What Size Washers For Ontario Rat 1

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Last Updated: July xiii, 2019
These days, if you want a loftier value EDC pocketknife, and then in that location are plenty of options. Kershaw and Spyderco make some great knives in the $thirty and under category that are easy choices for EDC. But if you lot want something that is both difficult use and loftier value, it gets a petty harder. Sure, the Spyderco and Kershaw blades are well built, but for many, these knives are firmly in the EDC category.

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Enter the Ontario RAT 1. The RAT one combines tank-like construction with a large blade and comes in effectually $30. At that cost this larger folder becomes difficult to ignore. I've carried my RAT 1 for years, and have compared it with hundreds of other pocket knives. Permit's see what the Ontario RAT Model ane is all about.

Full general Dimensions and Blade Details

The RAT 1 has a an overall length of 8.vi″, a three.5″ bract, and it weighs of 5 ounces. This own't no rice cake. However, it'due south a solid folding knife. This is for people that desire an cheap heavy duty folding knife. If yous are looking for a small-scale Every Twenty-four hour period Deport (EDC) pocketknife, then I would recommend the RAT 2 over the RAT 1. Here is a size comparison so you can see the difference:

So as you can see, the RAT 1 is more of a utility knife then a suburban daily carry. That said, plenty of guys like to carry a RAT 1, so it just depends on what you lot similar.

The blade is an bonny drop point shape. It's a no-frills blade, and the full flat grind adds to the simplicity. Overall, the blade is a great pattern for slicing, thinly ground from 3mm thick stock and an edge that has been neatly applied. There is no swedge on this knife, but the the tip is however sturdy because. This is a practical blade that will perform well in a variety of tasks.

The blade comes with either a satin finish or a black coating. The coating Ontario uses is pretty cheap, and will outset wearing off almost instantly. For that reason I prefer the satin cease. The satin finish on the RAT 1 is excellent. It'south bright and cogitating, which may chagrin the more "tactical" crowd, just it wears well and provides piffling resistance when slicing. And the satin finish has held up swell over the years. My pocketknife shows some wear, just null crazy.

The blade steel on my detail knife is AUS8, a mid-range Japanese stainless steel. AUS 8 is nice because it is tough, piece of cake to sharpen, and resistant to rusting, but it will lose its edge faster than college finish steels. For a ~$30 knife, I'm honestly happy to have it.

In practice my RAT 1 has been a workhorse of a bract. The sparse, full flat grind is splendid, and the big blade of the RAT 1 flies through cardboard and other materials. I've used my RAT 1 for innumerable odd jobs, and I've too used information technology every bit a daily carry pocketknife. It will open mail and packages, and perform bones nutrient prep with the best of them.

For those turned off by AUS-8, Ontario released the RAT 1 in D2 a few years ago. D2 is fifty-fifty tougher than AUS-eight and will hold an edge longer, but D2 is far from a "super steel". It'south semi-stainless, and depending on the heat treat it can be difficult to sharpen. From what I've read people like the D2 on the RAT 1, and information technology appears to be an upgrade over the AUS-8 version, but I haven't tried 1 out nevertheless.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The RAT one has a flow through / pillar structure handle with zytel (plastic) scales over stainless steel liners. Zytel may not exist everyone's kickoff option for handle material, merely information technology does the chore here and serves as a lightweight and durable calibration. Speaking of scales, Ontario offers this knife in a diversity of unlike colors. I happened to like the OD green version, and then that is what you lot run into here.

The full steel liners on this knife are not milled out, which accounts for part of the knife's weight, but for a difficult working beater bract, milled liners are a luxury I don't require. Nylon scales and solid liners are small grumbles that shouldn't backbite likewise much from an otherwise solid handle.

The ergonomics of the RAT 1 are nice, thank you in role to the generous handle. The handle offers plenty of room, even if you take larger hands. The handle is also thick with rounded edges. This makes the knife comfy in forrard and reverse grips, but it also makes information technology bulky. The zytel handle scales offer calorie-free traction. There is not every bit much grip as a Yard-ten handle, but it'south not slippery either.

