Would anyone actually buy this monster?

I've been thinking about buying one of the Ontario versions. They're affordable, and I like the row of sawteeth on the spine. I believe it would come in handy in the woods splitting kindling, diging up roots or whatever with the flat end, sawing, scraping etc.
 
I have a TacTool that hangs with the fire extinguisher during the day and beside the bed at night, for emergencies.

PlaceKnives, I also have the Ontario Spec Plus SP8 machete that I think you are referring to for vehicle carry. I have used mine enough that I trust it as a beater knife. However, as I understand it, quite a few people had problems with Ontario knives taking severe damage during hard use. Apparently, they had a batch of steel with a bad heat treat that was causing these problems. It is supposedly fixed now, but just be aware. Also, the sawteeth on the back are rounded off and completely dull.
 
When you're prying with them, wouldn't they tend to break at the sealt-belt-cutter notch?
 
I have an Ontario. I've never pryed hard enough to bend or snap it, and it seems tough enough for me. The saw spine is only usefull to rub grooves in wood. It may work better for sheet metal or ice, but I've never tried.

BUT If you can afford it, go for the Strider version. It has the Bos heat treat so you can be assured quality. It has a slightly smaller profile, and the spine serrations are actually sharp and practical.

Extrema Ratio also makes some knives (Golem F) that might as well be prybar knives too. They are ugly blunt tip tantos with a sawback, .25" thick.
 
Here are some custom versions...

Canadian Knifemaker James McGowan

standard


Newt Livesay (Wicked Knife co.)

standard


RL
 
Thanks for all of your input on the Ontario version. I may re-think purchasing one. The Strider looks awesome.
 
I got to say that I own an ONTARIO SP8 and I am really disapointed with it. It is not a god chopper at all because it doesn't have a flat grind (shoulders on the edge don't help at all). While battoning the teeth on the spine dig into the piece of wood you are heating it with and the blows don't transfer quite well to the piece being splitted. It doesn't hold an edge at all so it is pretty much useless as a camp knife. To be fair I'll say that it digs quite nicely but that is not what I wanted it for.

I was thinking now about getting a RAT 7 but I just noticed that the steel happens to be the same... 1095 (correct me if wrong). I have read every single post about that knife and people kind of like it... maybe the heat treatment makes the difference?
Mikel
 
Mikel, welcome to Bladeforums!

Did you notice you resurrected a thread from over 4 years ago? In the future, you might consider starting a new thread instead of leading people to read through all those old posts, and maybe replying to them, too . :)
 
Jeremy Reynolds said:
How would these work in the woods as a survival tool? I am primarily thinking of digging with the blunt tip. The job I am currently interviewing for will require me to be out in the woods on a consistant basis. I would like to have a good multi-purpose tool that could be used for digging pits and chopping wood with minimal damage to the blade in either task.
Click to expand...
Cold Steel makes a small shovel that chops, digs and can be thrown
with remarkable accuracy. It also can be wieded as a weapon.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Did you notice you resurrected a thread from over 4 years ago? In the future, you might consider starting a new thread instead of leading people to read through all those old posts, and maybe replying to them, too.
Click to expand...
With all respect, I don't see the harm in resurrecting an old thread, even four years past. It might be better to begin a new post, but I constantly see older posts continued. I was absent myself from the board for a long time due to some health problems and months later, when I returned, I was surprised to see two of my old threads still floating on the front pages! Sometimes old threads are fun to continue and see if the thinking's changed.
 
My son-in-law is on the tri-county SWAT team and I bought him the Becker Model for Xmas. He loves it. They do a lot of break the door down Meth lab raids and it comes in handy for prying off locks and hasps.
 
I bought an Ontario SP10 recently just because it was cheep and looked unbreakable. When I reshearched it on Ontario's Website it was referred to as a "Jump Rated" machette, i.e. a machette short enough for paratroopers to carry safely.
I am not impressed by it's capabilities and the saw on the back side makes it very poor for batoning.
Ron Athay
 
Last time I was diving I had the Strider version with me. I did'ent know that it was also an entry tool. Kool!
 
Ok, I can see it as a useful entry tool, abuse tool, all around chopper/scraper/pryer.

But the seatbelt cutter looks useless. It looks super-awkward to try and use it while you hold the handle, and you can't choke up because you're holding a blade.
 
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