OVERVIEW
Classics never go out of style.
The RCT-1 Raven Double Action Out The Front Knife features a 440c Stainless Steel blade with a two tone matte black finish. The blade can be quickly deployed with the ambidextrous sliding button. Pushing forward on the button deploys the blade out the front of the handle and pressing backwards on the button retracts the blade back into the handle where it is ready again to be deployed at a moments notice.
Details that matter.
The handle is patterned for non-slip handling in any environment. The metal pocket clip is reversible and can be carried in the button back or button front positions. When clipped into the pocket it has a nice low profile “ride”. The end of the knife features a glass breaker pommel designed to shatter glass or break anything else you might need to in case of an emergency.
All RavenCrest Tactical OTF knives are extremely safe to operate and use.
RavenCrest Tactical OTF knives come with a built-in safety that will not allow the blade to fully deploy if anything is obstructing its path. Once in “safety mode” the blade will need to be reset by pulling the blade all the way into its locking position making it fully functional again.
What is Cerakote?
Cerakote is not a paint. Cerakote is a Polymer-Ceramic coating that can be applied to metals, plastics, polymers and wood. The unique formulation used for Cerakote ceramic coating enhances a number of physical performance properties including abrasion/wear resistance, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, impact strength, and hardness.
Craig (verified owner) –
Pictures don’t do these knives justice! I received my first RCT RCT-1 Raven yesterday and I must say that it has surpassed my expectations. It’s lightning quick and razor sharp right out of the box. I played with it for about 2 hours and never had a malfunction. So far, everyone that has seen it says that they have to have one too! I can’t wait to try the Mini RCT-1 Raven next.
Zach –
I’ve owned a custom RCT-1 Raven for a few months now, and I’ve got to say I prefer it over my Microtech Scarab. Better price, and RCT has the best warranty! I’ve only had one problem with my RCT-1 Raven, the spring broke two weeks after taking a fall from about 30-50 feet. It feels great, it looks great, and everyone that’s seen it has asked me about it. Easily recommended over any other OTF I’ve ever owned. The only downside I’ve come across so far was my handle being a little discolored. (It’s all white, it fell into some red dirt and it looks slightly orange.) But to be honest that’s not really a problem. Also, the customer service is great!
Another thing that is a huge plus to the RCT-1 Raven is customization! All in all, this is easily my favorite knife to EDC because it’s just so durable. If you’re in the market for a new OTF, I’d really recommend getting a RCT-1 Raven.
Fisher (verified owner) –
great customer service and a solid knife. i might look into buying a mini in the future
Gordy (verified owner) –
Awesome customer service, high quality, and I don’t have to sell a kidney to buy one, like other brands, I seen their video punishing one of their knives against a car, and had to have one, I’ve been beating the shit out of this rct 1, and it keeps going, no malfunctions, I’ve had alot of other brands of otf knives and gotta say ravencrest is in the top three for quality and for durability and price there number one, not to mention the no questions lifetime guarantee, i built my own on their site, kept it simple, no crazy prints, ordered on a Sunday nite, they had my knife built and shipped out by lunchtime Monday, even took the cheap shipping option and got it Wednesday, very fast, I’d recommend to anyone who wants an affordable otf that’s going to take a beating and still function 100%.
Jeff –
I spoke with my brother Police Officers & the said Raven Crest was the best. I seen the demo video & that was the selling point. I was designing my own knife about 30 seconds after completion of the demo video. You make a great quality product & I brag every chance I get. It’s a lifesaver.
Patrick A Kuehneman –
Far beyond top of the line quality with an unbeatable “eternal no questions warranty”, not to mention extremely badass! An absolute musthave in every conceivable scenario.
