RAT-5 or Ranger RD6?

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sketchbag

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http://www.ontariorat.com/rat-5.htm
http://www.rangerknives.com/Knives/index.html
(I know the RD4 might be a more equal comparison, but this is my selection.)

Ive heard ontario's heat treatment isnt very consistent, but that they have special quality control for the rat knives.

Ive also read a lot of people complaining about the Ranger knives grinds being very blunt out of the box, and not always perfectly even. And I get the impression the finish isnt as durable.

Between 5160 and 1095, which holds an edge better?

Which comes with a better sheath? They both look very similar.

In your experience does the thicker 1/4" blade of the ranger inhibit more delicate cutting (kitchen or fine wood work)?

thanks :thumbup:
 
About more or less uneven grinds, they're certainly a problem in many knives, even quite top end ones, especially ones that are ground by hand. It doesn't necessarily affect performance at all, unless it's really messed up.

My RD7, upon careful examination, has a slightly uneven grind at the clip point, but it does not affect performance. It had a decent working edge out of the box, though it certainly wouldn't shave. Very good edge for chopping into things, though. The finish seems to be extremely durable. Some people, however, have reported issues of the coating flaking off too easily. This only seems to be a problem with some knives, but the warranty does cover coating problems, too.

About edge holding, I can't say there's a vast difference either way. I suppose 1095 at higher hardness would hold an edge much better in cutting things, but people tend to leave 1095 at relatively low hardness, too. 5160 is much tougher than 1095, and will hold the edge longer if you use the knife to beat on things, like chopping.

The sheaths seem to be about the same, which is at best decent. They do work, but they're not pretty.

The Ranger RDs have a thick blade. A very thick blade. It's like a tank. It certainly is not for delicate cutting tasks, but works wonders for hard use. I wouldn't use them in the kitchen or for fine wood work if I had a smaller knife (a puukko, preferably) with me. If you're going to use the thing in the kitchen for some reason, ask Justin to thin the blade out for you. On the other hand, the Ontarios aren't exactly ideal for kitchen or fine wood work, either. There are much better and cheaper knives for those tasks.

But which would I personally go with? The Ranger. Very tough knives, reasonable prices, a great warranty and great customer service. The RATs just aren't as tough and durable as the Ranger RDs. And the fun part is, it's easy to get a customized Ranger. Many people ask for a satin finish, for example.
 
Very interesting subject. There have been a lot of opinions about which one to get.

Better sheath = Ontario
Longer sharpness = Ranger (didn't notice it, but the steel(edge) should hold up longer when chopping)
Slice-ablility= Ontario
Coating on some RD knives does come off in flakes sometime. But who cares? Just take care of your blade, and it's fine. Same for the Ontario knives: the coating will wear off eventually.

If you need a Armoured humvee= Ontario RAT
If you need a M1 Abrahams=Ranger RD

Both are great knives. Don't forget the RD is heavy compared to the RAT-5!

CZ
 
You would find the RAT more useful for most of the chores you would generally call upon a knife to handle. The 3/16" thickness of the RAT already makes it quite thick - thicker in fact than it needs to be. The 5" length is at the top of what would be most generally useful and handy. Weight is another issue - again this piece is at the top of the range of something you would want to carry around on your next hike or camping trip.

I mean it depends on what kind of tool you're looking for.
 
Can anyone comment on the quality control of the RAT knives?

Rat is what I'm leaning towards, mostly because I dont intend to use it for a lot of high impact chopping
 
I own an RD7 and never had a problem, that and a SAK is all one needs for a good camping/backpacking trip. Chops/splits like a dream, hammers well, digs well...never have I been disappointed. Sheath could be better, have had the knife slip out once or twice. But for the great price/value of the knife I consider the sheath a "freebie". I was in the same quandary between the ontario, ranger, and swamp rats - went for the Ranger for price, durability, usability. Justin is also great with customer service and has been nothing but a pleasure to work with.
 
