Quickie Question to displace my curiosity/confusion

afishhunter

afishhunter

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Oct 21, 2014
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Is ROTHCO related to Ontario knives?

On one of the sites it is against the rules to mention, (they are not a sponsoring seller) the Ontario 499 says "by Ontario Knife" and in the description it says "made by Rothco".
The Ontario SP1 description says "... the Rothco SP1 is the current Navy issue knife."

I thought Rothco dealt in poorly made, cheap copies and genuine military surplus from around the world.
 
Since nobody has answered this...

I have no knowledge of any relation, they both just happen to make military-related gear as some of their product lines. Rothco's quality is iffy on some things, but some of their stuff is ok. I've bought their stuff when I wanted something cheap and its quality level was decent upon inspection, but their QC isn't great. I would be very surprised if they were related, considering that while Rothco produces a mid to low level quality product, OKC turns out some really great stuff at very reasonable prices. They are drastically different in this regard, so it was probably a typo/misunderstanding on the website's part. Their company websites did not suggest any relation in the quick search I did, but I would imagine OKC themselves would have a definite answer for you.
 
I just looked up "Ontario Rothco" and it seems some others have suffered the same confusion. Rothco's website even sells the "Ontario ASEK." It has me wondering if some styles/patterns of knives just get called "Ontario" knives because OKC made them, and people associate "Ontario" with those knives because it is the name they saw on them. (like how some people see "Buck knife" as meaning any knife in a belt pouch) I say this because it was the case for me, as when I was young the knife my father carried hunting and camping was an Ontario Air Force survival knife, and I will always remember seeing "Ontario" stamped into the blade. I thought it was so cool! (and still do) This also begs the question of whether or not Ontario made this knife on Rothco's website, or if they are ripping it off by claiming its an Ontario.

Several questions coming out of this...
 
sorry :( did not mean to cause trouble .

I guess the only way to ensure I get the real deal OKC Air Force Survival knife is to buy direct from OKC or from that big Tennessee knife store.
 
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No trouble, your post made me wonder about this myself enough to look into it. I suspect if it were a serious concern OKC would have chimed in by now. Maybe contact Rothco and see if they make the their own or source them from Ontario? If they are in fact making their own, then the listings found on several websites are serious discrepancies if not out right fraudulent. I would never consider buying a knife made by Rothco, even if some of their shirts and bags are ok. If you really wanted to know for sure about any ties, business licenses could be researched and I believe they are both based in NY; but this would be a big waste of time IMHO. Just go with a reputable and sponsored retailer, that's what's usually recommended around here.. :thumbup:
 
All,

Let's dispel all rumors. Rothco is not related to Ontario Knife other than they are a dealer of our products. Ontario is not responsible for any of our dealer's ad/description copy or selling methods.
The 499 listed is an actual Ontario Product.
With the July 4th holiday weekend fresh in our minds, you should exercise your freedom to shop wherever and when ever you want.
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Director of Engineering
Ontario Knife Company
 
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I ran into the same problem you did, and questioned whether I was going to receive an authentic Ontario or a Rothco ripoff. I don't have it in front of me, but part of my research said to check the pommel once I received it. The engraving here made me believe I got the real deal off the non-sponsor overly-sized river site.
 
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