Ontario Knife Company 8848 Rat I Folding Knife - EDC Knife (Black)

From someone who owns several knives, both higher and low end (think various Midtechs, Sebenzas, Zero Tolerance, etc), the Rat I is absolutely awesome. I still can't believe the price-performance ratio you're getting with this knife. A lot of people may think Taiwan made means it's garbage, but they couldn't be more wrong. Many high end Spyderco's are made in Taichung Taiwan, and they're better quality than the American made ones. It pains me to say that, but it's true. The fit and finish easily matches that of $100~ knives from other knife companies out there. Small details like the lockbar side liner being hardened, the standoffs are fitted into the liners for easy dis-assembly & re-assembly, the dual bronze and teflon washers, full flat grind, all make this knife a cut above the rest of the competition. I'll break down the pros and cons here: ~+++PRO'S+++~ +AUS 8 steel, slightly better quality than most of the Chinese made knives in this price range that use 8cr13Mov steel, easy to sharpen +Features both phosphor bronze & teflon washers on both sides of the blade pivot (This makes the knife wicked smooth when opening) +The steel liner on the locking side is hardened. This is not something you usually see on knives in this price range. What you get for that is a liner that will be much more resistant to wearing down from opening and using the knife, and as a result you'll experience less blade wobble or "blade play" +Fit and finish is unbelievably good for a knife in this price range. I would easily pay $60-$70 and still feel I got my moneys worth +Blade shape is great for EDC use. The full flat grind means this is a great slicer blade +Comes very sharp out of the box +All screwed construction, no cheap pins or rivets. So the Rat I can be easily dis-assembled to clean, lubricate, modify parts, etc. Only a torx screwdriver is needed +The pocket clip is reversible in all four directions. Meaning no matter if you're a southpaw or a righty, you can carry the Rat I tip-up or tip-down +Flow thorough design. If it gets dirty you can easily use a can of compressed air to blast out any debris. Cleaning this knife is a breeze +PRICE. Plain and simple, you cannot beat this knife for $25-$30 dollars. Many people consider the Spyderco Tenacious (A Chinese made knife in the same price range) a better knife. From someone who has over ten Spyderco's and is a huge fan of the brand, this knife blows it out of the water. ~---CONS---~ -The nylon handles are a little too slick. They feel sturdy, but do not offer much in the grip category. There are custom handles available though -The jimping on the blades thumb ramp is only so-so. It works, but it's been rounded off more than it should have been. I'd rate it a 60/100 -The knife weighs just under 5 ounces. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing for most people, however the reason I'm considering this a negative attribute is because the steel liners are not skeletonized/drilled out. Meaning the metal liners could have had pieces on the inside cut out to reduce some of the weight. This is more of a missed opportunity than a Con, but I feel it should be mentioned -If you purchase a version of the Rat I or Rat II that has the black blade coating; be prepared for it to scrape and flake off in no time. It's just a thin coating of black paint. it WILL come of with regular use. Higher end knives use stronger types of coatings (See DLC coated blades for example). This is one area of the knife that the price really affects what Ontario can offer in the final product. I highly recommend going with the satin finish blade. CONCLUSION I couldn't recommend a better knife in this price range. If you're on the fence, or just need an inexpensive knife for work or EDC, get this knife. If you're still on the fence I urge you to watch a couple video reviews on YouTube and see what other people have to say. Also, if you have not noticed already, there is a smaller version of this knife, the Rat II. There has been some confusion as to the Rat II being a newer model of the Rat I. They are identical knives except for the II being a smaller knife. Depending on your needs you may be better off with a smaller 3 inch blade than the Rat I's 3.6 inch. All in all this is an absolute steal for the price. Buy two, you wont regret it.

I bought this from Amazon and got a good price and prompt delivery. I needed a large folder with a flat grind for a specific type of cutting I do frequently. I have a big Kabar Dozier that is almost identical in size and also has AUS8 steel. However, it has a high hollow grind and is actually lighter since it uses Zytel scales which are so strong steel liners are not needed. I like the extra weight on the RAT 1. It is easy to open and close with one hand. I put it through a grueling test the very first day I had and it came through with flying colors. That flat grind allows it just slide through things! The heavy weight helps. Today I resharpened it using a combination of diamond and ceramic hand held sharpeners. It is so sharp a slight careless move on my part drew blood. This would not happen with some of my other knives. Finishing the edge with a ceramic stone is a great way to get it really sharp. Of course this AUS8 steel and their excellent forging/quenching/tempering process makes that possible. I am pleased with how quickly I was able to achieve such a sharp edge. Taiwan knife manufacturing has proven to be high quality in past 2 or 3 years. If it saves me money and I still get a good product I can live with it. It is definitely not junk. This is my go to EDC for heavy work now! My big Kabar Dozier is still my favorite for field dressing game though. Bought that one from Amazon also. Buy yourself a RAT 1 and go cut something!!! Something inanimate that is.

