Extrema Ratio RAO Clone Tactical Knife Review!

So, I've received this about a week ago and would like to do a short review of it.
The knife came in an Extrema Ratio branded black cardboard box, including a nylon sheath and a pin for turning this into a fixed blade and to secure the blade in the closed position.
It had few scratches and nicks on the aluminum handle (not a big deal, this knife is strictly a user), the fit is good, the finish not so much.
No blade play in both directions and the blade came centered and sharp.

The Good:
The bang for the buck - the knife is truly impressive. I mean if you thought the Medford clone was huge - wait till you see this one, it makes the Praetorian look like a gentleman folder in comparison.
It is made pretty well, despite the finish flaws, and has great materials for the price - unique locking system, aluminum handle, huge, thick slab of steel as a blade and even includes a sheath (which is essential, because this knife doesn't have a pocket clip (and is too big to carry in the pocket anyway)).
Few words on the sheath - it seems cheaply made, but functions surprisingly well, doing it's job holding the knife in both open and closed positions.
The knife is also pretty smooth to open and close.

The Great:
Definitely the charisma and the ER design - the knife screams "TACTICAL" with all of it's features, starting from the full blackout color, to the very deep aggressive gimping, the overall shape, the 185 RAO unit logo and markings and the molle compatible sheath. I wouldn't call it elegant looking knife, but a brutal, beastly attractive, massive blade.
Another great thing to mention is the balance. Although the knife is pretty heavy (285.8g/10oz) it doesn't seem to feel as heavy in the hand, because of a good balance between the handle and the blade.

The Neutral:
The lock - from one side it is a unique lock (kind of a backlock, but with a thumb studs to lift the back spring instead of the lever. It holds the knife with no bladeplay, but has not so much meat on the blade to hold it (like in the Cold Steel knives). The added pin is more of a secure add-on than a lock, because it doesn't actually support the blade, but only prevents it from closing on the fingers.
Another neutral thing is the fact that this is a 2 handed knife. I mean it can be opened one handed (by shaking the blade out) and also closed, but neither of these methods is comfortable.
If you are using both hands - it becomes a pretty easy to use knife.

The Bad:
The finish - as I've already mentioned - the knife had same finish flaws on the handle and the blade. The black coating on the blade seems to be just paint (very similar to the older Cold Steel black coating, which is shiny and comes off pretty easily).
The steel is 440A, not a great one, but you can't expect much else in that price point.
The pin came on a very cheap string and without the keyring (both easily fixable).

The Ugly:
The guy who will try to EDC this knife in his pockets. 

The Verdict:
It is hugely impressive and attractive as a novelty item, not so much as a usable urban EDC blade. I mean it can still be used, but mainly as a cool outdoors knife, that you can use and abuse (mainly because of the cheap price). I think it is less intended for knife aficionados or the Nick Shabazzes (who will take a fixed blade to do those tasks), but more for guys who like Medford Knives for their brutality and undeniable charisma.
Nevertheless, I'm very glad I got this one, as I do like ER designs and because of the many unique features it has.

I got the knife here: Extrema Ratio RAO Clone

Genuine Extrema Ratio knives can be found here: Extrema Ratio Knives
Or here: Extrema Ratio Knives

Extrema Ratio Shrapnel Clone Knife Review!

I've finally received this knife and would like to tell you about it.
I ordered it to serve as a tactical hard use fixed blade (which was lacking in my collection), my criteria was: solid and thick spined knife with good ergonomics, kydex sheath and 4+ inches of blade length.
The knife came in a black "Extrema Ratio" branded cardboard box, reasonably sharp out of the box.
When I got it out, I was quite surprised. From my talks with the seller. he told me that blade length is going to be 10 cm (~ 4''), but it is in fact 11 cm if you count the choil area of the blade, so it was a good surprise, as I wanted a longer blade.
I usually don't test my knives, but with this one I just couldn't resist, so I went up to the yard, shaved and chopped some wood and also tested the tip.

The Pros:

- Awesome ergonomics: The handle is made from a rubbery material, which is nice to the touch and has just the right amount of squeeze and grip. It is also quite long, so can be held comfortably in a few ways and grips. The gimping is pronounced but not sharp and will feel great with or without a glove.
- The weight and the balance: the knife feels very light in the hand (216.7 g/7.6 oz) for a fixed blade, and this is partly due to the great balance between the blade and the handle.
- The design, looks, fit and finish: A big plus in owning an Extrema Ratio knife (or a clone in this case) are the looks and the design. The knife looks great, inside or outside the sheath, just a proper tactical fixed blade look. The fit and finish are also very nice, no visible problems there.
The design is just awesome. It starts with the fact that you can insert the knife into the sheath in both ways, so it will suite lefties as well. The rivets are Tec-lok compatible and positioned great to mount the sheath to your gear. The knife also has a holed finger guard in the front and a striking point/lanyard hole in the back, that extend the usage options of the blade.

The Cons:

- The sheath: It's done well, but a few things still bugged me. The knife sits well, and won't fall off in both directions, but it does rattle quite a lot, especially side to side, which can create quite a loud noise. The genuine one has a rubber insert inside to prevent this. I believe the same solution can be done here. Another solution can be to heat it up and press it. The advantage of a fully hollow sheath is that water will come out right away and also is will be very easy to clean.
Another issue with the sheath is the clip that it comes with - it feels a little flimsy. I will definitely replace it with a good Tec-Loc.
- The blade steel: As I've seen after the tests, the knife has a pretty soft blade steel, which wouldn't hold an edge for a very long time. I mean, it's not bad (behaves sort of like 440C), but it's not some supersteel. The plus is it can be sharpened very quickly and easily.

The Verdict:
-This is a very good knife to be used as a tactical fixed blade for non-combat use. It is solid, and probably won't disappoint you for your regular tactical getaways or outdoors. It is also pretty inexpensive, so you wouldn't regret really using and abusing it. Also, the looks and the design really do it for me.
I probably wouldn't use it for actual combat, as I would like a battle-proven fixed blade for those.

I've bought mine here: Fulcrum C/Shrapnel Clones
(Fulcrum clone could be found in the same store)
Extrema Ratio RAO clone here: Extrema Ratio RAO Clone

Genuine Extrema Ratio knives can be found here: Extrema Ratio Knives
Or here: Extrema Ratio Knives

Extrema Ratio Fulcrum C/Shrapnel Clones Knives!

This is a new release of the tactical full handle clone models.

The blade lengths are 10.9 cm for the Fulcrum and 9.9 on the Shrapnel.

Feature full rubber modular handle, 7Cr13MoV steel, black coating on the blade and a kydex sheath.

Awesome option for a budget tactical fixed blade!

Knives can be found here: Fulcrum C/Shrapnel Clones
Extrema Ratio RAO clone here: Extrema Ratio RAO Clone

Genuine Extrema Ratio knives can be found here: Extrema Ratio Knives