Ontario Knife 8861 Folding Knife, Black

I love this knife. I carry it with me nearly every day, as I’m a touring musician and there’s always a need for a blade to cut a zip tie, open a box, or a zillion other tasks. It opens and closes as smoothly as on day 1 and is still nice and sharp!

This is easily one of the best knives you can get for any price range. There are lighter knives, there are knives with better steel, there are knives with better locks but for the price this is the best pocket knife you can get. It opens way smoother than it really has any right to, it feels solid in the hand, the lockup is good, it holds an edge you can shave with, you can replace everything on it should something break and you can configure it for left or right, tip up or tip down carry very easily provided you have the right torx screw driver. It's even small enough to be legal pretty much anywher ein the US. There are better knives but there is no knife this good for this little. It's one of the best bargains in the knife world hands down.

I've owned my RAT II for over a year, and carry it regularly. The AUS8 steel is excellent at this price point (I'll take AUS8 over 8CR13MOV almost every time), it takes a razor edge and hold it for a respectable amount of time for AUS8. This knife comes a bit stiff out of the box, but nowhere near as stiff as my Esee Zancudo was. 4 different mounting points let you carry the knife any way you feel like it (I carry tip up right hand carry myself). Very easy to maintain and disassemble, like, stupid easy. The knife is small enough to be legal in most US states, and is light enough that it is effortlessly easy to flex into your EDC. Pros: Lightweight Good steel at the price point Comfortable in hand Easy to maintain Excellent size for EDC 4 way positionable pocket clip Very smooth action Good blade lock up for a liner lock No blade play and good centring I can go on and on. Cons: Paint on black versions will not hold up to use AUS8 will roll under HARD use (easy to fix though) Would I recommend? I cannot recommend this knife enough. It is easily a reference EDC folder. Very high value folder for a first time knife buyer to a real collector to use as a beater. Every knife collection should have a RAT II in it without question. If you're looking for a good quality knife at an excellent price point, look no further than the REST II.

This is a fantastic pocket knife, super sharp, fits perfectly in the hand and opens quickly and smoothly with a solid click when it hits the lock. Great action! The only nitpick is that the liner lock can be hard to release (they made it too flush in the finger groove, a 1/16" further out would fix it) and maybe that the scales are a little bit too slick, making it easier to drop when opening. But those are minor on such a good knife otherwise. Aus-8 steel is just good enough for EDC, better, harder steel would cost more (and would hold it's edge better but, it would be harder to sharpen). It is very sharp out of the box, and easy to keep razor sharp with minor touch ups. And you won't cry if you break it or lose it. I'm definitely going to buy the larger RAT- 1 (4" blade) as well. This is the sweet spot for a 3" blade for EDC as far as price, form, fit and function are concerned. You can spend more for better, but you really don't need to.

The Rat 2's simple excellence will never die. It's slim and pocketable. The action is sure and easy for opening. Skeletonizing the steel liners could save noticeable weight, but that would also add to the manufacturing time and cost. My cost. One major gripe: using a huge swath of the friggin' blade for billboarding their giant company logo. Grrrrrr! Looks stupid and un-aesthetic. But I guess that's a matter of opinion, not function. As such a standard classic knife, maybe the Ontario Knife Company has now earned the right to splash their logo up there.

I first saw this brand when I was looking for knives on the Sam's Club website. They actually have a two pack of the RAT 1 for under. $36! As I wasn't familiar with OKC, I did more research. Turns out they've been around since 1889, right there with Case, and both have ties to another knife company that precedes both of them. To the knife: I ordered the RAT 2 for the smaller size. It came quickly and in excellent condition. This knife is impressive for the price! Solid make up, no play, blade is centered and is fairly easy to open. I expect it will get easier with time & use. It locks solidly and does make a double click as another review mentioned. I gave it 4 stars only due to the black coating. Seems a little cheesy, like it will scrape off easily. That being said, I have Benchmade that have wearing on a similar type blade. Also, a deduct for not being made in USA like the fixed blades that OKC has made here in NY. Review addendum: Based on how impressed I was with the RAT 2 I purchased on Amazon, I also ordered the aforementioned Rat 1 two pack from Sam's Club. Basically two Rat 1's for $40! Again, very impressed with the build quality. The RAT 1's are ALOT heavier than I imagined though. A bit too heavy to use as an EDC IMO. Definitely a good knife to take on a hike, camping, etc. Carried in a back pack maybe in a belt sheath, but to heavy to clip in your pocket. Maybe I'm just used to some of my other big folders that are substantially lighter. Still, a lot of bang for the buck at $20.00 each, and well worth more than that if you ask me! Now, contrast the RAT 2 - while it is heavier than a similar sized Benchmade 531 Mel Pardue I own, it feels good in your hands. It doesn't feel too heavy. Coupled with the great ergonomic feel of the handle, this RAT 2 has become my favorite EDC, even over the BM 531!

Hab das Messer jetzt seit über 8 Jahren und es funktioniert immer noch einwandfrei. Die klinge muss zwar öfter geschärft werden aber das ist für mich kein Problem. Übrigens habe ich die Daumenpins abgeschraubt damit es als Zweihandmesser gilt.

Mas por tu dinero, excelente navaja! Aunque por el tamaño de mis manos me es mas cómoda la RAT1, también genial.

Desde que la tienes en tu mano, la abres , la utilizas, la cierras. Todo se siente de primera. Apertura rápida , solides ,filosa, compacta, con buenos materiales. Todo muy bien . Sin peros. Recomendable.