Looks like the RAK with the serrations on the blade might be going bye bye.
Yes I broke down and got a RAK also, despite the 1095 blade. Its one of the few RD blades with a saber grind that brings out more capability over FFG blades. (That's Full Flat Grind for those who were wondering since I find most people who use such terminologies don't explain it and expect people to those who are suppose to be in the know of the bladeical talk and terms).
Let see looking at the RAK...
It has a nice blade profile, good spear point. Got a good sharp spine.
The Saber Grind really makes this what would be a sort or so so knife a great general purpose blade. Its not a ridiculous "Bush" style FFG RD sort. It seems it should do great general purpose work on wood when needed and it adds some decent work for better general purpose work. I can tolerate my 5160 RD blades that are FFG because they start with a 1/4" slab of steel that makes it chopping wood decently. Its a saber grind that makes knives like the BK 7 and BK 9 that can step up to do more with less it seems from seeing the way they are used and praised. A FFG on a big knife seems to sort of defeat its purpose for heavy wood performance. Hence my liking the SP-51 (that was sunsetted) and SP-53 despite them not having a thumping and whumping hilt. (reason I got an RD 9).
The seeming ridiculous sized choil acts at part of the hand guard it seems and really makes it very good for control WITH OUT slicing your fingers when doing the woodsy bushy stuff people seem to like to yak about how TRUE WOODSY they are. In other words CHOIL seems good the way it was designed and meant for more than one purpose it seems. The Choil on all the RD knives (not the TFI it has none) makes them do really good at bushy craft stuff even the RD 9 with their FFG. The RAK's also acts part of the guard to protect against finger slippage it seems also.
Handle...well decent I guess, some what short. Don't know where people say their "BIG Hands" barely fit it. My hands are medium sized and they barely fit it. But its enough to grip for using the knife for chopping or medium to light batoning. It seems to be able to do heavier batoning, which I wouldn't hesitate as OKC warranty would cover it but some companies like KA BAR don't. The handle is enough out of the way which some people don't think is important. The handles are narrower and such so this makes the knife seemingly more able to be controlled at least. And also it makes the knife LIGHTER and more balanced surprisingly. So all I can say is more thought was put in to this knife than I can say.
The Skull kill personer spike...er the "GLASS BREAKER" seems a bit overly big and spiky, but as shown earlier some people round it off. Its a bit pokey and such but probably adds to its versatility in the field for general purpose use. A sharp short spike can find use for good ground breaking or shallow would thumping and it should beable to thump them dang tent stakes in good enough.
The knife is LIGHTER than the other RDs I have so probably will be high jacked by my younger female relatives where their smaller hands would like it.
The Saber grind on the blade made me get it over an RAT FFG blade series. With it I think I cover the middling 1095 blade size knives with a blade that is more versatile than RATs. I like blades that are good to decent in all things not one knife to do this and another one to do that and another one to do the thing that is not this, or that and so on. For heavy middling knife though the only other OKC knife with a good thumping and wumping hilt is the RD TANTO. I use mine surprisingly more and more for that for tasks around some places in the woods and old farm stead. Yes my take one blade is my RD 7 because its big enough to do bigger things okishly and can still do bushy stuff ok, in other words a decent all round jack of all trades knife, but my RD Tanto has been riding along more and more with the RD7, I find its wroth the weight to carry. Also handy for the other people to use who come along on wilderhood expeditions. One person made a dang lean to with it after i finally caught up to them on the trail. (some times I like to take my time to see the sights, i also don't do forced marches to get from one point to another and not see any thing along the way) "Dang I need to get one of these!" he said. Now I may have to get a 3rd one...one was to go in to the bug out bag but it keeps getting raided for it...
So RAK good for general purpose all round carry and use. Some cons but Good points way put weigh the cons. Probably should of typed this first.
