My Bravo-1 vs. RC-3 or 4?

BBQ BOY

BBQ BOY

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Feb 24, 2009
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A buddy of mine has challenged my Bravo-1. We are going in the woods/camping for a couple of days . I don't know why because it is freezing here even in the South. i can not remember what he has. I think it is a RC-3 or is it a RC-4? Anyway, I have never held a Rat Cutlery knife nor seen one in action. What can I expect from this challenge? Is the Rat a good quality knife? I ask because I want to keep the trash talking to a minimum without knowing the quality of his knife.
 
The RC-4 should be a good match for the Bravo-1, It will probably just come down to personal preference. The RC-3 has a thinner blade, so it will cut better, but it is shorter. RATs are excellent quality knives.

Sounds like a fun outing/challenge.
 
It all depends on what tasks you are performing. I own three Rat cutlery knives, the Izula, RC3 and RC4 and although i do not own a Bravo 1 i do own some Bark rivers and i find them very similar. they are both carbon steel and hold a great edge. If you are battoning then i would give the edge to the bravo due to its thicker stock but as far as slicing is concerned id give the adv. to Rat because the rc3 and 4 are flat ground. Both knives are exellent by any standards so i would assume the results will be similar. I wouldnt talk to much trash if i were you!;)
 
You will find that your friend has a to notch blade and will perform a variety of tasks. Tough and reliable is the best I can say. Take the challenge and then welcome to the RAT Cutlery gang because I am sure that you will have future orders. Do not trash talk until you have seen for yourself.
 
Youre both equipped with excellent blades. The defining factor will probably be skills and NOT the knife.
 
You'll probably like his sheath better and RAT's warranty. He'll like your handles on the Bravo-1.

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Personally, I found the bravo to be the better slicer due to coating. But both are great knives, although I edge out to the bravo. It is twice as expensive (and has a great warrenty as well)
 
The Bravo is a fantastic knife with just as good of a waranty as RATs.....

My Bravo sliced just as good if not a bit better then the RC4, and maintained its sharpness a bit longer due to the nature of A2, and the crazy sharp BRKT convex grind. The handles are a bit fatter and more contoured making it a bit more comfortable to use in differant grips.

The RC4 has more grip due to the sanded Micarta, a much better factory sheath,unless were looking at the leather rig, which is nicer then the RAT injection molded sheath. However virtually the same sheath is available for the RC4. The RC4 is also quite a bit lighter.

Both great knives by great companies, but IMO the Bravo has the edge. (as well as a bigger price tag)
 
I take into account who owns the company I buy knives from, and their pubic records. Jeff and Mike rock!! enough said!
 
What will this "challenge" involve exactly?

I won't say that the challenge won't be educational but these sort of things can be a little less than scientific. People get married to their gear and naturally thing that their knife is the best knife. They have time and money invested so they will defend their favorite to the end. It may be that your buddy is jealous because your Bravo-1 costs so much more than his RAT knife. It may be that you will end up with your feelings hurt because the RAT knife does everything the Bravo does for half the cost.

Let me check my crystal ball to see if I can make any predictions...

1. You will continue to like your Bravo-1.

2. Your buddy will continue to like his Rat Cutlery knife.

3. The answers to this post on this forum will be mostly along the lines of "the RAT is a good knife, so is the Bravo." and/or generally preferring the RAT.

4. The answers on the BRKT forum, where you also posted, will be mostly along the lines of "the RAT is a good knife, so is the Bravo." and/or generally preferring the Bravo.

5. If everyone involved in your challenge is honest with themselves there will be no clear cut winner since, after all, they are both well made metal slabs that are used to cut stuff - simple.

