+isaac hudson RAT 1 will always be a king to me. Great knife. If they were all the same price, the RAT 1 would be number 1 and at even twice the price it's still 1B to Ganzo's 1A. To me at least. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
The RAT 1 carries deepest tip down. Also, the RAT 1 has phosphor bronze with a very thin nylon or teflon bushing against the blade. Cold Steel does the same thing with many of their folders. If you test the edge retention, the Ganzo 440C will perform the best with a close performance between the RAT 1 AUS8 and the 8Cr13MoV Spyderco. The Spyderco Chinese produced budget line is overpriced. Also, for a small difference, the RAT 1 can be bought with D2 steel, which roughly doubles the edge retention.
Thanks for adding to the conversation. The last time I checked it was brass washers and silicone bushings. Forgot where I got that from but I had to double check after making this video last year and that was what I found. I've been meaning to pick up the d2 one but been buying mostly fixed blades lately.
I saw where some said the washers were brass, but it included no details on how they knew. As to the thin layer of plastic over them, I did not find any referances.
received my Ganzo G704 yesterday. Up here in Canada knifes are very expensive so i didn't want to drop serious coin on a pocket knife that in all honestly, i am going to lose before i wear out of break. Great views!!
No worries my friend. These used to be $12-15 a few years ago. I recommended them to my friends too and we’ve been using these knives for years and years now
I think the Kizer V3 is also a great budget folder. Personally, it's got an edge up on these knives sporting VG-10 steel, G10 handles and rather good fit and finish all for $50.
+Bushcraft Dave I have all three of those knives. I live in Canada and the shipping costs alone on each of the spyderco and rat knives was the same as the price of the ganzo with free shipping.
Been a fan of the rat 1, it being the first knife I bought when the bug hit me about a year ago. Just ordered a limited edition RAT 1 with D2 steel and carbon fiber. I think they made a great value even better. Don't own any Ganzos but I have a spyderco pm2 which is above the price level in this comparision but it's a very solid knife.
Maybe it's my bias for being a very happy owner of a RAT 2 knife but I gotta say the RAT is hands down the GOAT for a budget EDC knife. Also I typically find the Taiwan made knives to be better made than the ones made in China (although there are plenty of very well made knives from China too).
Something I have noticed on my ganzo is that the G10 on the clip side ( right handed) has a coarser, more agressive texturing which I find quite annoying. I don't know if its like that on all of them or if its just mine. Little tip: If you want a lower profile pocket clip, go with a ganzo with a black blade because it will have a black clip. Same with the Spyderco.
For an EDC you can't beat a Ganzo the quality is good easy to sharpen and most importantly it won't ruin your day when you lose it and you know you will .
Joe Szabo no I take care of my knives and haven't lost one yet so I don't support ganzo and their counterfeit axis lock. Instead I support American knife makers and the inventors of the axis lock, that's Benchmade in case you didn't know.
Thanks my friend, I really appreciate the feedback. Ganzo's are excellent for the price and never has failed me yet. I'll be having a giveaway soon, hope you stick around!
I have RAT and Ganzo different model. I prefer the Rat. the axis lock in my ganzo fails several times, and the action is getting worse over time. my Rat is as good as new.
Just this weekend I was working on my lawn, killing the grass and then lining the dirt with black fabric and then gravel on top. I had my RAT and my Ganzo on hand, I choose to beat up my Ganzo. I used the tip to cut the fabric against the concrete. RATs aren’t expensive but I’m very thrifty so I rather beat up my ganzos. The RAT is my go to for most other situations
Your evaluation was in my opinion, totally accurate and for the budget constrained EDC the case is obvious. Price is the major factor for most people and Gonzo wins by a mile and still provides an excellent excellent product. I have several Ganzo s, because, at their pricing, I can afford to have several Ganzo s and now I'm a collector.
Hello Sir , this is the first of your videos that I have watched . Awesome review! . I already have the rat 1 and the spyderco, Ive recently ordered my first ganzo. Im hoping its as good as Ive heard that it is. Thanks for the review! !
Thank you for taking the time to comment Thomas! I really appreciate it and I would love to hear your thoughts about Ganzo. Please come back after you get to use it a bit.
While I do like Ganzo knives, especially for the price, my experience with their axis lock is mixed. They run the gamut from absolutely buttery smooth and easy to operate, to gritty af with extremely stiff springs.
Good review with an interesting, and appropriate selection of edc blades. I seldom carry my Tenacious, occasionally carry my Rat 1, and, more often than not, carry some model of Ganzo knife. I own knives of most of the major manufacturers, but Ganzos are a regular part of my daily carry rotation.
me too! Ganzo's cheap price lets us own and tryout so many cool designs. I'm probably going to buy a Benchmade now because I love Ganzo's versions of their knives so much. I'm really glad they're in the market.
Btw, your incorrect about the washers on the RAT. The RAT does not use phosphor bronze washers. They are white plastic washers. I can see my protruding a tiny bit when my knife is closed.
+Dan Schwemin Jr just to confirm what I said, I double checked and opened it up and yup there's 2 brass washers with 2 silicone washers. So it's liner-brass-silicone--blade--silicone-brass-liner. I looked at some dismantling videos of the RAT 1 and they showed the same thing.