In that location is a well defined finger groove. This volition go on your hand from sliding forward onto the blade, always nice. There is a pretty good sized pollex ramp with some toothy jimping. The jimping is non super sharp, but it's coarse and y'all will feel it. There is also room on the ricasso to choke up on the blade.

The pocket prune is a simple spoon style clip. Information technology'south similar to what you would discover on virtually Benchmade knives. The handle has been drilled and tapped for "4 corners" carry. This means you tin mountain the prune tip upward or tip down on either side of the knife.

The prune has been blackened with an cheap blanket. It will vesture off with utilize. The clip's spring retention is good though, and the mild texture on the scales means that this knife won't tear upwardly your pocket when you insert and remove information technology from your pants.

Speaking of which, here is a shot of the RAT one in the pocket:

The Rat i carries like you would wait for a large heavy pocketknife. It's big and heavy and you lot feel it in the pocket. That's one of the compromises yous make for a strong folding pocketknife at this toll point. That said, the clip keeps the knife in place, and the RAT 1 has never fallen out of my pocket. Carry is relatively discreet, simply a decent portion of the handle sticks out of the pocket.

Deployment and Lock-up

Deployment on the Ontario RAT ane is excellent. There are some phosphor statuary washers in there, a welcome feature on this value priced pocketknife, and it lends to squeamish smooth deployments. Ambidextrous thumbstuds are ever welcome, and the RAT 1 has some nice big ambidextrous thumb studs. These large thumb studs provide plenty of leverage, and they allow yous to pop the blade out fast.

The liner lock is solid and well-baked. It's a squeamish early lockup with a thick piece of steel. Information technology feels secure. Ane open up there is zero blade play in this knife, which comes equally no surprise when yous experience how solid the residue of this knife is. 5 ounces is heavy for a modernistic folder, but I remember the RAT 1 makes upward for information technology here with it's stone solid feel and lock.

Here is a parting size comparison with the Spyderco Delica and the Spyderco Endura. As you tin come across, the Rat 1 is a big pocketknife.

Blade centering is perfect on my RAT 1. Impressive given the price indicate.

Ontario Rat 1 Review – Terminal Thoughts

If you are looking for an inexpensive hard employ binder, so the RAT 1 is tough to beat. Y'all get a lot of well made pocketknife for your money. The RAT 1 is comfortable, strongly built, and the fully flat ground blade is fantabulous. This is an everyman's knife. It provides many of the features people look for in higher terminate folding knives, simply information technology'south at a toll point nearly tin beget.

I have had my rat ane for years. This review was originally published in 2011, and I'thou doing a major long term update in 2019. Over the past 8 years I have had the chance to bear and utilize the RAT ane, and compare it with hundreds of other knives. For ~$30.00, I nonetheless think it's tough to beat out. Common cold Steel offers some good lightweight budget stuff, but the RAT 1 remains a archetype.

However, it's not all rosy with the RAT 1. At this price bespeak there are compromises. The biggest compromises with the RAT 1 include the softer AUS-8 blade steel (unless y'all pay extra for the D2 version), the plastic handle scales, and its weight. That said, I think the pros outweigh the cons, and the RAT one represents a significant upgrade over less expensive knives. The RAT ane is a tank. Those that need an expensive tank of a folding knife will detect a lot to appreciate with the RAT i.

And peradventure the best test for a pocketknife is the test of time. The RAT 1 was a success when it kickoff came out, and it remains a mod classic. At that place is a reason people still buy it years after it'south original release. It's a timeless design that has been well executed, and it'due south offered at an splendid toll point. I highly recommend information technology.

I recommend purchasing the Ontario Rat 1 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps support BladeReviews, and keeps this review train running. As always, any and all back up is profoundly appreciated. Thank yous very much.