Ontario Blackbird-SK Review

N

NeedItCheaper

Joined
Jun 17, 2012
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366
The Specs........
Steel: 154cm
Blade Shape: Full Flat Ground, Spear point(drop point) end. Spine is smooth all the way down.
Blade thickness: 0.13 inch thick(0.1875 is my favorite, but the thickness works well with this knife.)
Length: 10in
Weight: 8.4oz


When I first tested out the BlackBird I had it break within the first day of testing. I posted this in another thread, and many had said I beat on it too hard. I sent it off to Ontario to see if I could get a replacement

Den Pirrone Marketing Director for Ontario personally called me to say that I had not beat on the blade too hard, that they still stand by all the statements made by Paul Scheiter, and because they want me to have faith in the durability of the knife, he wanted me to beat on the new blade they were sending me TWICE AS HARD as I had before. The original blade I got was said to have a preexisting hair line fracture and that it was the first time he had ever seen a failure like that.


Here is a review of my new Ontario BlackBird-SK 5.........

Batoning. I started off batoning a huge piece of wood. I used a technique I learned from Equip2Endura on YouTube. I repeated this test many more times and every time it held. At this point I had more than beat on this blade twice as hard as I had before. But I wasn't satisfied yet, so I kept going.
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Someone pointed out in my last thread that batoning on a already sawed on piece of wood is not one of the more likely things you would baton on in the forest. So I picked out some hard wood(I forget the name, but it's way harder than pine) and beat on it from the side. I actually put more force into these swings than I did with any of my batoning. I will point out that the ergo's while batoning are fabulous, no shock was coming back into my hand/wrist.
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After that I tested the tip out by stabbing it into a log and prying sideways in both directions.. It held very well, but I will note that it sucks at stabbing. Hard to break a tip you can't plunge into the wood very deep. But in the end the tip came out without any breaks/chips/ or bends, so it passes with flying colors.
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Finally came the food test and I was pleasantly surprised. It cut very well and since it's 154cm it will withstand any acidity from foods you can throw at it. Though be sure to rinse it off with at least some water, it does have carbon in it.
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Here is the knife and sheath. That button on the sheath is a hassle. Sometimes it snaps right on and pulls apart with ease, and other times I need all my force to pull it apart. It has to do with an uneven snap, you can actually partially snap it on, which creates a wedge that is very hard to over come. I will be getting a Kydex replacement soon.
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I also didn't like how handle heavy it was. They could have very easily milled out the handle, but I assume cost would be higher. Though it's not like performance would be any better, it would just make the knife less heavy, and put more weight towards the blade. Whenever I hold a knife that is overly handle heavy it just feels weird to me. As a side note, this knife really doesn't chop, but I don't think anyone really expects a 5in blade to do much chopping.
Apart_zps8e4f9981.png


Over all this will be a very welcome addition to the knives I bring camping with me.
 
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I saw the other thread. Good on Ontario for taking care of you. I can understand them wanting to see it to confirm what happened for QC purposes. Good for you getting a knife you can count on this time around.
 
I followed the other thread closely. Its funny (well not really) how some people can make determinations on broken blades from pictures, then jump all over someone with almost a pack mentality. So much for everyones 2 cents in the other thread.......

Nice knife and thanks for the review. It's what that knife was designed to do, regardless of what some have to say.
 
I was sure Ontario would make it right. Glad you are happy with your knife.
 
LG&M said:
I was sure Ontario would make it right. Glad you are happy with your knife.
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Me too. I own a LOT of Ontario knives & though i have never had an issue with any of them, chit happens & am glad they made it right for you. :thumbup:
 
I think it would be great if someday in the future they have a machine that could scan a knife's atomic structure and give you a complete analysis of how "good" the knife is. Collectors could run all their old knives through it and see how good the basic design was and if they had a process error or not.
 
Thanks for the great write-up and follow-up. That looks like a superior camp knife that will last a lifetime. Oh, and thanks for using a wood wedge. ;)
 
I didnt doubt that Ontario would take care of you. They make good knives and like any other good company, they stand behind their products in case of a manufacturing error. I beat the hell out of my TAK and its still going strong.

