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

I bought one of these a few years ago and still have it with me almost every day. I have several folding knives, some of them cost a few hundred dollars. The other knives I have work fine, but this one is my typical "go to" blade. The knife is very stout and has a nice solid weight to it. The handle design is so natural and comfortable when you grip it and the liner lock does it's job. The blade is made of good steel and holds a edge for quite awhile. When it gets a little dull, the AUS 8 steel is quick and easy to sharpen, unlike D2 steel and some of the other overly hard knife blades out there that require a belt sander to put an edge back on them. The blade length and width are perfect for my daily needs and I am confident it would be a decent self defense option. Not real pleased that it is made in Taiwan, but I guess that's what keeps the price point down. That being said, I would pay twice the price for this knife now that I know how well it is built and how it performs. I have bought a few RAT 1 folders for close friends and they love them. They have also since bought this knife for friends and family they know, because they were so pleased with it. I do recommend buying the un-coated blade. The blades that are black, or other colors they offer, are simply painted. It is not a quality powder coat or cerakote finish and the paint scratches off the blade the first time it passes through anything slightly abrasive. Your car keys will take paint off the blade the first day it's in your pocket, but as long as you don't care about that, it does not affect the function of the knife what-so-ever. The best part about this knife is you WILL use it all the time and not be overly concerned about dings, dents and scratches due to replacement cost is quite low. However, I have had my knife for a few years now and it's still going strong with no issues despite heavy use. My expensive folders sit at home and are looked at like fine art and would be afraid to use them the way I use this knife on a daily basis. You will enjoy this knife

there’s no fancy lock, no fancy action, no funky handle material, and there’s a reason with all the innovation in knives today that the Rat still has cred. it’s beefy, has heft on the hand, feels a lot bigger than it should (length and weight), thumb stud action is perfect, frame lock is solid, and blade is slicey as all get out. and it feels quality for the price. this is a knife you want to get dirty, have zero problems getting it dirty and cleaning it up later, wearing it down and sharpening it back. it’s a tool waiting to actively be used. you got something you can do with it.

In this review I will provide my thoughts about the Rat 1, and also give a brief comparison to the Kershaw Cryo G-10. First, I bought the Rat 1 to be used in the shop as opposed to being an EDC knife. I bought the bigger Rat 1 instead of the smaller Rat 2 because I wanted a knife that could perform heavier duty work. For the price, I will have to say that the Rat 1 is an exceptional value. Having G-10 on both sides of the handle make it very easy to grip and to use. The blade was unbelievably sharp out of the box and was perfectly finished. The knife opens easily with the thumbstuds that are placed where they can be reached easily. Opening the blade is a fairly smooth operation. I have fairly large hands so I appreciated the fact that I could easily get all four fingers on the handle when using the knife. I have no comment about the pocket clip because I don't intend to carry it around with me. Ditto for the weight. The Kershaw is quite different than the Rat. I would consider the Kershaw to be a great EDC because of it's size. The clip can be configured in four different ways, so everybody who uses it as an EDC should be satisfied. The one disappointment I had was that the blade was not exceptionally sharp out of the box. In fact, I would say that is was dull compared to the Rat. The Cryo only has G-10 on one side of the handle, so it's definitely not as comfortable to hold as the Rat; also, only about one half of my small finger fit on the rather short blade. If you've read any reviews about the Cryo, you're aware that the thumbstuds are basically useless for opening the blade. Interestingly, in the brochure that came with the knife there is a statement that the thumbstuds on this particular knife act as blade stops to prevent the blade from over extending. Actually, the main reason I bought this knife was to see how good the Speedsafe feature works. So instead of using the thumbstuds to open the blade you simply press down on a small flipper. It's quite amazing to see how well this works, but I am aware that not everybody wants/needs an assisted opening knife. For what this is worth, it's fun to open this knife. Maybe some folks would call it "cool". I'm not sure why this is not considered to be a switchblade knife, because it opens as fast as the switchblade I had when I was younger. In conclusion, I love the Rat and would highly recommend it. Although I like the way the Cryo opens, I'm not thrilled with the dull blade, the lack of G-10 on both sides, and the short handle.

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.