Ah ok! So we were kind of both right, lol! You said you thought they had bronze/brass, I said I thought they had nylon, when in fact they had both! Lol. Good to know! That makes me happy to know they have Bronze/brass because I could only see the white colored washers when I looked at the pivot of the knife. I try to avoid taking my knives apart because it voids most makers warranty and I know that some knives, once taken apart, don't go back together very easily. Therefore I generally never take my knives apart. I don't really see a need when I can clean them under warm soapy water. But thank you for being brave enough to take yours apart and look for me! Hehe. I really think that's kick-ass that they did in fact use bronze/brass washers! ---- As for the handle thing, I completely agree with you. Unfortunately 99.999% of all folders these days are designed with flat 2-D handles that are designed to fit the pocket better than the user's hand. Silly but true! Part of the reason for this I discovered was that in order to 3-D machine handles so they have more of a rounded cross sections instead of a flat one, takes a lot more machining and will increase the cost of the knife quite a bit. And most knife makers have the notion that most knife user's don't appreciate it when they do in fact 3-D machine handles enough to warrant them taking the extra time and cost to do it to all the knives in their lineup. This came straight from an interview with Tom Welk of Kershaw knives, from podcast #23 of Gear Geeks Live. So ultimately what you have now is all knife makers just producing knives with these horribly uncomfortable flat, super slim, 2-D handles because they are cheaper and easier to product than 3-D machined handles. All because the general public doesn't appreciate the added process the knife company has to go through to make a truly comfortable handle! It's too bad! =(. So if you want something comfortable, you're going to have to stick with a fixed blade for the most part... Unless you want to spend a LOT of money on a high end folder with 3-D machined handles.
Bushcraft Dave I did my first knife disassembly yesterday on my rat 1 and can confirm. Was a little tricky getting the blade back to center but I was able to get it back together, cleaned and oiled.
Rat 1 get my vote, I have 3 and one of my favorite EDC knifes. I only paid $9 w/free ship brand new in the box for my last one. They are razor sharp out of the box and hold an edge well. Few swipes on the ceramic stone and on the leather strop and its like new. As for the grip. It's has good feel/texture and sits well in the hand. Not slippery at all. They can take a ton of abuse, the one in my toolbox shows the cosmetic wear but functions like new and keeps a edge. I've used the other 2, like the Rat better. Ganzo blade isn't that good, OK for $18 knife. You can find plenty of new Rat 1 for under that price these days.
I totally agree with your choice of winner of those three knives. BUT, I think that there are even better Ganzo EDC choices than the G739. Yes, it is a great choice, but the G738 or the G722 (which can not only EDC but do rough work) , or my favourite of all of the knives in this video or my list the G723. On certain days there are even other Ganzo's that I would choose. I really like your videos, you do great reviews here Dave.
+Canadian Cutting Edge dang that means a lot coming from you. I truly appreciate it. Your commentary is incredible in your videos I wish I could convey my ideas as easy and fluid as you do. I really love the g738 as well, does yours have a really narrow grind? It's nice great slicer. I don't own the other two Ganzo's you mentioned yet. I need to buy some more. For me, if the g739 was a full flat grind I would be in absolute heaven! I wonder if they plan on making the g738 in CF? I would be all over that!
My G738 looks exactly like yours, the grind too. The G738 with CF would be nice indeed, I have no idea if they are in the plans or not, its probably a decision they base on sales: more sales of a model = more options to sell it with. They do have the G738 with wood scales, which I own in addition to one with G10. In my cutting tests I have found the G738 and G739 to slice very much identically. the G738 may not have a full flat grind but it has a large flat grind and the swedge at the top of the grind means that whatever you are cutting experiences the edge as if it were a full flat grind. Perhaps your desire for a full flat grind are not just the practical cutting reasons but esthetic, in which case you keep the 739 as your prime EDC - it IS a very good EDC to be sure.
+Canadian Cutting Edge it might be in my head but when I cut things like a watermelon, it seems like a ffg eases into the material easier. A thicker sane grind wound require more force because you're splitting the material, depending on the blade thickness, you might be splitting it before the edge gets to cut it. Might be in my head or just the knives I've used. I'd love to know what knife designs would youd like Ganzo to use next? I'd love to see BM Nakamura or adamas. How about you?
I must add another comment because just today a new Ganzo arrived at my house the G740. It looks like it is a totally in house design and not inspired by something else. A full flat grind and 3.75inch of edge, with axis lock. This looks like a superb large EDC. Very comfortable in hand, clip it tip up R and L, due to axis lock of course, but the ambidextrous axis lock is a HUGE positive for me, because I am ambidextrous. Which is great because some knives have hot spots in one hand but not in the other. but I digress now so I will shut the front door of my face, errr hands, and go on to other posts.
In my estimation the G738 and G739 cut so much that same that I find no distinction. One is actual FFG and the other is effectively a FFG because there is no hollow or convex and no effective flat area at the spine. Re": other knives that I would like to see Ganzo make? I would like to see them have a nice handful of 2.9inch knives so that those folks who live in areas where they are limited to 3 inch or less blades can get Ganzo knives to play with. Yes the G718 is short enough but its not a good knife. On that note, I would like to see them do some slip-joint work, and a few more back-lock knives - the G713 is a pretty good start. But, you were talking about styles, right? I like any and every knife style as except karambits, I just don't "get" them. There is only one use for them and even for that use it is a narrow style of attack to use them in, it just doesn't make sense, also I don't like killing so a knife that is made expressly and solely to harm a fellow human I just don't like so much. So I don't like daggers that much either, but they can be used for so many things other than as a weapon. I like Ganzo trying their had at a bushcraft knife, I should have my hands on a G801 in a few days, I hope, and I wish they would try more non-folding knives. I really like the G735 multi-tool rescue type knife and wish they made more of that purpose knife. They have begun to slow down on their G10 addiction and are making knives with other scales - they need to do more of that, even as they need to add more colours to their knives with G10, as they did with the G704. And finally, Cold Steel has shown that there is a market for 4+inch blades in folders, I would like to see Ganzo make some 5 inch folders. I don't think I answered your question very well but I tried. Sanrenmu started Real Steel so they can create some big and bigger cost knives, I hope Ganzo does the same and starts a brand that is for the mid value buyer, they cannot afford to get stuck just creating for the low cost - high value buyer but need to attract the buyer who has $100 to $300 to spend on a knife, I am sure they would do just fine in that market. Hopefully they would not miss the $30 to $80 market, but those could come in the Ganzo branding I would think. So there is what I would do if I were CEO of Ganzo.
