Ontario TAK-1 w/Nylon Sheath

This is a perfect no nonsense, tough as nails knife. People automatically compare these blades to Esee so I added a picture of an Esee 4 and a Becker Eskabar for size comparison. At $57 this knife is pretty close to half the price of the Esee 4. The fit and finish are on par between the two knifes, people claim that Esees have a better fitted scales, better grinds, etc but honestly both the esee and the Ontario have the same level of workmanship. The coating on the Esee seems more resistant but I plan on stripping the blade anyway.One of the common complaints about these is the sheath, I will say that the Esee sheath is more convenient but the Ontario sheath is fine. Mine doesn’t rattle like most people claim, and even if it did I don’t know where this concern over sheath rattle came from. If you’re some kind of ninja assassin and you absolutely MUST have a silent sheath then you can get one for about $32 online which still comes out to a lower price than the Esee.I want to make it abundantly clear that I’m not knocking Esee. I have 3 of their knives and I love them, but the reason I chose to pay roughly double for the Esees I own is because Ontario doesn’t make those models (Candiru, Izula, and Esee 4). If you’re loosing sleep about shelling out the extra cash then don’t hesitate to get an Ontario knife. On the other hand if spending the extra dough makes no difference to you then just go with Esee.

It feels really good in my hands. Sharpe out of the box, but made it sharper with creamic rod and leather strop. Took the coating off to put a apple cider vinegar patina. Looks cool. It can throw sparks with the coating off. Love the knife and I will upgrade the sheath foe leather soon.

Have quite a few Ontario Knives. all well made of good spring steel and great heat treatment . sad they are not making knives anymore. get em while you can. best bang for your buck…

Different needs for different situations. Sometimes you need a small blade. Sometimes you need a really big blade. Some blades can do many tasks. Some just one or two. So where does the TAK 1 score the most points? It is in the middle. Great knife for a majority of cutting chores. First, it has really good steal with 1095. Easy to sharpen and will retain that edge decently enough. Can handle some smaller tasks like notching, feather sticking or shaving. Decent enough rope cutter. Not the best for chopping. Ok for baton of small wood limbs but not big or huge limbs. Could you use it in self defensive situation? Yes, but it is not suited the best for that task. Fairly strong tip. Just do not try and pry on a manhole cover with it. Pommel is really good for crushing walnuts! It is not a nail hammer though! This blade is prone to rust if not cared for properly. A light coating of oil once you are done with it upon clean up should do the job. The current price is really fair as well. I have seen some places trying to sell if for close to $100 dollars.. I would never pay that for this blade. the $50 to $65 range is good. One other thing. There are a few companies that specialize in aftermarket add ons allowing you to really trick out this knife, e.g., new handle scales, leather and kydex sheaths! But having the knife just like it is for the price! That is a no brainer! A few pics as I have it attached to my LA Police Gear 3 day pack.

Really nice knife for the money. It's a little on the thicker side but still cuts well. Definitely not as thick as my RD4 Sheath is okay. It does it's job and you can carry either left or right side.It's 90% of an ESEE for 50% of the price.

My knife is definitely counterfeit. Ontario is spelled “Ontairo”

The knife is well made and has good “heft” in my hands. Sharp enough to shave hair from my arm.

This may be my favorite knife of all time for the small knife category. The ergonomics are amazing! The knife fits my hand perfectly!

Superbe couteau. Belle finition. Étui pratique.

持った感じの重さバランスは非常によいが刃の仕上げがひどい。どこで刃を付けているのかわからないがまったく切れない。先端部分では刃の上で指を滑らせても切れない。しかも裏と表の刃の角度が全く違っている。残念。