What is wrong with the Ranger Series by Ontario?

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There is a video on youtube of an RD6 Signature Series that the guy sent back to Justin to have the choil made bigger, jimping on the spine & a new handle grind & a new black coating on the blade- all for around $65.

Type: Ranger RD6 Signature Knife- Modifications . It is by BSRadar100
 
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My problem with them is that they are made by Ontario, whose parent company executives leave a lot to be desired as businessmen
 
I leave the business aspect to the business men/women. The last thing i want to see is another American made product go overseas or be put out of business all together. They make a good product at a good price point & have been for a long, long time.
 
TwinStick said:
There is a video on youtube of an RD6 Signature Series that the guy sent back to Justin to have the choil made bigger, jimping on the spine & a new handle grind & a new black coating on the blade- all for around $65.

Type: Ranger RD6 Signature Knife- Modifications . It is by BSRadar100
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This is a great video!
 
I have a RD-4, and the 5160 and 1/4 inch thick is able to take anything I can do to it without complete abuse. Yes it's not the greatest slicer, and it's heavy - but they do make the bush series of Rangers, which are all in 1095 and 3/16 thickness. I am considering one of these for a longer blade as I think the weight will get too excessive. I got it cause it seems a good value/cost on what I was after (without knowing the business back story at the time).

Every supplier seems to write up the specs differently - but after confirming with several via email the rule seems to be all standard RD series and Night Stalker blades are 5160 and 1/4 thick - all bush series 3/16 and 1095. Happy to be corrected!
 
I sorta like the knife ,I did a little batoning and it held up well-however the handles are way too unrefined ,hold the bk2 in the hand and you'll Immediately feel that their worlds apart no ,matter if the dimensions may be similar.
 
I was just looking at one of these and the first thing that popped into my head was that it would make a great bushcrafting knife! I like the heavy fixed blades. It definitely seems like a good knife
 
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot said:
I have a RD-4, and the 5160 and 1/4 inch thick is able to take anything I can do to it without complete abuse. Yes it's not the greatest slicer, and it's heavy - but they do make the bush series of Rangers, which are all in 1095 and 3/16 thickness. I am considering one of these for a longer blade as I think the weight will get too excessive. I got it cause it seems a good value/cost on what I was after (without knowing the business back story at the time).

Every supplier seems to write up the specs differently - but after confirming with several via email the rule seems to be all standard RD series and Night Stalker blades are 5160 and 1/4 thick - all bush series 3/16 and 1095. Happy to be corrected!
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WhiskeyTF, according to Ranger Knives owner/bladesmith Justin Gingrich, all of them are 5160. I agree there's a constant confusion about the steel and dealers don't seem too interested in correcting it.. I hope they are 5160 as Justin believes, it would be really weird if Ontario made them in another steel than what the designer specified (without him knowing)..
 
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PatriotDan said:
WhiskeyTF, according Ranger Knives owner/bladesmith Justin Gingrich, all of them are 5160. I agree there's a constant confusion about the steel and dealers don't seem too interested in correcting it.. I hope they are 5160 as Justin believes, it would be really weird if Ontario made them in another steel than what the designer specified..
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This is really interesting. Unfortunately not only the dealers seem to have no clue what kind of steel is used but ontario as well (http://www.ontarioknife.com/catalog/item/245) - provided you are right. What the hell?! I mean how is one supposed to trust a company if they don't get their specs right.
 
jfive said:
This is really interesting. Unfortunately not only the dealers seem to have no clue what kind of steel is used but ontario as well (http://www.ontarioknife.com/catalog/item/245) - provided you are right. What the hell?! I mean how is one supposed to trust a company if they don't get their specs right.
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Interesting, thanks for the link. Indeed Ontario's saying it's 1075 which is pretty awesome beater steel. However 5160 is a step above in my opinion and honestly Justin has said many times all of the series is same, 5160.. this does explain why dealers haven't corrected anything though. Maybe I should ask Justin once again what's the real info here.
 