great job. nice review. i own all 3 models. well, i have a Spyderco tenacious, 3 Ganzos and 8 Ontario RAT-1 and smaller RAT-2s including my favorite, a D2 steel bladed RAT-1. theyre all great knives and absolute bargains especially the Taiwan produced RAT-1 and Chinese produced Ganzos. the quality of those two in particular is off the charts for the price paid. out of 8 RATs, theyve all been perfect. perfect fit and finish, perfect blade centering and lockup and perfectly smooth actions. all 3 of my Ganzos are the same. the only issue with my tenacious was a slightly off center blade. theyre all quality knives. i do think the Ganzos 440C steel blade is a slight upgrade over the AUS-8 of the standard RATs as far as edge holding and resistance to chipping goes. maybe even corrosion protection too. although the AUS-8 is very, very good. it takes the keenest edge in my experience. the Spyderco tenacious with Chinese 8CR13 MOV is somewhere in between imo. but none compare to the D2 of my upgraded RAT-1. its superb and holds its own against $200 knives with the latest supersteels. D2 takes a blistering edge, holds it forever but can be a little chippy under hard use and is not stainless. it requires a bit of care. its qualities more than make up for that though. imo as far as ergos go the RATs have it although the others are great too especially my Ganzo 720 which is a Lionsteel SR-1 knockoff. the FRN handles of the RATS arent quite as nice or grippy as the G-10 of the others but its such a comfortable and versatile handle especially for hard use. its a strong knife as well. you cant go wrong with either of these 3 knives/brands. for less than $20 the Ganzos are the best budget knives in the industry. for just over $20 the RATs are overall a slight upgrade and at $45 the tenacious is an excellent entry knife into Spyderco, which is one of the finest knife makers in the industry, period.
No that was great! I’ve always felt I learn more from the viewers and commenters than they can learn from me. Please share your knowledge and consider making videos!
Kaden Giaise - Ganzos 440C or whatever it is, is excellent imo. Theyve nailed the heat treating and it outperforms Ontarios AUS-8 imo. Its actually better than Bucks 420 or 425 HC as well imo. Ontarios D2 however, blows it away.
dmart63 what im saying is that prepping is very useful yea sure you might not be fighting anyone but just incase a natural disaster such as an earthquake or tsunami comes a knife and some prepping gear can really save lives
I lost my good edc blade so until I can get a 940 or stretch or something these and ganzo fh21 were on the list and I grabbed the later if I don't like it I'll go get a tenancious for 40 at Walmart it's 10 more the others are 30. Not many great folders for sub 30..I had a buck for 20 from there and it was ok..rat is kind of bulky but built nice..idk
I own two Ganzo knives, and like many have said here, they are high quality knives that cost very little. My only complaint with my Ganzos is that they have minimal blade detente. I can hold the knife closed, give it a good shake, and the blade will pop open. The problem with this is that I've had the blade open when pulling it out of my pocket, and with its tip up design this is scary. So I don't carry my Ganzos. I recently purchased the Rat 1, and my only complaint with it is that it's awkward to open given the thumb stud location. I don't have a Tenacious, but I because I love my Delica 4 and my Para 2, it will probably be my next budget folder purchase.
Yeah that’s true. Most of the new ones I have aren’t too bad but the older ones has bigger issues with it. They keep improving though hopefully that problem will go away. Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment I love getting everyone’s input
Honestly I find all three of these knives to have horribly uncomfortable handles... This is due to their 2-D design grip. They're all so thin and blocky that they just cause pain to the hand when used for any length of time. I'd rather carry a fixed blade with better ergonomics.
+Dan Schwemin Jr yeah most folders aren't designed to fill up your palm like a bushcraft knife. I think most are probably designed thin for easier EDC. I wouldn't willingly use a folder on doing any job all day, like you mentioned a fixed blade with a purpose driven handle design would be best. But for most of my edc needs, the Ontario handle has worked great.
Hi Joseph, how much does a Ganzo cost? When I bought mine they were around 10 to 15 dollars but I haven’t bought any for a year so I’m not sure anymore
Metal composition is only as good as it's heat treat. That on top of the fact that these Chinese companies have been caught completely lying and labeling 440c as AUS8 and D2, no thank you.
You are right about many chinese companies of course, but you are clearly not familiar with Ganzo. These are good knives, they are 440C with a few exceptions (which has different stamp to match). Ganzo is actually quite reputable and widely to be sort of the "mora among folders". At $10-20 you can afford to try one before you completely dismiss them.
I have had all three and i find the ganzo steel is definitely more resilient. The spyderco and ontario are both amazing, but its hard to argue against the price and overall quality of the ganzo. If you can get past the blatant design theft, it is one of the best id range knives out there, and I'd still pick the ganzo if it was the same price as the others. Its easily worth considerable more than the 24 dollar canadian price tag.
The Ganzo steel is darn good in my experience over the past 3 or so years. So far so good. That’s subject to change tho I haven’t bought any of their new stuff I hope they don’t change much
Rat 1s have been like $24 on Amazon. I think for that money it is the winner for me. I still have a rat 1 that I carry some places I don't want to carry my benchmades.
Everyone saying i got my RAT 1 for 8 to $10... i am over hear like FUCK i spent over 100$ for my RAT 1 got to love Australia lol. Thanks for the vid man.
Well, that 'review' tells us how pretty these knives are and how nice they are to hold but that's about all. What about cut tests, lock strength tests, long term carry etc..? Nice effort but if I was your school teacher my remarks would be.."could do better"....
I hear you, but in all fairness, all of them can be brought to equal sharpness and would cut the same. Blade shape dictates most of what and how it cuts. Any sharp knife can do cardboard, paracord, etc. Those are just tests of how sharp your blade is. Lock strength is another test that really doesn't matter in pocket knives, anyone who knows how to use a knife doesn't even need a lock. Never heard of anyone skilled closing a victorinox or stockman on their hand for example. One thing I would care about with lock is how the liner sits (early, ok, late) and how reliable (does it lock every time). Pocket knives aren't meant to be abused, so spine whacks and what not are excessive. Most of the 'usual' tests really don't matter on a pocket knife. That type of use should be for fixed blades or a pocket knife designed for it like a Recon 1.
