I have used this knife pretty much daily for the last 13 years. I have sharpened it so many times it has lost about 15% of the blade but the knife still works. I had an issue with it many years ago where the frame lock was loose which made the blade not lock up. I messaged back and forth with Ontario to see if I could get just a new liner but they said that they could not do that. I even offered to buy it, but still got a no, so I took it apart myself, used a welder to put a little extra metal on, the detent ball popped out due to the heat and got lost, but I got it working and have been using it that way for for 4 or 5 years. I still use this knife daily! Amazing knife.

Dug out my old AUS-8 Rat 1 folder today that I bought years ago when I worked at Smoky Mountain Knife Works.
Originally bought it for use in the store as an EDC pocket knife.
I put this knife through hell since then, working in a company making fiberglass sculptures...hacking open paint cans, carving Bondo and Duraglass, even cutting fiberglass cloth.
It's stained, worn, beat up and nasty looking... I just spent a couple minutes on it with a soft Arkansas stone, and It's hair-popping sharp.
I grew up hunting and fishing in the near wilderness area of Minnesota on the edge of the BWCA, and appreciate a serious knife. You just can't go wrong with this knife.

This knife is easily the best value I have ever found in this price range. The knife is very well balanced, very comfortable in the hand, has very smooth operation, and the mirror polished finish of the blade is exquisite. Materials and construction are of excellent quality right down to the belt clip. The blade has held it’s edge perfectly with frequent use since I started carrying it nearly a month ago. I highly recommend this knife to anyone who knows the value of always having a dependable blade at their disposal.

For $50 I really doubt you will find more value in a EDC folder anywhere. This knife is a good weight, slim, the handle has good form and grip, the blade is the optimal size and shape for a multitude of tasks. The blade steel is good for this price range and while it comes acceptably sharp from the factory if you hand sharpen it yourself you can get a wicked edge on this pocketknife. The locking mechanism is both smooth and still locks up tight— something a lot of folders in this price range cannot seem to get right. This knife will serve you well. I will be buying another one. Remember folks— “two is one and one is none!” This knife takes a hell of a beating on the job with me every day and it has not let me down. I have owned dozens of different folders over the years some of them a lot more expensive than this one and yet this is the one I’ve ended up carrying every day. Highly recommend!

RAT® I FG