Justin –
I have owned my custom built RCT for a couple years now. I been waiting to use it for a while before I gave a review. The warranty is great, they have exceeded my expectations when I have had a few minor issues. I have used multiple blades and trust me you do not want serrated on an OTF knife. The nature of OTF knives is that there is a slight wiggle when the blade is extended. I’ve handled other brands $400+ OTF knives and they do the same thing, so I know it’s not just RCT. The sawing motion on the blade is difficult since the blade will move a bit. However if you get just a straight edge and sharpen the heck out of it then it will cut through anything with ease. Don’t need serrated. Just don’t get it. The straight edge tanto blade comes razor sharp. So sharp you can shave the hairs off your arms. That is the only out of box blade I’ve owned that could do that. I also own the double edged spear point straight edge blade. That one isn’t as sharp out of the box. I had to put a whole new edge on it to get it to where I wanted it. The spear point blades look awesome, so it is worth the extra sharpening effort. As far as handles go I’ve owned the Olive, Digital Snow Camo, and just plain black handles. The non black handles tend to lose their vivid color in a few months. It’s sad because they are so beautiful new. The black one retains its color very well. I have some dents and dings on it, but it adds character and looks nice with the black handles. It has been pretty reliable, I’ve never had the blade get stuck or not deploy when I needed it. It’s a great EDC knife. It is heavier than most, but the bulk makes it a great crusher with the glass breaker. It’s a much better crusher than any of the more expensive brands
Justin –
I have owned my custom built RCT for a couple years now. I been waiting to use it for a while before I gave a review so that you don’t just get a typical first impression review. First impression reviews are pretty much always positive. The warranty is great, they have exceeded my expectations when I have had a few minor issues. I have used multiple blades and trust me you do not want serrated on an OTF knife. The nature of OTF knives is that there is a slight wiggle when the blade is extended. I’ve handled other brands $400+ OTF knives and they do the same thing, so I know it’s not just RCT. The sawing motion on the blade is difficult since the blade will move a bit. However if you get just a straight edge and sharpen the heck out of it then it will cut through anything with ease. Don’t need serrated. Just don’t get it. The straight edge tanto blade comes razor sharp. So sharp you can shave the hairs off your arms. That is the only out of box blade I’ve owned that could do that. I also own the double edged spear point straight edge blade. That one isn’t as sharp out of the box. I had to put a whole new edge on it to get it to where I wanted it. The spear point blades look awesome, so it is worth the extra sharpening effort. As far as handles go I’ve owned the Olive, Digital Snow Camo, and just plain black handles. The non black handles tend to lose their vivid color in a few months. It’s sad because they are so beautiful new. The black one retains its color very well. I have some dents and dings on it, but it adds character and looks nice with the black handles. It has been pretty reliable, I’ve never had the blade get stuck or not deploy when I needed it. It’s a great EDC knife. It is heavier than most, but the bulk makes it a great crusher with the glass breaker. It’s a much better crusher than any of the more expensive brands. The more expensive brands tend to be lighter. Of course they are made with better steels that have magical properties like agility and stamina bonuses as if it were from a video game. As far as practicality goes I love RCT because it fits in my maximum price range for a knife and provides the ease of use one hand operation that I was looking for for an EDC tool. OTFs aren’t good for camping since you don’t get dirt and sap on the moving parts. Fixed blades are best for wilderness use still, but I also like RCT because they allow you to clean it yourselves. The $400+ brands force you to mail it in for cleaning or part replacement. I dropped my knife in a river and got some dirt and rocks in it and I just took it home and cleaned it out, lubricated it with gun oil, then reassembled it. This is the perfect OTF knife. It isn’t a cheap plastic knife and it isn’t a magical $400 one that doesn’t really do anything different besides of course the magical unicorn metal properties. Mine was about $230 at the time and I don’t regret it, but trust me you will not want serrated. Get straight edge single or double, and get black handles.
