Ontario "combat-style" knife

[bk42261]

Found this knife approximately 4 5/8" blade ,serrated on spine, with metal-backed leather sheath, with sharpening stone holder and with stone in holder.
Only markings are on side of hexagonal pommel ONTARIO 9-67.
Blade is approximately 3/16ths wide, leather handle, two circular holes in handguard on the serrated side.
Seems like a very heavy-duty , well-built knife, but I can't find any information on it.
Any ideas as to value or collectability?
TIA for any help

 

[Double_J]

Does it look like this? http://www.amazon.com/Ontario-Force-Survival-Knife-Black/dp/B001CZDQPI

 

[bk42261]

Yes it does, except mine appears to be blued and that one looks Parkerized.

 

[Scooter22]

It is what it says it is. Air Force survival knife. They were issued to pilots. Sometimes refered to as "jet knife". The originals were made by Cammilus Knives from NY. I have a stainless one I got back in 1974. Carried around for years. Good knives. Ontario has been making many of the military contract knives.

 

[rcmodel]

The original Jet Pilots Survival knife developed in 1957 by Marbles, in cooperation with the Navy Aeronautics Bureau had a 6" blade.

Requirements included:
* Being able to chop through dense underbrush.
* Be able to drive a nail through a 2" board.
* Be able to saw through an aircraft or helicopter aluminum skin.
* Have an over-size guard to protect the users hand from sharp metal edges.

In 1962, the blade length was shortened to 5" following complaints from pilots about the knife jabbing them in all the odd places because it was too long.

Marbles had suggested the 5" length in 1954, but was over-ruled by the Navy board!

All later knives had a 5" blade, and metal plates were added to the sheath to prevent the tip from stabbing through the leather sheath when subjected to high G-Load or violent impact in 1960 something?

The dull white paint on the butt cap used to glow in the dark, but one that age probably does't anymore.

So, the saw teeth were designed to cut aluminum aircraft skin, not plexiglas, or 2"x4"'s, or steel car doors.

That makes them most capable of opening Coor's beer cans in an emergency, which most of them were used for that I ever noticed.

There is at least one anecdotal story of a shot down Huey helicopter crew in Vietnam being able to saw through the skin and get out the back side of the aircraft while being attacked by enemy troops from the other side.

All I know is, I would sure hate to try it!
There is a lot more stuff under an aircraft skin then just the thin aluminum skin!

Rc

 

[lemaymiami]

One thought about those blades meant for survival - they're not very good for "combat" since any stabbing with that kind of "saw-back" blade means you'll have a tough time getting your blade back after penetration.... For everything else in the survival arena they're quite useful. Every time I see some makers idea of a combat blade (particularly since that first Rambo movie all those years ago...) I just shake my head. An ordinary mark one Navy knife would be far preferable in a real combat role in my opinion.

 

[jmr40]

The 9-67 is the date of manufacture. Don't know if one that old has any real value. I have a modern production version made in 2008 IIRC. They are a good knife for the money, under $50 in most places. I like the length, not too big and the sheath rides higher keeping it out of the way while sitting.

 

[MAKster]

I just bought an Ontario SP2 on Amazon for $28. It's the Air Force knife but with a krayton handle instead of the stacked leather.

 

[jeepnik]

Real ones look like this. After over 40 years.

 

[hso]

I have 3 or 4 of the Camillus ones scattered around. I should probably check on their value.

 

[rcmodel]

Sadly, in a moment of weakness, I traded the one I brought home from the Army in 1970 to a needy buddy.
I got it from a just returned Vietnam Huey Pilot in 1968, and it had the pre-metal reinforced sheath.
Don't recall the date on the butt stamp, but 60 something I think.

I got this metal reinforced sheath one in trade.
Butt stamp says 2-80.
Sheath sticker says 6-90.

But is was new in the wax paper when I got it.





rc

 

[kBob]

A buddy of mine since Boy Scout days carried one of those. It seemed darn near indestructible. When we were about 30 he had it on a camping trip and decided to use it as a pry bar to roll a rather large log with. When finished the knife had a slight bend right a the guard. Rather than calling it damage my friend commented that it now had the fit of an early Gerber fighting knife. I think he still has it.

BTW the knife "saws" on the push stroke and sweeps on the pull......should not get caught between ribs any more than an un serrated knife. Anyway it also makes a Jim Dandy hammer.

Someone "borrowed" mine without asking and I have never gotten around to replacing it.

Knife folks I have known always replace the issue stone BTW.

-kBob

 

[jeepnik]

One thought about those blades meant for survival - they're not very good for "combat" since any stabbing with that kind of "saw-back" blade means you'll have a tough time getting your blade back after penetration....

Without elaboration, you are incorrect.

 

[bk42261]

Jeepnik, mine looks EXACTLY like yours.

Thanks to all for the input.

 

[bannockburn]

This is my Dad's Marbles knife which I always thought kind of resembled the Air Force Survival knife. I have had a number of Ontario Air Force Survival knives and all of them have held up very well over the years. My brother used one in the Army and went through Ranger training with it. I had to replace the sheath for him (this was the older all leather sheath without the metal back plate), and other than sharpening it for him, it was good to go for more field use.

 

[kBob]

When I got assigned to a DivArty HQ I had a rough time of being with the "ash and trash" and such. There were rays of sunshine occasionally though. A couple of boys from my Commo section and Survey section came to me wanting to carry sheath knives. I had them bring the knives they wanted to carry to me and this was the one I saw most and I approved such immediately. The Wire Dogs and Chain Gangs worked out yonder away from the brass and support on occasion so I thought sheath knives made good sense. Took almost three months for someone over O3 to see them and then there were none.

Interestingly most of those boys dashed out and bought a Buck 110 or 112 and carried them unseen under their untucked blouses.....just like me.

I did have one on my vest for when doing the observer thing from an OH58 though. It belonged to the Army though.

-kBob

-kBob

 

[jeepnik]

Jeepnik, mine looks EXACTLY like yours.

Thanks to all for the input.

You broke the tip and had to reshape it too?

 

[bubba in ca]

Older ones are hyped as ^vietnam era^and listed for high prices on ebay. I have a beater than has been a toolbox knife for decades. the thickness makes it a little hard to sharpen for fine stuff, its more of a chopper. Mine has been known to dig weeds and hasn`t complained a bit. Teh saw back is useless and a little bit of a hazard.

they have a certain rustic charm, I think I put mineral oil on the handle once to countereffect the drying of the leather.

I did have one in Vietnam for cutting watermelons but it was a little short for the task and got confiscated because my unit didn`t allow knives.

 

[rcmodel]

think I put mineral oil on the handle once

The worst thing in the world you can put on a leather washer handle!!

Don't do it!!

Use Vegetable oil, wax shoe polish, neat foot oil, Kewi Leather Lotion.

But never a mineral based oil of any kind!

rc