Why the Ontario RAT Model 1 Still Earns Its Place in a Budget Rotation
Not every knife purchase needs to be an event. Sometimes the job is a box, a length of cord and a comfortable grip, and the Ontario RAT Model 1 has been answering that brief for long enough that it has become a reference point for budget folders. Model 8848 is the plain version: satin drop-point blade, black nylon handle, manual liner lock.
The steel choice tells you what the knife is for. AUS-8 is an affordable stainless that balances corrosion resistance, toughness and ease of sharpening rather than chasing edge retention records. That means it will need touching up more often than an S35VN or MagnaCut blade, and it will also come back to a working edge in a couple of minutes on a ceramic rod. For a knife that gets used on packaging and cord, that trade is usually the right one, because a dull knife that sharpens fast is more useful than a hard knife that never gets sharpened.
The drop-point profile is the other sensible decision. A curved cutting edge handles cardboard and strapping well, and a defined tip covers controlled cuts without pretending to be an awl. The textured nylon handle is unfashionable next to micarta and titanium, but it is light, it does not get slick when wet, and it costs very little to replace if it ever fails. The manual liner lock is a known quantity, easy to inspect and easy to keep clean.
Where the RAT Model 1 gets fiddly is in buying one. Ontario has offered the design in multiple configurations with different blade finishes, steels and handle materials, so the model number matters. The 8848 designation is what pins down the satin plain-edge AUS-8 blade with black nylon scales. Ordering by the name alone can land you a different knife than the one you researched.
The verdict is unchanged by any of the last decade's steel marketing. A knife that is comfortable, cuts well, sharpens fast and costs little remains a good knife, and the RAT Model 1 has been that for years. It is not the knife to buy if you want the last word in edge holding or lock-up feel. It is the knife to buy if you want a full-size working folder you will not baby.