Thanks for doing this comparison. Well done! I also have had all three, but sold off my Spyderco. I have to give the nod to my RAT 1. Starting at the 02:58 mark in the video, you have a mistake. As to the cutting edge length of the RAT 1. th-cam.com/video/tq4MOCV-_-I/w-d-xo.htmlm58s
Funny you should mention that D2. That is what I was thinking yesterday, when I came looking at TH-cam reviews. I do not have a RAT 1 in D2. After watching a few videos, and giving it some more thought. Including this video. I went shopping for one. Everyone I checked with, is out of stock in my color, black. Amazon, BladeHQ, Ontario Knife themselves, and a couple of others. I sent out a few emails yesterday, and this morning, they are all saying the same thing. Waiting on stock to be shipped.
having used the Ganzo's at work on a regular basis the blade steel sucks. I love the price and that i beat the living crap out of it and don't care, but, it sucks using it for a day and having to sharpen the blade. If you want to use it very very lightly or not at all the ganzo is great. If you intend on using a blade i'd say stay away..
+cameron williams I don't think so. I own 3 , they all have the same issue steel is cheap. it's a cheap knife, so I don't expect a ton from it. but it really doesn't hold an edge for long.
great video but no disrespect i think the ontario rat i is the overall beast of knives
+isaac hudson RAT 1 will always be a king to me. Great knife. If they were all the same price, the RAT 1 would be number 1 and at even twice the price it's still 1B to Ganzo's 1A. To me at least. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
well im glad we have somthing in commen
Absolutely agree about Ganzos value. I have over 30 and counting. All are excellent.
I agree: you can't go wrong with any of those three. Fabulous budget knives that would serve anyone well. 😆
The RAT 1 carries deepest tip down. Also, the RAT 1 has phosphor bronze with a very thin nylon or teflon bushing against the blade. Cold Steel does the same thing with many of their folders. If you test the edge retention, the Ganzo 440C will perform the best with a close performance between the RAT 1 AUS8 and the 8Cr13MoV Spyderco. The Spyderco Chinese produced budget line is overpriced. Also, for a small difference, the RAT 1 can be bought with D2 steel, which roughly doubles the edge retention.
Thanks for adding to the conversation. The last time I checked it was brass washers and silicone bushings. Forgot where I got that from but I had to double check after making this video last year and that was what I found. I've been meaning to pick up the d2 one but been buying mostly fixed blades lately.
It could be silicon. Mine tore when I tried to separate them from the phosphor bronze washers on my AUS8 RAT 1. It is still smooth without them.
+Scott G I read they were brass washers
+Scott G not sure where you got that from and cent seem to find the info anymore
I saw where some said the washers were brass, but it included no details on how they knew. As to the thin layer of plastic over them, I did not find any referances.
finally, someone who is honest about Ganzo being better and why! great video man
+Kyle Farmer thank you brother! These Ganzos work for me
Bushcraft Dave as they do for me!
I definitely like the Rat 1 best. The other 2 are good but not nearly as tough as the Rat. Plus I like Aus8 better than the other two steels.
received my Ganzo G704 yesterday. Up here in Canada knifes are very expensive so i didn't want to drop serious coin on a pocket knife that in all honestly, i am going to lose before i wear out of break.
Great views!!
Adam Craig Outdoors I feel ya! Don't you love the fact that some knives here are twice what you pay in the U.S.?
Got a $20 Ganzo Firebird knife and it's some serious value.
Buy all the models you like my friend before the prices go up and up
@@BushcraftDave I hear you. Been waiting for a button lock knife from Ganzo but... (Sorry about multiple posts, internet bug, they've been deleted)
No worries my friend. These used to be $12-15 a few years ago. I recommended them to my friends too and we’ve been using these knives for years and years now
Love the value of the Ganzo knives. Great vid.
+400LBGUERRILLA me too brother! Even for twice the price it's still cant be beat
First video I've watched of yours and thought it was great
+IowaGunGuy i really appreciated that!
I think the Kizer V3 is also a great budget folder. Personally, it's got an edge up on these knives sporting VG-10 steel, G10 handles and rather good fit and finish all for $50.
+James Smith I'll need to check that out thanks!
Good comparison video. All things being equal, it is tough to choose between those three, but a $16 price tag makes that a little easier.
+Michael Demers hard to overcome the price difference huh?
+Bushcraft Dave I have all three of those knives. I live in Canada and the shipping costs alone on each of the spyderco and rat knives was the same as the price of the ganzo with free shipping.
Been a fan of the rat 1, it being the first knife I bought when the bug hit me about a year ago. Just ordered a limited edition RAT 1 with D2 steel and carbon fiber. I think they made a great value even better. Don't own any Ganzos but I have a spyderco pm2 which is above the price level in this comparision but it's a very solid knife.
RAT1
I have a Tenacious and a Ganzo Firebird F7392. Call me weird but I seem to prefer the Ganzo. Maybe because I find it more fun to fidget with.
I’m with you brother! I beat up my Ganzos and love using them
@@BushcraftDave I love it so much I bought a G7393-BK. Still not content, I have one with grooved, orange scales on the way. 😄
Maybe it's my bias for being a very happy owner of a RAT 2 knife but I gotta say the RAT is hands down the GOAT for a budget EDC knife. Also I typically find the Taiwan made knives to be better made than the ones made in China (although there are plenty of very well made knives from China too).
They make the rat in d2 now. If prefer that over the spyderco since they have similar edge geometry
Thanks for the info Nick! I do love my RATs. 👍
Something I have noticed on my ganzo is that the G10 on the clip side ( right handed) has a coarser, more agressive texturing which I find quite annoying. I don't know if its like that on all of them or if its just mine.
