Ontario Knife Company, also known as 'OKC', is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer of knives and other edged tools.
Ontario Knife Company was founded in 1889 in
Naples, New YorkNaples may refer to two municipalities in Ontario County, New York in the United States:*Naples , New York*Naples , New York, located entirely within the town...
. The company takes its name from
Ontario County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
(not, as a common misconception holds, the province of Ontario, Canada).
They are currently located in
Franklinville, New YorkFranklinville is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 3,128 at the 2000 census.The Town of Franklinville is an interior town, located in the northeast quadrant of the county. Franklinville is also the name of a village in the town.- History :The town was first...
, in
Cattaraugus CountyCattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, where most of their products are manufactured.
Ontario knife company is most well known as a supplier of military knives. Throughout the years they have supplied the
U.S. militaryThe United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
with products such as the
M7 bayonetThe M7 Bayonet is a bayonet that was used by the U.S. military for the M16 rifle, it can also be used for the AR-15 rifle. It was introduced in 1964, when the M16 entered service during the Vietnam War....
, the
USAFThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Survival KnifeSurvival knives are knives intended for survival purposes in a wilderness environment, often in an emergency situation when the user has lost most of his/her main equipment. Military units issue some type of survival knife to pilots in the event their plane may be shot down. Survival knives can be...
, the M1942
MacheteThe machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
, the Navy MK3 MOD 0 diving/survival knife, the
M9 bayonetThe M9 Bayonet is a multi-purpose knife and bayonet officially adopted in 1984 by the United States. It has a blade and is issued with a sheath designed to double as a wire cutter. It was designed and developed by Charles A. "Mickey" Finn at his R&D company, Qual-A-Tec. He later produced it under...
, and most recently, the
USMCThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
OKC-3S BayonetThe OKC-3S is a bayonet developed by the United States Marine Corps to replace the M7 bayonet as its service bayonet for the M16 family of rifles. This multi-purpose bayonet provides greater durability than the M7 and also functions as a fighting knife....
. They have also obtained a contract to build the
Aircrew Survival Egress KnifeThe Aircrew Survival Egress Knife or ASEK is a U.S. Army aircrew survival knife, designed and initially manufactured by the Ontario Knife Company, and entered service in 2003.-Development and Adoption:...
(ASEK) Survival Knife System, chosen by the United States Army to be included in its Air Warrior Equipment System. The knife was tested and approved by PM Soldier and the United States Army Soldier Systems Center to meet the criteria defined by the US Army, and functions include a
PlexiglasPoly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
breaker, hammer, saw teeth,
serrationsA serrated blade is a type of blade used on saws and on some knives or scissors. It is also known as a dentated, sawtooth, or toothed blade.A serrated blade has a cutting edge that has many small points of contact with the material being cut...
, spear holes,
lanyardA lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects...
hole and insulated guard. The system includes an anodized aluminum strap cutter with replaceable blades, a
screwdriverA screwdriver is a tool for driving screws and often rotating other machine elements with the mating drive system. The screwdriver is made up of a head or tip, which engages with a screw, a mechanism to apply torque by rotating the tip, and some way to position and support the screwdriver...
and a
honing rodA honing steel, sometimes referred to as sharpening steel, sharpening stick, sharpening rod, butcher's steel, and chef's steel is a rod of steel, ceramic or diamond coated steel used to hone or sharpen blade edges. They are flat, oval, or round in cross-section and up to one foot long...
. The sheath also has webbing for attachment to a
MOLLEMOLLE |female name]]) is an acronym for MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is used to define the current generation of load-bearing equipment and rucksacks utilized by the United States armed forces, especially the United States Army, and its use is also growing in the British Army in...
vest.
Complementing their lineup of military issue knives, Ontario Knife Company produces several commercial lines including the Spec-Plus series, which features many popular military/survival blade designs with updated handle and sheath designs, and the Freedom Fighter series which features metal
hiltThe hilt of a sword is its handle, consisting of a guard,grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A ricasso may also be present, but this is rarely the case...
s and pommels with military/survival blades. Their Randall's Adventure & Training survival knives were designed in conjunction with Randall's Adventure & Training, a popular outdoor survival training and expedition company. The lineup includes the original RTAK (formerly produced by
Newt Livesay Blades http://www.newtlivesayknives.com/index2.htm), and the TAK-1 and RAT-7, both of which have been adopted by the U.S. military.
Newt Livesay no longer makes the original RTAK knives. A copy of the Livesay RTAK in name only is made by Ontario Knife Company.
The original Livesay RTAK is a variation inspired by the Livesay Model 121, Recon Combat Machete, aka; Rapid Deployment designed and manufacture by Newt Livesay a premier designer and manufacture of weapon system in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The original Livesay RTAK was a collaboration between Jeff Randall, and Newt Livesay with modification made on the handle in the Livesay shop. The original RTAK machete were of limited production with only about 375 knives being made. Production was stopped on the original Livesay RTAK when Mr. Livesay found out that Ontario Knife Company had begun making the knife. Livesay RTAK machetes had a more ergonomically designed user friendly custom handle, and the blades being cryogenic treated, and differentially heat treated with edges being in the 59-60 Rockwell range.
Ontario Knife Company has also formed collaborations with other designers such as Bram Frank and renowned
Bowie KnifeA Bowie knife is a pattern of fixed-blade fighting knife first popularized by Colonel James "Jim" Bowie in the early 19th Century. Since the first incarnation was created by James Black, the Bowie knife has come to incorporate several recognizable and characteristic design features, although its...
expert and knifemaker Bill Bagwell, introducing lower cost renditions of several of Bagwell's famous designs.
In addition to their sporting/outdoor knives Ontario Knife Company produces a large range of other cutlery and tools including Old Hickory Kitchen Cutlery, Industrial and Agricultural Products, and Sci-Med Scientific Tools and Instruments. Ontario's sister company, Queen Cutlery, is a well known maker of finely crafted
pocket knivesA pocket knife is a folding knife with one or more blades that fit inside the handle that can still fit in a pocket. It is also known as a jackknife or jack-knife...
. Ontario Knife is also major supplier of private label blades and knives.