Ontario XM 1 Extreme Military Combat Folder w/ 3.5" Plain Edge Blade - Opinions/Info?

[peacefuljeffrey]

I was just looking at this knife at Knifecenter.com, and I had never seen it before and now I'm kinda fascinated. It's said to be "overbuilt" -- which I like!... a LOT!

I want to know more about the locking mechanism, which the description says is a liner lock. Does it, like just about all other liner locks I know of, use a ball-bearing insert/detent? I hate those; it's why I favor Spyderco's milled-tang Compression Locks. I just don't trust the ball bearing! :grumpy:

And the long oval cutout near the blade spine: is that for opening? Or are you supposed to use the thumb stud exclusively? (I really don't care for thumb studs in general, and I'm very fond of thumb holes. I wish I wish that this knife was a Compression-locking thumbhole opening version of itself!)

So, anyone here have one, or have had a chance to examine one? I'd like impressions of it.

Thanks.

-Jeffrey

 

[tonybigthumbs]

Well I havent handled it, but by the looks of it you could do a lot better for that price range.

this knife offers nothing new/exciting and for 135$ doesnt even offer
a good blade steel.

you can find an Al Mar Sere 2000 cheaper than that I'm pretty sure, and I'd say it blows the doors off this thing.

 

[StuntDouble]

Doesn't offer a good blade steel? I've only heard good things about N690Co.

 

[Halfneck]

Tactical Knives magazine did a review on it where they rated it very well.

I handled one at Brigade Quartermasters. Seemed like a well built knife. Was a bit heavier than I like and the handles were very thick. The liner lock engaged real tight and locked up well. The slot on the blade acts as another opening device. Nice knife just not anything I needed or really wanted.

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

Any word on the liner lock? Does it indeed have the ball bearing (the loathesome ball bearing)? :grumpy:

-Jeffrey

 

[Esav Benyamin]

That's the same steel used by Extrema Ratio. Nothing wrong with it at all. Just not a well-known flavor-of-the-week American or Japanese steel, is all.

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

In its Silver Talon, Extrema Ratio claims that the hardness has been bumped up to an impressive degree.

Still, I am wondering about the linerlock of this XM1 by Ontario. My guess would be that it does have a ball bearing detent. Anyone know for sure? I wish that the seller descriptions would speak of such things instead of just omitting that detail. It sure would save me from coveting various knives for a long time before I find out they're not done how I would like them.

(Damn, I'm one picky s.o.b.!)

-Jeffrey

 

[irabren]

benchmade axis lock knives are much better

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

I can't think of any overbuilt Benchmade knives, not like the way that Ontario is overbuilt...

In truth, Axis locks and Ball bearing locks are my favorites around, and not enough knives are made with them.

And there are too many knives made with Axis locks that use thumbstuds for opening instead of thumbHOLES. :grumpy:


-Jeffrey

 

[Esav Benyamin]

(Damn, I'm one picky s.o.b.!)

-Jeffrey

I cannot think of a single linerlock that specifies it uses a ball bearing detent in its normal description. I cannot think of a single linerlock that does not use a ball bearing detent. If you don't want the ball bearing detent, don't get a linerlock.

 

[biogon]

The ball-bearing detent is kind of necessary in a linerlock... first, to keep the blade in the closed position, and second, to keep the liner contact on the blade to a single small point in the race. Otherwise the liner would have way too much surface contact and friction to slow down the blade.

Like Esav said... I don't think there are ANY leaf/spring style liner or framelocks WITHOUT the ball bearing there.

The compression lock doesn't use a ball bearing because the mating surface of the liner itself slides into a detent on the blade. This is possible due to the position of the leaf spring on the top of the handle being wedged between the "tang" cutout and the stop pin, rather than the bottom as it is in a linerlock.

Besides... is it just me, or does that look like an awfully thin liner? Like 0.050" class, if not 0.063"?

Without detailed pics, I'm not going to commit, but they don't look that thick to me.

Overbuilt fatty handles or not, in a linerlock that thin from a company not wholly renowned for its QC... I just have two words... "weakest link".

-j

 

[Blop]

I remember, the reviews of the Buck Striders. The SMF like, don´t have a ball, their liner has a point instead of the ball.

Jürgen Schanz, a custom knife maker, used a screw instead of a ball.

I heard about some failures but never heard i: "F***, my ball has fallen out!"

 

[biogon]

Blop,

*laugh*

Thankee for a nice, solid laugh. I needed one.

BTW... The Buck/Striders you say uses a "point"? What is that? I had one of the old 880/881 series and it used a ball bearing. I haven't seen the SnG/SMF based ones yet.

-j

 

[Blop]

For my pleasure.

Search function does not always work for me, but the first reviews of the SMF based models, the one, who modified his knife and posted a lot of pics, i remember, he said it doesn´t has a ball. The liner formed a kind of tip that worked like a ball.

Hope, that is clearer.

 

[wwells20]

The knife in question (XM1) uses the ball detent in the linerlock. It uses nylon washers and has a VERY THICK HANDLE! THICK, THICK. It was a smooth opening knife but just wasn't enough there to justify the price tag. As for the blade steel, N690 is strong performer and I don't think you'll have any problems with it. Provided it's HT treated correctly.

Hope this helps.

 

[tonybigthumbs]

Guess I was wrong about the steel, I saw that its been used in a lot of cheap folders.. like it is in a couple benchmade knives that are under 35$
I assumed that its one of those cost saving steels like 420hc and 440a.

was surprised to see it in a knife that costs 130$

sorry!

 

[goldie]

Hello, i had one for a while, it is very thick, so it wasnt the most comfortable knife to carry all the time. also, the pocket clip is below the pivot,like the crkt m16's, so it will stick out a bit from the pocket. it is very smooth opening,& the liner locked up perfect at the beginning of the tang,with plenty of extra room 'cause of the very thick blade.i think you should try to handle one before buying it,because its about the widest production knife made, & you may not find it good to carry all the time.even the buck strider is better to carry because its longer,it doesnt seem so stubby.........