Little tip: If you want a lower profile pocket clip, go with a ganzo with a black blade because it will have a black clip. Same with the Spyderco.
For an EDC you can't beat a Ganzo the quality is good easy to sharpen and most importantly it won't ruin your day when you lose it and you know you will .
+Joe Szabo heck yeah brother I totally agree
Joe Szabo no I take care of my knives and haven't lost one yet so I don't support ganzo and their counterfeit axis lock. Instead I support American knife makers and the inventors of the axis lock, that's Benchmade in case you didn't know.
@@Imissthefuhrer Yeh, Like American knife companies don't copy each other eh? LOL
Excellent review of 3 great budget knives. My vote goes to the Ganzo because of the price and axis lock. I only wish it had better jimping.
Thanks my friend, I really appreciate the feedback. Ganzo's are excellent for the price and never has failed me yet. I'll be having a giveaway soon, hope you stick around!
I have RAT and Ganzo different model. I prefer the Rat. the axis lock in my ganzo fails several times, and the action is getting worse over time. my Rat is as good as new.
Just this weekend I was working on my lawn, killing the grass and then lining the dirt with black fabric and then gravel on top. I had my RAT and my Ganzo on hand, I choose to beat up my Ganzo. I used the tip to cut the fabric against the concrete. RATs aren’t expensive but I’m very thrifty so I rather beat up my ganzos. The RAT is my go to for most other situations
Your evaluation was in my opinion, totally accurate and for the budget constrained EDC the case is obvious. Price is the major factor for most people and Gonzo wins by a mile and still provides an excellent excellent product. I have several Ganzo s, because, at their pricing, I can afford to have several Ganzo s and now I'm a collector.
+aljoe I really appreciate the comment. I'm so glad their in the market for us
Hello Sir , this is the first of your videos that I have watched . Awesome review! . I already have the rat 1 and the spyderco, Ive recently ordered my first ganzo. Im hoping its as good as Ive heard that it is. Thanks for the review! !
Thank you for taking the time to comment Thomas! I really appreciate it and I would love to hear your thoughts about Ganzo. Please come back after you get to use it a bit.
While I do like Ganzo knives, especially for the price, my experience with their axis lock is mixed. They run the gamut from absolutely buttery smooth and easy to operate, to gritty af with extremely stiff springs.
+Lars Dahl i had one with grit, I could've been lucky most have been good. The springs can be stuff for sure.
Good review with an interesting, and appropriate selection of edc blades. I seldom carry my Tenacious, occasionally carry my Rat 1, and, more often than not, carry some model of Ganzo knife. I own knives of most of the major manufacturers, but Ganzos are a regular part of my daily carry rotation.
me too! Ganzo's cheap price lets us own and tryout so many cool designs. I'm probably going to buy a Benchmade now because I love Ganzo's versions of their knives so much. I'm really glad they're in the market.
I've never been crazy about the Griptilian, other than the Doug Ritter version, but my next Ganzo will probably be the G739.
You can enter to win one my my contest in a few days! It's works great as an edc folder
thought about spyderco, but have never been a big fan of the look of full flat grinds, not sure why. bought a $14 murdered out G739 instead
+WTD Productions hell year good choice!
Btw, your incorrect about the washers on the RAT. The RAT does not use phosphor bronze washers. They are white plastic washers. I can see my protruding a tiny bit when my knife is closed.
+Dan Schwemin Jr not the two that I have. Maybe they changed over the years. I said bronze but I did mess up, they're brass.
+Dan Schwemin Jr just to confirm what I said, I double checked and opened it up and yup there's 2 brass washers with 2 silicone washers. So it's liner-brass-silicone--blade--silicone-brass-liner. I looked at some dismantling videos of the RAT 1 and they showed the same thing.
Ah ok! So we were kind of both right, lol! You said you thought they had bronze/brass, I said I thought they had nylon, when in fact they had both! Lol. Good to know! That makes me happy to know they have Bronze/brass because I could only see the white colored washers when I looked at the pivot of the knife. I try to avoid taking my knives apart because it voids most makers warranty and I know that some knives, once taken apart, don't go back together very easily. Therefore I generally never take my knives apart. I don't really see a need when I can clean them under warm soapy water. But thank you for being brave enough to take yours apart and look for me! Hehe. I really think that's kick-ass that they did in fact use bronze/brass washers! ---- As for the handle thing, I completely agree with you. Unfortunately 99.999% of all folders these days are designed with flat 2-D handles that are designed to fit the pocket better than the user's hand. Silly but true! Part of the reason for this I discovered was that in order to 3-D machine handles so they have more of a rounded cross sections instead of a flat one, takes a lot more machining and will increase the cost of the knife quite a bit. And most knife makers have the notion that most knife user's don't appreciate it when they do in fact 3-D machine handles enough to warrant them taking the extra time and cost to do it to all the knives in their lineup. This came straight from an interview with Tom Welk of Kershaw knives, from podcast #23 of Gear Geeks Live. So ultimately what you have now is all knife makers just producing knives with these horribly uncomfortable flat, super slim, 2-D handles because they are cheaper and easier to product than 3-D machined handles. All because the general public doesn't appreciate the added process the knife company has to go through to make a truly comfortable handle! It's too bad! =(. So if you want something comfortable, you're going to have to stick with a fixed blade for the most part... Unless you want to spend a LOT of money on a high end folder with 3-D machined handles.
Dan Schwemin Jr that's a long fucking comment
Bushcraft Dave I did my first knife disassembly yesterday on my rat 1 and can confirm. Was a little tricky getting the blade back to center but I was able to get it back together, cleaned and oiled.
really enjoying your videos!
+BirdShot IV thanks so much my friend I really appreciate that!
