrades to the rest of the vehicle.
 
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