patrol machete or RTAK

T

tobym

Joined
Dec 27, 2001
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im looking at either the becker patrol machete or the upcoming ontario RTAK for my next knife. my usage would be a combination of bushwhacking and camp chores in wilderness areas. plus it will serve as a survival knife if the need arises as well.

any comments on either knife?
 
I got to handle the Ontario RTAK at the SHOT show and I am not too crazy about it. It seems much heavier and has a HUUUUUGE handle. I have really large hands and could not really get my mitts on it. I really like my PM and would take it hands down.
 
They are different knives really.

I do own a Patrol Machete, and it is indeed a mid-sized machete, 14" blade. Not a big heavy one either (I have a big overly heavy, poorly ground 22" Ontario machete that qualifies as very heavy, which isn't good for carrying but is decent for chopping on wood only because of the mass, not because of the poor blade grind, less so for brush. I need to reprofile it on a belt sander.)

Livesay's site is temporarily down due to "excessive bandwidth comsumption" on Tripod :rolleyes:, so I couldn't find the specs, but the pics make the RTAK look to be about 10" blade length.

6" is a big difference, and to me, these knives are pretty different.

One is a machete designed for light-to-mid chopping, clearing of brush, general bushwacking. The other is a big camp knife designed for big knife utility chores.

Either looks to be a good value. (I have medium sized hands, so I'll take the preceding comments as making the RTAK pretty big for my hands also).

I.e., you wouldn't use a PM to slice up veggies or meat normally, or shave kindling (fat point, recurved blade, pretty darned long for such tasks).

I also wouldn't ordinarily use the RTAK for hacking through weeds or brush, it isn't really long enough to be optimally effective at such tasks, nor is it recurved.

I think you can make your decision based on intended use, not on quality or price.

A better comparison would be between the RTAK and the Becker Brute. Again, either looks to be well designed and a good value, but proof is in the goods-in-hand to evaluate the grind, balance, handle, performance.

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Here's a thread that says the Livesay (not Ontario) RTAK is between 10" and 10-3/4" depending on how you measure:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=89643&highlight=ontario+RTAK
 
The RTAK on the Ontario table at shot seemed a LOT bigger that 10" . . . I did not take a ruler to it but it seemed AT LEAST 12-14 inches . . . if not more! Don't know the specs so this is just a visual comparison between their RTAK version and the 18" Ontarios on the table with it.
 
I have a Patrol Machete and a Brute. They are both tremendous tools. The Brute is nigh on indestructible under anything resembling normal abuse. The PM is lighter and yet it serves really well either cutting light grasses and whippy green vegetation as well as chopping hard wood branches, IME. I've found the PM to be a particularly useful tool in the woods/swamps of SE NC.

I have no experience with the RTAK so I can't comment on it.
 
I've owned several of the BK&T line and also the Livesay RTAK. My loadout for extended patrols is the RTAK mounted to my ruck and I'm switching to the BK-7 for my belt knife. The RTAK is an awesome design. Not as unweildy as it would seem. I'm not sure how Ontario's interpretation is but Jeff Randall, who designed it with Newt, seems very happy with it. You can also count on just about anything the Ethan Becker puts his hands on. I think it will come down to the simple desicion of getting the most use from one design. Will you be wanting to primarily bushwhack, or primarily perform camp chores? The Patrol Machete will give you more full on chopping power but less manageability as a camp knife. The converse can be said for the RTAK but it is still not a 3" bladed utility knife as far as camp chores go. I would tell you to pick which ever one suits your fancy more. Both are quality built. Then choose a good 4-7" smaller knife to get the chores done.
Doc
 
This is coming from the guy that highly believes in the RTAK :D

The Patrol Machete is without doubt the best machete I have put in my hands. Ethan, Will, and team knew what they were doing when they designed it. Sure we have a lot of resident experts here that have never actually used a machete outside their backyard and would like to physics and science any blade to death, but Ethan, Will, Wallace, and the whole Camillus/Becker team has been there, done that. Will even sent me a drawing before they were produced and I told him that I thought they had a winner.

As I have ALWAYS said if I could only have one blade to survive on it would be a machete. The RTAK is a slightly different beast than a full size machete. The RTAK is a trail knife. A compromise between a machete and smaller sheath blade.

Guys, I love both blades and as Doc said it comes down to what you will be doing with the blade most of the time. As far as which one is better, I don't believe that even enters into the subject here since it's comparing apples to oranges. Sure, my name is on the RTAK, but you will never hear a word out of my mouth trying to beat down anything Becker has produced. I've used them all and still highly recommend Becker's line. Will the RTAK be in my Becker Patrol Pack on the next trip to Peru? You bet. Will the Patrol Machete be there? Damn right. I took both of them on the last trip and will do it again.

Ethan and I talked and laughed a little about this friendly competition at SHOT. Bottom line is Ethan and I are very good friends and he is probably one of the most honorable men I know. You can bet on one thing for sure: our "competition," if you want to call it that, will never come between our friendship. We both know what type of cutlery is needed in the field in the places we go and do. It's not about the money or name to either of us. It's all about producing and designing something that works.

Would I bet my life on the Patrol Machete? Yep, anytime.

Jeff
 
I get back in town and see my friend Jeff Randall here on the CAMILLUS forum! Good to have you in here Jeff!

Tobym,
From the uses outlined in your post, I think the RTAK probally would fill your needs better than the PM, ....if you have to only have ONE knife. The RTAK is going to fill the need of a camp knife much better than the machete ever could, and yet still do a credible job as a 'short' machete. THe RTAK, with it broad blade from relatively thin stock is going to slice like crazy. The PM, with its 14" recurved edge, is not going to be your first choice for slicing table fare.

If you could expand your choices to 2 knives, I think the Patrol Machete and a smaller belt knife, like Jeff's LASER STRIKE, would be an ideal combination.

The good new is that you have some good knives to pic from! Ihink you just need to think about what you are REALLY going to use them for when you decide to buy.

Thanks for the interest!
 
Thanks Will,

It's good to see there can be both "competition" and integrity and friendship within the knife business.

We're just interested in producing a product that the consumer can count on and will work when they need it...it's not about numbers. I believe Camillus and Becker are the same way.

So if Ethan comes out with a blade similar to the RTAK, it merely offers the consumer another choice plus I can run around the SHOT show and accuse ya'll of copying my design :D

Take care amigo,

Jeff
 
hey tobym

I am not sure what I can add here, but....I finally got my hands on an RTAK at the SHOT Show and was very favorably impressed---Jeff really has a winner. IMO the 9 t0 10 inch blade is the longest you want on a belt (my machete goes on the pack or on the Gator if I am around my bamboo patch. There are relatively few 10 inchers I really find usefull and I am quite certain that RTAK will be one... I like the big handleand it's feel tells me I can WORK this blade a long,long time without blisters or pain---the edge profile is right--the balance is right and Jeff KNOWS what works. This is an honest working blade at an honest pric from an honest guy. If I gotta have competition Jeff is OK...well,maybe better than OK..

ALL BEST....
Ethan Becker
 
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