looking at a RAT-3 need to choose between 1095 and D2

[Corso]

Hi guys fairly new round here been reading as a guest for a while but thought it was time to sign on. Main reason for popping my head up was for some advice.

I’ve been looking at getting a new fixed blade and have taken a shine to the Ontario Knife Co. RAT-3 but I am at a loss as to whether to go for either the 1095 or D2 versions

I’ve looked into the different steel types but most of the info seems to be process and/or analytical composition data. I was hoping for a more practical answer. The price different seems to be £20 less for the 1095 – if I chose that over the D2 would I regret it long term or are the practical differences minimal.

would also be interested in recommendations for leather work as i would prefer a leather sheath rather than the supplied kydex one.

Any advice would be much appreciated

 

[Hedgehog]

I don't own any D2 knives so my knowledge is purely hersay & should be complewtely ignored in favour of somebody who owns & uses (many people own knives but don't know the first thing about them as they have never used them) both steels.

D2 is harder, more stain resistant & perhaps more brittle & harder to sharpen than 1095

1095 is softer, less stain resistant, less brittle & easier to sharpen than D2

 

[weaver]

If you plan to chop or baton with it then stay far away from D2.

1095 will be much better for that, it will take a little more care but not so bad. A lot of people are coming back around to 1095 instead of stainless or the high tech fancy steels.

Keep a pocket stone with you, learn to touch up the edge regularly and keep a little oil on the blade and it will last more than your lifetime.

If you are around salt water a lot, only cut with the blade and never abuse it then D2 may work for you.

 

[buckley]

I actually bought a rat-3 the in D-2 the other day. Only cost me £30 and its quickly becoming one of my favourites. It looks a bit 'tactical', but it is an awesome slicer, and it creates some fantastic fuzz sticks. The neck sheath is quality, nice and light and it can't be seen under a shirt. The finish on the handle slabs wasn't perfect (green canvas micarta) but I didn't expect them to be for the price I paid. I was toying with getting a leather sheath for it, but the sheath that comes with it is nice enough. It also holds it very securely in place, and the attachment holes allow it to be rigged up nicely round the neck.

I also spent an afternoon batoning with it and it performed well! I just gave it a few wipes on a loaded leather strop and it was bought back to shaving sharpness.I really can't see the benefit of paying more for a different steel, as I believe that this knife will perform and task you ask of it (apart from prying). I carved a spoon with it and the choll was great for really choking up on the blade for extra control of the knife.


I am well chuffed with the purchase.

As for leatherwork, i've bought a few bits of singtek and his stuff really is top quality. In my opinion his prices also represent a bargain.

 

[Corso]

cheers for the info looks like I'm pointing towards the 1095-unless Buckley wants to point me in the direction of the 330 D2 suppliers

Agree on the tactical look being a bit off putting - was thinking of a new woodhandle at some point.

As for tyhe leatherwork I assume singtek is on here? Will try and hunt down some examples of his work and see if he's interested in a commision

If I were also thinking a new wooden handle anyone recommended?

 

[Corso]

Just been looking at singtek's gallery - there is some amazing work on there have already thrown him an email about a sheath and have finally found a possibles pouch for my pocket gear

 

[buckley]

Hi,

I got mine off e bay I am afraid. I was looking for a BRKT mikro on there and ended up buying the RAT instead. There are some suppliers on ebay selling the knives for $75p+p, with postage you could get one for about £40.

I think Rush's Knives and Things are doing them in their ebay shop.

I'd love to see the knife if you decide to change the handles and upgrade to a leather sheath! Make sure you post some pics.

 

[Snufkin]

1095 is a carbom steel, D2 is almost a stainless, it's chrome content is not quite high enough to be classed as stainless. I've had a couple of Gene Ingrams in D2 and they were a joy to use and not much of a chore to sharpen. Never had a 1095 knife.

 

[buckley]

cheers for the info looks like I'm pointing towards the 1095-unless Buckley wants to point me in the direction of the 330 D2 suppliers

Agree on the tactical look being a bit off putting - was thinking of a new woodhandle at some point.

As for tyhe leatherwork I assume singtek is on here? Will try and hunt down some examples of his work and see if he's interested in a commision

If I were also thinking a new wooden handle anyone recommended?

If you want to put a handle on it, you could pick up some nice 'burl slabs for a few quid, and a pair of loveless bolts or something. Rehandling a knife isn't really that difficult. I am cack handed, but have been pleased with a few knives that i've put handles on.

All you need is a few files, emery paper, some araldite, maybe some fiber liners and the oil of your choice. It would only take you a couple of hours to put some slabs on the RAT-3. If you did it yourself you'd have something to be really proud of.

 

[sargey]

If you plan to chop or baton with it then stay far away from D2.