First, I'm 6'5" and I have pretty big paws. I've been told that shaking my hands is like shaking a bunch of bananas, so when people who are closer to average size say things like "fits perfectly in my hands!" then I can usually assume that the item in question will look like a dollhouse toy when I pick it up. I say that because I want everyone to understand what it means when I say that the Ontario Rat-1 fits perfectly in my hands. Seriously, it's perfect. It's like it was made for me. Make no mistake... This knife is huge and it's heavy. You're not going to forget that you have it in your pocket. If you want to forget about the knife in your pocket, then there are lots of great options out there and this is definitely not one of them. The blade is a flat-ground simple profile with a little bit of a drop point. From the handle to the blade tip is about 3.75 inches and the ground and sharpened length is 3.25 inches. It may be a little hefty for slicing up cardboard boxes and you are definitely not going to tighten the screws on your glasses with it, but this knife isn't going to be too small for anything. Whittle on a stick? No problem. Slice an apple? No problem. Cut a 2" rope? No problem. Skin a moose? No problem. There's a little bald patch on my forearm where I tested the blade near the tip. AUS8 doesn't hold an edge profoundly well in my experience, but it DOES readily take a razor edge with inexpensive stones. This does not seem to be an exception, and the flat grind should make sharpening fairly easy. The only reason I didn't give this knife five stars is because it's just really enormous. There are some knives that you could whip out at a cocktail party and do something manly and useful in the presence of refined gentlemen and ladies of high status without inciting any social discomfort, but this is not one of those knives. This knife is obscenely large and decorum demands that it remain concealed from nice people.

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.

Just to give you a perspective of what my opinion is based on: I've been collecting fun sharp objects (knives, swords, stars, etc.) off and on for over 20 years. I used to collect all types, but within the last year have just been collecting folding knives. Currently I have over 20 folding knives, made up of several different brands including Kershaw, Spyderco, Cold Steel, KA-BAR, Smith and Wesson, Gerber, Tac Force, Svord and Mtech. Based on my experience and research (which I have done probably too much of), the Ontario RAT is the best bang for the buck in the 25 dollar range. As others have said, the build and quality are easily above the cost. Keep in mind, however, that this solid build does mean the knife is a bit thicker than many knives in this range. This doesn't bother me a bit, but might surprise some that are looking for a smaller EDC (Every Day Carry). The RAT's satin straight blade and handle are simple, but still attractive and functional. The blade comes very sharp, locks up tight with no movement, and is a joy to use as a cutting tool. The handle is not small (again), but lends a very comfortable full grip - with a deep choil, giving a good no-slip confidence to your hold, and the scales (black handle pieces) are nicely textured with rounded edges - a "soft" but sure grip (not overly aggresive, so might be slippery if wet, I haven't tested). With a small amount of practice (as all knives need), the RAT is quick to deploy and close - one-handed. The clip is not too tight, easy to pull and re-pocket, situating the knife nicely - but I wouldn't do too many carwheels while carrying it. I mostly carry the RAT in my front right pocket, and because of the rounded edges and thumb stud, can comfortably reach into my pocket beside it (doesn't scratch your hand when sliding along the top of the knife). One of my friends has bought the RAT on my recommendation (the black serrated version), and is extremely happy with it. My RAT fills one of the top slots in my EDC rotation. I highly recommend this knife to someone looking for a full-grip, simple, high quality, solid EDC in the 20 to 30 dollar price range. If I were to recommend a knife in the 30 to 40 dollar range, I would recommend the Spyderco Tenacious (which I own as well). Edit 6/3/2014: I rescind my Tenacious recommendation after a couple more years using it, see my reply in comments below. I still, however, highly recommend the Rat!

This company makes fine knives at reasonable prices. They are solid and reliable. Best of all, the RAT 1 and RAT II sharpen nicely. This is not the case for many other brands. The RAT 1 is a bit heavy, due to its size and solid construction. The RAT II is a smaller, lighter option. Highly recommend either or both.

