Anyone got info on Ontario 2-80 Ka-Bar knives?

[Rento]

Hi guys, I have an old Ontario 2-80, atleast that's what the Octagon butt end says.

Anyone have any info on them?

 

[longbeachguy]

Is it a 5" parkerized fixed blade with stacked leather washer handle? I'm thinking it might be a pilot's survival knife and the 2-80 might be the date of manufacture.

 

[Rento]

From hilt to tip it is 5". The handle was wood, pretty sure. But I laced the handle in electrical tape a while back because it was splintery.

But yeah, it says

Ontario
2-80

on the butt end. The hilt also has two holes on one end.

I don't think it has a great value as the blade is in fairly poor condition in terms of looks. I think it would be a great knife to learn how to sharpen blades on though.

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

Yup, sounds like an issue Pilot's Knife. If it's like those I've been around, you will get plenty of sharpening experience. Those are some thick, tough blade and seem to take a bit of sharpening.

 

[Rento]

What would be the best way to learn how to sharpen with, a bench stone or something like a Sharpmaker.

I'm not a fixed blade, Rambo knife collector, I'm more of a EDC tactical folder collector.

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

Diamond hones would probably be a good choice. Naturally, you have to hold your angles and use good technique. I don't have any experience with the Sharpmaker, so will leave that to others to speak of.

 

[Rento]

Well.. Earlier today, my friend was at Harbor Freight Tools, so I told him to see if they had any sharpening stones and if any were below $10 to grab me one.

So he did, and it was $3, so I gave him $4.

But yeah, it got the Ontario sharper, pretty cool.

 

[mp510]

You have a Pilot Survival Knife made in February 1980. They are decent quality knives that make functional woods knives. Carbon steel blade. New they sell for about $35 to $40, used $15 to $30. Some Viet Nam era knives will, naturally, sell for slightly higher prices as military collectibles. The military issued these knives for decades and only recently decided to issue a new platform.

The holes on the guard are supposed to for lashing it to a shaft to make a fishing spear if a pilot was downed and forced to fend for himself .

The handle was wood, pretty sure. But I laced the handle in electrical tape a while back because it was splintery.

The handle is NOT wood. It is stacked leather, though when worn, it may look somewhat like splintery wood.