Ontario TAK first impressions.

tknife

tknife

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
Messages
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First off, this thing is razor sharp right out of the box. If you've owned any other Ontario's, you'll realize how great this is! It sliced paper and shaved hair, I was happy! It's bigger than it appeared in pics, the handle is big. If you have big hands, you'll love it. I may sand off a little Micarta, but it still feels comfortable. The edge is thin with a high, flat grind. It cuts very well. I only did a little whittling on a 2X4, and was impressed with the thin curls I could get. One drawback (maybe) is the tip seems very thin, so I don't know how it will hold up to stabbing into wood or any type of prying.
I was impressed by the sheath, even though it's kind of ugly. It has plenty of tie down points, is nylon over hard plastic, and has a snap on the belt loop, which I like a lot.
Once I use it more, I'll be able to tell how I really like it, but so far I'm really impressed by this knife. I know Jeff Randall has the talent and experience to design an excellent field knife, but Ontario actually produced it very well. And all for only $66!
 
Nice feedback, thanks I've been thinking about getting this knife too.

IIRC, there have been some some reports about blade chipping when the RTAK is used for chopping. Have you done any chopping with this baby yet?
 
I handled one too. I concur with it being larger in real life than I expected. Nice little knife....nice handle and useful blade shape....gotta love carbon steel.....the edge on the one I saw at the show could be a tad thinner, but not bad :D
 
I haven't done any chopping yet, but I will. The edge seems brittle to me, but has held up to normal carving. I will do a few swings into a 2X4 and see how it fares.
 
I have used mine to chop through 2x4's, spruce and birch logs, and to cut down alders for firewood. I have experienced no problems with chipping, and the edge has held very well. The handle seems large at first, but with extended chopping it helped reduce blisters due to less sliding around in the grip. I would like one with a 12 inch blade for a little extra chopping ability.
 
Steelhed,
was that the RTAK you were referring to? If so would you elaborate a little more on it's good/bad qualities. I've been looking at them, and would prefer a Livesay version as soon as they become available again, but can't afford one right now. The Ontario version is a bit cheaper, but I'm not as impressed with the quality of Ontario knives as I am with what I've heard about Livesay.
Thanks for any input.
Lagarto
 
lagarto - Yes, the Ontario RTAK. The quality of mine is certainly worth the price IMO. I have other Ontario knives and the RTAK is simply better built. The blade is thin enough to cut brush and even grass like a machete, and yet thick and stiff enough to chop and not bind. The handle is large, but fits the hand well. The black finish I could do without. It rubs off fairly easy, and since the blade is not stainless steel, you still need to wipe it clean after use to avoid edge corrosion so you can wipe the whole blade at the same time. Again, for the price its a good knife, better than the large Becker for my taste and usage.
 
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