Andrew (verified owner) –
Can’t believe I waited so long to get one. The RCT-1 is built like a tank. Definitely going to have to get a mini as well. So far everyone that’s seen it has wanted one (or two)
Blaine –
Hello, Received My Raven RCT Today, 6/2/2017. Black ,Silver Clip , Spearhead, Smooth, Non Serrated. Everything From The Box + Skittles Treat, TOP SHELVE!! I Do Not Know What Improvement’s Could Be Made. Sharp Blade, Great Size, Excellent Weight. TANK TOUGH!! RAVENTACTICAL Is The REAL DEAL!! NO B.S. No Tricks. THE REAL DEAL!!! GREAT NO NONSENSE !! In My 67yrs , I Never Purchased Anything, That ALL The Seller Wanted Was MONEY!! Could Have Cared Less If You Were Satisfied Or Treated Honestly!! So Back To The Raven RCT. If You Want A OTF Knife, Order The Colors You Want, The Blade Style, BUY IT!! As Arnold Said, I’ll Be Back!!!! Blaine
Blaine –
PS. Just A Note To Add To My Review, Just Posted. I Just Deployed The Spearhead Blade 100 Times In A Row!!! Not One Time, Did It Fail!!! Blaine
Scott (verified owner) –
I love my RCT 1. I am in law enforcement and I carry it every day. I have been for over 2 years. It’s half the cost of a micro tech and a better warranty. I don’t see anything the micro tech can do that the Ravencrest can’t. I think Ravencrest knives are better looking and feeling than micro tech also. Many more options than micro tech. Excellent service and warranty department. They will warranty ANYTHING you are not happy with. The monthly knife club is a great value also. I own 2 Ravencrest OTF’s and several of their other knives and I’m not disappointed with any of them. They truly mean you’ll buy 1 knife for life!
meyersneil (verified owner) –
I am very impressed by the quality of this knife and the warranty.
Dave –
I have had my RCT 1 for about a month now. I could not be more pleased. Just like they say – this thing is built like a tank. Ravencrest is a great company. Great communication, great product. Do not hesitate to buy from these guys. You won’t be disappointed!
Frank (verified owner) –
I’ve had my custom RCT-1 for about 2 years now and I’m as happy with it today as I was when I first got it. The construction is super solid and it’s a stunningly beautiful tool. The mechanism has never given me any problems and it has the best movement of all my automatics. If I had to do it again I would skip the serration. Not sure why I went for it in the first place. No problems with it, just harder to sharpen. I highly recommend this knife and it’s the best OTF I’ve ever handled. Beautiful and functional.
Cory –
Absolitely amazing company. Found them on Flippy Knife and so glad I did! Great customer service, super friendly and helpful. Shipping was quick. I got hydro dipped handle sides and they look amazing. Got the 2 tone drop point blade with it, but had ordered the 2 tone spear point and a black out kit separately. Blades look, feel, and perform beautiful. Needed a little sharpening, but staying sharp. Everything looked perfect. Real nicexm looking, but solid knife. Has the perfect big, but not too big size to it. Been in my pockets since the day I got it.! Thank you RavenCrest Tactical for such great care and a quality product!
jsthomp3 (verified owner) –
Built my own RC-1 to replace a benchmade paegan that I lost in Mosul. Overall a decent knife. I don’t like how much play there is in the blade when deployed. This would be a great EDC knife, but I do not recommend it for someone that uses there knife in a LEO/MIL setting. I worry to much that the blade will snap off due to the play.
raustrins –
Absolutely beautiful knife. I recommend to anyone who wants a powerful knife to use daily. Ravencrest is also an amazing company with wonderful and friendly customer service. I love my RCT-1 Raven and want 100 more.
whatiwanted02 –
Received my mini rct and couldn’t be happier. Tank tough maybe a understatement, Rock solid. I was a little worried about not having a lock for deployment, no need to worry. Anticipating my knife of the month club now.
mark4Jesus –
Bought my son the RavenCrest Tactical “Multi-Knife” for Christmas. He had bought himself an OTF knife earlier in the year. We were both impressed with RavenCrest quality. The “Multi-Knife” is sturdy, and the attachments are high quality. My son is very happy!
Jade (verified owner) –
Very pleased so far!
I’ve been carrying mine daily for about a month and using for easy to moderate tasks so far, like cutting cordage, banding straps at work, opening boxes, etc… I have yet to put it to hard use, but from the minute I pulled it out of the box I was impressed with the fit n finish of this knife.
It came exactly as I ordered it to all the specifications and I love how many options they offer on their website when customizing online.
Aesthetically – 5 stars for sure! Functionality – 5 stars so far!
Warranty – part of the deciding factor in me willing to spend a small fortune on a premium knife!
Blade shoots out without fail every time, and I like that it is safe in carrying because of the trigger is somehow unintentionally depressed enough to deploy the blade, it won’t force its way through anything – it’ll stop halfway out and you can just pull it all the way out till it clicks and it’s reset and ready for use.
