Which Rat would be the Right Rat?

Quirt said:
Perhaps this knife that Eric mentioned might be better suited for this task.
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I don't know if that is the case, however, we worked with a group of helicopter pilots/crewmen about 16 months ago and their feedback indicated that they wanted something small, but strong. The SAR Rat fits those requirements. While I think the Camp Tramp is an excellent knife, it is significantly larger than the SAR Rat. I used to do a little flying (however, not in helicopters) and I realize that wearing a 7.5" blade in a cockpit for any length of time might not be comfortable and could cause some issues if you were required to exit the vehicle asap.

I look forward to hearing LFH's son-in-laws thoughts

:D:D
 
Quirt, the reason that I enjoy these forums so much is because I learn something everyday, and I am learning a lot from this discussion. If we always agreed on things it would be very difficult to learn anything new, wouldn't it? Stick around, bro. We have much do discuss. ;)

LFH, there is a lot to consider in choosing a gift for your son-in-law. But I have no doubt that whatever you choose to get him, he will find it an extremely useful tool and a great gift. :thumbup:

:D -360
 
What is the SAR Rat and don`t the Marine Corp have Martial Arts training in hand to hand combat and knife combat? I watched mail call and it showed all the different types of martial arts training it gives its troops.
 
360 - Hey sounds great! I'm an open book ready to learn - so pour it on!!!

I'd give anything to tag along on one of your outdoor adventures and have you teach me the way of the woods and how to use one of these Rats in SAR.

Regarding combatives training, unfortunately much of the small arms and unarmed/edged weapons skills is redimentary in many military units - there are some exceptions.

I'm about to work with some Marines in a couple of weeks because they want to augment their skills with what is provided/not provided by goverment issue training . . . same is true with some airborne whom we have been working with for some time now. Military units just don't have the time, budget and/or resources to fully train and give them adequate practice in these art.

Many of my military clients along with LEO clients are paying for private training out of their own pockets - because they are true warriors and aren't counting on anyone or any organization to provide them with the lifesaving skills they really need.

Most people are not aware that the cutting edge of small arms and unarmed/edged combatives training is in the private sector and not in goverment training . . .which shouldn't be a big shocker to anyone here.

Units are hiring businesses to provide training directly to their units or to "train the trainer" which in my case I'm seeing both. One of my colleagues is traveling to numerious Marine bases providing M9 training and is finding their current training is extremely elementary to say the least . . .he is slowly having a positive influance.

Those of you who are big into SAR should know that guys like Tom Brown and others in the private sector are busy training the military - it is the same in the combatives discipline as well.

Yes, there is training in combatives but the quality and quantity of the training doesn't match the level really needed. For example the Military trainers are men/women who learned from someone else who teaches Party Karate and these Military "instructors" have never mastered the skills themselves and now their trying to impart skills they haven't mastered to others . . .THEN on top of it they are teaching these skills in a production line format with staged "Party Karate" demos and sparring which is unlike any real fight.

Party Karate is the way of the US today - because of the ease to earn a black belt, the marketing and appeal of American's to get a microwave black belt ranking - cranking out black belts like a factory - rather than just mastering the discipline for the sake of the skills. I cannot believe how many "black belts" I know . . .it is so common that it degegrates the status of having the rank. As far as I'm concerned you can keep all the colored belts you want and give me someone who knows how to fight, survive and teach others.

Small arms training is just about as bad - or in many cases worse than the unarmed combatives - but that is for another time.
 
I liked the olds system of earning "black belts". The student would never wash their belt. Eventually, they've been knocked to the ground so often that the belt just looked black. People can learn a lot more by being knocked to the ground, IMO.

:D -360
 
Amen, give them a white belt and let them earn all the colors! Red, dirt brown etc.
 
FNG here.
Are the desert jack and satin jack of the same dimensions? I read somewhere about a possible satin rat (my price range)-same dimensions also?
 
Hi Wilkenstein,

Welcome to the Rat Forum! You're right on. The Desert Jack and the Satin Rat are the exact same knife, but with different colors. The Satin Rat has not been released yet, but should eventually be released into the standard line. The Desert Jack was a military over-run which they sold through the Company Store.

Kryptonite,

Here's a pic of the SAR Rat. There's a bit more info on it at Swamp Shack as well.

sar.jpg


Right now, both the SAR Rat and the Desert Jack are only available through the secondary market.

:D -360
 
Eric,
I do appreciate your offer to help locate a RAT for the son in law. I may well take you up on your offer. Oh to have been here when the SAR or Desert Jack first hit the market.