Nice blades and thanks for the sub. Loving your stuff as well.
thanks broher! I have a contest in a couple days, please enter! winner gets at least one ganzo knife plus a bugout bag
i got a rat 1 on sale for 7 dollars, normaly you could get them colse to 20 dollars. rat 1 gets my vote
Been using rats for almost a decade now firsr aus 8 then d2 never had issue but those gonzos looks sweet might need to switch things up for a little.
I’ve have my trust in RAT too
Rat 1 get my vote, I have 3 and one of my favorite EDC knifes. I only paid $9 w/free ship brand new in the box for my last one. They are razor sharp out of the box and hold an edge well. Few swipes on the ceramic stone and on the leather strop and its like new.
As for the grip. It's has good feel/texture and sits well in the hand. Not slippery at all. They can take a ton of abuse, the one in my toolbox shows the cosmetic wear but functions like new and keeps a edge.
I've used the other 2, like the Rat better. Ganzo blade isn't that good, OK for $18 knife. You can find plenty of new Rat 1 for under that price these days.
Where the hell did you get it for $9!?!
The rat is spring assisted correct?
A True Wisconsinite look on ebay
ESF Eagle no. But opens smooth once its broken in
Ok, thanks for the quick response.
Great comparison of these three knives. I have the Rat 1 and none of the others.
+Wheels gone Wild thanks brother! I love the Rat!
I really have to get some Ganzos
+Wheels gone Wild great for the money!
where do you get your from?
Good knives all three
Which is best for camping for 30 days straight? Ganzo G720 vs Ganzo G740 vs Brother 1601 vs Ontario Rat 1
This was an awesome VIDEO 👌
Hey thank you for watching and commenting 🙏. I appreciate the interaction
I like the Ganzo, just hate that inferior axis lock. Sorry but a lock that needs a spring to lock up is not secure type of lock in my opinion.
👍. I agree the axis lock isn’t done as well as it could be. You’re right. Everything else about their knives are great though, wouldn’t you agree?
I totally agree with your choice of winner of those three knives. BUT, I think that there are even better Ganzo EDC choices than the G739. Yes, it is a great choice, but the G738 or the G722 (which can not only EDC but do rough work) , or my favourite of all of the knives in this video or my list the G723. On certain days there are even other Ganzo's that I would choose.
I really like your videos, you do great reviews here Dave.
+Canadian Cutting Edge dang that means a lot coming from you. I truly appreciate it. Your commentary is incredible in your videos I wish I could convey my ideas as easy and fluid as you do. I really love the g738 as well, does yours have a really narrow grind? It's nice great slicer. I don't own the other two Ganzo's you mentioned yet. I need to buy some more. For me, if the g739 was a full flat grind I would be in absolute heaven! I wonder if they plan on making the g738 in CF? I would be all over that!
My G738 looks exactly like yours, the grind too. The G738 with CF would be nice indeed, I have no idea if they are in the plans or not, its probably a decision they base on sales: more sales of a model = more options to sell it with. They do have the G738 with wood scales, which I own in addition to one with G10.
In my cutting tests I have found the G738 and G739 to slice very much identically. the G738 may not have a full flat grind but it has a large flat grind and the swedge at the top of the grind means that whatever you are cutting experiences the edge as if it were a full flat grind. Perhaps your desire for a full flat grind are not just the practical cutting reasons but esthetic, in which case you keep the 739 as your prime EDC - it IS a very good EDC to be sure.
+Canadian Cutting Edge it might be in my head but when I cut things like a watermelon, it seems like a ffg eases into the material easier. A thicker sane grind wound require more force because you're splitting the material, depending on the blade thickness, you might be splitting it before the edge gets to cut it. Might be in my head or just the knives I've used.
I'd love to know what knife designs would youd like Ganzo to use next? I'd love to see BM Nakamura or adamas. How about you?
I must add another comment because just today a new Ganzo arrived at my house the G740. It looks like it is a totally in house design and not inspired by something else. A full flat grind and 3.75inch of edge, with axis lock. This looks like a superb large EDC. Very comfortable in hand, clip it tip up R and L, due to axis lock of course, but the ambidextrous axis lock is a HUGE positive for me, because I am ambidextrous. Which is great because some knives have hot spots in one hand but not in the other. but I digress now so I will shut the front door of my face, errr hands, and go on to other posts.
In my estimation the G738 and G739 cut so much that same that I find no distinction. One is actual FFG and the other is effectively a FFG because there is no hollow or convex and no effective flat area at the spine.
Re": other knives that I would like to see Ganzo make? I would like to see them have a nice handful of 2.9inch knives so that those folks who live in areas where they are limited to 3 inch or less blades can get Ganzo knives to play with. Yes the G718 is short enough but its not a good knife. On that note, I would like to see them do some slip-joint work, and a few more back-lock knives - the G713 is a pretty good start.
But, you were talking about styles, right? I like any and every knife style as except karambits, I just don't "get" them. There is only one use for them and even for that use it is a narrow style of attack to use them in, it just doesn't make sense, also I don't like killing so a knife that is made expressly and solely to harm a fellow human I just don't like so much. So I don't like daggers that much either, but they can be used for so many things other than as a weapon. I like Ganzo trying their had at a bushcraft knife, I should have my hands on a G801 in a few days, I hope, and I wish they would try more non-folding knives. I really like the G735 multi-tool rescue type knife and wish they made more of that purpose knife. They have begun to slow down on their G10 addiction and are making knives with other scales - they need to do more of that, even as they need to add more colours to their knives with G10, as they did with the G704. And finally, Cold Steel has shown that there is a market for 4+inch blades in folders, I would like to see Ganzo make some 5 inch folders.
I don't think I answered your question very well but I tried.
Sanrenmu started Real Steel so they can create some big and bigger cost knives, I hope Ganzo does the same and starts a brand that is for the mid value buyer, they cannot afford to get stuck just creating for the low cost - high value buyer but need to attract the buyer who has $100 to $300 to spend on a knife, I am sure they would do just fine in that market. Hopefully they would not miss the $30 to $80 market, but those could come in the Ganzo branding I would think.
