Ontario Rat Model 1 VS Ganzo 727 M / Can The Copycat Stand Up To The Original? 

My G727M worked like yours right out of the box without tweaking the springs or anything. I did add a drop of oil on the pivot just to give it a bit smoother action.. I have a few other Ganzos and they have done nothing but get better and better. I only paid 10.19 (shipped) from Gearbest. I am happy.

Hi Zelrick. About the way the Ganzo opens out of the box, it worked perfectly for me, so i think no need to say it won't work well out of the box. I am realy happy with this Ganzo G727, half price comparing to the Ontario. Thanks.

You're right about the Ganzo G727 - of all the Ganzos I've bought, the G727 had the hardest spring I've encountered. However, after a week of breaking it in, the knife opened and closed. as they say, smooth as butter. Given the choice, give me the Ganzo with the piston lock any day. Regarding steel, the Ganzo has slightly harder steel, but sharpening the knife is reallyvery easy, a no brainer, unlike the super- steels American knife makers are unnecessarily marketing and promoting in a picket knife. The Ganzi is an improved design, with the same blade length but a more compact handle. overall, given the choice, I'll take the Ganzo any day.

A rat 1 cost like 60 USD in my woods!! Getting the 727M as a beater 1st knife ! hanks for the review!

i have some Ganzo knifes and they are very good for the money. i love to take them with me when i'm in the woods because i have no problem really hard using them, it's no big loss if i break one of them. my expensive knifes are in my knife showcase ;)

I can see what you're saying about the Rat's advantages. I own a black Rat1 and it has been a workhorse for me. I also own several other Ganzo models, including some of their original designs like the F761 and FB760, and they are incredible. The G-locks work flawlessly out of the box...just like the Ganzo in this video. That FB760 is the smoothest opening and closing knife I own. Thanks for the video.

I can definitely see your point about copied designs. I do like to reward the original designer but there is a lot of cross fertilization in any industry including knife manufacturing. A lot of it boils down to personal preferences and I really do not like a liner lock. pseudo Axis lock on the Ganzo is a bit stiff but much preferable to me and that is most of the reason I prefer the Ganzo. I also prefer the 440C steel but that no longer applies since Ontario started using D2 steel, probably in part because Ganzo made a less expensive knife with better steel. Competition is a good thing.

I have both and the Ganzo hands down is better steel and value. It is about what the knife can do.

The Ganzo G lock / Axis lock spring will get easier after a few weeks. Some lube will help the action as well.

I love my RATS, I’ve beat them hard on every job and it’s incredible for the money, but ordered the Ganzo because I have two already and love them👍🏻👊🏼new subscriber .

I have several ganzo knives, have experienced absolutely zero problems with any of them. I also have a Spyderco Tenacious, also extremely happy with it as well. I ordered the Ganzo 727S and love it. Based on the price, and past experience, I've ordered the 727M. I will, most likely, also be purchasing the Rat 1 and 2. I have no bias one way or the other, always carry a pocket knife, and use it every day. Excellent review.

@Zekrick Thanks for the informative video. I'm from Australia and at the moment I can pick up the Ganzo for $21.41AUD and the Rat 1 is going for $59,95. It's no suprise as I notice quite a jump in all knife prices in Australia. 3 Ganzos or 1 RAT 1 is the decision I guess lol Cheers Buddy!

I wouldn’t say the Ganzo is a light duty knife, I use one every day. I have both, they are both good knives.

This is coming Monday . I ll know when I feel it and flip it if I like it . That’s the main thing for me is how it feels and how it cuts . I do like and own pricier knives but like many they don’t see the woods or heavy cutting . Liking the eafengrow 335 for a $30 knife it s a sure winner feels good choiled up regular and upside down . Blade is heavy enough to push open . Civivi praxis push opens as well . Not the adimante

Ganzo all day long. Better steel, better lock and much cheaper.

I have both..love both...have a dozen or so Ganzos and all action is great out of the box..and gets better with use.. but Rat1 is my go to for cheap EDC.

The steel on the Ganzo knife being harder would hold it's edge better. You probably would not need to sharpen it like you would with the aus-8 blade. I own both, and the fact is that the Ontario Rat-1 is a little tighter and more difficult to use.

I own both of these, the ganzo is a beast. I beat it up daily, and is easy to touch up. Yes, the Ontario is a nicer knife, but I like the 440c. I like them both, the ganzo is a great beater for the money.

I prefer the Ontário rat 1 in D2

I ordered the Ganzo. I also received the Ganzo adamante skimen Ruslan design carbon fiber with frame lock system is defintely a knife thst feels more than $30 quality

In some other Rat 1 reviews I suggested that the knife is awkward to open. I now think that this opinion is wrong. What made me change my mind was changing the pocket clip so that the knife is tip up carry (like yours in this video). This made all the difference in the world, at least for me, on how easy it is to open this knife. Having the clip toward the rear gives my hand a bit of something to grasp, and now opening the knife is super easy. It's now one of my favorite carry knives, right up there with my Para 2 and Blur (and for a lot less cost). Excellent review!

