A few odd things noted when getting new RD7. And some other Noted things.

R

Roguer

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Jan 5, 2015
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I just got my RD7 from the Ontario-Knife-Store and a few questions arose as I got it.

First it came just in plastic bag with no box or serial number, I was wondering if this was normal? Also has that crappy sheath people hate with no snap on the top, just putting that in in case people were wondering.

Handles are what I expected from the videos I've seen, but they seem a bit small even for my not so big hands. They barely fit the handle, I don't think I'll be able to use gloves with this one.

Blade...thick nice sized and literally hair shaving sharp! I like the size and feel of the blade, I think its much better than if I got one an inch shorter like the RD6. Generous Choile and decent sized thumb ramp along with a good hilt thumper.

I don't think the Ontario-Knife-Store would sell knock offs of this knife though even with my questions.

Compared to my KA-BAR D2 is a different critter compared to my RD7. It seems more of an all round heavy duty field knife for general carry in the field. Where my KA-BAR D2 seems to be great at all the light to medium duty stuff I been putting it through recently. But both are meant for different main uses where they both can have a lot over over lap uses. One is going to see more general use where one will be used taken for all round not afraid of what job its going to do use. Can ya guess which one will do what? :D

I'd like to thank heefageLA again for his great advice and experience that helped me decided what I needed.

Now I need to research handle mods...still for the price point its a pretty nice knife.
 
OK this Ranger RD7 is a great freaking knife! I found a few U-tube videos that cured my questions. Despite the "uneven" handles and handle "issues", its a pretty dang great knife for the money! Its a great thumpin, whumpin, cutter and chopper that performs out side of its "Class" I think. I found my general carry field knife now when I don't need to carry one of my bigger blades to do a task in the field or other out side job. I got the bigger blades earlier for different places and had one to be near by all the time. This one can go in my bug out bag or be worn in the field. Dang it I think I need to get another one now!

When did OKC stop making the RD7? It has gone poof even from amazon.
 
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I like the Ranger series too. The handles do leave a lot to be desired, but some love from a belt sander remedies that.
 
Ok...I did order another RD7! I got one because well it fill the role as the medium sized heavy thumper knife.

I got two SP-51s an SP-53 for big blades...oh SP-10 also...the RD9 really is hard to justify.

Did OKC stop making this knife?

Now then can any one tell me about what sheaths that can fit an RD7? The one my first one came with is well dang poor.
 
There are several makers on ebay that make Kydex sheaths for a number of different knives.
I got mine for $35 shipped from an ebay maker.

Ontario did stop production of the Ranger Series, but again, there are many to be had on ebay.

Thanks Roguer for the compliment. :thumbup: I was just speaking from experience.

Now, if you ever need an Ontario RD Hawk just PM me, ive got a brand new one im getting rid of. :D
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1316896-ONTARIO-RD-Hawk-2
 
Thanks!

I figured they stopped making them so I grab another one. Its not the best handled best point type, I would of preferred a spear point but the flat blade is what I wanted, or I would of got night stalkers. But it seems the best affordable dang tough knife that fit the parameters I feel I need for a knife like this. Still its a great freaking knife! For all that I spent over on knives I could of got one or two REALLY GOOD UBER ones, or get enough dang decent fine ones to cover my needs and have a few spares to keep about in case one wasn't around when needed. I'm still getting another SP-53 though...I been putting that one on hold as getting these discontinued knives (like the SP-51 a great straight edge chopper its a wood Bustroyer!). So far OKC products have been the great finds for me! I did get two other blades from other manufactures that fit their uses, one over researched and it works for the task in hand the other a pretty much impulse buy that is working out and found to many niches to do with it but it.

The RD7 is a great cost/quality compromise! It looks like they are making the RD6 (which is a good knife I'm sure in its own right) still but if I can have an extra inch of knife, I find the bigger blade usually is better by default.
 
We didn't stop the whole Ranger series, there are a few that were kept around due to being very popular. If you remember the release, it seemed like every knife had a dozen variants. Some of them could end up back one day (the RD7 could) others probably won't (the Ranger Shiv with the colored paracord handle strikes me as unlikely)
 
Thanks for the clarification. I suspected the RD6 was still in production, I only decided the RD7 was better as the slightly longer blade was better for a stand alone heavy use field knife. I would of gotten the RD6 as it still fit the parameters I had, if I didn't find a source of RD7s.

One question to any one who knows, would a RAT7 or RBS 7 knife sheath fit an RD7 or is its blade to think for the plastic inner lining?
 
No idea about the factory sheaths.
I sell them on ebay as soon as I get the knife.
The factory sheath is JUNK in my opinion.
 
Thanks for the sheath advice, I got one from clevelandkydex.com coming in.

Think all I need to get is an extra SP-53 and I'll be set for knives for a while...yeah right, its as bad as BRD...
 
Well these two RD7s...great for the price! Now re looking at the RD9...I really like this hilt for thumping and wumpin. I'd love a 1/4" 5160 big blade with a good hilt thumper. Like an SP-51/50 with a spear point, full tang and a hilt with a good thumper on it.

The generous chiol and ability to use the RD7 for "Small knife tasks" and able to do the "Big Knife Stuff!" is really versatile! Its not the best at these tasks but it does them easy enough. The RD7 does this well, its not "perfect" but for this price point and abilities it raises out of its class to become "Perfect" when one can get two for the price of one "perfect" one. I'm sure the RD6 also does this but I think the RD7 does it a bit better. I think the extra inch of a blade makes that much bigger of a difference an all around performer.
 
Got an RD6, well the sheath is nicer. Looking at the RD7 and RD6 I can see they are two different critters. For me I feel the RD7 covers more bases that the RD6 but the RD6 covers the smaller knife things a bit better it feels like. Not disappointed getting it I can pair it with a bigger blade or loan it out when needed. It does seem it would make a handy bushy type blade. But the heavy thumping hilt is still a great feature, other wise I would of just got a Kraton handled SP Gen II knife for a middle mission size knife, but its nice knowing it can step up and do hard jobs when needed.
 
Well after going through various combo of sheaths I have even the Kydex one, for the RD7 for basic carry the after thought $7 sheath seems to be the most versatile. To be fair I didn't mod the sheaths they came with with extra snap on retraining straps yet.

http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/ON...its-gen-ii-spec-plus-sp42-sp43-sp45-sp46-sp47 is a decent one, not the best uber duber tacticticoolio one but decent.

Edit: I got another 2 as I expect to be rough and tough on them and a replacement maybe needed :D
 
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