Why A New Survival Knife?

Fritz24 said:
I'll say this much - I sure do wish I was RAT enlightened when I bought my Gerber LMF a couple years back. I never really liked that knife - the grip is too thin and uncomfortable, the knife balance is not very good to say the least. I'm sure the blade is tough(but I've never tested it) but I'd take a RAT any day!!
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I will second this. I just sold my LMF II, I just never really liked the knife.
 
MrCoffee said:
I will second this. I just sold my LMF II, I just never really liked the knife.
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I don't really like it, either. I have no complaints on the performance. It cuts, chops (sort of), batons, smashes, and does everything an aircrew survival knife should do. I just don't like it. Maybe that's because the knife and sheath are so overbuilt and ugly. The darned thing is bulky. But then, I am not really in a SERE situation. I'd rather carry my RC-4, Bravo-1, Mora 2000, SOG Seal Pup, Scrapper 5, or any number of good rugged knives that take up a lot less space on my belt. If I am going to carry that much bulk, I'd rather carry a knife with a longer blade that can actually chop. I suppose the new RC-5 is about as bulky, but at least it isn't butt ugly and wierd, like the LMF II. But, as I said, I collect survival knives. Personally, in my terrain, a good machete and a multi-tool or SAK, and I am good to go.
 
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IMO, the best "survival" knife that RAT Cutlery makes is the RC6.

It slices as good as the RC4, and chops and batons better. If I was going to only have one RAT, that'd be it.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
IMO, the best "survival" knife that RAT Cutlery makes is the RC6.

It slices as good as the RC4, and chops and batons better. If I was going to only have one RAT, that'd be it.
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Ugh... Now I have to buy an RC6... :grumpy: :p :D :thumbup:
 
Yeah, yeah, I hear ya'll. The RC-6 is the wonder knife. It is a much prettier knife than the RC-5. In fact, to my eyes it is the best proportioned of all the RATs, Rowen or Ontario. And I prefer a flat ground 3/16" blade since I tend to do more cutting with knives than prying. But I have these two perfectly good RAT-7s. Maybe I can work in a 6" blade for my next RC purchase. :D
 
Cpl Punishment said:
Do what I did: give your Rat-7s as gifts, then you'll have a need for the RC6.
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And I suppose I'll need to give away my RTAK and RTAK 2 to further "cleanse" my collection of all Ontario/RATs once the RC-10 comes out? And then there is my favorite Ontario, the SP5 Survival Bowie. I'll likely get a RC-6 anyway, but I think I'll just keep my old favorites and use them as "beaters". I think that it is dishonorable of Ontario to continue to sell those RAT knives, but I bought mine before the new Rowen RATs came out and see no need to purge them from my collection at this time. :D
 
It has nothing to do with Ontarios.

YOU said, you have a hard time justifying an RC6 because you had a couple of Rat-7s. I offered a solution to the dilemma.

I gave mine away because after getting the RC6, I never used it and knew a guy that was always goo-goo eyed over it, so I gave it to him. Ontario or not, it was my favorite knife for a few years.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
It has nothing to do with Ontarios.

YOU said, you have a hard time justifying an RC6 because you had a couple of Rat-7s. I offered a solution to the dilemma.

I gave mine away because after getting the RC6, I never used it and knew a guy that was always goo-goo eyed over it, so I gave it to him. Ontario or not, it was my favorite knife for a few years.
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True. I did say that. That RC-6 is a mighty fine looking knife. :D
 
Can anyone point me to some E&E stories please? Recent or otherwise?

In the last 20yrs there could only have been a handful of British servicemen who've had to do such things. An SBS patrol in the 2003 Iraq war, an RAF pilot in the ex-Yugoslavian war during the 1990's and Chris Ryan's 8 day, 300km walk out of Iraq in the doomed Bravo Two Zero SAS mission in 1991.
 
I own and RC-5 and really enjoy it, but I don't think it is the ideal military survival knife. It is a little to heavy considering it is only sporting a five inch blade. A knife that heavy I would expect it to have at least a seven inch blade. I think the size is about right, but a thinner blank (in between the RC5 and RC6) would be better.
 
For what it's worth Vic, I think you'll enjoy and appreciate the RC-5 for what it is. I'd love to see a Horndog review contrasting the Gerber, Ranger Afghan, RC-5 and BK-2. Let the prying begin!!!
 
kgd said:
For what it's worth Vic, I think you'll enjoy and appreciate the RC-5 for what it is. I'd love to see a Horndog review contrasting the Gerber, Ranger Afghan, RC-5 and BK-2. Let the prying begin!!!
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I'd love to see that one myself.
 
kgd said:
For what it's worth Vic, I think you'll enjoy and appreciate the RC-5 for what it is. I'd love to see a Horndog review contrasting the Gerber, Ranger Afghan, RC-5 and BK-2. Let the prying begin!!!
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I let my beautifully convexed Ranger Afghan go to pay a pumbing job on my water system. I guess it did actually help me to survive. Sometimes I have more knives than money. Don't have a BK-2, but I sharpened a few. It is a lot like the RC-5, isn't it? I can and will do a comparison between the LMF 2 and the RC-5. Too bad my daughter just got her jeep windshield replaced. That would have been great for the glass breaker. Maybe one of those black helicopters that I see occasionally will land and I can try it on plexi-glass. I am curious why the SERE guys needed a 1/4" thick saber ground blade. What on earth are they doing with those knives? :eek:
 
when I was in the army, I was in an aiborne unit and all my nco's were either ex ranger bat. or ex ranger instructers. I have a lot of friends that have gone through sere and i have gone through a couple survival courses myself. That said it is impractical to think of some huge knife or a knife at all, after you get captured. The enemy would not let keep a blade. So most important tool really isn't a physical tool at all, its your ability to improvise. But if your not yet captured and trying to evade and survive, I would rather have either a 1)multi-tool,2) neck knife, or 3) 4"-5" blade. In that order too. Like it was said earlier you aren't going to make a shelter so big that it would bring attention to yourself.
 
I do recall Jeff saying that the S.E.R.E. instructors were quite adamant about both features: 1/4" thickness and sabre grind as attributes that they wanted. I also recall Jeff indicating that the designer made an off the cuff comment about breaking a few pilot's knives during their course and that nothing was more disconcerting than having a blade fail on the demonstrator while teaching a technique. Sort of defeats the whole training purpose.
 
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kgd said:
I do recall Jeff saying that the S.E.R.E. instructors were quite adamant about both features: 1/4" thickness and sabre grind as attributed that they wanted. I also recall Jeff indicating that the designer made an off the cuff comment about breaking a few pilot's knives during their course and that nothing was more disconcerting than having a blade fail on the demonstrator while teaching a technique. Sort of defeats the whole training purpose.
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kgd makes the point perfectly. Jeff designed the knife to the specs of active duty SERE guys. Thats what they requested so thats what they received.

IIRC, Jeff favors the RAT 6 over the RAT 5 for all the above reasons mentioned.
 
Since virtually all of Jeff's designs could be classified as "survival" knives, and none are 1/4" thick with saber grinds, we can only assume that those elements of the design were required by the SERE guys. I still wonder exactly what tasks they are performing that a TAK, RC-4, or RC-6 could not do without breaking. They must be doing a lot of heavy prying. In fact, it takes a fair amount of lateral force just to break the old "bolt knives".
 
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