Rat-3 vs F1

M

mjdukefan23

Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
98
I don't have any expensive knives and mainly use moras. Now i'm looking to buy a better knife but still pay less than 100 dollars. This will be my general hiking/backpacking and survival knife. Which do you Recommend and why?
 
Never had a RAT, but owned an F1 for a while. It's hard to beat for an overall woods knife that performs much bigger than it's size.
 
I'd vote the F1 simply because of steel. I own a RAT-3 and love it. Have one in D2 steel.
 
Fallkniven F1 110%, owned both, I gave away the RAT-3. Not a bad knife, just not a good comparison to the F1.
 
Hello...

The Rat 3 is a good knife,, However,, you can't compare it to a FI...

I own both, and would take the FI hands down...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
I really considered the F1, but I chose the RAT-3 (1095) because I like the micarta handles and smaller size. The handles on the RAT-3 is good for small/medium sized hands. If you have large hands, I'd go with the F1. Mike and Jeff of RAT also offer one of the best customer service in the business. I've seen some RAT-3s for sale on here and the other forum for about $50, great price. Both knives are great and you wouldn't regret getting either one.

rat-3.jpg
 
Oooh, tough call. I want both. I'd be inclined to say the F1, just because you've already got a workhorse and I'd pick the prettier knife of the two.

Plus, convex ground and VG-10. (But believe me, I've got nothing against carbon steel.)
 
Some of the Fallknivens are really thick. Before you step up to that level, have you tried the Mora 2000?
 
If you like a Mora, odds are you will love the F1 - unless you just plain don't like good knives. ;)

MRPink said the RAT-3 has a good handle for small/medium sized hands. Trust me when I say this: no-one has hands so small that the F1's handle would be uncomfortably large for them.

The F1 represents Scandinavian knife design, with the same mentality as the Mora, except just about a million times superior quality. It's a working knife, and a tough one, but still has a geometry that you can work with. The RAT represents the tactical knife style, with a pointless, huge choil on such a small knife, eating space and making precise cutting work difficult, and making the ergonomics of the knife that much worse. I would take the F1 without even considering the RAT. But that's just me - your mileage may greatly differ, although if you like the Moras, I don't see why it would.
 
Elen said:
If you like a Mora, odds are you will love the F1 - unless you just plain don't like good knives. ;)

MRPink said the RAT-3 has a good handle for small/medium sized hands. Trust me when I say this: no-one has hands so small that the F1's handle would be uncomfortably large for them.

The F1 represents Scandinavian knife design, with the same mentality as the Mora, except just about a million times superior quality. It's a working knife, and a tough one, but still has a geometry that you can work with. The RAT represents the tactical knife style, with a pointless, huge choil on such a small knife, eating space and making precise cutting work difficult, and making the ergonomics of the knife that much worse. I would take the F1 without even considering the RAT. But that's just me - your mileage may greatly differ, although if you like the Moras, I don't see why it would.
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I really like both knives, and I find that the huge choil makes precise cutting work easier. Although I would give the overall nod to the F1, I actually find the rat-3 a touch better for fine work. I also really love the H1.
 
I just bought an F1 for a friend a few weeks ago and a RAT-3 for myself as an EDC. If I only had one knife to choose, F1. I found the RAT-3 with stag horn handles @ DLT trading CO. and had to have it. I like the feel and look of the RAT-3 but I think the build and materials of the F1 are are second only to the S1.


Good Luck
 
bigbcustom said:
I really like both knives, and I find that the huge choil makes precise cutting work easier. Although I would give the overall nod to the F1, I actually find the rat-3 a touch better for fine work. I also really love the H1.
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Wow, that is odd. :eek: But tell me this: have you ever tried doing precise work with the RAT in cold weather for any extended period of time? Happy freezing your hands off on the metallic choil time... ;)
 
bigbcustom said:
I really like both knives, and I find that the huge choil makes precise cutting work easier. Although I would give the overall nod to the F1, I actually find the rat-3 a touch better for fine work. I also really love the H1.
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This is precisely why there are so many different knife styles. Even though I really like the rat I hate the choil and think it makes precise work harder. Between it and the f1 I have no idea, I think that is pesonal preference too. Chris
 
I dont know if the RAT is developed to be a "survival" knife. Even if so they are developed for two totally different scenarios. The F1 is made for "nature survival" where the elements are your enemy. It is also made for cold and arctic climate and to be easy to use when wet, cold and wearing gloves.
I guess the RAT is a tactical survival knife developed for warm and hot climate. there is too much bare metal on it for arctic use and it is not stainless.
I am allergic to big choils, what is the purpose of of it, to keep your finger in while doing fine work, right? Well if you use gloves you will moste likely make cuts in them.

If you are living and planning on "surviving" in the desert of prairie or any other dry place well, pick whatever knife you want. The environment will not affect your knife.
If you are to "survive" in hot and humid or cold and wet you might need a knife for that purpose. The F1 looks like it does for a reason.
The knife was developed to meet the needs from Sw AF as a survival knife. The only areas where a grounded swedish pilot might need to survive on his own (bad weather and too far from civilisation) is in the mountains in the north and most of them are above the arctic circle. It replaced a modified Mora knife introduced in the propeller era.
 
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