But I don’t really see it deploying unintentionally as it takes a good amount of forward pressure on the trigger to deploy.
The springs seem solid and durable, consistently shooting the blade out and in with force that doesn’t seem to slow over time, and it also adds to ease of mind knowing that the spring mechanism is in a “rest” position when the blade is both open and closed, which will definitely prolong its endurance.
The only thing I would recommend is adding some loctite thread locker to the screw-on glass breaker. Mine worked its way loose over time and as it holds the clip in place, it needs to be permanently secured.
Overall, I’m very pleased!
This knife is solid, sexy and fun!
Ravencrest Tactical has another proud fan and supporter!
Damon Religa (verified owner) –
Great knife,, I’m a electrician and I use it every day for the past 2 yrs and it still works like the day I bought it..
John Manning (verified owner) –
Shortly after receiving my knife i almost instantly started having issues with it retracting back into the handle and now it works only about 10% of the time. I do not recommend buying this for the price i expected much better quality. I am very disappointed
ranger1 –
I must say I am very disappointed. As a first responder I value quality products. First thing I see after I open the package is Made in China. The blade is so loose if you hold the knife upside down the blade almost drops open. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised for a 9.99 knife. Re reading the subscription info it states the knives are hand picked by their staff…Translated to mean they are not a true Ravencrest knife. They are mass produced foreign knives with the Ravenscraft logo stamped on the blade. Which in this case is even blurry. Unfortunately, I will be cancelling this subscription. I was expecting quality USA made Ravenscraft products.
stanlantz –
February Knife; Pocket carry, clip, nice bearing assisted opening (not spring assisted). I received it today and wanted to test it out and provide my review. The opening was very smooth and minus the fact that it was not spring assisted I consider it more than adequate for an every day carry knife. I tested the sharpness of the blade next; I drew it against my finger-nail… yep, looked sharp. I grabbed a magazine…. yep it went through like butter. I then tried a couple of hairs on the arm; no problem / this is an ‘out of the box’ very sharp knife. I like the green (Olive Drab) handle. Not sure what it’s made of but it looks and feels nice. The screws and the workmanship put into the assembly were flawless and I have nothing to say other that it is well built. I’m only giving this four stars because it really should have had a spring… that would make this a five-star knife for sure. Four isn’t bad though, especially for the price. I thank Ravencrest for their continued excellence and look forward to next months knife.
Zachary J Bradach –
These guys are the real deal. I joined the monthly club about four months back. Every knife has been of excellent quality and I have not had any issues whatsoever. Right before I joined the club, I purchased an otf as well because the temptation was just too great Another amazing product with a lifetime warranty. Keep up the good work guys! I would also like to mention that I have gotten several of my buddies on board, and they are currently all enjoying their new blades as we speak!
LH (verified owner) –
I got the full size rct-1 with a mini, and the only reason I don’t constantly carry the full size is that the mini fits my jeans pocket much better. Full size stays on the nightstand though, and wouldn’t hesitate to buy a second of either.
bmgraphics –
I initially learned about Ravencrest from a co-worker who showed me his Ravencrest OTF knife that he got at a knife show. I was blown away at the quality (Made in USA) and action of the knife. So I bought one for my son-in-law for his birthday, and after seeing that one, I said, “I” want one too. So I bought a custom OTF. I love it. I showed mine to the guys at work, and they, being blown away, also bought similar OTF knives from Ravencrest, and all four of us joined the knife of the month club as well. The Customer Service is “Outstanding” beyond belief. They treat you like you’re family and really show their appreciation for the orders. …………….Skittles? Ravencrest crew…..you people are amazing.
Bob
Annapolis, MD
Joshds9119 (verified owner) –
My long time best friend first introduced me to Ravencrest when he brought over his new OTF knife. Me and him have both been knife enthusiasts since we were knee-high and up to no good. (Not just knives, anything sharp.) So I wasn’t surprised he had a new knife…but after holding it, I noticed the quality right away. He told me about the warranty and showed me the testing videos…I was sold.
