Good $60 Knife

[Zack]

Does anybody own a RAT 3 or 5? Are there any good reviews?

[crashdive123]

Does anybody own a RAT 3 or 5? Are there any good reviews?

I have a RAT 5. I like it. It has done everything that I have asked it to do.

[Zack]

I have a RAT 5. I like it. It has done everything that I have asked it to do.

Do you think that the blade length is long enough to be useful as a belt knife? Also, what have you asked it to do?

[Rick]

what have you asked it to do?

He started off slow. He asked it to play dead, lay down and stay. It did great. He's working on teaching it to roll over at the moment. (I slay myself. I really do)

[MrFixIt]

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He started off slow. He asked it to play dead, lay down and stay. It did great. He's working on teaching it to roll over at the moment. (I slay myself. I really do)

Rick, you just ain't right...lol!

[Tokwan]

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He started off slow. He asked it to play dead, lay down and stay. It did great. He's working on teaching it to roll over at the moment. (I slay myself. I really do)

hahahahahahahahahahahahahah....

[Zack]

[/COLOR]

He started off slow. He asked it to play dead, lay down and stay. It did great. He's working on teaching it to roll over at the moment. (I slay myself. I really do)

If I could only teach my Buck "easy". He's bitten me more than once.

[hunter63]

Do you think that the blade length is long enough to be useful as a belt knife? Also, what have you asked it to do?

With a $60 buck knife....I would expect it to at least "stay" till called, and do most of the chores like gutting a deer, slicing onions, pick a pickle out of a jar....and of course, an occasional "Baton a piece of wood" (shudder).

Of course when the price goes up so do my expectations.....them $400 knives wake me up in the morning, make breakfast, drive me to the woods, call in game, kill it, clean it....cook it up, serve it....then brag to everyone what a great hunter (or bushcrafter), I am.

LOL......sorry man couldn't resist.

Most expensive knife I own.....

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[TXyakr]

Zack you know your budget and application best, but there are dozens of reviews that you can google that compare similar knives. Many on youtube are a total waste of time and a few are very helpful. This text article probably tells you everything you already know: http://www.blackscoutsurvival.com/20...-3-review.html

My personal 2 cents is that if you already have some good small knives think about paying a little extra for a 5" or 6" cutting blade (full tang) Ontario RAT 5 is a good choice IMO. (1095 steel) Search Amazon and other retailers for best price including shipping obviously. These may not be the best if you are an ultra light backpacker or scuba diver; obviously a tool should match its intended purpose. Flint blades work better for skinning animals etc but I would not want one for batoning small branches with. blah blah. I can survive in many warm forests with only a thin bladed machete but that would not be fun. Buck saw and small knife are great, and hatchet or axe in a northern forest is very helpful especially for dead wood.

Edit add video:

[Zack]

Zack you know your budget and application best, but there are dozens of reviews that you can google that compare similar knives. Many on youtube are a total waste of time and a few are very helpful. This text article probably tells you everything you already know: http://www.blackscoutsurvival.com/20...-3-review.html

My personal 2 cents is that if you already have some good small knives think about paying a little extra for a 5" or 6" cutting blade (full tang) Ontario RAT 5 is a good choice IMO. (1095 steel) Search Amazon and other retailers for best price including shipping obviously. These may not be the best if you are an ultra light backpacker or scuba diver; obviously a tool should match its intended purpose. Flint blades work better for skinning animals etc but I would not want one for batoning small branches with. blah blah. I can survive in many warm forests with only a thin bladed machete but that would not be fun. Buck saw and small knife are great, and hatchet or axe in a northern forest is very helpful especially for dead wood.

Edit add video:

It was an interesting comparison. Thanks for the video. I've got a decent 3 3/4" Buck, so maybe I should look at a bigger one. Does anybody have an Ontario RD6? It's got a 6" blade I believe, so if I paired it with a littler knife, I think I'd be set. Do you agree?

[Zack]

What about a Jeff White French Trade Knife?

[RangerXanatos]

What about a Jeff White French Trade Knife?

I have his nessmuk and like it. But I wouldn't want his trade knives for battoning if that's what you're thinking it might get used for. They are 3/32" thick.

[crashdive123]

Do you think that the blade length is long enough to be useful as a belt knife? Also, what have you asked it to do?

Yes. Camping and fishing chores.

[crashdive123]

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He started off slow. He asked it to play dead, lay down and stay. It did great. He's working on teaching it to roll over at the moment. (I slay myself. I really do)

We're working of fetch. I'll let you know what he brings back from Indiana.

[Zack]

Yes. Camping and fishing chores.

How does it chop? I'd like a knife that can go through 1-3" limbs. Is the spine thick enough to baton with it? I don't think that I'd ever do it with a "good" knife, so I keep an Old Hickory to do any messy work. But it's nice to have the feature (bug out, forgot an axe, etc.).

[crashdive123]

I don't use small knives to chop. I carry a folding saw camp ax. Having and using the proper tool is important and part of the learning experience.

[Zack]

I don't use small knives to chop. I carry a folding saw camp ax. Having and using the proper tool is important and part of the learning experience.

Do you do any wood processing with it?

[TXyakr]

If pack weight and size and or cost is an issue consider making a buck saw. Using a relatively small/medium knife (full tang is best) to create some notches in sticks helps. But ideally you would take a compact buck saw with you that is very fast to assemble in the field. There are many other threads and comments on this forum that discuss these but here is a good DIY instructional video. There are 100+ others. I liked this guy's idea of using an aluminum crutch from a thrift store cost about $1-3. High quality Swedish blade is great but one you can buy in almost any local H.W. store may work out better for most people. Also some places online sell S.S. or Ti split rings such as county comm dot com.


Bushcrafting your own buck saw in the field with only knife for your saw blade on split rings is fine but it takes time, and I prefer to spend this time collecting wood and making a shelter when possible.

2.3 cm I.D. may be enough to go around aluminum pipe that is available to you or from H.W. i.e. 1/2" O.D. plus saw blade but check to be sure before ordering from DX, "Etsy", ebay, amazon or where ever. Here is one source there are many others, these rings are handy.
http://www.dx.com/p/simple-stainless...7274#.VKLsNBoA

just don't order those tiny ones for fishing lures.

[Zack]

If pack weight and size and or cost is an issue consider making a buck saw. Using a relatively small/medium knife (full tang is best) to create some notches in sticks helps. But ideally you would take a compact buck saw with you that is very fast to assemble in the field. There are many other threads and comments on this forum that discuss these but here is a good DIY instructional video. There are 100+ others. I liked this guy's idea of using an aluminum crutch from a thrift store cost about $1-3. High quality Swedish blade is great but one you can buy in almost any local H.W. store may work out better for most people. Also some places online sell S.S. or Ti split rings such as county comm dot com.


Bushcrafting your own buck saw in the field with only knife for your saw blade on split rings is fine but it takes time, and I prefer to spend this time collecting wood and making a shelter when possible.

2.3 cm I.D. may be enough to go around aluminum pipe that is available to you or from H.W. i.e. 1/2" O.D. plus saw blade but check to be sure before ordering from DX, "Etsy", ebay, amazon or where ever. Here is one source there are many others, these rings are handy.
http://www.dx.com/p/simple-stainless...7274#.VKLsNBoA

just don't order those tiny ones for fishing lures.

A bucksaw as a belt knife? I wanted a knife that could be general purpose, but I appreciate the video.

[crashdive123]

Do you do any wood processing with it?

I rarely process wood other than very fine kindling with a knife. That is why I carry a folding saw and/or an ax. Is it sturdy enough to baton wood? Yes.