A Long Due Update to a Favorite - Ontario Rat 1

razorburn

razorburn

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Ontario just announce the Ontario Rat 1 folder will get an upgrade - a S35VN blade and a Red G-10 Handles.This is definitely on my list of knives to get for 2023.From what the rep said it will be $135.00


ontarioknife.com

RAT® I RED COMING SOON!

Everything there is to love about the original RAT® folder series with a brand-newcolor! This new handle color is inspired by our own Ontario Knife Co™ branding.Along with the brand-new handle color comes an update in the markings whichinclude our 1889 maker’s mark on the clip and the original...
ontarioknife.com ontarioknife.com
 
I agree. I bought a Rat 1 because it is a reliable beater Folder for less than $40 and for that I could ignore the visually boring profile. I'd be baffled why anyone would pick this upgraded version over, say, Hogue Ritter or Spyderco PM2 or Manix 2 ($30ish more) made in the USA.
 
Silent H said:
The reason the RAT became a classic was because of the quality and value you got for the price. I don't think this update is in keeping with that philosophy.
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I agree with this! I just bought a Rat 1 in <gasp> Aus-8. It cost a little over 30 dollars and its a reliable knife I can clip on my waist band when I'm jogging etc. It's a fantastic knife at that price point. No way I would pay 4 times that for basically the same knife in whatever the flavor of the month steel is. Of course I also happen to think that if the steel type were not printed on the blade most people couldn't tell the difference.
 
I generally like the Rat 1 and 2 in AUS-8. Their AUS-8 gets a decent heat treatment and holds a better edge than the best 8Cr13Mov. The performance gap between their AUS-8 and D2 is smaller than people might realize. That's because their D2 is on par with a lot of the Chinese D2 so it becomes a comparison between the high end of AUS-8 performance and the low end of D2 performance.

The AUS-8 versions have climbed up a little in price but remain fairly solid values. There are lots more knives in Chinese D2 in the $25-50 range these days. Brands like Petrified Fish have figured out a decent heat treatment for their Chinese D2 and have started offering Bohler K110 in its place towards the higher end of that price range. The competition starts getting steep once past the $40 line.

So will it be worth more than three times the cheddar to pick one up with S35VN and red scales? Not unless you love the design. A lot of the Chinese knives in this range don't offer the best heat treatment on S35VN. That doesn't make it terrible but like the Chinese D2, don't count on it matching the rating for that steel on Larrin's chart. It will definitely be an improvement in corrosion resistance versus the AUS-8 and D2 models. It should be an improvement in edge retention but by how much? In that sense, how will it stack up versus the 154CM on a $75 Kizer or 9Cr18Mov with a good heat treatment from WE's budget brands?

Of course, we could just compare it directly to the Civivi models in S35VN. You could buy one of those and a Rat in AUS-8 for less than $135...

CIVIVI Knives - Quality Pocket Knives | Blade HQ

CIVIVI specializes in budget EDC knives that don't skimp on quality. They offer a wide range of knives that will stand up to your toughest jobs.
www.bladehq.com
 
Feels like they want to please the influencer crowd instead of their budget/user base. I could be wrong too.
Not that there's any real harm if they still keep the basic models.
 
AntDog said:
I bet $135 isn’t street price. At ~$80 I think it would still be a good value. They have good ergonomics and with the scale and steel upgrade IMO it would be a solid buy. At $135, not so much.
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If it comes in around there, I'd probably actually consider one, since a RAT 1 is one of the first knives I bought nearly a decade ago when I first joined here and discovered them. Remember that brief time when GKD was full of threads about the RATs, ESEE Zancudos, and oh, those Ontario Utilitac 2s? LOL Man, those were the days.
 
Quiet said:
If it comes in around there, I'd probably actually consider one, since a RAT 1 is one of the first knives I bought nearly a decade ago when I first joined here and discovered them. Remember that brief time when GKD was full of threads about the RATs, ESEE Zancudos, and oh, those Ontario Utilitac 2s? LOL Man, those were the days.
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The Utilitac 2 in Tanto is one of the top 5 knives in my budget collection. That knife is a gem.
 
I like it! Actual street price will decide whether I pick one up.
Why couldn't they at least put a deep carry clip on it for that price...
 
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