In the UK the Rat 1 is £45 and the Ganzo G727 is £20: half the price! The axis lock spring is quite easy to adjust although I find that I prefer a good solid lock up as I do more cutting than I do flipping: each to his own. With reference to the screws stripping, I have found that on some of the cheaper Ganzos that do not have G10 scales, they use self tapping screws and these are easy to strip; the heads on these screws are also soft so it is easy to round off the torx. If I have a problem I tap them and use stainless torx screws; they are typically M2.5 but you can go up to M3 if the hole is stripped.

Just got my ganzo 727m in d2. It's drop shut and super smooth outa the box. Quality is actually really good. I have, the rat1, rat2, rat1a and the ganzo is my favorite.

I have a Rat 1 and really love it for all the obvious reasons you mentioned.. it is really well built! But it is more than twice the price of the Ganzo in Holland. Given the fact that Ganzo's are also good quality knives the choice is not that easy I'm afraid. Good review

Nice comparo Zel. I have 'em both. Like 'em both.

Might have to check out the ganzo

I got both there 😎 nice good enough.

That's funny you mentioned the screws. One of the company's I've found used the cheapest screws I've ever seen (especially for a high priced knife) is Spyderco! I can't tell you how many of their screws I've had strip on me! The screws they employ are soft as hell, and have EXTREMELY shallow bit depressions, causing your driver bit to nearly instantaneously strip the screw everytime you go to touch it! Absolute garbage! Even more angering is the fact that they use such poor quality screws on products they charge an arm and a leg for! Very frustrating.

I'm not knocking your opinion on steels but ganzo 440c is pretty decent I'd put it with 8cr17mov which I prefer to Aus 8

Nice video! In Brazil, Ganzo costs half the price of the Rat, due to freight and exchange. But, if one realizes that the Rat is much superior.

yeah but the rat liner lock get pushed while you're using it .

or actually the companies arent saying the the other is copying. the blade snobs are.

Great video! Thanks for sharing this.

Great review. This video has earned a subscription

my ganzo is solid...smooth after i used a little oil...and it wrks very well for the price...i cant afford the rat1

They said well let’s skip a designer and take this knife and this knife and make something similar. I like free enterprise and it makes for good products due to competition . Prob in 2024 something new with knives will happen . Seen some ceramic blades looking pretty spectacular . Going to try a cheapo first from cool hand for $24 looked interesting for a collection piece. Has to be super light . Carbon fiber handles ceramic blade can’t be durable right ?

YOU ARE AWESOME DUDE!!!! NICE COMPARATIVE!!! I ALMOST BUYED AN ONTARIO RAT 1 CHEZ ABOUT A COUPLE OF HOURS BACK AND IM EXCITED!!! DO YOU HAVE AN E-MAIL? ....SO I CAN WRITE MY CUESTIONS KNIVES TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!! (: BY THE WAY I AM ARGENTINIAN SO SORRY 4 MY ENGLISH!!!!! BYEBYE!! GREAT VIDEO ZELRICK!!!!

"Twiked the springs and a few other things" What other things?

Actually the Ganzo G720 looks to be the beefiest Ganzo to me, or the G740. How would they compare? I don't take my knives apart, although if I had to I would want to get it together. G727M has better edge retention though.

Too bad RAT costs almost exactly twice as much as Ganzo where I live... So I have to disagree with you.

I have the same ganzo knife and it was rough when I just took it out the box but over time it got very smooth without me opening it up. Does anyone know which locking mechanisms will hold up under one of those test were they hang weights? The ganzo’s fake axis or the liner lock?

Oh and btw, not sure if you've heard yet, but Ontario is now making their RAT folders in D2 steel. And if I'm not mistaken, I think I've heard that they are completely replacing the AUS8 with the D2 as well! Pretty cool.

I have a different model ganzo with axis lock. The lock fails several times.

i love my rat #!

my rat 1 is 100% lock up, tighter than.... ''Dicks hat band!'' I like more screws. the 440 has been shown to cut longer, on some channels. The great copy-cats, there is no branding in china. RICE HAS NO BRAND!

of course the ganzo!

Though I gave my reasons for preferring the Ganzo G727 over the Rat 1, I still the Rat is an excellent knife that deserves its great reputation. If I owned a Rat, I wouldn't trade it. Regardless of which knife one chooses, they're both winners.

The rat and ganzo are the same prize in the Philippines. But I don't like the axis lock, so I bought the rat.

Ontario Rat doesn't have that "beater" vibe though cause its too nice haha

All my ganzos came smooth out of the box. And it's called a g lock not an axis lock. My rat 1 had to to be stropped everyday and sharpened every and a half.