360Joules, Thank you for posting the photos. Those are serious fiixed blades. Don't know that I have ever seen any with the "backbone" those appear to have.

The Son is in the Army. Started out in the first Desert Storm as a field medic assigned as a Generals aid/driver. The General had a heart condition. Needless to say you have to have your act together for that kind of assignment.

Afterwards the General helped him get into helo school flying Hueys. We all know they phased those out and he was able to switch to Blackhawks.
I have no idea how his training compares to the Marines. Do know he is/was always at the very top of anything he was doing. His accomondations are numerous.

As a side note, they were on their way home yesterday evening and an 18 wheeler lost a drive shaft in front of them. He managed to maintain control and got off to the side with what appears so far to just be a ruptured gas tank. Looks like another car that hit it could be totaled. 18 wheeler driver was just standing there so son in law drug the drive shaft out of the road to prevent more cars from hitting it.
When it rains it pours...

Sorry guys, I digress...

Thank you all for the welcome to the Swamp Rat forum. I just hope it doesn't sound like I am full of "swamp gas" ..... bad, bad, :)

I am looking forward to my first Rat, in addition to what ever I come up with for the son.

larry
 
Thanks 360, I`ve been meaning to browse that site, I will when I get home. Are the pure bred fighters or rat tail any good for fighting? They look like they are.
 
LFH,
I'm glad that your son-in-law didn't have an accident because of the 18 wheelers drive shaft.

Be sure to let me know if I can help. I know I can't find any Desert Jacks, but I may have some pull to dig up a SAR Rat for you ;)

:D:D
 
360joules said:
Hi Wilkenstein,

Welcome to the Rat Forum! You're right on. The Desert Jack and the Satin Rat are the exact same knife, but with different colors. The Satin Rat has not been released yet, but should eventually be released into the standard line. The Desert Jack was a military over-run which they sold through the
Click to expand...


Thanks! Is there any idea of a release date for them? I'm trying so hard not to purchase a satin jack tac...
 
Don`t get a Busse, get a rat. Rats are better. Naw, just kidding. Rats are good, but busse beats them fair and square. Rats are cheaper, and you`re getting more for your money. Get whatever you want. Welcome to the forums. That hell razor is AWESOME. But still, rats are better. If the hell razor were thicker, it`d be just right. Why doesn`t Swamp Rat make knives like Busse does. Busse comes up with ideas every second.
 
Hi Rats!

I apologize for lack of updates....

I don't know where to start with this so I will just ramble.

Son in Law had his ticket for return to place of re-induction and got a phone call . Seems that this recall was massive enough that some comgressmen got involved and issued an edict to the military to give everyone involved an option...

Options was to report as ordered , or resign their comissions and stay home.

It is still unoffical that they accepted his resignation since he hasn't gotten confirmation as yet.

It was a hard decision for the kids to make. At his pay grade he would have been in the 70k year range with health benefits.

But they have a son that is diagnoised as ADHD with an Obcessive Complusive Disorder. So they decided to resign his comission and supposedly be ofically decomissioned from the Army.
His son is at an age that he needs his Dad.

Like I said, this is unofical since they havent as yet gotten confirmation of his resignation. But, he was supposed to report on the 20th and that is since past.

In fact, we had all of the kids and grand kids at the hunting camp for a ThanksGiving week of 4 wheeling and hunting. He in fact, got a nice 10 point whitetail.

The down side to all of this, is that both of them quit their jobs prior to the call that presented the options. They are very resourceful and I am sure will have new jobs before savings run out.

Another down side is that with him having been in the Inactive Ready Reserves, he would have qualified for some benefits when he turned 60.

I did talk with him about what they used for a knife. Turns out that their flight gear included one of the old familiar hex head type pilot survival knifes. Said it strapped on the right side of their flight vest.

A Rat Hunter arrived just before we all met at the hunting camp and he liked it, but said it was slightly short of what he was used to having on his gear.

Maybe one of these days the SAR's will be more available.

Sorry this is so long and rambling... We are elated that he does not have to return to Iraq again. He was there in the first Desert Storm. I could tell that he might have been a tiny bit dissapointed in a way that he didn't go back in. But is very dedicated to his wife ( my daughter) and son.

This was the kick in the pants I needed to jump off into the world of Swamp Rat knives....
Now have the Rat Hunter, and a Rat Trap arrived a day or so ago, and I pick up an Infi-Coot at the PO in the morning.

Thanks Rats for all of the great info you gave me along the way!!!!

Larry
 
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