Rc-6 / rc-5

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SightsOnTarget

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Nov 2, 2009
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Is the RC-6 really that much better than the RC-5? I'm looking to get a larger knife and am contemplating between the two. It will be kept with the rest of my gear (bugout bag) in my car, and I am typically in an urban area about 90% of the time. The knife will be used when I go camping as well. I hear so much about the RC-6 and little about the RC-5. Is the RC-5 really that much overweight? Too thick to complete certain tasks? Not long enough? Help me out here with my decision.

A little history- I bought my one and only Rat Cutlery knife a little over a year ago (an RC-3MIL) and absolutely love it. It's a great little fixed blade and I am very impressed with their products.
 
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personally I prefer the RC5 over the RC6, it is built like a tank but I am used to carrying .25 thick blades. That said the one area I would like to see the RC5 touched up on (personal preference) would be the low saber grind, they could bring that up a bit and thin the edge out. I guess what I am saying is because of that the 6 is a better cutter/slicer but I still like the 5.....
 
I know the RC5 was design geared towards a certain Group of folks but for the average wood bum,If the RC5 was Convex and without sharpened pommel,it would be awesome woods knife....
it has been well documented how I love my RC6, even with the mods done( I mentioned above) to the RC5 I more than likely tote my RC6 over the 5 just due to the weight factor.
 
I have both knives and theya re both GREAT.

The RC5 will perform any task the RC6 will and vice versa. To me the weight issue is not a problem.

The amount of cutting edge on both knives is nearly identical. The RC5 lacks the choil on the RC6. Personaly I'm neutral on the choil I can take em or leave em. My RAT's are the only knives I own with choils.

The weight of the RC5 does make it a little harder to use when doing fine work, but you get used to it with practice.

The RC5 is not as good of a slicer as the RC6 due to edge geometry differences.

I convexed the edges on both of mine which helps a lot.

So it comes down to identifying what you want in a camp knife/ survival knife. If you want bombproof, overbuilt, use it for a prybar take all sorts of abuse and keep on tikin. Get the RC5. If you want more of a civilized camp knife, that works well in the kitchen, but can baton wood etc. Then get the RC6.

They both will work and excel in different areas.
 
texastonydobbs said:
I know the RC5 was design geared towards a certain Group of folks .
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That's true, and for you and those who know me, know that I am not the type they designed it for:D . However.... That knife is staple on my pack. I have total confidence in it to handle anything I throw at it. I love how it blows apart wood when battoning. It cut well Out of the box, but ever since I thinned and convexed she slices and whittles great. Of course I still reach for my belt knife for most cutting tasks, but I love the insurance the RC-5 offers. I also love the bow drill divot and the lack of choil. So if extra weight is no big deal, you know what I recommend:thumbup: :)
 
From my recent experiences, if you want a rescue knife for your vehicle buy the RC5, otherwise I suggest the RC6 for the woods.
 
R.A.T. said:
From my recent experiences, if you want a rescue knife for your vehicle buy the RC5, otherwise I suggest the RC6 for the woods.
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I read that thread and because of it, I will be buying a pry bar or crow bar to keep in my vehicle. It was a bit of an eye opener.
 
SightsOnTarget said:
I read that thread and because of it, I will be buying a pry bar or crow bar to keep in my vehicle. It was a bit of an eye opener.
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Same here, that was a sobering thread and reminds me I need to get a vehicle kit together myself, i think i'm going to add a dedicated glass breaker also.
 
I do not own a 6, do own a 5 (and three Izula's and a 3) and have never felt I needed something that worked 'better' than the 5. I guess I may have to get a 6 and find out when and if i am ever in the situation of having 'spare' cash! I seriously think the rc5 would do anything I would need a large knife for.
 
I often hear the question of which blade one should have for one's survival gear etc. Often it's implied that one can only have one blade that does it all, because it's what you need to grab quickly or whatever. I don't agree with that. One can easily have more than one item on oneself or in a car or alike.

So, if you really like the RC-6 for example, but feel that it doesn't have a good pommel to break car glass windows, then just bring a smaller object along with the RC-6 kit that will perform that task, such as a small glass-breaker or even just a sparkplug.

If you like the RC-5 but feel that it won't perform as well with carving tasks, then get an inexpensive little slicer and tape it to the sheath of the RC-5 or whatever.

Jack of all trades, master of none, is the inherit trait of an allround blade. However: Jack of all trades, master of none... is usually better than master of one. But, that doesn't mean you can't bring more gear with you.

If I'm in the woods for instance, I'll bring either a RC-6, or a Fiskars J.P. Peltonen M95, or a Fiskars axe or a CS Gurkha Kukri for chopping tasks. I'll also have a smaller blade for slicing and carving, such as a Mora 2000 (serious slicer/carver) or a Benchmade Nim Cub II (not as comfortable but it's a good slicer/carver for a non-scandi grind knife). Oh, and I've always got my Leatherman Wave too.

If I'm in my car, I'll have a long Mora blade for mercy-killing animals that have been run over and are suffering and I've got my steering wheel lock (Roc Bloster) which is tougher than a baseball bat and it will definitely crush a car glass window. Yeah, I don't have a prying tool, but I suppose I'll just add that to the list. I've pried some heavy stuff while working construction and I wouldn't even assume that I could use a RC-5 to pry open even half the stuff that we failed at with our smaller crow bars. But, it's still a good tool to have and it will do better than nothing. One can always improvise leverage with a large rock or something.

I'm saying that you should get the knife that you like and complement it with whatever items that will perform the tasks which it doesn't.
 
I put my RC-5 in my Jeep for emergencies. If ever there was a knife built tough enough for prying and and breaking glass, the RC-5 is it. It's a good knife, just a little on the heavy side for a 5" blade knife. I'd prefer to carry the RC-6 or RC-4 when out hiking.
 
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