If you are going camping or hiking, you need a reliable survival knife. Not only will it allow you to traverse in the wilderness easier, but it can also allow you to survive in the wild without exerting too much energy in executing your basic survival tasks.
One of the best knives you can bring with you is the Ontario Blackbird SK-5. It is simply designed to provide survivalists the functions they need from it. If you want to get more information about this excellent tool, here is a brief Ontario Blackbird SK-5 review.
Ontario Black Bird Knife Sheath
Manufacturer
The manufacturer of this product is Ontario Knife Company. You might think that this is a Canadian company. Actually, this is founded, and based in Naples, New York; the “Ontario” part of the company’s name came from Ontario County in New York. OKC is well-known as one of the military’s main suppliers of combat knives, bayonets, machetes, and other specialized handheld equipment. Despite being primarily associated with the military, the company also manufactures kitchen, agricultural, and medical blades and tools.
Features
- Weight: 8.4 ounces
- 154CM Steel Blade: This material is considered a premium grade stainless steel in the United States. 154CM’s actual purpose is to be used in tough industrial use and applications. It is composed of three principal components, which are molybdenum, chromium, and carbon. As a stainless steel, it is resistant to rust. As its downside, it has difficulty maintaining its sharpness with constant use. However, due to the higher carbon content of 154CM, it tends to retain its sharpness longer than regular stainless steel blades.
- Full Taper Grind Spear Point Blade: The blade’s spear point design and full taper grind point make the knife sharper and ideal for thrusting or drilling. Also, this kind of design is very handy when one needs to carve something.
- Secured Handle: The handle is attached to the blade’s tang with three Allen screws. Since the blade is a full tang, its user will have a better grip and control of the knife. In addition, its users do not need to worry about the handle being detached from the blade.
- Rounded Handle with Grooves: For more comfort, the handle is fully rounded to prevent users from experiencing discomfort. The grooves are also placed as protection for the user’s fingers. It will prevent his hand or fingers from slipping towards the knife’s blade. It also prevents his hand and fingers from forming any blisters.
- Smooth Spine: When a task requires heavy force, it is essential that the knife user uses his thumb or other hand for additional force. With the smoothened spine, the user does not need to worry about having any blisters or scratches on his skin.
- 5-Inch Blade: As a standard, good survival knives are usually six inches long since longer blades tend to have a wider range of uses according to survival experts. However, there were many instances where shorter knives have proven useful in dire situations in the wilderness.
Rating from Other Reviewers and Users
It has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars in Amazon. Most of the reviewers and verified users of the knife praise its simplistic design. Many have tested it and some even posted their tests on YouTube. In the videos, the knife has definitely passed the very abusive tests they have done, including batoning and wood chopping.
Rating
With its quality, the Ontario Blackbird SK-5 deserves a score of 4.5 out of 5. However, if you consider the price, it will only score 4.3 out of 5 since it is much more expensive than the other knives that can match its quality like the Ka-Bar USMC.