Ontario’s Ranger Assault Knife: The Best Of All Worlds?

What would be that ‘one knife’, that if the rest of the world went to hell, that you could strap on your side and do just about everything you’d need a fixed blade to do?

That’s a tough question and one I bet more than a few of you battle on a regular basis. I do, and I’ve carried knives I picked into hell with me, only to later find something that fit the bill just a bit better. It seems like with each wilderness trip, class, or hunt I end up with new wants in a blade. It hasn’t got any better since I got that first Air Force Survival Knife (aka the Jumpmaster knife) I borrowed from an AWOL kid’s kit so long ago. Doubt he missed it. That knife did everything I ever asked it to, is easy to sharpen, and doubles as a combat effective fighting knife. And for a long while it served me well, and still absolutely could had I not retired it when I returned from Afghanistan. But would it be my first choice today? Probably not; designs have evolved and I’ve got a number of knives that fit the general purpose bit a lot better, and one of them is Ontario’s Ranger Assault Knife.

Combat knives are always a fun topic of discussion and one that’s often highly personal. That old USAF design was meant to be a jack of all trades and it excelled at a few. Like most of its contemporaries, it is a stick tang short Bowie-type with an integrated handguard to prevent the user’s hands from slipping up the blade during a stab but also to protect against glancing blows. Mine slayed MREs, 550 cord and tubular nylon just like everyone else’s- even skinned a goat we picked up from a local village in Afghanistan. Its also made notches, battoned wood, made fire and processed domestic game with the best of them.

I’ve always loved tactical knives and fighter-type blades. But the reality is that most often a tactical knife, with many serrations, odd grind angles and ultra-hard steel is more a hindrance than an enabler for most mundane survival tasks. What’s basic and simple, at least in my experience, has become the preferred blade to a lot of the more tactical-oriented types. It’s a view that’s neither good or bad, its just personal choice based on what we call on our tools to do. Some of these tasks include:

  • Skinning and processing game
  • Light Chopping
  • Making feather sticks and tinder bundles
  • Striking of Ferro Rods
  • Batoning through small limbs
  • Be easily re-honed in the field

Lets look at the list. Any knife can skin and process game- in fact I’ve skinned more animals with my decade-old Buck-Strider folder than any other knife I’ve owned. And likewise for feather stick making, any sharp knife with decent edge geometry can do that. But for the heavier duty tasks a good fixed blade is what’s needed. For battening through limbs, a full-tang knife is really the best option. I’ve done it with the old USAF knife, but a full tang construction is best. And when striking ferro rods, high carbon steel and a squared spine gets the job done without having to use the knife’s edge. Speaking of, the ability to bring back a good working edge in the field is paramount. S30V, 154CM and the like are excellent for edge retention, but what happens if your edge does take some damage during use? 1095 is easier to bring back even from severe damage while using a small field stone or diamond plate like we use in the First Line Course, along with a small piece of leather as a strop.

So that brings us to Ontario’s Ranger Assault Knife (RAK). Justin Gingrich, founder of Ranger Knives and Green Beret, partnered with Ontario Knife Company several years back to mass produce his tactical and survival blade designs. I’ve used an RD-7 for a number of years now as a general purpose woods blade and its a highly functional design. His knives are a no-frills, hard use utilitarian types over the elegance of say, a Randall Made or Blackjack. These are not exactly lookers, but they will do everything asked of them and probably much more. The Ranger Assault Knife was something of a crossover design; combining the attributes of a functional fighting weapon and qualities you’d want in a simple survival knife.

Even batoning through this large knotty pine, which is generally a no-no, is no problem for the RAK.

Looking over the design you’ll notice the spear point of the 6 inch blade. It’s as great for stabbing as it is choking up on the knife and making finer cuts with the tip. Being 3/16in thick and having the full width go to the tip, its very strong for any prying task you might be called on to do in the wild. Fortunately choking up on that blade is made easy by the very large (yuuuge!) choil. It allows you to control the blade for power cuts but also to accommodate the guard as part of the design. It’s one solid piece of 1095 steel, hardened to 53-55rc, which is hard enough to retain an edge a reasonable amount of time while still soft enough to flex when prying or batoning to prevent chipping. And the knife has no issues batoning- hard wood, soft wood, anything reasonable it breaks down pretty easily.

