Ontario knives/spec plus/ anyone have/any good?

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joebe

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Jun 17, 2001
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i'm thinking about getting one of the Ontario spec plus fighters any comments/reviews on them ? maybe the 8" clip point fighter or the 11"
frontiersman, there only about $45.

how fast does 1095 rust, does it hold up pretty well?
 
I found the handles on the Spec-Plus line to be abrasive. The quality control was among the lowest I have ever seen. One knife would behave well if flexed, another would bend at the tang, another would snap violent in half etc. . If you could get a good one, then they are a decent knife for the price. But based on what I have seen, the odds are not that great. The Camillus Becker line is of much better quality, more money though.

1095 has a very low rust resistance. However unlike most stainless steels it does not tend to pit badly. I have done salt water soaks on several 1095 blades and you tend to get a lot of black iron oxide which doesn't penetrate deeply into the steel.

-Cliff
 
The spec plus line offers excellent value in using knives. I own several large spec plus and one folder.
I find that the 1095 steel will rust fairly easy but not that bad with normal care. As to holding an edge
and sharpening 1095 is a favorite because it gets so sharp so easy. All of my large spec plus are field
use knives and get the snot used out of them. Have yet to want a more expensive knife in their place.
If I wreck it on a stone or such it easy to afford a new one. Try one to see if you'll like the too.
 
I have an Ontario Spec-Plus 8 inch Tanto that I have had NO problems with. I WOULD buy another Spec-Plus.
 
I've got abunch of them and I love them. The Marine Raider and the Machete have cleared brush and helped to de-limb a fallen tree as well as a ton of other camp chores. Since they are 1095 you do wanna wipe them down with a sentry cloth but other than that I've had no problems with mine.
 
With Ontario you get a $45 knife for $45. There are other makers where for $45 you get a bit nicer knife (read pocket knives).
I would have to side with Cliff Stamp on the BK&T comment. You get a HELL OF KNIFE for the price with the BK&T from Camillus.

An example, I think it was Ron Hood who likes the "frozen elk leg" test. During one test the Trace Rinaldi Armageddon ($400) and the BK&T Brute(~$100) both severed the leg. The ARM. had no damage but the Brute had a few dents in the blade which were steelable out.:rolleyes:
 
I'd have to say that it makes sense to get one BK&T for the price of two Ontarios.
 
i figured as cheap as they are it would be experimental, i am spoiled with stainless and all the knives i have are this, except for the carbon V kobun. i want to check out the 1095 because i keep hearing it's so good, already have the silicone wipe for the prevention.

cool dog.
 
I have a spec plus fighter. Overall, It's a good knife. Yes, the grinds are not very good but, it cuts well and sharpens easy. The handle dosn't bother my hand, although others complain of this. Ontarios are really beater knives. If you want someting similiar that has good grinds, and is generally a better knife, get one of the Cold Steel Carbon V knives. They are like a high end Ontario.
 
If you're throwing it in a toolbox or using it around the yard, chances are you'll get by just fine with an Ontario. However, if you are going backpacking, hunting or doing something else where a failure would be more serious, Cliff is right---get a Becker. I've heard of Ontarios having handles work loose with heavy chopping, but the Beckers don't seem to suffer that problem. They are hell-for-strong.
 
If I didn't beat them so bad I'd replace my Ontrio's with the Becker's. I can't tell you
how many times I've caught a steel fence post clearing weeds and wrecked the edge of
the Ontriao I was using. Yes, I'd buy the Becker if I was using it for general
camping / field use also.
 
You buy quality knives in part because they are more durable than cheap ones and come with a hgiher grade of warrenty and customer service. If you were to slam a Brute or Machax into a steel fence post accidently while clearing some vegetation yes you are going to damage the edge. However this would just mean that you need to sharpen it, you would not need to get a new blade. Plus if you did damage it somehow to such an extent that it could not be easily repaired, I would doubt that you would have to buy a new blade considering the warrenty that has been stated on the Camillus forum.

-Cliff
 
While cutting some grass in my yard I hit the edge of my Patrol Machete into a brick that was in the weed. When I wiped off the brick dust from the blade (expecting to see a dent) there was absolutly no damage to the edge...wheww, was I glad to see that..NO DAMAGE and no dulling of the edge.:cool:
 
Cliff, Your assessment of the quality difference in blade steel is spot on. What is different about
the Ontario knives is they are inexpensive enough to buy and "Learn" on before the step up to a better
blade. As we all know we buy this knife or that knife thinking it's the right one for us only to learn
otherwise then we're off to market again. I prefer the Ontario because they are inexpensive and
disposable. When I wreck a blade in the field it's.....dead ...not repairable. Plus more than once
knife was left behind at end of day. I agree 100% that the Becker is a good step up from Ontarios.
Once a consumer figures out which blade style fits the need.
 
i ordered the 8" fighter model (SP-6?) the other day, a low cost fighter for general use, i have doubts the the sheath is going to be anything to crow about but for the price.....$39 plus S&H.
 
get an ontario and beat the crap out of it. See how you like it. They are cheap enough that if you totally destroy it you won't lose any sleep...

I have had an sp-1 for 7 years. I have done it all with the thing, and it is still a good functioning knife. It has been a hammer, a can opener, a prybar, an axe, a tent stake, a BIG throwing knife, etc. etc.

If you get one, beat the hell out of it - if it survives keep it in the arsenal, if not get a becker or a busse.
 
joebe,
If you someday have to use the Spec Plus Fighter in the actual roll of a "fighter", you would do well to grind that punched in "Fighter" name off of the blade's ricasso.
If, God forbid, you should have to use it in an actual fight, and do great bodily harm to the BG, your opponent's lawyer will take that knife's name emblazoned on the blade on beat you to death in the courtroom with it. The jury will be made to believe you were out spoilin for a fight. After all, you advertise that fact on the very weapon you used, right? That "Fighter"?
That blade is a pretty decent one too. I have one, and it was pointed out to me about the name thing and I put it away. It'll never see the light of day until I get around to grinding that name off first.
Good Luck and enjoy!;)
 
the names of blades was mentioned in TK, that the (inbred) jury, (corrupt) judge, (self-promoting) prosecuter may not appreciate a Rambo-style name, here in Ohio if you act legally and survive the encounter with the perp, the locals will still try to hang you for something-they are prosecute crazy here !!

having been a cop i have had my fill of the local scumbag court system that we have here, you are in MUCH more danger in the courtroom then you are in a street knife fight.

i would prefer a knife fight over dealing with the court anytime.

ok, done with my rant-take a deep breath.....relax.......
 
That seems to be the law of the land these days joebe.

I can almost see the Founding Fathers of this country turning in their graves.:(

Still, I give that advice to anyone who buys a knife with a name on it that may come back and bite them in the ass later. It would royally suck to be driven to bankruptcy because the name on one's knife was used to paint that person as a purveyor of mayhem in civil court.:barf:
 
What ever happened to the "government of the people, by the people, and for the people" ?????

And I guess that innocent until proven guilty only applies to the perp under our sheeple law system. There is no such thing as victims rights.

And according to my local police dept. "There is no such thing as selfprotection" as heard from 2 diff. LEOs at diff. times.:barf: :barf: :mad: :(
 
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