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- Jul 12, 2006
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Wath are your experiences with the RAT folder.
I carry it for a month as EDC and like it a lot.
Cor.
I carry it for a month as EDC and like it a lot.
Cor.
-
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Ontario RAT folder
- Thread starter Cornelis Böhms
- Start date
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- Jul 12, 2006
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- 224
Thanks,
I wonder why the knife seems to be not that populair, while all
the people who use it are satisfied.
Cor
I wonder why the knife seems to be not that populair, while all
the people who use it are satisfied.
Cor
Another owner here
If it wasn't for the forums, I probably wouldn't have even heard about it. In fact, I actually ran into a review of it in either Blade or Tactical Knives when I was "cruisin"
I would agree that it's a sleeper - I think I paid around $100 CDN for it and I think it represents excellent value for the money. I bought it blind and was very surprised at how well made it was. I don't use it per se as an EDC, but it sits in my Maxpedition Fatboy with my SERE 2K and Buck/Strider
- gord
If it wasn't for the forums, I probably wouldn't have even heard about it. In fact, I actually ran into a review of it in either Blade or Tactical Knives when I was "cruisin" I would agree that it's a sleeper - I think I paid around $100 CDN for it and I think it represents excellent value for the money. I bought it blind and was very surprised at how well made it was. I don't use it per se as an EDC, but it sits in my Maxpedition Fatboy with my SERE 2K and Buck/Strider - gord
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mafeya said:
Im also interested in how thick the liners are.
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- Jul 12, 2006
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razorsdescent said:Im also interested in how thick the liners are.
I have nu ruler in inches ( just in centimeters ) but I estimate 1/16.
The knife locks up sharp and very solid with no blade play in any direction.
Cor.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
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- 75
I have one but quit carrying it. The handle is too narrow and too slipperyfor a good grip while opening and, I won't carry a folder I can't open with either hand. But, a good quality knife at a good price.
Mr. Wilson
Mr. Wilson
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- Jul 12, 2006
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Mr. Wilson said:
Too narrow???!
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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Each of us has a hand of different size and shape, and different comfort requirements in a grip. That's why, for any well-liked knife, there is at least someone who wonders why it doesn't fit his hand.
Not a problem. Just another reason to appreciate the variety.
Not a problem. Just another reason to appreciate the variety.
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Esav Benyamin said:
Thank you for your words, but do you know how big the handle on the RAT folder is ?
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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Never having held one, I couldn't say.
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Esav Benyamin said:
All right.
Cor.
Just grabbed mine out of my Fatboy.
Handle length - 5 inches
Depth is about an inch the front part of the choil is about 1 1/16 with the blade out. With the blade closed, overall depth is in the area of 1 1/4 inches.
Width is about 1/2 inch.
Sorry I couldn't be closer - just using my desk ruler
As an aside - it has the phospor bronze washers. The thumbstud is also reversable for us lefties or strong lefties, but the indent on the G-10 is not as shallow. I had to increase the indent a bit to make it easier, but only on the G-10 - I didn't want to touch the liner. It's also flat ground/AUS8 I'm one that doesn't mind AUS8 - it sharpens up easily and quickly and covers my needs quite well - but I'm not overly hard on my stuff either
As Mr. Wilson mentioned, it is a bit slippery - I have very dry hands and our climate here tends to be on the dry side, so this may be an issue to some. A simple comparison point - it's closer to the feel of a CRKT - M16 that has the gray aluminum handle (I have the M16-03K/EDC), and compared to a SERE 2K, its actually quite a bit smoother. This does require a bit more concerted effort to open and not good if you need it in a hurry. The way the choil is set up pretty well forces you to put your thumb on the thumb ramp when you make a regular cut. If you have slightly larger hands, it's going to make the handle roughly an inch shorter, so it could tougher to get a "fistful" of knife like on the SERE 2K. It definitely does feel smaller with goves one - I was using it for gardening with my GLC gloves which are quite tight fitting, and it felt a lot smaller than my SERE - still worked OK for me, though.
Interestingly, the RAT 1 handle is actually about a 1/2 inch longer (give or take ) than the SERE 2K handle now that I'm comparing the two in front of me. BUT the choil is also deep enough that if you are going to be poking or poking/prying, there's not that much chance of your hand slipping on to the blade either. When I first opened the knife after I got it, the first thing I did notice, was that the top edge of the blade ramped up to a point higher than the handle - most folders tend to follow the handle in a straight line - the back part where the thumb ramp is rises up instead of being flat. I haven't used mine all that much, but what I did notice, was that when I make a cut, I don't need as much angle when I put my thumb on the ramp (I hope that makes sense.....).
