R.A.T.
Randall's Adventure & Training
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2004
- Messages
- 10,400
It seems like every day there is a new question in one of the threads asking when something is going to be ready to ship, or whether we are going to build a particular new model. So, I'm making a sticky thread here so we can update production issues. If anyone asks a questions that is being answered here, then please just respond to them with a link to this thread.
So...here goes....
1) We just approved the OD powder so OD knives with orange G10 handles should be going through the powder coating process within the next two weeks, then shipping to dealers/ distributors a week or so after that.
2) Izula neck knives are waiting on molded sheathing. Shon is building the tooling for the injection molder. We do not have a firm timeline on shipping or pricing at this time. Izulas will be offered in black, OD, desert tan and tactical pink. And you don't have any balls unless you're man enough to carry a tactical pink Izula!
As a side note to this, RAT will be introducing their own Ferrocerium fire steel that will be shipped with the Izula sheath and also be sold separately.
3) RC-6 knives have been a real bastard trying to get released. We're hoping in the next 3-4 weeks we will be doing some initial shipments. NO PROMISES. The reason for this is we have so many RC-3 and RC-4 orders that we're trying to get out right now that we keep putting the RC-6 on the back burner. They are going through the production process but understand that we are not a mass production facility. If we switch over to RC-6 knives right now and drop RC-3 and RC-4 production then orders are going to get way behind. Please bear with us. Nylon sheathing for the RC-6 is another issue all in itself. Will get into that more when we get closer to releasing the RC-6 with molded sheath. (BladeTech molded sheaths are ready to ship now). Any contest winner that won a RC-6 will be shipped before any other orders.
4) RC-5 knives are in the same boat as RC-6 knives right now, only further out. Mike is working with Eagle on sheathing for the RC-5.
6) We had mentioned that we may do the RC-3 and RC-4 knives in VG-10. Cancel that. VG-10 is almost impossible to get into this country from Japan. We thought we had a source on it but found out we were wrong. The bottom line is the Japanese want to do a finished blade for export and we're not willing to do that, so if we do a stainless model then it will be a more common stainless steel. There are no timelines yet on releasing any type of a stainless steel knife.
7) Today, we are officially announcing the formal collaboration with world-renowned traveler and survivalist Robert Young Pelton on a venture we are calling DPX Gear. Our first product will be a small survival knife designed by Pelton and RAT Cutlery. Pelton will be at the 2009 SHOT show with us in Orlando to kick off this project, as well as signing his best selling book "The World's Most Dangerous Places." For more on this venture and Robert Pelton, visit http://www.ratcutlery.com/dpxgear.htm Rowen Manufacturing it working on prototypes now for Pelton to carry with him to Iraq and Afghanistan in the next few weeks.
8) Our folding knife project is way on the back burner until we get the pipeline filled with the current models mentioned above.
We will do our best to keep this thread updated with current information. We are going to leave this thread open for discussion but reserve the right to delete posts to keep the thread compact and easily readable by those wanting current information. So, feel free to post to it but don't get your feelings hurt if we delete posts every so often to make the thread smaller.
I think that should cover everything for right now. Will post more when we have updates. I will also email Shon and ask him to read over this and add any production schedule changes that he may see.
Jeff
So...here goes....
1) We just approved the OD powder so OD knives with orange G10 handles should be going through the powder coating process within the next two weeks, then shipping to dealers/ distributors a week or so after that.
2) Izula neck knives are waiting on molded sheathing. Shon is building the tooling for the injection molder. We do not have a firm timeline on shipping or pricing at this time. Izulas will be offered in black, OD, desert tan and tactical pink. And you don't have any balls unless you're man enough to carry a tactical pink Izula!
As a side note to this, RAT will be introducing their own Ferrocerium fire steel that will be shipped with the Izula sheath and also be sold separately.3) RC-6 knives have been a real bastard trying to get released. We're hoping in the next 3-4 weeks we will be doing some initial shipments. NO PROMISES. The reason for this is we have so many RC-3 and RC-4 orders that we're trying to get out right now that we keep putting the RC-6 on the back burner. They are going through the production process but understand that we are not a mass production facility. If we switch over to RC-6 knives right now and drop RC-3 and RC-4 production then orders are going to get way behind. Please bear with us. Nylon sheathing for the RC-6 is another issue all in itself. Will get into that more when we get closer to releasing the RC-6 with molded sheath. (BladeTech molded sheaths are ready to ship now). Any contest winner that won a RC-6 will be shipped before any other orders.
4) RC-5 knives are in the same boat as RC-6 knives right now, only further out. Mike is working with Eagle on sheathing for the RC-5.
6) We had mentioned that we may do the RC-3 and RC-4 knives in VG-10. Cancel that. VG-10 is almost impossible to get into this country from Japan. We thought we had a source on it but found out we were wrong. The bottom line is the Japanese want to do a finished blade for export and we're not willing to do that, so if we do a stainless model then it will be a more common stainless steel. There are no timelines yet on releasing any type of a stainless steel knife.
7) Today, we are officially announcing the formal collaboration with world-renowned traveler and survivalist Robert Young Pelton on a venture we are calling DPX Gear. Our first product will be a small survival knife designed by Pelton and RAT Cutlery. Pelton will be at the 2009 SHOT show with us in Orlando to kick off this project, as well as signing his best selling book "The World's Most Dangerous Places." For more on this venture and Robert Pelton, visit http://www.ratcutlery.com/dpxgear.htm Rowen Manufacturing it working on prototypes now for Pelton to carry with him to Iraq and Afghanistan in the next few weeks.
8) Our folding knife project is way on the back burner until we get the pipeline filled with the current models mentioned above.
We will do our best to keep this thread updated with current information. We are going to leave this thread open for discussion but reserve the right to delete posts to keep the thread compact and easily readable by those wanting current information. So, feel free to post to it but don't get your feelings hurt if we delete posts every so often to make the thread smaller.
I think that should cover everything for right now. Will post more when we have updates. I will also email Shon and ask him to read over this and add any production schedule changes that he may see.
Jeff
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I can almost smell the stress through the monitor!
