Ontario RAT II

Lovely knife, I only have good things to say about it. I have the black blade version as well and the centering on both is perfect - straight down the middle, as Bob Hope used to say (Who? says anyone under 40!). This is much more comfortable for me to manage than the Rat1, which is enormous in my small hands. The blade flies out with the merest hint of a 'fl*k' and, like the black blade version, there is no blade play at all.

I received my Ontario RAT 2 knife this afternoon with the usual speedy delivery from Hennie Haynes. I noted from the box that the knives are made in Taiwan (cue dubious sideways glance) from a company based in NY State USA . First impressions- the knife was well packaged in bubble wrap and did not require a signature from the postie on its arrival. (handy if your at work) Out of the box I gave it my usual brand of scrutiny. The handle scales feel slippery at first but in use are very grippy, quite a genius of design as rough textured scales on a knife with a pocket clip could rub your leg sore if carrying all day. The knife has full stainless steel liners and is constructed using torx screwdriver, which you will need if you wish to change the 4 position pocket clip from its right hand, tip down default position. Speaking of that pocket clip it is spring steel and very tight, though it is painted rather than anodised it will scratch over time. The scales are kept apart with a pillar design that allows for easy cleaning with a pipe cleaner or cotton bud. I also noted that the edges of the jimping, thumb stud and liners have been chamfered to allow carry comfort without relieving them of texture. The blade centering within the handle is the closest thing to perfection that I have seen in any knife. The blade is held closed by a ball detent that makes the knife very easy to flick open on the slick phosphor bronze washers but retains the blade very securely while folded, It also gives a distinct double click when the blade is deployed. The stainless steel liner locks steel to steel with a reassuring clunk. There is no discernible blade play in any direction. The blade itself is made from AUS-8 steel, a Japanese cutlery type steel with high corrosion resistance, decent edge retention and ease of sharpening. A quick point about steel types- Its all very well having VG this and SGP that but it's the heat treatment that decides a lot of the blades characteristics. Although AUS-8 is considered a low mid-range steel a good heat treatment can greatly improve the finished product. Ontario seem to have got this just right as the blade held its edge well after a few cutting tests and was incredibly easy to bring back to a razors edge and I do mean razors edge! The size and general handling of the knife are interesting to say the least. The large frontal finger choil puts you index finger about one fifth of the way down the handle, this gives the feeling that the blade is a fair distance away from your hand and therefore difficult to control, though with practice; you get used to it. Using that finger choil when choking up on the knife, for making feather sticks for example, makes for a solid grip. I have large hands (glove size 9.5) and I do feel that the handle could be half an inch longer. However the handle shape and grip is very comfortable in use and the edges of the pocket clip are also nicely rounded so as to reduce causing blisters. The general size of the knife is large enough to be a practical working blade but small enough to not be offensive. You will rarely notice it in your pocket yet it's a solid medium duty knife capable of keeping up with folding lockbacks like the EKA swede 8 or Spyderco Delica for example. The price has to be this knives trump card. These days, £34 doesn't buy you as much as it used to. Yet here you are getting an American designed knife that well-made, with good steel, with a good heat treatment, with all the ergonomics and practical potential of a knife of twice the price. I only rate it at 4 stars because the handle shape does take some getting used to with larger than average hands. I'd give it 4.8 stars if I could and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this knife to anyone. If the size of the handle bothers you take a look at its larger brother, the RAT 1, with the same steel and build quality on a slightly larger scale and available in a choice of colours.

Love this knife! Lightweight, very sharp (cuts paper straight out the box), keeps a good edge, nice blade profile. Very good value for money. Have removed the belt clip as I carry it in my leatherman pouch. Opening is a little stiff but will hopefully loosen up with use.

Well,the service from HH goes without saying..... An amazing blade for the money.Just a quick touch up on the spyderco sharpener and i did the sprouts and spuds for tea maybe easier than my old faithful Delica 4..perhaps the blade shape helps. Very good ergo's and ease of opening/closing..Recommended ...Faultless build.

Fist of all heinnie haynes service is outstanding, ordered it on friday and had standard delivery and it arrived on monday fantastic. Now onto the knife, out of the box it is perfectly sharp and could be used daily and only need a touch up, the aus 8 stainless steel holds it's edge superbly and rarely requires honing, i recently found out how to use my whetstone and i can get a razor edge capable of shaving that holds up. As the blade is only 3" it makes for a great every day use knife and you won't scare anyone off, wouldn't recommend it for heavy camping or bushcraft use as it's only a folding blade but it's still a fantastic piece of kit. Another point is the DEPLOYMENT is so smooth and fast you can do it it with one hand i.e your thumb, honestly it makes you feel like its a flick knife although not, Superb all in all A++++

The rat feels really nice in my hand although the G10 isn't as grippy as some other knifes I have, but this does mean it won't shred my pocket over time. The clip works really well once I changed its position and the blade deploys very nicely with a positive lock and no play. It comes pretty sharp and with very little effort it can become really sharp. I'm struggling to understand how this knife can be less than £34? What does £34 buy you nowadays? You can't go wrong if you buy yourself a Ontario Rat ll.

For this price your going to be hard pushed to find a better blade superb F&F spot on blade centering & a great lock up all at under £40 if your on the fence about this one just go for it !

The knife arrived very quickly. This is excellent knife for budget . This knife is easy to use light and ergonomic, smooth transaction plus no blade play white open lock. Adjustable pocket clip and easy to clean the blade. Although the blade is not high quality but will give you maximum utility.

My Ontario Rat II arrived this morning. Very prompt delivery and excellent notification throughout. I must say that I am very impressed (but not at all surprised) by Heinnie Haynes' first rate-service. The rave reviews by all those other satisfied customers were obviously well merited. I had been looking for a new pocket knife for a while and had done a lot of research, before finally deciding on the Rat II. It appears to be an excellent knife. It is an ideal E.D.C. blade. It is very thin and light carries comfortably in pocket. The pocket clip is very good. It comes set up for right handed tip down carry, but can be repositioned for left or right, tip up or down carry. Tip down has the knife riding deeper in the pocket, which is good, but the thumb studs tend to rub against the pocket when the knife is withdrawn. Tip up eliminates this issue, but the knife rides higher in the pocket. The knife arrived razor sharp. Detent is excellent and the blade deploys smoothly and snappily with the least of the thumb, which is down to the phosphor-bronze washers. Lockup is rock solid with no blade-play whatsoever. The locking liner does a fine job and is solid and secure. Ergonomics are very good. The handle is very comfortable and affords a comfortable grasp, fitting my medium-sized hand well. The gimping on the thumb ramp is very effective. I am very pleased with the knife and with Heinnie Haynes. Many thanks.