Swamp Rat or RD7 which to buy?

I guess it depends on your definition of better. I have never owned a Swamp Rat knife but have heard good things about them, I just don't like having to quit your job and social life so that you can sit in front of the computer and wait for one of them to become available so that you can jump on it before it is no longer available. Jason Who owns Ranger knives however will bend over backwards to help you in anyway possible including customizing one of his products to suit you if you so desire and the RD7 is made out of 5160 spring steel which is wicked tough! I wouldn't, and didn't hesitate to go with Ranger knives.
 
I would say that an RD-7 in S7 tool steel hardened to 59 would be best. It's around the same price as a 7 inch Rat. I would rather give my money to Justin since Swamp Rat is a branch of Busse which gets plenty of money as is.

Ultimately the tasks you would use it for and personal preference seem to be the determining factors. What would you use it for?
 
i say if you can get a good deal on a swamp go for it. they are great knives. BUT good deals are few and far between. right now the swamp is making the M6 and HR LM both currently out of stock but they will get more in soon i presume. both are not 7" blades. if you want a 7" blade it's gonna be a ratweiler or camp tramp and both are imo hella overpriced in the secondary market. if you can find one for a good deal or have the income to buy it at the jacked up price go for it.

on the other hand if you want a blade that can be made to your specs give justin at ranger knives a buzz. he has top notch service and a great product. you can use the RD7 as a base and tell him what you want on it so he can make it just the way you like.

so if you can get a good deal on a swamp get that first. good deals don't come often. if you can't wait or don't wanna wait, get a ranger. if you don't care about price then get both :D
 
I own both. In my opinion the Swamp Rat Camp Tramp is easier to use because of the Res-C handle. I have a hard time hanging on to the Ranger knife during heavy or wet use. I tried to talk to Justin about my concerns when I met him at the Blade show in Atlanta last year, but he did not seem to be interested in hearing my opinions.

They both seem plenty tough and the RD-7 has the advantage of being readily available and relatively inexpensive.

Bottom line: If the budget was not a limiting factor, I would go shoping for a Camp Tramp. If the budget is tight, the Rangers seem pleny tough enough.
 
I'd go with an RD-7. Justin is a great guy and will modify the knife in any respect you want (steel, shape, grind) for a minimal amount of money. It's nice to get a knife tailored to what you want and not pay an arm and a leg.
 
I like them both, but to me for prolonged use if you can get a swamprat with the res-C handle then I would go with that as they are more comfortable. Both will take impacts well and if you like the old ranger blade style better you can still find them around. The ranger would be cheaper but if you wait a while you can get a Scrapyard in res-c and an equivalent blade size for a heck of a good price. Just something to think about.
 
Thanks all, I want a knife that will not fail and you can beat the snot of it.

Also, what is the difference between S7 and 5160 and is there a cost differency?
 
Tolly said:
What advantages would S7 have over 5160 in a big blade like an RD7?
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I've been looking at some of the knives from Ranger and Scrapyard and would like to hear some opinions on this as well.

On paper S7 would be slightly tougher although 5160 is plenty tough and 5160 has better edge holding capability. This is just what I gather from reading about these steels. If someone here could relate some real world experience it would be much appreciated.
 
I have a Ranger Knives RD6 & RD 4; and I have a Scrap Yard Scrapper 6 & Street Scrapper 4. I LOVE the Res-C handles on my Scrap Yard Knives!! I totally love Res.-C handles, and feel spoiled by my Scrap Yard Knives because of it.

Justin IS a great guy and makes fantastic knives.
 
TheKnifeCollector said:
I have a Ranger Knives RD6 & RD 4; and I have a Scrap Yard Scrapper 6 & Street Scrapper 4. I LOVE the Res-C handles on my Scrap Yard Knives!! I totally love Res.-C handles, and feel spoiled by my Scrap Yard Knives because of it.

Justin IS a great guy and makes fantastic knives.
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Okay, but what about the steels? .... Pros and cons of S7 as compared with 5160. ???

For my own purposes, I'm looking for a mid-sized chopper that will also (secondarily) perform general camp duties (slicing). From what I've read, 5160 is more than adequate for chopping and will also hold a decent edge. Again, what I've read indicates S7 is even tougher for the task of chopping but gets low marks for edge holding.

So, if anyone can speak to S7's edge retention and/or sharpening difficulty, I'm all ears. :D
 
alejandrino said:
Get a Camillus outcast in D2 . I did !!
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There are so many great fixed blade knives out there that it would be hard to pick out the best. I own many of the "best" knives out there including the knives you mentioned, but in the end you need to decide which one stands up to your needs the best. Use the search function to help you to decide and good luck to you. ;)
 
I really like my RD7, I got it with orange G10 scales. It's a Tank!
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Ranger knives rocks. :thumbup:
And as they are cheaper (in default setup) than Swamprat, you can have your knife customized (by Justin) to suit your needs.

What about carbon fiber handle slabs? :thumbup:

You can also check Ranger knives forum @ knifeforums.com
 
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