My new RTAKII

[JTmisterknifeguy]

Let us know when you post the videos up, I'd like to see the reviews myself.

I heartily second that! I've heard that few can out chop an rtak2, (Esse, busse, some customs, scrapyards, swamp rats, Danish Viking axes, lightsabers...)
And many Beckerheads report that the bk9 may NOT always win a chopping match, but that it can do so many things well, not just slay deadfall...I'd favorite THAT video.

 

[Charlie_K]

Hmmmm,
It wasn't "perfection" per se that I was expecting, but for an $80-$90 knife, that has been touted as one of the best/better woods blades out there, I expected it to be a little more comfortable. It seriously almost felt unfinished to me....
And as for swapping out scales.... I now wish I'd have hung on to it and at least sanded it down a bit. But the thought of dropping down $ for "custom" scales makes my bank account shriek with terror. As I've said elsewhere(other threads), I get probably less than $0.42 per year to spend on my terminal blade addiction...(read here, "woe is me") putting a spouse through med school while raising a one year old will put a vise on "rediculous boyish hobbies" like buying or modding awesome knives.
But don't think for a second that I don't think the knife isn't amazing. I'm just thinking that if the handle wasn't so blocky to begin with, I wouldn't have been so quick to part with it. I'm also a fan of the crinkle finish, seems quite tough!
Back again to the OP, you got a heck of a knife man! But you already knew that.

Sorry to hear about that.

But if another RTAK-II ever finds its way across your path, and the scales bother you again, you could always try an old hickory pickaxe handle for scale material for a custom fit.

 

[JTmisterknifeguy]

Sorry to hear about that.

But if another RTAK-II ever finds its way across your path, and the scales bother you again, you could always try an old hickory pickaxe handle for scale material for a custom fit.

I would do that in a heartbeat!!
I find that my Bk9 has one of if not THE most comfortable grips I've ever felt on a large knife, even bearing out a couple custom knives I have.
That being said, the Rtak had a heft that was impressive to say the least. I've never held a knife that wasn't a Khukri that felt so capable of all out chopping/cutting.
The bummer for me is that the price of them has gone up in the last year, and scratch is really hard to cone by. I'll probably have to part with some more of my vintage (read "carbon V") Cold Steel to come up with enough to replace it...

I like the idea of doing a take on the Rtak/Junglass out of 5160 stock, 1/4" thick, 12" blade length, giving it a straight spine, a flat grind, and a simple belly/point transition.....
Till I get the $2,500-$3,000 worth of tools and a shop to put them in, I'll have to yearn and save for the closest production model of my dream knife. The Rtak II, or maybe even a used Junglass. :-/