Can you get a really good folding knife for less than $30? I found it hard to believe but, yes, yes you can! I always have at least a couple knif paves with me wherever I go. I always have a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife of some type (my current favorite is the StayGlo Climber) and folder. I've carried various Benchmades over the years and more recently, a Syderco Delica 4 FFG. I've had enough different knives that my view of what makes a good one has refined over the years. First, I like flat ground blades because they cut so nice and are supremely useful. I've grown to hate partially serrated blades because a sharp plain edge cuts just great and it's difficult to sharpen the serrations. I also strongly dislike tacticool mall ninja supper thick D-bag knives because they don't cut worth crap and they look foolish. I also chased the latest super steel for a while before figuring out that those steels mostly mean they are a pain in the but to sharpen for very little to no increase in utility. AUS-8 works great for me. What you get with this knife is a serious cutting tool that is built tough. It is the most comfortable folder I've used. The blade geometry is perfect for me. It isn't made by slave labor in China out of questionable quality materials. It's very well made. The blade is perfectly centered. The opening action is super smooth. It's easier to open than a Benchmade assisted knife. It came very sharp only needing a quick stroping to get is seriously sharp. It's easy to re sharpen and holds an edge well without chipping. The only downside I can think of is that it's a little heavy. In use it feels great but I carry it mostly in my backpack because I don't like having tons of stuff in my pockets. It's really not bad and actually takes up less pocket width than a Delica. I'm very happy with this knife and have its little brother, the RAT 2, on order. You can buy plent of $30 knives that I wouldn't buy for $5. I would pay much more than the asking price for this knife. This is a great deal.

This is probably the best value knife that you can buy anywhere for the amount of knife and the quality you get. The knife is really worth more that the current price Amazon is selling it at. Yes it is made in Taiwan but the quality control is excellent. I am not saying this is a perfect knife but it has stood the test of time and many including me think this is one of the top 5 EDC knives under $50.00 bucks. This is a Big Knife and it has a little weight to it, that is not a big deal but for some I can understand. I love the feel of the knife in my hands, the nylon 6 handles are okay, they do offer a bit of a grip but not like G10. The satin blade finish is really nice and I think AUS 8 is a decent steel for what you pay for the knife. I do treat all my knifes that might rust with FrogLube and keep them clean. That's just good maintenance. The clip is good, just enough bite to keep it from slipping out of the pocket but not enough that you have to pry it out. There are two issues though and really only one that I think is significant. First, I think I may have gotten one that has a stiff detent, mine was hard to open when I got it, but once you broke the detent it flew open. I gave a slight turn of the pivot screw and now it works well and the detent is manageable. It did move the perfect centering of the blade a little off but that is okay with me as it was only a little. Now the more serious one, I knew about this problem before I purchased the knife so I am not going to take any stars away from it because of this. The Blade in the closed position takes up almost the entire handle of the knife. If you rub lightly over the end of the handle curve you will not feel the blade at all, but if you apply pressure to where the fatty part of your finger starts to go into the handle you will feel the point of the blade on your finger. It could be a safety issue for a very small cut, it's possible. I carry this blade tip down so I don't think it will be a problem. That being said, I do really like this knife, I do think it's the best blade for the price, you get more than your moneys worth.

I've read all the reviews of the incredible RAT 1. It's true that this knife is made to high tolerances, has a razor sharp blade, it flips like a precision instrument, and you can't go wrong with an Ontario Knife Company RAT 1. This knife would be a fine folding pocket knife that could last the rest of your life. AUS8 sharpens very quickly and gets very sharp. I find that to be a very admirable quality in a knife steel. But, I don't think this will become be favorite my EDC knife. I know the history of the drop point blade and its awesomeness, but it has become too common. Everyone has one and if all your knife buddies put their knives on the table, most of them would be drop points. I prefer the Wharncliffe blade with a piercing point. My fave fold is the Blackhawk Be-Wharned. It's a self defense knife, but is a great utility knife, too. They may look a little menacing, but they do most EDC tasks more effectively. I will conclude that the RAT 1 is a great knife and will do everything well. It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest knives ever and the value is outstanding. It fits in the hand well and there are zero complaints. I, also, find the size is great for those with big hands and I don't find the weight as an issue.

