Ontario Knife Co. 8847 Rat-1 Black Coated AUS-8 Stainless Steel 3.6 in Serrated Edge Blade Nylon Handle 4-Position Reversible Clip Folding Knife for Outdoor, Tactical, Survival & EDC (Black)

I love this knife. I bought it because I lost my Kershaw Scamp, which i found then gave away. Reason being, if you're looking for a knife that's got high-grade steel with an easy to maintain razor sharp edge , with all the the necessary features of a high-dollar blade (phosphor bushings, great clip, alignment, lanyard hole, jimping, G-10 scales, blade shape) for a quarter of the cost, stop reading right now and buy it. Then come back. I say buy it now, because one day soon these will probably go out of stock for good.Now, some people have issues with the clip not being deep enough like their FLASH II, the G-10 scales being too slick, the paint chipping off, the steel liners not being milled, lets just write all that off as "production cost increase" for now and get to knife.I work on the shipyard, I've done things to this edge that no one in their right mind should put it close to. I've cut string, and the left-over inertia usually sends the blade into the highly-abrasive, bullet-proof steel deck, or the bulkhead, as a result. No chipping, no dulling, no edge retention loss. EVER. Most people won't be using this to that degree of punishment. This blade always FLIES out of the handle with what I consider a moderate push. That's why I would consider it for self-defense use, for the speed of deployment.If you want to make this RAT disappear in your pocket, you can remove the clip entirely (takes a T-5 or some needle nose pliers to grip the screw itself, its only glued with some light blue loctite), put some 550 cord through the lanyard hole, and make the lanyard 3", enough to grip for when you need to pull it out. This is nice because it blends right in and isn't obvious, allowing carry regardless of the event (assuming it's black paracord.) However, this is a pretty fierce blade, I would use a little Swiss Army during normal events before of pulling this out. I don't even like pulling it out at work, which, as i mentioned, is basically a construction zone. Everybody has some kind of knife, but it's kind of like bringing an incendiary grenade to a beach bonfire sometimes.If you want to make the handle a little more grippy, you can grit your teeth, and take some 120 grit sand paper or a single-cut file to the handle (with the clip off) and EVENLY sand/file some of the G10 off. What results is a unique pattern, as well as a slightly grippier handle, instead of the more force you apply, the more your hand slips off.The paint won't last forever. If flashiness is a big deal for you, and you've owned blades, you've probably perfected hitting blades with flat matte spray paint at this point over and over again.If weight's an issue, drill some holes in the liners after you disassemble the knife yourself. This is maybe an ounce and a half heavier than my Bucklite MAX Medium knife, which has all plastic liners and a steel lockback bar. If your looking for a blade to beat up that you don't want to think is too pretty for work use, get that Bucklite MAX medium folder. I've switched that out because frankly, I don't have the fortitude to ruin, lose, wear out, or have confiscated, this caliber of knife to the shipyard. That way, if I do need my RAT for my personal safety, I can rely on it.

This is one of the nicest knives you can get at this price point. I've been carrying (and using) it every day for a few months and am still impressed.Pros: Arm-shaving sharp from the factory. Very durable. Ergonomics are great for me. Still opens smoothly without any slop or adjustment. I haven't had any problem with it being too heavy or handles being slippery.Cons: Thumbstud fell off and was lost after a few days. Bought a replacement from the factory for $5 and loctited it on, no problems since. It doesn't hold an edge indefinitely but is easy to sharpen with a leather strop and compound (even by a beginner.)Conclusion: I will definitely buy another one if (when) this one gets lost.

Needed something to replace my 10 year old benchmade with, which I was really happy with, but even with routine maintenance the blade was still nicked up and the action eventually got a little sloppier than I was happy with. It lasted well for my abuse. That being said this Ontario rat folder is a great knife for the low price. Very well built, the handle is sturdy, the action is smooth, out of the box it was pretty dang sharp. For the price so far its a very nice edc pocket knife for work and what not. All I can see as possibly flaws would be that the black finish on the blade looks cheapish, but it has not proven me right yet. For the price you can't really go wrong. My big grip would be that it is a liner lock and not the axis style lock like my old benchmade, but if you haven't been spoiled with anything better than a liner lock you will not even notice

I'm no knife collector, i own a few folding knives and a few fixed blades. I got this for my girlfriend for edc, a bit heavy and big for a female BUT i got used to it within an hour, and it no longer feels hefty, And yes the specs are all posted so it's not like i wasn't expecting it, it's just i have never held such a hefty folder. Came razor sharp and the serrations are actually super sharp. I have never had serrations so sharp on a knife. The thumb stud will take time getting used to if you have little girl thumbs. The studs make it real easy to deploy. Fits well in hand . If you carry front pocket it wont stick out much at all but the bulkiness may be a little noticeable, no biggy though unless you wan't it to go 100% undetected. I wouldn't be afraid of using this for hard use if all else fails. I know my girl friend will love it, it looks sleek, but deadly ha. Word of advice (most cases) if you wan't to give a female a knife for edc, which includes self defense in my book, give her a bigger blade, give her more reach and make sure she has some basic knife fighting training with it. Just like you wouldn't give someone a self defense gun whose never shot one. Plain stupid. If she notices any flaws ill be sure to update this, and if i notice any flaws while we train a little with it i'll be sure to update as well.

Can't beat it especially at this price point. Nice product, would recommend.

Get the satin blade instead. Chipped the *paint* on the blade with the first use...on a plastic zip-tie :/ Other than that, for the price, it seems like a decent knife. It arrived reasonably sharp. Heavy enough and sturdy feel for confidence. Will be a good tool. Update! After my initial disappointment with the finish, the fit has won mine over and it's been my ecd for quite a while now. My change of opinion is based on design, performance, durability, and reliability. This knife is a formidable length yet slim and allows you access to your pocket. Never fails to open with a snap, and doesn't need sharpening often. This blade has become my favorite edc. Don't mind the usage marks because it gets used!