So there is what I would do if I were CEO of Ganzo.
great job. nice review.
i own all 3 models. well, i have a Spyderco tenacious, 3 Ganzos and 8 Ontario RAT-1 and smaller RAT-2s including my favorite, a D2 steel bladed RAT-1.
theyre all great knives and absolute bargains especially the Taiwan produced RAT-1 and Chinese produced Ganzos.
the quality of those two in particular is off the charts for the price paid.
out of 8 RATs, theyve all been perfect. perfect fit and finish, perfect blade centering and lockup and perfectly smooth actions.
all 3 of my Ganzos are the same.
the only issue with my tenacious was a slightly off center blade.
theyre all quality knives.
i do think the Ganzos 440C steel blade is a slight upgrade over the AUS-8 of the standard RATs as far as edge holding and resistance to chipping goes. maybe even corrosion protection too.
although the AUS-8 is very, very good.
it takes the keenest edge in my experience.
the Spyderco tenacious with Chinese 8CR13 MOV is somewhere in between imo.
but none compare to the D2 of my upgraded RAT-1. its superb and holds its own against $200 knives with the latest supersteels. D2 takes a blistering edge, holds it forever but can be a little chippy under hard use and is not stainless. it requires a bit of care. its qualities more than make up for that though.
imo as far as ergos go the RATs have it although the others are great too especially my Ganzo 720 which is a Lionsteel SR-1 knockoff.
the FRN handles of the RATS arent quite as nice or grippy as the G-10 of the others but its such a comfortable and versatile handle especially for hard use.
its a strong knife as well.
you cant go wrong with either of these 3 knives/brands. for less than $20 the Ganzos are the best budget knives in the industry.
for just over $20 the RATs are overall a slight upgrade and at $45 the tenacious is an excellent entry knife into Spyderco, which is one of the finest knife makers in the industry, period.
You got the award for best comment I’ve ever received. I learn so much from great comments like this.
Bushcraft Dave - thanks. yeah i can never say what i want to say in just a couple sentences.
sorry for the novel. lol
those are all great knives!
No that was great! I’ve always felt I learn more from the viewers and commenters than they can learn from me. Please share your knowledge and consider making videos!
Kaden Giaise - Ganzos 440C or whatever it is, is excellent imo.
Theyve nailed the heat treating and it outperforms Ontarios AUS-8 imo.
Its actually better than Bucks 420 or 425 HC as well imo.
Ontarios D2 however, blows it away.
I agree with you. China knows how to heat treat 440c, I have many knives with Chinese 440c and the edge retention for the price is extremely good
Awesome I'm looking into buy a knife. This looks like a good resource. It'll be my first knife. New to the whole Prepper thing.
Preppers are idiots. Don't live in fear. Folders are great for just everyday things, not just defending against some imaginary enemies
you mean riots when either hillary or donald becomes president?
...
dmart63 what im saying is that prepping is very useful yea sure you might not be fighting anyone but just incase a natural disaster such as an earthquake or tsunami comes a knife and some prepping gear can really save lives
jordan nazif well thats understandable..
I lost my good edc blade so until I can get a 940 or stretch or something these and ganzo fh21 were on the list and I grabbed the later if I don't like it I'll go get a tenancious for 40 at Walmart it's 10 more the others are 30. Not many great folders for sub 30..I had a buck for 20 from there and it was ok..rat is kind of bulky but built nice..idk
Very good points brother 👍.
Great video.I enjoyed it a lot.Subbed
Thank you very much! I appreciate you taking the time to leave me a comment. 👍👍👍
Well I'm late to this video, but great one I'd say...
That’s very kind of you! I really appreciate the feedback 👍👍👍 this video has gotten mixed feedback
Ganzo 727M in camo is my pers. favorite
Thanks awesome vid might gat all 3
+Lee Barker heck yeah! You might want to check out the ESEE avispa too
I own two Ganzo knives, and like many have said here, they are high quality knives that cost very little. My only complaint with my Ganzos is that they have minimal blade detente. I can hold the knife closed, give it a good shake, and the blade will pop open. The problem with this is that I've had the blade open when pulling it out of my pocket, and with its tip up design this is scary. So I don't carry my Ganzos. I recently purchased the Rat 1, and my only complaint with it is that it's awkward to open given the thumb stud location. I don't have a Tenacious, but I because I love my Delica 4 and my Para 2, it will probably be my next budget folder purchase.
Yeah that’s true. Most of the new ones I have aren’t too bad but the older ones has bigger issues with it. They keep improving though hopefully that problem will go away. Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment I love getting everyone’s input
Sweet Looking Blades Bro!
thanks brother! thanks for the sub
Honestly I find all three of these knives to have horribly uncomfortable handles... This is due to their 2-D design grip. They're all so thin and blocky that they just cause pain to the hand when used for any length of time. I'd rather carry a fixed blade with better ergonomics.
+Dan Schwemin Jr yeah most folders aren't designed to fill up your palm like a bushcraft knife. I think most are probably designed thin for easier EDC. I wouldn't willingly use a folder on doing any job all day, like you mentioned a fixed blade with a purpose driven handle design would be best. But for most of my edc needs, the Ontario handle has worked great.
Unfortunately as in many comparatives to do a sort of framkenstein doesn't produce a convincing result.
I have the tenacious and 739 and for use i prefer the 739, for style and comfort I go with the tenacious
+joseph melchor thanks for sharing your thoughts brother! I'm going to have knife giveaway any day now, stick around and enter!
Hi Joseph, how much does a Ganzo cost? When I bought mine they were around 10 to 15 dollars but I haven’t bought any for a year so I’m not sure anymore
ty for talking me along
nice vid mate!
where can i get them mat on which you are filming..?
looks like a carbon imitate mat..?
greetings from cologne, germany
arthur brehm
great shoutout
+Thanksman thanks brother, I hope nobody minds but I want to use his intro for my videos from. Now on to show my love
Easy choice
TENACIOUS 🇨🇦
Good choice! It was my first folder 👍.
