Ontario ASEK belt attachment?

D

Drocko

Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
38
Hi everybody. I have a question about the Ontario ASEK survival knife, model 1400. Haven't heard many good things about this blade, but I like the design for the most part, except for the serrated half-edge. Seems like a rugged little knife good for what it's designed for.

I'm selling off some more expensive (little used) blades and buying some quality, but less expensive, strong, functional replacements for the field. What really stumps me about the ASEK is that it doesn't have a conventional belt loop. It has two short leg attachments, and can attach to a pack, but it's the only knife I've ever owned without a dedicated belt loop.

Any suggestions, opinions? Thanks.
Drocko
 
DuH??? Dude, last time I checked, the Gerber LMF 2 (ASEK) in cayote brown came with a standard BELTLOOP with "lift the dot" snap buttons to secure the knife.
-http://www.gerbergear.com/images/products/large/alt/1400.jpg
-http://www.rghknives.com.tw/images/Gerber/GER-01463-enl.jpg
And yeah, there are cut-out slots in the plastic-like sheath to attach one of the two separate leg webbing strap; BTW the other strap goes through the beltloop!
The hard part is in trying to secure the LINECUTTER pack onto the knife sheath. Which can be done, piggyback. But be warned that it's not quite as secure a carry considering that this is not designed to be affixed in that manner in the first place. I kinda assume here that Gerber hadn't planned on the linecutter feature in the first place.
All things considered, the LMF 2 pales when compared with its namesake the original LMF of old. Strangest thing is having it named the LMF 2 when it doesn't look one bit similar. The LMF 2 has a thin spine. It's profile makes it a good slicer. It's a wide enough blade to skin hides. Don't know if it can take down a Grizzly though. The butt end is where all the weight lies. OK if you intend to pound away, but a major consideration if you need a blade heavy knife which it isn't. However when you compare the Ontario ASEK with the Gerber LMF 2, it's a no brainer to go with the LMF 2 considering how much more affordable it is on the pocket. And yeah, a non-serrated version would be high on the list if you're not strapped down in the seat of a downed VTOL contraption.
 
Not the really coolest thing to do with an Ontario ASEK but,
the answer would be to see if the new knife would fit the older Pilot survival knife sheath?
-http://www.ontarioknife.com/images/milissue/499_SHEATH.jpg
Assuming of course that both are of similar dimensions?
-http://www.rakuten.co.jp/yamahide/439605/486455/691597/

Or you could re-work the sheath and try to mod a belt loop of some sort?

From the Ontario ASEK site
"...The fire retardant scabbard fits on the pilot’s vests, load bearing equipment, WEB BELT, BELT or can be worn on the calf as designed for Air Warrior...."
-http://www.ontarioknife.com/asek.html
Or maybe there's a secret to wearing it?
 
GIRLYmann:
Appreciate your post. May I didn’t make the situation clear – DuH??? Don’t know when the last time you checked out the ASEK, but I am looking at one. One thing you’re right about, it’s “coyote brown.”

But it has NO BELTLOOP. There are NO “cut-out slots in the plastic-like sheath…” The top leg webbing strap is heavily stitched, and glued in Velcro. The “lift-the-dot snap buttons” are located at the bottom of the sheath, only. You’re right about “the hard part [being] trying to secure the LINECUTTER pack onto the knife sheath” because it’s double-stitched onto the sheath. As for the linecutter, I wonder if quick access to the blade would work as well. But, the cutter would be safer in close quarters.

I’ve unsnapped the vertical strap and rethreaded it to make a lousy, half-inch wide “belt loop” at the top. The only way this can be really secure is to tape or stitch this strap at the bottom. I don’t have a commercial stitching machine or I would remake the whole f…..g thing. Gerber didn’t think this thing through! No fixed blade emergency-survival knife should ever lack a belt loop – and this is the first one I’ve seen that did.

I’ll look into the LMF 2, but right now I’m trying to fix a really stupid engineering screw-up of a basically decent design.

The heavy butt-end is good. It’s designed for hammering glass or Plexiglas; but it also brings more force to the short blade. Blade should be heavier, but the length is good enough. Serrations should have been put on top by the saw teeth. Serrations get in the way of small work like whittling and making trap pieces.

Don’t know how much skinning you’ve done, but I always preferred a short, sharp, fairly thin, curved blade. Never had use for a wide blade. But, it’s been a while. As for the griz, I’ll let you handle it with the heavy blade; I’ll settle for a 375H&H.

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll check out your references. As for the info from the Ontario ASEK site, you’re probably right – there must be a secret to wearing it – maybe some secret code in a secret compartment on the sheath will tell me. I would like to see Ontario just admit they screwed-up the thing, and fix it.
Drocko
 
I was able to hold the Gerber LMF2 and the Ontario ASEK at the same time and went with the ASEK. I too bought the ASEK because I like the overall design of the blade and the compact package better than the LMF2. Plus I LOVE the rubber handle with the gaurd rubber coated as well - it has a very nice feel to it. As with everything in life, this is all subject to one's personal preference/opinion.

But "Drocko" as you mentioned, the first thing I did was take off those leg straps and then used the vertical straps to secure the knife to my back-pack, similiar to what you were trying to do to use it as a belt loop.

http://www.ontarioknife.com/asek.html
I posted the website link, since mine is OD Green like the one in the picture.
 
I liked the execution of the Ontario package better than the Gerber, once again, personal preference. Below are some good pics of the Gerber for reference....
Gerber%20LMF%20-%20front%20-%20w%20writing.jpg

Gerber%20LMF%20-%20in%20sheath%20w%20accessories.jpg
 
KnifeFury said:
I was able to hold the Gerber LMF2 and the Ontario ASEK at the same time and went with the ASEK. I too bought the ASEK because I like the overall design of the blade and the compact package better than the LMF2. Plus I LOVE the rubber handle with the gaurd rubber coated as well - it has a very nice feel to it. As with everything in life, this is all subject to one's personal preference/opinion.

But "Drocko" as you mentioned, the first thing I did was take off those leg straps and then used the vertical straps to secure the knife to my back-pack, similiar to what you were trying to do to use it as a belt loop.

http://www.ontarioknife.com/asek.html
I posted the website link, since mine is OD Green like the one in the picture.
Click to expand...


I'm trying to remember if I've ever owned, or seen, a fixed blade sheath without a belt loop - for any kind of fixed blade. Since it's basically a strong, well designed knife, with a good sheath (except for the missing loop) I think I'm going to find a shoe repair shop that can stitch-up some sort of belt attachment. It's hard to figure how Ontario could miss something so obvious in a military design.
 
Best of luck.

The only thing I had really questions with the Ontario ASEK was the saw teeth. Actually it came up on another thread about the "Chris Reeve Aviator"
http://www.chrisreeve.com/aviator.htm
This knife has the identical saw teeth on the upper side. "Scotch" had emailed Chris Reeve's and gotten a response:
" The saw back on the Aviator is not designed to be sharpened. It was created to cut a pilot out of a fiberglass fuselage or possible cut wood in a pinch. It is not able to cut meat or other tasks serrated knives do."
Click to expand...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=435716

But, both knives are meant to be used by Pilots and both have these type of saw teeth so it must be common to this type of usage. Just the fact that you cannot sharpen them (probably both models) leaves something to be desired.
 
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