The price of Ganzo is 13 USD on gearbest.com up to 20 USD on ebay (free shipping). The price of Ontario RAT1 on ebay is 40 USD (shipping included). So, if on the budget...... As for the steel, well of course it's harder to sharpen 440C, it's a harder steel than AUS8, but it definitely holds the edge better than AUS8. So it's a trade-off....whatever suits one better, both are decent EDC knives for the price.

rat 1 is also available with D2 steel

do you think if i touched up the ganzo myself (adjust the tension, lube up the action, etc.) it would be better?

Which packaging does Ontario use for the Rat 1? Is it a cardboard box or a plastic "clambshell"? Thanks a million.

I have a question about the axis lock. People say that Benchmade's patent on the Axis lock has expired (Benchmade got the patent in 1996, and according to USPTO, they have exclusive rights to it for 20 years), so in that sense, wouldn't the Axis lock design on Ganzo knives not be too big of a deal, at least now in 2017? I know that the trademark for the name Axis lock is still in place, so as long as Ganzo doesn't call their locking mechanism an Axis lock (I believe they call it a piston lock...I'm not sure), it's all gravy. However, I do have a problem with the copying of the overall design. Still, I think I'll pick one up to compare it to my RAT 1 (Ganzo has a wood scale version that I want to check out).

Good review! For the money, I like the Ganzo. I also have the rat 1 and love it.

Two different knives like so many others imo. Ganzo has made it better actually . They must have hired BASF 😂. Like is said I like the real deals best but these knives make great beaters with no worries . I m actually impressed and not afraid to tell the truth and will continue to buy well made American knives but I looked at the sog s and I thought they were junk for the price . Just my opinion when I compare pricing and other knives . Just my opinion . I m afraid I might catch some flak for that commmet but yeah sog has decent knives

do yo know if the clips are interchangeable?

What is the best folder for $20-$25? I mean a beefy big heavy folder for camping, bugout? Is this the one? The Rat 1? How about the Brother 1601?

so what exactly is a axis lock ?

I have a few Ontario RAT 1 knives in AUG8 and D2. They are great knives at a good price. Still, I have seen the tests and the AUS8 in the RAT 1 dulls faster than the 440C Ganzo claims to use. The price of the RAT 1 is low enough that it is no stretch to prefer it. I have reprofiled and fixed chips in my Ganzo blades, and it is extremely easy to work with. It seems as easy to deal with the chip as on my Spyderco Endura 4 VG10. Unless someone held a RAT 1, it is tough to comprehend how smooth the function is. I don't know why they make an assisted version, since unassisted works so well. Still, Ganzo knives cost so little, yet perform very well and you will use it with reckless abandon while the better knives become safe queens. There is a warranty with the Ganzo, but who cares enough to make a claim?

Authentic Rat 1 all day.

I love my ganzo knives but for the price difference, the Rat1 is still king.

Ganzo forever.

First time i try and watch this, the sound keeps repeating, then I refresh and the video does it instead, is it me or the video?

better steel on rhe ganzo.. hurt to say

ill bet the gonzo knife axis lock is much stronger . if you're going to be taking them apart anyway then there's no reason to object to having to tweak it.

Unless you are tricked, I can’t see any reason to not stay with the RAT. Its just not expensive and it IS excellent. In the past I stuck to Spyderco, Benchmade, even the requisite Strider and Chris Reeve. I finally got a RAT because I wanted a inexpensive knife to use around the house (esp. my wife...she will grab a Sebenza and start opening cardboard with it). I got the RAT1 and it really, really, surprised me with its quality. I had other inexpensive knives I used in the past so I was used to far less than this knife gave. I used some points I had on Knife Center and picked it up for $20 and change.

I do not feel bad about buying chinese knives. The US companies sold their souls to the chinese a long time ago and now charge ridiculous prices for US made variants. Most of these economy knives are made in China anyways. Dont expect me to pay double or triple price for your product if you are making them in China.

The Ontario is undoubtedly a better knife, but here in the UK it costs over twice as much as the Ganzo. Ganzo knives are excellent value for money, which is why they are so popular.

:)

I'm happy with my RAT 1. Ganzo can keep their BenchRat.

Rat 1 all the way. I have a Ganzo and can’t get past how difficult the action is. And if you want to get to the springs, get ready for stripped screws and lots of cursing.

Rat 1, all the way.

Just think, all of these guy's talking about all of the "Ganzo's" they have could've bought a really nice American made knife. I guess some people settle for whatever. Oh and a rat in D2 there is no comparison.

Ganzo for me! Rat-1 sucks..

25 chinese dudes are upset

Sorry hotrod, 440c is a better steel all day everyday over aus8! Ganzo 20$ rat1 40$ Axis vs liner ? Lmao both chinese sparky! Ganzo better bang foir the buck!