Bottom line - pick one up and touch/feel/fondle if you can. It ran about $100 CDN up here and for me, it represented an excellent value for the dollar. I couldnt' bring myself to beating up my SERE 2K so I bought this one to use as one of my larger blade beaters - it cost me roughly 1/3 of the SERE 2K.
Edited to add - sorry for the extra here - on the handle width - just grabbed my Endura 4 and the RAT 1 is maybe 1/16 of an inch wider (just eyeballing). Also noticed that my Spydies have that ramp to accomodate the Spydie hole - maybe that's why I like my Spydies so much.
Hope this helps - gord
Handle length - 5 inches
Depth is about an inch the front part of the choil is about 1 1/16 with the blade out. With the blade closed, overall depth is in the area of 1 1/4 inches.
Width is about 1/2 inch.
Sorry I couldn't be closer - just using my desk ruler
As an aside - it has the phospor bronze washers. The thumbstud is also reversable for us lefties or strong lefties, but the indent on the G-10 is not as shallow. I had to increase the indent a bit to make it easier, but only on the G-10 - I didn't want to touch the liner. It's also flat ground/AUS8
I'm one that doesn't mind AUS8 - it sharpens up easily and quickly and covers my needs quite well - but I'm not overly hard on my stuff either As Mr. Wilson mentioned, it is a bit slippery - I have very dry hands and our climate here tends to be on the dry side, so this may be an issue to some. A simple comparison point - it's closer to the feel of a CRKT - M16 that has the gray aluminum handle (I have the M16-03K/EDC), and compared to a SERE 2K, its actually quite a bit smoother. This does require a bit more concerted effort to open and not good if you need it in a hurry. The way the choil is set up pretty well forces you to put your thumb on the thumb ramp when you make a regular cut. If you have slightly larger hands, it's going to make the handle roughly an inch shorter, so it could tougher to get a "fistful" of knife like on the SERE 2K. It definitely does feel smaller with goves one - I was using it for gardening with my GLC gloves which are quite tight fitting, and it felt a lot smaller than my SERE - still worked OK for me, though.
Interestingly, the RAT 1 handle is actually about a 1/2 inch longer (give or take
) than the SERE 2K handle now that I'm comparing the two in front of me. BUT the choil is also deep enough that if you are going to be poking or poking/prying, there's not that much chance of your hand slipping on to the blade either. When I first opened the knife after I got it, the first thing I did notice, was that the top edge of the blade ramped up to a point higher than the handle - most folders tend to follow the handle in a straight line - the back part where the thumb ramp is rises up instead of being flat. I haven't used mine all that much, but what I did notice, was that when I make a cut, I don't need as much angle when I put my thumb on the ramp (I hope that makes sense.....).Bottom line - pick one up and touch/feel/fondle if you can. It ran about $100 CDN up here and for me, it represented an excellent value for the dollar. I couldnt' bring myself to beating up my SERE 2K so I bought this one to use as one of my larger blade beaters - it cost me roughly 1/3 of the SERE 2K.
Edited to add - sorry for the extra here - on the handle width - just grabbed my Endura 4 and the RAT 1 is maybe 1/16 of an inch wider (just eyeballing). Also noticed that my Spydies have that ramp to accomodate the Spydie hole - maybe that's why I like my Spydies so much.
Hope this helps - gord
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Here is a pic of my R1 next to my Millie. Maybe the pic will help. The Rat 1 is an excellent folder I highly recommend it.
I have it from the maker they are Nylon 6, an Asian variant of Zytel with more glass than American FRG (inferring they may be tougher and cold form less.) As for slick, I too have not handled one, but compared to the (late and unlamented) checkered FRN on my Buck/Strider, grip can be too much of a good thing.
Esav Benyamin
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Hey, I like that Brick Strider grip!
I gotta say, this has turned into a really great thread. The comparison picture of the Millie and the Rat was very nice. I hadn't visualized the true size of the Rat until I saw that.
I gotta say, this has turned into a really great thread. The comparison picture of the Millie and the Rat was very nice. I hadn't visualized the true size of the Rat until I saw that.
Esav Benyamin
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Stealth, my boy! Sneaking up on ninjas in a darkened mall!Boats said:
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Boats said:
I don't care for blade coatings at all, but on a carbon steel blade I can at least understand why it is there. The only reason I can see for it being there on a stainless blade is to eliminate light reflection. I'm not planning on going on any deanimation exercises, so this feature means nothing to me.