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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Rat Trap In My Hands
- Thread starter SKH
- Start date
Got my Rat Trap today! 
Is it everything everyone has said it is? I'll put it this way; opening the box it came in is the last work my Spyderco Military will ever see.
Okay, my initial impressions...
IMO, It is the perfect large EDC
First of all it's a really handsome knife. I know that's not a real priority for most people who carry knives like this but it should be said that the proportions and overall shape of the Rat Trap is very aesthetically pleasing. In contrast, I've always thought that my Spyderco Milie was butt ugly.
The action is smoother that any other liner lock I've ever opened. And, once locked in place, the blade is rock solid. I have used my Milie on a daily basis for several years and am completely confident in the reliability of a high quality liner lock.
The blade is awesome. I love how wide it is and how far up the grind starts. I also prefer how the distal taper doesn't start until quite close to the tip rather than the continual tang to tip distal taper of my Milie. It makes the blade seem more sturdy to me. I would calssify the Rat Trap as stupid sharp out of the box (or, in this case, out of the bag). Absolutely hair popping along it's entire length. The oval hole is just the right size too.
The G-10 scales offer a sandpaper like grip. It has much more texture than my Milie. My clip is powder coated and does have the Swamp Rat logo down it's length. The high position of the clip allows the knife to be carried in a pocket more concealed (by a large margin) than any other >3.5" bladed folder I have seen. In fact, it rides lower in my pocket than my CRKT small Point Guard with it's 2.5" blade. It's also extremely light and thin for it's size. Great design!
The only negative I've found has to do with the textured thumb rest on the tang of the blade (which can be seen on the pic in the above post). It sits completely flush with the scales and the grooves are too shallow to offer much purchase for my thumb. The design could be improved on by dipping the scales down a bit in that area and/or making larger textured grooves on the tang. It's not a big deal at all and doesn't take anything away from the overall useable design but I felt it worth mentioning.
All in all this is aother fantastic piece from Swamp Rat. I'm sure the Rat Trap will give me many, many years of tough service.
Is it everything everyone has said it is? I'll put it this way; opening the box it came in is the last work my Spyderco Military will ever see.
Okay, my initial impressions...
IMO, It is the perfect large EDC
First of all it's a really handsome knife. I know that's not a real priority for most people who carry knives like this but it should be said that the proportions and overall shape of the Rat Trap is very aesthetically pleasing. In contrast, I've always thought that my Spyderco Milie was butt ugly.
The action is smoother that any other liner lock I've ever opened. And, once locked in place, the blade is rock solid. I have used my Milie on a daily basis for several years and am completely confident in the reliability of a high quality liner lock.
The blade is awesome. I love how wide it is and how far up the grind starts. I also prefer how the distal taper doesn't start until quite close to the tip rather than the continual tang to tip distal taper of my Milie. It makes the blade seem more sturdy to me. I would calssify the Rat Trap as stupid sharp out of the box (or, in this case, out of the bag). Absolutely hair popping along it's entire length. The oval hole is just the right size too.
The G-10 scales offer a sandpaper like grip. It has much more texture than my Milie. My clip is powder coated and does have the Swamp Rat logo down it's length. The high position of the clip allows the knife to be carried in a pocket more concealed (by a large margin) than any other >3.5" bladed folder I have seen. In fact, it rides lower in my pocket than my CRKT small Point Guard with it's 2.5" blade. It's also extremely light and thin for it's size. Great design!
The only negative I've found has to do with the textured thumb rest on the tang of the blade (which can be seen on the pic in the above post). It sits completely flush with the scales and the grooves are too shallow to offer much purchase for my thumb. The design could be improved on by dipping the scales down a bit in that area and/or making larger textured grooves on the tang. It's not a big deal at all and doesn't take anything away from the overall useable design but I felt it worth mentioning.
All in all this is aother fantastic piece from Swamp Rat. I'm sure the Rat Trap will give me many, many years of tough service.
I got mine Wed. and carried it all day Thur. Used it for the first time to cut open a 40lb bag of dog food. It cut through the thick paper like it was cutting through butter. A few initial impressions. It is a large folder but sits low in your pocket. Light in weight comfortable to carry. It reminds me alot of the Bog Dog
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2002
- Messages
- 1,147
Got mine a couple of days ago... not too sure what I could add to the existing comments... I did wear it in the front pocket of my suit yesterday. Thought it is a large knife it is both flat and light enough to go unnoticed in very light weight pants. I walked around quite a bit and forgot I had it in my pocket... that is saying something!
I am also very impressed with fit and finish. The handles are thin yet grippy, the blade is large, sharp, and a very useful design.
Kudos to the Swamp!
I am also very impressed with fit and finish. The handles are thin yet grippy, the blade is large, sharp, and a very useful design.
Kudos to the Swamp!
Eric Isaacson
Pirate
- Joined
- Dec 19, 1999
- Messages
- 12,547
Mtnclimber69 said:
Great point. This is one of the things that I like the most about this knife, you forget you've even got it in your pocket until it is needed. It rides well, and goes unnoticed.
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2004
- Messages
- 2,711
frogfish said:Well #52 arrived in Kalifornia must have been some trouble with customs that caused the delay
Congrat's Froggie! I always thought Kalifornia was a whole different country! (Hey, watch it, I grew up there!)
So, give us your first impressions!!! What do you think?