Bonjour So which one is the best ?
I say Ontario RAT 1 👍👍👍
Ok Merci beaucoup 😷👍
The Ganzo 440c blade is a better steel . i have all 3 .. All are good high value knives . The Ganzo has got the others beat.
Metal composition is only as good as it's heat treat. That on top of the fact that these Chinese companies have been caught completely lying and labeling 440c as AUS8 and D2, no thank you.
You are right about many chinese companies of course, but you are clearly not familiar with Ganzo. These are good knives, they are 440C with a few exceptions (which has different stamp to match). Ganzo is actually quite reputable and widely to be sort of the "mora among folders". At $10-20 you can afford to try one before you completely dismiss them.
Maybe when they come up with their own designs. For now it’s amazon
I have had all three and i find the ganzo steel is definitely more resilient. The spyderco and ontario are both amazing, but its hard to argue against the price and overall quality of the ganzo. If you can get past the blatant design theft, it is one of the best id range knives out there, and I'd still pick the ganzo if it was the same price as the others. Its easily worth considerable more than the 24 dollar canadian price tag.
The Ganzo steel is darn good in my experience over the past 3 or so years. So far so good. That’s subject to change tho I haven’t bought any of their new stuff I hope they don’t change much
Rat 1 everyday.
Rat 1s have been like $24 on Amazon. I think for that money it is the winner for me. I still have a rat 1 that I carry some places I don't want to carry my benchmades.
Yeah since this video they’ve gone down in price, you’re 💯 right. $24 it’s hands down the choice
Excellent video. Btw...what is that in the background - slab of carbon fiber..? :-)
Thanks for watching brother it's fake carbon fiber vinyl
Everyone saying i got my RAT 1 for 8 to $10... i am over hear like FUCK i spent over 100$ for my RAT 1 got to love Australia lol. Thanks for the vid man.
+LOVE THE OUTDOORS thanks for commenting! Man that's really rough! But it's one of my absolute favs!
i agree! to me i guess its worth the 100$ it feels like a high end knife.
+LOVE THE OUTDOORS it's much loved by everyone who owns it! I have 2 and plan on getting the smaller one the Rat 2
ah yeah nice! i have herd good things about the rat 2 i wouldn't mind getting one of them too.
LOVE THE OUTDOORS ganzo g727 ! Better steel .better lock .
Got my Spyderco Tenacious for $37.00!
Nice deal! Hall of fame EDC
Let's go into the woods. The rat 1 will over rule them all on toughness alone those knives are tanks just a beast design can't beat them
That ganzo is a sweet knife
+House boat Rob thanks for the comment brother, I'm so glad they're in the market and we get to try awesome designs
Ganzo G720 vs Ganzo G740 vs Brother 1601 vs Ontario Rat 1
Well, that 'review' tells us how pretty these knives are and how nice they are to hold but that's about all. What about cut tests, lock strength tests, long term carry etc..? Nice effort but if I was your school teacher my remarks would be.."could do better"....
I hear you, but in all fairness, all of them can be brought to equal sharpness and would cut the same. Blade shape dictates most of what and how it cuts. Any sharp knife can do cardboard, paracord, etc. Those are just tests of how sharp your blade is. Lock strength is another test that really doesn't matter in pocket knives, anyone who knows how to use a knife doesn't even need a lock. Never heard of anyone skilled closing a victorinox or stockman on their hand for example.
One thing I would care about with lock is how the liner sits (early, ok, late) and how reliable (does it lock every time). Pocket knives aren't meant to be abused, so spine whacks and what not are excessive. Most of the 'usual' tests really don't matter on a pocket knife. That type of use should be for fixed blades or a pocket knife designed for it like a Recon 1.
+Joseph B. Thanks for the insightful post! Truly appreciate that and I'll implement those aspects into my reviews!
The RAT owns the Tenacious. Definitely not down for the Griptilian clone.
I love the RAT 1 too! Thanks for watching brother
Yeah, Benchmade should sue Ganzo out of existence.
Ganzo hands down...
Thanks for doing this comparison. Well done! I also have had all three, but sold off my Spyderco.
I have to give the nod to my RAT 1.
Starting at the 02:58 mark in the video, you have a mistake. As to the cutting edge length of the RAT 1. th-cam.com/video/tq4MOCV-_-I/w-d-xo.htmlm58s
Thanks for commenting and letting me know! I sold my Spyderco as well. I plan on getting the RAT 1 in d2. Do you have that one?
Funny you should mention that D2. That is what I was thinking yesterday, when I came looking at TH-cam reviews.
I do not have a RAT 1 in D2. After watching a few videos, and giving it some more thought. Including this video. I went shopping for one. Everyone I checked with, is out of stock in my color, black. Amazon, BladeHQ, Ontario Knife themselves, and a couple of others.
I sent out a few emails yesterday, and this morning, they are all saying the same thing. Waiting on stock to be shipped.
The url of this video looks disappointed
Lol 😂 just noticed that -_-
having used the Ganzo's at work on a regular basis the blade steel sucks. I love the price and that i beat the living crap out of it and don't care, but, it sucks using it for a day and having to sharpen the blade.
If you want to use it very very lightly or not at all the ganzo is great. If you intend on using a blade i'd say stay away..
you got a lemon bro
+cameron williams I don't think so. I own 3 , they all have the same issue steel is cheap. it's a cheap knife, so I don't expect a ton from it. but it really doesn't hold an edge for long.
nowhereusa which ones, the one I have holds it pretty well
👍 ✌
Rat 1 with D2 RUNNING AWAY WITH IT
I love D2 on small blades I’ll have to buy one
Who carries tip down? Lol
I don’t anyone
Ganzo are shameless copycats...
Screw crappy ganzo and their counterfeit axis lock.
FoxMulder503 what about the Chinese spyderco? lol I don't understand fanboys like you