The OKC RTAK-II works great

[jmr40]

Thanks to JShirley for pointing out this blade last month in this thread.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=791226

I bought one on sale and had a chance to really put it to use yesterday. I volunteer on a search team and was called out to assist in a search for a man missing since Dec. 26. Most of the time when people do this they are in an altered mental state from drugs, depression or dementia and they don't want to be found. Very often we find them, or their remains, in the thickest, nastiest briars and brush imaginable. Yesterdays search was in pretty nasty terrain and a steady rain didn't help.

I've used a conventional machete in the past, but wanted to try something more compact. The 10" blade is a little short, but swings easier in tight spots and has enough weight to hack through stuff. Overall I was pleased and this has replaced my conventional machete. Everything is a compromise, but this is a lot easier to stick in a day pack when not needed. There were times in the past when I left my longer bladed machete in the truck because it was more trouble to carry only to need it later in the day.

A photo of the blade and the brush we searched. We did recover a body yesterday BTW. Not exactly the outcome we hoped for, but it wasn't unexpected.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

Very nice blade. Sorry to hear that the search didn't end on a brighter note.

I am waiting on the Ontario Rat-7 to come in the mail. It'll be my first ontario knife, and I'm pretty pumped on it.

 

[jmr40]

I'd have thought that this size knife was pretty useless before buying it. Too big for many tasks and too small for others. But after using it now I'm beginning to appreciate it's versatility

I still don't think I'd have paid full price for it, but it cost me right at $80. I'll get enough use out of it to justify the price.

 

[JShirley]

Sorry about the outcome.


Glad it's working for you. I think the RTAK II is about the most knife one can reasonably carry for long.

John

 

[jmr40]

Sorry about the outcome.

If we find remains we consider it a positive outcome. So many have family go missing and never find anything. Many never accept their loved ones are dead and cling to the hope they will return. Having closure is important.

We are a volunteer organization that works under the supervision of our county
Sheriff. When we work there will always be at least one and usually several deputies in leadership roles with 10-12 civilian volunteers. We rarely get called out locally, but often get requests from other Sheriff's for assistance. By the time we get to a scene it means locals have given up. We found a guy in October that had been missing 2 years and have worked on a search to look for a guy missing 7 years.

We come up with nothing about 1/2 the time. But often are not sure we are even looking in the right spot.

 

[JShirley]

Okay, I can see that.

You might want to take some sandpaper to the micarta handle scales, unless you have gorilla hands.