By the way, the knife looks like its partially coated underneath the handle scales? Is it just the lighting or what?
 
Your technique seems better, and the wood easier to baton through. I figured they would get you straightened out and am glad they did. Always remember that 154cm is nothing like the chopper steels for toughness and strength. It's adequate if used properly. I like the knife and have had it since it came out.

I think it would be great if someday in the future they have a machine that could scan a knife's atomic structure and give you a complete analysis of how "good" the knife is.
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Isn't that what magnaflux does? In addition they can tell some stuff with X ray machines like they use for welds.

Joe
 
Good review. I can never get past the looks of that knife. Ugly as homemade sin. Handles look uncomfortable and clunky.
 
I told you in your other thread that Ontario would stand behind their product, and that what you had done with the knife was perfectly acceptable and Ontario backed that up. Don't listen to all the people who suggest that batoning is abuse, it is NOT. I'm glad all went well, and that you now have faith in the knife and you technique.
 
The Mastiff said:
Isn't that what magnaflux does? In addition they can tell some stuff with X ray machines like they use for welds.
Joe
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Magnaflux makes it easier to find cracks at or near the surface. They have some nice youtube examples nowadays. I was thinking more along the lines of a massive data analysis of the entire knife. It wouldn't surprise me though if someone is playing around with that sort of thing somewhere. Every now and then I see something wild on the various tech shows.
 
Magnaflux makes it easier to find cracks at or near the surface. They have some nice youtube examples nowadays. I was thinking more along the lines of a massive data analysis of the entire knife. It wouldn't surprise me though if someone is playing around with that sort of thing somewhere. Every now and then I see something wild on the various tech shows.
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Thanks Shunsui. That's good information for me to know. The DOD, or NASA has to have something around to check out the important parts of military aircraft and rockets. It seems like I saw something about "blisks" for the F119 ( Raptor engine) and how everyone is checked before delivery. I thought it was X ray but I'm not sure now.

Joe
 
That is great news! Some people do not like these "knife broke" threads because they say they are unfair to the company. This thread is a great example of why I believe they are important. I really didn't have an opinion of Ontario. Now, because of the outstanding experience you've had, I have a very good opinion of them. To admit a problem, stand by their marketing, replace the knife, AND to tell you to beat it like a madman so you'll have faith in the blade, that's all anyone could ever ask for. On the handle weight, you could possibly have someone with a press drill holes into the tang, but the steel is going to be hard, and it would weaken the blade at least some. Thanks for the update and take care.
 
Good followup review. The handle looks too wide to me both functionally and aesthetically. Also for this kind of knife I would look no further than the Makers' For Sale section on Bladeforums where you can get a high-performance custom knife for a similar amount of money.
 
The Mastiff said:
It seems like I saw something about "blisks" for the F119 ( Raptor engine) and how everyone is checked before delivery. I thought it was X ray but I'm not sure now.
Joe
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Maybe something like this, 3D computed tomography (CT)
[video=youtube;HB5QLBAsNt0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB5QLBAsNt0[/video]
 
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AF said:
Good followup review. The handle looks too wide to me both functionally and aesthetically. Also for this kind of knife I would look no further than the Makers' For Sale section on Bladeforums where you can get a high-performance custom knife for a similar amount of money.
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Thanks,
The hand does feel too wide when you hold it without using it. But when you use it it has soo little wear on your hand, no shock, able to push on wood to carve wedges or whatever you want. I think the wideness is what makes that happen, so when you push down on the handle, you have more surface area. In the end in use it feels great. Think of my Cold Steel LeatherNeck, the round handle feels great while just holding it, but in use I get so much shock and wear in my hand.


AF said:
Also for this kind of knife I would look no further than the Makers' For Sale section on Bladeforums where you can get a high-performance custom knife for a similar amount of money.
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I will have to check it out. Might sell a few of my less desirables.
 
im really glad you posted your experiences with the blackbird i just purchased it from hedgehog leatherworks and its on its way hopefully mine doesnt have the same problem you had lol. Have you heard about any other Blackbirds having the same problems?. i appreciate your post and if you could get back to me that would be awesome.
 
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