The design sports a sabre grind that starts 2/3 of the way up the blade. Even after heavy use, including batoning, there’s no visible damage to the edge.

The blade itself sports a thick saber grind with a short, flat secondary bevel. I prefer a full flat grind for pretty much everything I do with a knife, but on this blade it works to the advantage of the design by maintaining the knife’s strength. Since the parameters of the intended use include aircrew survival, that strength is required when possibly cutting through aluminum airframes or punching out glass.  The pointed pommel serves as a glass breaker also, the same way the older RAT 5 and ESEE 5 knives do. And that leads me to my only real complain with it; that spike pommel is borderline obnoxious. Everything else about the knife is excellent, and since I don’t plan on needing to egress from an aircraft anytime soon, I’m thinking of grinding it down a bit. And the stock sheath is a flimsy nylon piece of junk. I threw it in the trash and had a kydex one made. But that’s it; the steel, the heat treat, the edge retention, and the flat out utility of this knife is excellent.

My Final Thoughts

The RAK pictured next to a RAT 5. Compare the glass breaker bevels on both.

For what this blade costs, around $65, it’s an excellent buy and well worth picking up a couple. You’ll need a better sheath but honestly I’m rarely happy with most stock sheaths. The design is definitely a jack of all trades and well thought out as a utility blade for those going into harm’s way. And as easily as it can be used in combat, it finds itself at home with a wide variety of survival tasks. Would it be that ‘one knife’ to use if the world went to hell? I think it could be. You could spend a heck of a lot more money and not come close to what you get out of this blade.

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If you’re interested in survival training with a small unit twist, covering primitive tools, flintknapping, land navigation, shelter making and basic recovery skills, check out the First Line Course. I would love the opportunity to train with you.

 

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17 Comments

  1. SemperFido February 16, 2019 at 08:05

    I went with the schrade listed below. I always lusted after a Chris Reeve from his South Africa days but cannot justify the cost. Reasonable price, strong and has the hollow handle. I pulled out the tool kit and replaced the contents with strike anywhere matches. The sheath is actually pretty nice. Made from one piece of good tool steel. It is holding up well with anything I use it for. Batoning? No problem. Striking sparks? It works although I don’t carry a ferro rod instead I carry a torch striker. Holds a good edge and sharpens pretty easy. Haven’t gutted anything with it yet but I am not worried.
    https://www.amazon.com/Schrade-SCHF2-One-Piece-Serrated-Survival/dp/B0018VJAQU?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffab-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0018VJAQU

    • NC Scout February 16, 2019 at 08:15

      Schrade is ok. Chinese made, as opposed to American made Ontario for $10 more. Unless you’re specifically cutting a lot of webbing (seatbelts, static lines, etc) I tell folks to stay away from serrations on the primary cutting portion of the blade. But that’s my experience…to each their own.

      Chris Reeve makes excellent blades. I love the Pacific.

      • DTG February 16, 2019 at 20:32

        Agree on Chris Reeve knives; I like the fact that they’re made in Meridian, Idaho (I lived there for a couple years), but my own CR is the, “Green Beret” knife (civilian version of the Yarborough for noobs). Very well made, full tang, excellent balance, very nice sheath (which is also a product improved ‘Spec Ops’ sheath). I’ve been wanting one for a long time, and finally saved enough to get one. I thought the price very reasonable, especially when one compares the prices of a Randall or even a Greg Wall knife. $325 with free shipping from “Knivesshipfree.com” ain’t too bad, especially as they have both the Green Beret and Pacific in stock in all color choices. Trying to order from Reeve’s site will get you a 4 month wait for your back order.

        Couldn’t agree more on the serrations for a general purpose knife. In the event I need serrations, I carry a multi tool that has an integral serrated blade (Leatherman Wave).