I received a TAK1 a few months back. I was looking for a camp knife that didn't break the bank. Here are my impressions:
Pros:
Stout blade, great micarta handle, inexpensive, quality steel
Cons:
Uneven grind and uneven edge, not very sharp upon arrival, so-so sheath, choil is too shallow

I have put a lot of work into evening out the edge near the tip where the uneven edge was most visible. I am also thinning the edge a bit to make it a better slicer. That said, it was a good price on what I believe will make a great knife when I am done working on it. Future plans include stripping the phosphate finish since it's already wearing off and I don't put my knives away wet, and getting a sheath fron OnScene Tactical.
 
sketchbag said:
http://www.ontariorat.com/rat-5.htm
http://www.rangerknives.com/Knives/index.html
(I know the RD4 might be a more equal comparison, but this is my selection.)

Ive heard ontario's heat treatment isnt very consistent, but that they have special quality control for the rat knives.

Ive also read a lot of people complaining about the Ranger knives grinds being very blunt out of the box, and not always perfectly even. And I get the impression the finish isnt as durable.

Between 5160 and 1095, which holds an edge better?

Which comes with a better sheath? They both look very similar.

In your experience does the thicker 1/4" blade of the ranger inhibit more delicate cutting (kitchen or fine wood work)?

thanks :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Ask Justin for a 3/16th RD-6. It has no extra charge and my RD-4 is sharper than a razor. Ranger Knives all the way!:thumbup:
 
But at 3/16" you lose the weight that helps for chopping, and some of the strength that makes Rangers the choice for indestructible and affordable. For general purpose tasks, the RAT-5 is noticeably handier with the shorter blade, slices better, and I've bashed the living hell out of mine with no ill effects. The finish is much more durable, too.

If you want a reasonably handy 1/4" abuse knife, the RD6 is hard to beat, but it's going to take some work to rebevel the edge to make it cut comparably to the RAT.

The RAT sheath is superior because the retaining strap holds the narrow part of the handle, and retains the knife securely. Even Justin's newer sheaths with the changed strap location aren't as secure as the RATs, and I prefer the RAT's metal snap over the Ranger's velcro. I replaced the factory insert from my RAT-7 sheath with my own insert made from kydex, so it fits my RD6.

I'm working on my RD6, rebeveling the edge and contouring the handle. It may replace my RAT-5 as my general purpose woods knife, but only because it's in the indestructible class, not because it performs better as "a knife". For emergency purposes (my most likely need), indestructible wins.

Love 'em both. :D
 
the sheath for my RD9 didnt secure the knife that good at all. With a couple easy mods, it works great now. Fist, I re-sewed the strap higher on the sheath were it wraps around the narrow curve of the handle versus the widest part of the handle . Use nylon thread and sew a simple box stich with an x in the middle (very strong). Second , on the sheath insert, I put a few dimpled indentations along the length of the insert, by heating up thumb size spots with a lighter then push in dimples with thumb. Insert knife to fit wile dimple is stil warm. Knife is now secure with no rattling.
 
Well, I just cant make up my mind.

RAT pros: better sheath, handle, price
cons: ontario's suspect heat treatment + inferior customer service

RD pros: quality, get to deal directly with justin
cons: less durable finish
 
sketch, if you are don't like the thought of the finish flaking off the Ranger, have Justin make it for you with a satin finish (I think that's like 15-20 bucks more) or a mirror finish.

Anyway, I don't think Rangers are supposed to stay pretty. What fun would that be?
 
That sure is true! Put it thorugh hell and back and the Rd-6 will still ask for more. Get and RD-6... you know you want to.....
 
Got a question for you Ranger owners. How do you feel about the handle? the pommel sticks out quite a bit.
 
with my RD7 the handle is comfortable bare-handed and with leather gloves. good hold for chopping, never got blistering, never lost the knife mid-swing. pommel is good for hammering or being hammered.
 
I just jumped on an Ontario TAK 1095 part serrated, would have preferred plain edge, but at $33+shipping I cant complain.

I guess I'll have to get an RD7 now...
 
Go for the Ranger. You can put it through anything you'd like and if it fails Justin will fix or replace it. A guy who is as friendly as Justin and stands behind his workmanship like that for life is worth dealing with in my opinion.
 
Which tip design is better suited for camping chores, the RAT's drop point, or RD's shallow clip point?

The drop point looks like it would be better for batoning and slicing. I'm thinking of getting a RD with this style of tip.
 
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