creo que por la calidad, diseño precio, es una buena elección. El acero AUS 8 tiene muy buenas cualidades. Acero inoxidable, por lo que no tienes que tener demasiados cuidados. La puedes abrir y cerrar con una sola mano. el clip. Se puede poner en 4 distintos lugares (yo ser lo quite porque no lo uso en cinturón y la uso como herramienta de trabajo, por lo que tengo mas libertad de trabajo sin clip.) Tiene un filo de fabrica impecable. Compre un cuchillo Ray 5 que trae una funda con un bolsillo donde cabe perfectamente la navaja (rat 1) y un ferroserio, por lo que se complementan el acero alto carbono del cuchillo para hacer trabajos pesados con madera como batoneo y el inoxidable AUS 8 para trabajos finos o proceso de alimentos y para raspar el ferroserio (ya que el RAT 5 trae un recubrimiento de protección que no permite este trabajo. Esteticamente, es una navaja muy bonita, con un diseño sencillo y funcional. la recomiendo 100%

O Ontario Rat 1 é um dos canivetes mais famosos do mundo. Excelente canivete para uso diário (EDC), já vem de fábrica bem afiado. Ele é extremamente robusto, muito bem projetado e construido, porém sem frescuras "táticas". Sua trava é do tipo "liner lock", ou seja, é boa, mas exige atenção do usuário. O clipe de bolso pode ser aparafusado em 4 (quatro) posições diferentes. Feito em Taiwan com aço japonês AUS-8. Se você tem mãos pequenas, talvez prefira o modelo menor (Ontario Rat 2). Neste momento o "Rat One" está bem mais caro, mas eu paguei por ele (em 20 de junho de 2021) R$270,55. Por esse preço, ou por um pouco mais, vale muito a pena. Como bônus, você estará apoiando regimes democráticos, e isso não tem preço.

Ontario Rat-1, una buena herramienta para la Montaña y el Campo. Si prefieres navaja en lugar de cuchillo o en lugar de multiusos, esta es una buena opción para practicantes de Senderismo, Montañismo, Trekking, Escalada, Vivacs y Aventureros en general.

Ein Gutes Messer… Aber: Die Idee ein solches Messer zu bauen ist genial. Und auch das Qualität bei diesem Preis ist ausgezeichnet… Were die Ware nicht in einem Fernen Osten Land gefertigt. Das Messer war schnell und ordentlich verpackt Geliefert. Der Erste Anblick hat aber schon etwas die Freude gemindert. Und zwar der Maschinen Anschliff an der spitze war wörtlich "Maschinell". Ungleich, Schief und Wellig. OK da mit kann man Leben. Dan ging es aber Weiter. Der Schloss Stift, für die Fixierung der offener Klinke, Stand nach dem Ausklappen des Messers gleich in der Mitte. Und bei geringerem belasten beim Schneiden, fast am Anschlag gegenüber. Und das bei einem neuem Messer. ??? Gut, und das kann man noch dulden. Aber auch das war noch nicht alles. Die Klinke hatte zwar kein Wackle Spiel, ging aber etwas Schwierig auf. Der versuch sie einzustellen hatte Leder kein erfolg. Nachgeschaut im Internet Foren, fand ich raus das da zu zwei Ursachen gibt. 1. Kein Öl. 2. Falsch zusammen gebaute teile. Nun, habe ich das Messer zerlegt, um Ursache fest zu stellen. Und da war Plötzlich alles Klar. Die klinke sollte von beiden Seiten mit jeweils einer Kupfer-Messing Scheibe und einer Teflon Scheibe belagert sein. Ja eben sollte… Auf der rechte Seite fehlte das Teflon teil. Dum gelaufen. Jetzt war das Messer schon zerlegt. Natürlich bin ich kein Betrüger, und schicke so eine Ware nicht zum umtauschen. In Internet umgeschaut habe ich fest gestellt das es nicht nur bei mir solche "Überraschungen" der Fertigung von dem Fernen Osten gab. Bei manchen Käufer Welt weit, fehlen manchmal auch gleich zwei Teflon Scheiben. Bei manchen sogar auch die Kupfer Scheiben. Wo ich jetzt so eine Teflon Scheibe suchen soll habe ich noch keine Ahnung. Also wie gesagt ein gutes Amerikanisches Messer… Leider aber nicht aus Amerika und sehr schlampig gebaut.

O Rat I é um canivete relativamente barato e que serve muito bem para EDC. Extremamente robusto e o AUS-8, apesar de não ter a melhor retenção de fio, é muito fácil de afiar em qualquer superfície apropriada.