Ontario RAT-3 Makeover.

A

aarya

Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
514
I really liked my rat-3 knife, although i found it a bit too large for everyday carry, so in a half-sleeping state, i jotted down a plan onto paper.

After a good night's sleep, i decided to get grinding.
I also decided to snap a few pictures of the way the old knife looked.

After about an hour of grind time, came the handlemaking.
I decided on some scrap wood my dad had in his garage, and i think it might be merbau, but don`t quote me on that.
(My dad works in a factory making sliding glass doors, and they use merbau. I don`t support deforestation in any way.)
And after about two hours of carving the handles into shape, i fastened them with the old screws i kept from the rat-3.
End picture 1
End picture 2

I carved the handles with my trusty Victorinox camper, and haven`t treated the wood with anything just yet, as i did all the work just yesterday.
Also i need to make a small sheath for it, when i find enough leather for it. Or some other material i can use.

Comments, criticism? All welcome!
Yell at me if you think i`ve destroyed a good knife!
I don`t care much, as i like this knife alot more now, than i did in the past.

Thanks for reading! :D
 
:eek:

Your money, and your knife....But to be honest with you.....:barf:

As long as it works for you man....
 
Looks like a fun project.
I personally liked the old blade profile better, but I'm impressed with what you did.
I'd say your well on your way to making a knife if you ever decide to give it a try. I'm really impressed with how the handle shaping came out, considering you carved it by hand, that would be difficult.

What did you use to shape the blade? Did you make sure not to let it get hot?

If you need something to finish the handle with, I would recommend watco's danish oil, or birchwood casey Tru-Oil. Both are pretty easy to find. The tru-oil will probably be in the sporting goods section at wal mart since a lot of folks use it on gunstocks. I use danish oil on all my wood handles and have been real happy with it so far.
 
psycho: LOL! Not exactly the response i`d wish for, but i guess you`re right. It`s not everyones cup of tea.

But that must be why i`m having difficulty finding a knife i like nowadays, as i definately want a decent user, not a looker. And i have a few requirements that are hard to find in any knife.

Matt: It was a fun project.
Though i have to ask... Why did you like the old profile better?

To shape the blade i used an old bench-grinder, with somewhat crappy discs on it, so i had a bucket of water to dip it in after each pass. So i made absolutely sure that it wasn`t tempered beyond repair.

Thanks for the tip about the danish oil too, i`ll have a look around to see if i find any. Though with Norway having a lack of Walmart, i think my best bet would be a hardware store.
 
Ok......I'm with psycho78 regarding the end product but I'm curious as to the requirements you hint at.:confused:
 
I'll have to say that it's not the prettiest mod I've ever seen done to one of the RAT knives, but a big kudos to you aarya for doing it! It looks a lot better than my first knife, and if it meets your needs keep it up! And if you decide you want to make knives from scratch, spend some time in the Knifemakers forum here. There's a lot to read, but tons of great advice.
 
Larry: You asked about my requirements.. Well.. Good question, and i`m not completely sure yet myself.
But i do favor a thin blade, as opposed to a thick one, in regards to the spine. I want a knife, not an axe. :thumbup:
Also i like shorter blades, as they`re easier to carry. Sure, they can`t do the same amount of work as a 6 feet machete, but again. I want a knife, not a machete. :thumbup:
Along with the fact that i do alot of woodcarving and whittling, a shorter blade is easier to control than a long one.
The choil is a feature i really just don`t get, so i ground it off. I mean, why have a choil for you to "choke up" on the blade, when it`d be much easier to design the knife so the edge goes right down to the handle?
When it comes to the way the spine trails down to meet the edge... Well.. I just like it i think. I guess i`m more a fan of a sheepsfoot blade, than a bowie shaped blade.
I think that might come down to again a utilitarian thing, aswell as a whittling thing.
I want a knife, not a prybar. :thumbup:

Matthew: Thanks.. :p Hehe..

Landar: I know it ain`t pretty, but then, i didn`t mean to make a pretty one either. It`s a user, not a looker. Sure enough, users can be lookers, but not with the tools i have to help myself with.
(As with all decent craftspeople, if the end-product sucks, blame the tools :D )
And i sure will spend some time in the Knifemakers forum, as i need some pointers on hardening. (The last time i hardened a knife, it melted. I think it might`ve gotten a bit too hot. :cool: )
 
Apologies for being so harsh, but those are just my opinions and tastes. If it works for you, great.

I do have a suggestion though.... Instead of modifying great knives like the RAT 3, why not get your feet wet and get yourself some tool steel and make your own little fixed blades?

Your skill at profiling blades, shaping and affixing handles is apparent. Making your own knives doesn't get that much more difficult.
 
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