Ontario USMC

GWashington1732

GWashington1732

Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
13,240
I just bought one of these as a gift and it isn't as nicely finished as the KaBar version. Is the Ontario version always rougher feeling than KaBar's? Does it hold up as well under hard use?
 
I definitely recommend the KA BAR version over the ontario. As you have noticed Ontarios QC in my experience has been sub par. Also their heat treat on their blades can be somewhat sketchy. Take it back, and by the real KA BAR. :)
 
The Camillus and Ontario models were built to milspec standards and actually issued to troops while the KaBar brand hasn't been built to milspec or issued to troops since the 1950's. I carried a Camillus brand for quite a few years during my 23 year Army career. I still have it. I used to support and defend the Camillus brand (actually, the milspec issue brand, whether Camillus or Ontario) against the KaBar brand for years.

However, I recently purchased the KaBar 1220 which is the knife with the "Army" stamp on the tang and sheath. It is a much better made knife than the issue knives. I wish I'd been less headstrong in those years and just got the best!
 
Jake Bauer said:
I definitely recommend the KA BAR version over the ontario. As you have noticed Ontarios QC in my experience has been sub par. Also their heat treat on their blades can be somewhat sketchy. Take it back, and by the real KA BAR. :)
Click to expand...

Well I looked at some threads with pictures on here about this knife, and while it's not as good looking as the KaBar it doesn't quite look like the one that I got, I'm pretty sure it's an Ontario Mk II but this thing looks like it's been abused or at least handled incorrectly somewhere along the line, the handle below the crossguard is all marred up ans there is a small chunk missing from the tip, and it had light scratches all over is. This is not new, and if it is, there's bigger issues. I'm returning it and getting a refund, I'll get him a KaBar or Ontario Spec Plus from somewhere else instead. I'll consolidate my entire rant about the store and this whole irritating thing in the feedback forum. Just another happy day for me. :rolleyes:
 
In the Military I had a Ontario Marine knife, I still have it and it's about 45 years old now. It went through hell and would do it again. It has had three or four sheaths but the knife is solid as hell. I have half a dozen of the Spec Plus or whatever they are called. Never been able to hurt any of them.
 
udtjim said:
In the Military I had a Ontario Marine knife, I still have it and it's about 45 years old now. It went through hell and would do it again. It has had three or four sheaths but the knife is solid as hell. I have half a dozen of the Spec Plus or whatever they are called. Never been able to hurt any of them.
Click to expand...

Never had another of the regular marine knife, but I have beat on my Spec plus quite a bit with no problems, so I'm thinking that this one was damaged by the store or used, returned, and then repackaged. Here's a picture of the damaged handle, right out of the box.

72467_orig.jpg


Maybe I'm just being too picky about this damage but that seems a bit much for poor quality control.

Can't really get a good picture of the tip damage with my crappy camera but here's my attempt.

6531756_orig.jpg


You might not be able to see it because it's not a huge piece that's missing, but it's there, you can see one of the scratches though.
 
I can't post a picture of mine until they process my membership renew. But after they do, I will.:thumbup: I returned one once that had a bad finish on it but they replaced it no questions asked.
 
udtjim said:
I can't post a picture of mine until they process my membership renew. But after they do, I will.:thumbup: I returned one once that had a bad finish on it but they replaced it no questions asked.
Click to expand...

I don't think I can blame this one on bad finish. It looks like a dog got ahold of it.
 
I have both the Camillus and the Ka-bar USMC Knives and they're both outstanding knives.The Camillus USMC is rougher than the Ka-bar one but still light years beyond all the Ontario's I've handled.
 
Return that one. It's trashed. I can maybe live with the cosmetic stuff, but, the broken tip is over the top. Send it back and get another. Camillus and Ontario make good using knives. I have and use both with zero complaints.
 
Hey guys,

I recently posted a thread about a NIW Ontario USMC knife that I purchased and unwrapped from its issued packaging. The one in the pics definately looks to be the same knife, but yours is definately damaged after manufacture. I currently have a mid 70's production Ka-bar, a late manufacture Camillus, and my Ontario is from about the mid 80's. I'm not partial to any single manufacture as I like them all. I WILL agree however that the fit and finish on the Ka-bar is definately at the top of the heap. Although they (Ka-bar) haven't had any recent large quantity contracts with the military to produce this style of knife (the current contractor being Ontario), they do still produce them in virtually the same way they did when they first started. The only difference being that nowadays they probably use better materials in the production of these knives. And, despite the lack of government contracts bringing the Ka-bar brand into the system, I'm pretty certain you'd find more than a fair share of them in the hands of former, and current serving military personell (more often than not purchased at local PX's and the like). For what it's worth, I think you'll be happy with either of the three brands. They all share the same blade profile, construction techniques, and roughly the same steel type used in the manufacture of the blades (with possible differences in heat treat). Good luck with your search for a replacement GWashington1732...

Cheers,
hsld.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top