1095 will be much better for that, it will take a little more care but not so bad. A lot of people are coming back around to 1095 instead of stainless or the high tech fancy steels.

Keep a pocket stone with you, learn to touch up the edge regularly and keep a little oil on the blade and it will last more than your lifetime.

If you are around salt water a lot, only cut with the blade and never abuse it then D2 may work for you.

D2 is typically used as a punch and die steel for cutting steel, it's as tough as you like. have you had some specific problems in the past with D2 knives?

my rat3 is D2, and it is a superb tool. the D2 will have much better edge retention than the 1095, the chromium in the mix goes a long way to improving wear resistance in industrial applications, and does make it practically a "semi-stainless".

i didn't like the relatively bulky supplied plastic sheath either. so i got a nice little compact kydex sheath, great for pocket carry.

oh yeah, and the handle slabs are easily removed and refitted with an allen key so you can play with new handles all you like.

cheers, and.

 

[weaver]

Talking blade steel is like talking religion, everybody has their idea of what is right and what is ideal. Everybody has things they don't like.

Yes, I had a D2 knife chip out. I was not abusing it anywhere near the point I thought it would break, just cutting through a deer knee joint. It was replaced under warranty and I gave it away. I've done the same job with 1095 and with ATS-34 many times without chipping the blade.

A blanking die is not a knife. A die is struck inline not at an angle that would cause it to chip. Different creature altogether. Wear resistance and impact resistance are excellent on D2, also 12 percent Chrome does make it stainless to only a slightly lesser degree, a couple stainless steels are in the 12 to 14% range on Chrome. Moly adds impact resistance and Vanadium adds toughness and wear resistance. The high carbon content makes it harden to a higher degree than most Stainless steels. Since it is air hardening it can't be differentially treated like the oil hardening steels. Or at least I have never read of a way to do that. I suppose it could be locally tempered by using a shield or heat sink. I doubt any commercial maker would go to that trouble.

D2 does make a wonderful small blade for cutting. I just wouldn't want to take another chance on chopping with one, especially if my life depended on keeping that knife.

 

[Corso]

well thankyou all for your wealth of advice, think I have just enough info to make my choice.

spoke to singtek and he's not in the UK so the knife sheath is out he has offered to make me a possibles pouch though so its not all bad news - might get me off my **** and attempt one myself though

the make your own handles idea sounds like alot of fun will need to hit that serch button

one quick Q - I assume 'burl slabs requires some elaboration for the search button?

 

[British Red]

Corso,

Singtecks stuff is awesome - I have lots of it and he taught me to work leather. If he's back home right now though there,s pleanty of others on here who can make tou a sheath. I would ask Leon-1, or topknot - both do lovely work

Red

 

[buckley]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bushcraft-kni...oryZ3126QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

There are loads to choose from. I think there is a knife handle encyclopedia on this site somewhere which shows you many different types of handle materials.

Good luck.

 

[Corso]

cheers for the leads

am quite taken with the idea of wet forming my own sheath though

no supprise i can get handles off ebay - dont know why i didn't searhcon there misses spends most of her time on there as it is LOL

realy like the look of African Blackwood would look very smart on a black blade

 

[Ramapo]

Hi all, just noticed this thread and thought I'd share something I just learned: although it's a little more expensive than the normal model, the Rat-3 is available in a non-tactical model that has a ram's horn handle and that isn't coated black. I'm sure you can find it if you Google around a bit. It looks a lot better than the tactical model I think.

 

[Hoodoo]

I bought the Ram's Horn model when it first came out. Terrible job on fitting the scales. Like two bars of soap glued to a piece of steel. I sent it back and they refitted it. Now it is absolutely perfect.

Personally I would go with D2. An excellent steel and I've battoned the crap out of it with no ill effect. However if the heat treat is good, D2 or 1095 is good cutlery steel, anyway you slice it.

 

[welshwoodsman]

i've also got a d2 rat-3 with ram's horn scales. lovely little knife but the scales were crap on mine too. they'll be coming off this weekend to be replaced by some african blackwood.

 

[Ramapo]

You know, if that's the case and the ram's horn scales are crap, it might be best to just buy the tactical knife and then remove the blade's coating and re-do the handle with whatever you choose. A bit of a pain to be sure. But it could work out if you're in the mood for a fixer-upper project and want a good knife for cheap.

Does anyone know how difficult it is to remove a coating like that? Can you use a coated blade on fire steel?

 

[Hoodoo]

Usually you can remove coatings fairly easily using paint stripper. I've used something called citristrip with good success but I've never tried it on a RAT.

I don't know about the RAT, but often knives with coatings will be rough finished underneath and it will take a lot of elbow grease to sand down the blade to get rid of the grind marks and put a satin or mirror finish on one. Ya never know unless you can find someone who's already done it.