6. If there is a "winner" it will be because of the person holding the knife, not the knife itself.

They really are both great knives. I have two Bravo-1s and two RC-4s (and some other RATs) if that tells you anything.
 
cody1, I was holding my breath waiting for that, lets concentrate on the knives and not people, its just more civil that way. :)

I have all three knives represented and I think it will be a great test!
 
cody1 said:
I take into account who owns the company I buy knives from, and their pubic records. Jeff and Mike rock!! enough said!
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The challenge involves two pieces of steel and how they compare, not politics of the knife world. ;)

Jeff and Mike do Rock, and Ive never had a problem with BRKT. :thumbup:

Not the point though, its all in performance. They are both FANTASTIC knives with a loyal following.......
 
j williams said:
The challenge involves two pieces of steel and how they compare, not politics of the knife world. ;)

Jeff and Mike do Rock, and Ive never had a problem with BRKT. :thumbup:

Not the point though, its all in performance. They are both FANTASTIC knives with a loyal following.......
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You can buy Michael Jackson records and say it's about the way he taps his foot and sings. I'll still call him a pedophil and boycot. If your happy to give your money to any john jack or Joe than good for you. I think the ethical records of the people getting the money is of issue.
 
BBQ BOY said:
A buddy of mine has challenged my Bravo-1. We are going in the woods/camping for a couple of days . I don't know why because it is freezing here even in the South. i can not remember what he has. I think it is a RC-3 or is it a RC-4? Anyway, I have never held a Rat Cutlery knife nor seen one in action. What can I expect from this challenge? Is the Rat a good quality knife? I ask because I want to keep the trash talking to a minimum without knowing the quality of his knife.
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I would expect tears, smiles, laughs, good times turning into tough times, shivering, the nip of frostbite, and the horror of cuddling with a male friend in order to stave off hypothermia. :D

Seriously though, what's the nature of the challenge? Are you guys setting up a series of tasks that both of you will do with both knives? Or is it one guy and his knife against another guy and his knife? Is anything timed?

And the question on everyone's mind that I'm not afraid to ask: will there be a cage-match finale? :p

I agree that this thread should be about the knives with due respect to the OP. There's plenty of room in GB&U if someone wants to talk about Mike Stewart. No need in dragging it into every BRKT thread.
 
If you do a search on this forum you will find many threads asking which knife, the Bravo 1 vs RC-4 or Bravo 1 vs RC-3. I myself asked this same question when looking at the two. I'm sure in all of those threads you will find a lot of different opinions about each of the knives and what can be expected from each. While both are good knives and can be used for many of the same tasks, in my opinion they are two different knives and most will have a personal preference for one or the other.

Here is just a few of the differences: Steel, Blade grind, Handle shape, Handle feel (smooth vs coarse), blade coating, rust resistance, sheaths, price.

Bill
 
cody1 said:
You can buy Michael Jackson records and say it's about the way he taps his foot and sings. I'll still call him a pedophil and boycot. If your happy to give your money to any john jack or Joe than good for you. I think the ethical records of the people getting the money is of issue.
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Another person comparing Micheal Jackson to something TOTALLY unrelated. Child Molestation has nothing to do on any level with ANYTHING related to these 2 companies. I have 9 adopted brothers and sisters that were all taken from situations where terrible sexual things were done to them. This analogy pisses me off.

Every time a BRKT thread is brought up. :rolleyes:

Plenty of people have great experiances with BRKT(probably more then have negetive), as RAT. It has NOTHING to do with the topic matter.
 
I agree. Both are great knives and great companies. I just dont get all of the hype when it comes to knives.

They are different though and I love them both because they are different. And thats what makes us all knife knuts!
 
The Bravo-1 vs. RC-4 is a good comparison. They are similar knives- in terms of their intended functions, general size and shape. I have both, and have tested them side by side. They can both do the same job, but the Bravo-1 will do it more comfortably and efficiently. This is due to the Bravo's uncoated blade, convex profile, and more rounded handles. This comes at a cost- as the Bravo is a much more expensive knife.

The sheaths are equivalent- the Bravo's leather sheath is basically identical to the leather sheath available for the RC-4. The RC-4's kydex sheath is actually nicer than the one that ships with the Bravo.

I like the steel in the Bravo better than the RC-4, mostly because I've found A2 to be more corrosion resistant. They're both plenty tough, and they'll both hold a great edge.

In the end- there is no "better" knife between the two. It boils down to which you can prefer- and afford.
 
You'll go "Damn that's a lot of knife for less than half the price!"

Bravos are awesome knives, but RATs are no slouch. Don't be a Glock vs 1911 guy, give it a chance and you might end up with some RAT goodies!
 
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