I am quite sure that the person in the office typing the specs is most likely NOT a knife nut. Mistakes happen. Thats why it pays to do your homework before you buy. I agree, it sucks & if it was me & my company, i would have it corrected ASAP. For many, it is just all about the money (when it comes to others selling Ontario's product). For knife nuts like us, details are everything. Sad, but it is what it is.
 
Interesting thread indeed. I feel the same regarding the information provided to customer by OKC for blade steel or blade hardness. The data are not consistent, whatever are the sources: dealers, websites, OKC Internet site, ... (and I am a fan of the J. Gingrich or Ontario styles). Therefore I am a little bit disapointed by the Ontario communication, as no reliable information is provided to the customer.

For instance, I collect the following information concerning RAT 1095 blade hardness:
- 55/57 Rc
- 56/58 Rc
- 56/57 Rc
- 57/58 Rc
- "What else?"
So, what is the right one? What is the information one can rely on?

I don't know if OKC is ISO-9000 certified, I don't know if Ontario knife making is an industrial or hand made business, and I understand that the routing process sheet is not available to anyone (know-how protection), but actually I do notice a big difference with others knife manufacturers from which I use to buy knives.

Regarding 5160/1095 deviation issue, it is not unsual in business to face such concession for marketing, costing or manufacturing reasons, but at least, it is publicly displayed (Böker for example). Futhermore, I ignore of course the details of the agreement between J. Gincrich and OKC.

OKC has no specific forum, but I still expect that il will improve in the near future ...
 
As I said earlier, I really like the Ranger series. Both the RD-4, and the Falcon came with great and even grinds with no touch up needed to sharpen them. Those handles do leave something to desire. I had to use my dremel and sandpaper to get them rounded on the edges, but now they are really nice and great in my hand.

Again, if you like a smaller blade the Falcon is great, and very handy with a 3.9" blade. I would like to see it in the Bush Series at 3/16" thick. I don't think it has been out very long and that may be why you hear little about it. This knife, and the others really need kydex to be parked in.
 
I bought the RD9 last year, tested it in the back yard a bit,I wasn't too impressed and haven't used it since.I did find that the edge on mine was evenly grinded,the edge was also barely sharp but not exactly dull,the micarta scales were 1mm larger than the handle,the sheath sucks because the retention strap is velcro and not a snap and is also positioned all the way at the top end of the handle making it possible for about 2" of the blade to be exposed,and the micarta handles is a bit short in length and blocky.I would imagine that the large blocky handles would not suit user with smaller hands.

Just some of my thoughts.

I had yet to tackle the job of sharpening it.
 
Let me first say that I generally like the quality of Ontario Knife Co. That having been said, I found the handles very Blocky feeling and not very ergonomic for me. What I had access to was about a 9" blade, I remember it being very handle heavy and I thought at the time it would not make the best chopper, at least for me. I like them a little more weight forward. I'm going off memory here.
 
Mine (RD6 SS) could certainly use some fine tuning to fit my hand better as well. I would love to have mine redone exactly like in the video i spoke of earlier. Hell, i may even cheap out & do it myself (except for the powder coating). I like HD overbuilt things & the one i bought was exactly that. I also realized that the signature Series is NOT made from 5160. It is made from S7 steel, which is supposed to be able to take high impact shock loads better.
 
Over the years, I purchased and have kept many of the discontinued models of the Ranger series. I like them specifically because they are overbuilt and are like tanks. I have an original AL Mar Sere in my urban home office. However, I remember places like traversing the Khyber Pass more than 40 years ago and I wanted a fixed blade tank of a knife. I walked through it carrying 5 knives.

My son is untrained in knife fighting, is on the road every day. I could have given him any knife to carry in his car. I chose an Ontario Ranger TFI model. I have three of that model, with one in the house in a sheath for horizontal carry.

By analogy, I carry a simple, used and modified Spyderco Endura when I leave home to go shopping. When shtf, I will carry a Spydero Police Model.

I have a few of the RD4 model as well. It is a tank!
 
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