They were a little out of my price point at the time, but I didn’t forget about them and bode my time. Finally had some cash flow a few years later and made the investment. Fully customized my RCT-1 Raven and it was at my house in no time! I treated it ever so gently for some time, but then came knife #2. I purchased the Punisher model Titan Bravo next. I feel a little better about using my Raven now and it has become my edc on the job site.
My work in the HVAC industry has me crawling in some tight crawl spaces and getting in some tight attic spots. The Raven makes it so easy to deploy my knife and have it instantly where/when I need it! I truly couldn’t be happier about having such a useful tool day in and day out on my side. I have gotten a raised eyebrow or two from work customers seeing me deploy it haha.
Lastly, the customer service experience I had when ordering my second knife was excellent. I had some last minute changes I needed made to the knife and received prompt response and help. Now I’ve got a punisher Titan with a punisher clip and desired blade that I’m babying a bit. Love love love Ravencrest! Keep up the good work!!
-Josh S. in South Carolina
lavendierc9 (verified owner) –
The knife itself is one of the most fantastic I’ve ever handled. What really blew me away is the customer service and help that I received. Nobody even comes close to comparing to RavenCrest. I’ve been showing this blade off and have several friends finally realizing that it is entirely worth the amount that is asked. Thank you RavenCrest for the immense satisfaction that you have brought me.
Deron Williamson –
I bought the Staff Favorite – Titan Bravo Tactical OTF Knife (Custom Battle Worn Bronze & Black)
Seriously, this knife is EPIC!
The spear point blade takes this knife to a whole new level! It’s SUPER sharp!
I have had no issues with opening and closing it. NONE!
I’m really impressed with the cleaning video on YouTube so I bought a Titan care kit and also the right type of WD 40 for when I clean it.
My first OTF knife and I am literally BLOWN AWAY!
When I first ordered it they had a delay shipping it. I contacted them and asked why I hadn’t received a tracking number. I was told there was a delay in my order. I was also told a surprise was coming with it and that it would be shipped out that day. I received a tracking number that day.
When my order arrived I couldn’t wait to get it out of the box! I opened the box and found not just one but two knives! The second knife was the surprise! A really nice one too!
I took out my Titan Bravo and fired it open. I immediately noticed the Blade wasn’t the spear point one shown on the website. It was a drop point serrated one.
A couple days later, on Friday, I called customer service and got Austin. I told him about my order, I gave him the order number, and asked why I didn’t get The spear point blade? Like the picture of the one on the website? He told me that blade was harder to prepare and slowed down production. He then told me that I was in the order window for the spear point blade before they switched to the drop point serrated blade to speed up production. He then asked me if I was still interested in the spear point blade. I said yes. He said he would have no problem getting one ready for me and would have it shipped on Monday. He also said I could keep the drop point serrated blade and not ship it back to them! Awesome customer service!
A few days later my spear point serrated blade arrived! I took it out of its sleeve and just stared at it!
A work of art and such a beast of a blade! I took apart my knife and put the serrated spear point one in.
I fired it open and out came the spear point serrated blade! WOW!!!! The spear point serrated blade REALLY and TRULY LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL AND DEADLY!
I highly recommend RavenCrest tactical knives! Especially the OTF ones! They went out of their way to provide the best customer service I have ever seen!
FIVE STARS
Paul Morell (verified owner) –
I have had my Raven for a little over a month now, and am impressed. i work for a Sheriff’s department in eastern Tennessee, and got to use my Raven while working a bad car accident a few days ago. Even while wearing gloves I was easily able to operate the knife, and the NON serrated blade cut through seat belts with very little effort. And it never had a malfunction retracting or deploying through the whole event. I had my reservations about an OTF knife being used for anything other then self defense, but I must say that my Raven has changed my mind. Thank you for making a great working knife.
Phillip M. (verified owner) –
Been looking at these knives for quite some time and finally bought one, and I must say I’m extremely happy! Great quality and has good weight to it. It’s now my edc whether it’s work or home, keep up the great work RavenCrest. Will be buying plenty more then near future
RAUL ARTEAGA (verified owner) –
Finally I bought one and I love it, my daughter wants one, so I will order a mini for her. Happy with the blade. Great service, fast shipping
Mike (verified owner) –
I finally bought one and I love this knife!