The Ontario RAT 1 SP is an awesome pocket knife, and is one of the best EDC in the world at this price point. I am not an expert, but many folks much smarter that I have done extensive authoritative reviews of the RAT1 and the general consensus is that this knife cannot be beat for around $30. The main criticism is that it is probably too big/heavy for some people to put in the pocket comfortably, and that the scales do not have enough grip. OK whatever. I love it. But, this one is a gift for a guy in our maintenance shop at work. I also bought a pink one for my daughter, and I bought an orange one in D2 steel for myself. Here are some strong points for the knife: 1. The RAT1 weighs 138 grams or about 5oz. This is a good thing, nicely balanced and full steel liners. Built like a tank. I saw a guy batonning with the RAT1. 2. RAT1 is about 22cm or about 8.5 inches long open. This is a good thing, plenty of knife to do stuff, and hands fit well, and there is a nice finger grip. 3. Very strong and customizable clip, and RAT1 is only about 5 inches closed. 4. The liner lock is rock solid and the action is smooth as butter. It also has pillar construction so it is easy to clean. 5. The blade is gorgeous. I am no metalurgist, but most rate AUS8 as an upper range steel that holds an edge well, is easy to sharpen, and resists rust. 6. I need a RAT1, and I can afford one, or two... Please see photos I took of my daughter's RAT 1 AUS8 pink This Black one is identical except for the scale color. The last photo just shows to other knives I occasionally carry for a comparison. The Surge is massive, and needs a belt pouch, and the Opinel 8 just diasappears in pocket, but is not capable of what the RAT can do.

I NOW OWN 2 OF THESE RAT 1's AND GOOD LORD WHAT A KNIFE!!!This is a somewhat heavier knife than most of compatible size but that is its only downside .AUS 8 steel, great lock up, phosphorous washers for speedy deploy, multipositional clip points for tip up, tip down, left, or right carry, great blade design handles are nearly indestructible.I use one of these as a work knife [AND OTHER ONE PUT UP SAFELY IN MY COLLECTION] cutting cardboard [which is hard on a edge]and along with my Gerber paracord knife [never leave home without it] IS ONE OF MY TOP EDC KNIVES ,only knife that is in its league is the SPYDERCO TENACIOUS [LOOK AT MY REVIEW ON THAT TOP NOTCH KNIFE AS WELL] If you are like me with a family to care for in these tough economic times but want a top notch, high quality, durable, work horse of a knife, that is well built on top of it all, but easy on the budget knife, here is your knife!!!, don't be put off as yes its made in tiewan [hate that] but if want a more in depth review pull up nutnfancy on you tube and see his review ,also look at all the good reviews as well as other you tube channels and i thinkyou will agree your new EDC HAS JUST ARRIVED AS THE RAT 1. A side note: i got the plain blade 8848 with unpainted black blade, as yes black is just that, painted on, and will wear off . also there is one guy on"you tube" which talks about his buddy using this as HIS EDC IN AFGHANISTAN,great video, and review of knife, as well as how much it meant to him that his friend had used, and appreciated the gift as he had sent it with him when he deployed .think its titled "BACK FROM DUTY" when you type in RAT 1.

I recently purchased 2 of these knives from Amazon. As a matter of fact, they arrived this morning.(Free shipping and 1 day ahead of the scheduled arrival date !) I searched YouTube extensively before making this purchase. All reviewers said the same thing, "Best bang for the buck on a EDC folding knife. Yes, it is made in Taiwan. No, it is NOT a cheap knife. I have numerous folding knives. My two Benchmade folders are in the $150-$200 range and I can tell you without hesitation that this Ontario Rat 1 folder for $27.00 is equal too or better than these two knives. I carry a folder every day. The Rat 1 is slightly heavier than my Benchmades, but the quality of the construction is on par with the Benchmade. This knife is RAZOR sharp right out of the box. The steel is okay, AUS 8. It's a little soft and will rust if left for long periods of time in moist areas. However, the Randall name spells quality. The pocket clip is adjustable. Simply remove the 3 screws and you can reposition it. The blade liner is metal and the blade tracks DEAD center in the handle. It has 2 studs for both right and left hand opening and textured black slab grip. I kept one for myself and gave the other one to a Marine buddy of mine. He could not believe the quality of this knife. His face lit up like a Christmas tree when I handed it to him. You really have to see this knife in person to really appreciate it. Do yourself a favor and go online to YouTube and type in Ontario Rat 1 reviews. Look for Nutnfancy and Openminded101 reviews of this knife. For $27.00 it's a no brainer. As a matter of fact, my wife was so impressed with this purchase that we are buying 3 more for Christmas gifts for our 2 sons and 1 son-in-law. And, if you don't like it, send it back to Amazon. My bet is that it will be in your back pocket. Enjoy !