Chad (verified owner) –
I purchased this knife a couple weeks ago, it took a little longer to fill the custom knife order due to the virus but before I got a response when I inquired about my order it was shipped and arrived in no time. At first the knife had some issues deploying and I started to think I’d need to send it back but after doing it 15-30 it deploys much more rapidly and have had no more issues. All in all it was worth the wait, and despite all the negative talk about over seas sourcing you’ll see from name brand fan boys what you get is a good product and they’ll stand behind it. When the corporations who make phones cars or even guns do it people usually don’t even blink an eye, but god forbid a small (in comparison) AZ knife company does it to simply pass on savings to the consumer while delivering an awesome product with a guarantee. I’ve already dropped my knife unfortunately on concrete and it didn’t scratch or chip the finish, this knife dosen’t feel cheap by any means and its already exceeded my expectations for durability.
Cory (verified owner) –
I had my eyes on one of these for years. I finally pulled the trigger and I’m glad I did. I was pretty surprised how fast I received my custom order. The knife was bigger than I expected and a lot heavier. This thing is a beast. You can tell it’s quality. I haven’t abused it yet and I don’t anticipate doing so. I can tell it’s worth the price without beating it up. If you’re hesitant, just buy it. RavenCrest’s no questions asked Lifetime Warranty should alleviate any of your doubts.
Padraic Beanan (verified owner) –
I built my knife almost 2 years ago and it is holding up amazingly! I usually need to repair my EDC knife a couple times a year, not counting sharpening, or replace it once a year and this one is still chugging along just fine. I recently received a Covert Reaver that I changed to my EDC just because it’s lighter and I moved it to my “SWAT deployment” plate carrier for work due to its proved reliability! I’m very happy with the products put out and I’m a customer for life!
Kennith Hoover (verified owner) –
Absolutely, positively excellent in all regards. The custom order process is really cool and accurately presents your custom choices.
The knife came quicker than expected and operates PERFECTLY.
Really pleased and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Bobby Davis –
I bought a custom in corvette yellow, and it was a great move. The knife as always was high quality and ready to use right out of the box. It operates flawlessly. The color it what really sets it apart, it’s the real eye catcher. I am very pleased and recommend to anyone looking for a new knife, try a Ravencrest you will be glad you did and get it custom, so you get exactly what you want.
Bobby Davis –
I ordered a custom RCT in white and it’s a beautiful knife. It works perfectly every time and looks great. It’s a perfect match for my white Kriss Vortex!
Darryl Neff (verified owner) –
These knives are even more amazing than you’d ever immagine. I ordered a RCT-1 RAVEN in sniper grey with black accents. Spear point blade with serration I wanted showed out of stock but it shipped almost immediately. Super happy with the purchase. I own another high end otf knife and it doesn’t seem as well built as this one…
bennyspanda (verified owner) –
Very excellent customer service and surprisingly quick shipping. Seems like a nice quality knife. It does have some weight to it though. When the the blade is fully out and locked, it wobbles quite a bit. Even though the shipping was fast, it seemed expensive. Overall it’s a cool knife that I enjoy, but the pricing on the knife itself, the shipping costs, and the blade wobble have me deterred from wanting another one.
Casey Robertson –
Had the RCT-1 originally and lost it but loved the knife, a bit heavy over all but I liked being able to feel the wight of the knife as well and had it for a good 6 years before I sadly and horribly lost it. Not to mention the customer service is great and this company truly does stand by their life time warranty and is quick with the turn around.
mandojulien (verified owner) –
I’ve purchased two of the RCT-1 knives. Very high quality and very sharp out of the box.
Downsides- The custom Cerakote colors seem to wear off very easily. I carry one every day and after about 5 months. The finish is down to bare metal is numerous areas. That’s a little disappointing. The second knife that I ordered would not operate. I ended up having to disassemble the knife and found that the guide rails were installed backwards and after re-assembling and oiling. The action works but is rougher than the action in my other knife. Also it tends to disconnect nearly every time you try to retract the blade.
Seems like maybe quality control may be hit and miss.
With that being said, you really can’t beat the quality for the price point. Especially since each knife has a lifetime warranty.