        • Reasonable Rascal February 17, 2019 at 10:25

          Good points on the serrations. When active as a FT EMS’er I carried a Spyderco Clipit Rescue for cutting cloth, belts, etc. A full- serrated blade for cutting anything fibrous. That is the only knife I have ever carried that was even partially serrated, much less the full blade. It was for rescue work only and carried along with another couple of knives for other purposes. Nowadays it is a Leatherman should I need a serrated blade. All others – folders and fixed blades alike – are full edges without break.

          I’ve carried a K-Bar to camps a Swamp Rat model in Belize, various Cold Steel models and a few others I am ashamed to admit to from in my much younger days. I may have to give this one a look to now that I have been made aware of it. Anything that can cleave through firewood like that gets my attention.

  2. panhandlerancher February 16, 2019 at 12:42

    I have had one of these fine knives for several years and currently it is relegated to permanent status in the side-by-side as the Kydex scabbard is easily bolted to a vertical piece of plastic seat moulding. The RAT was copied not long after it was first introduced and lower quality look alike doppelganger abounds. Three things I seem to collect are flashlights, knives, and modern weapons. My all around favorite knife is the Randall No. 1 Fighter. I’ve owned many knives and seen more than a few fail, usually when the designer gets fancy, yet I’ve never heard of failure with a No. 1. I do wish its leather scabbard would become kydex (which is easily done, even at home), and the bright polish was more dull, but the Randall is certainly a premium fighting knife, thick enough to be almost impossible to break and heavy enough that if thrown penetration is assured. As a so called, “assault knife” the RAT blade is too short. Not un-lethal but too short for a combat knife. PR

  3. Anonymous February 17, 2019 at 09:32

    5

  4. Anonymous February 17, 2019 at 11:52

    4.5

  5. Bruno Pezzey February 17, 2019 at 11:55

    Everyone has their personal favorite(s) that they’ll save money for, but having multiple copies is hard to justify. At $65 there can be multiples for kids, friends/people ‘joining up’, or replacement. Thanks for the recommendation.

  6. Lamar February 18, 2019 at 19:10

    How do you like the sheath you made for the RAK? I just got a couple of the Ontarios and was thinking of trying to make my own kydex for them. The sheath itself seems no big deal but the attachment point is a spot of worry for me. I have been thinking of trying a loop like what is pictured here. I know you run your stuff hard so I assume you are happy with the simple loop but would like to hear your opinion on it.
    Thanks.

    • NC Scout February 18, 2019 at 20:08

      I didn’t make that sheath- there’s a guy on ebay named Randy Bagwell who does great work. I like it, and on this type of knife a drop sheath is a good way to go. Normally I prefer leather, but that’s really just a personal thing.

  7. anonymous February 19, 2019 at 06:39

    The Schrade SCHF36 Frontier is a very similar bladed knife with a pommel more comfortable if the glass breaker is not desired. Still has the lanyard too. Finger choil, pretty much everything else. 1095 steel.

    https://www.amazon.com/Schrade-Frontier-Stainless-Survival-Bushcraft/dp/B07JHD2FMM

  8. Devin S February 19, 2019 at 16:20

    Cool, thanks for the suggestion. I was also looking at the BOB knife because some guys from the local militia swore by them, it also has a divot in the handle for pressing down on a hand drill for fire starting. Oh an a metal hole used to pry a bullet out of the casing to get to the gun powder. Honestly the BOB knife looks almost like the one you suggested. Anyway, give it a look, let me know if you think one is better or not, it’s more expensive by about $100, I know that.

    • NC Scout February 19, 2019 at 16:28

      Tops’ BOB is a very good blade. It’s bushcrafter-oriented and well thought out. Don’t overlook the ESEE 6 or RAT 7 either.

  9. Grunt February 20, 2019 at 10:20

    Thx for the heads up on this, got one coming in the mail

  10. revjen45 February 20, 2019 at 11:29

    I have never had to cut through an aluminum airframe or gut an enemy soldier, but for camping and general outdoor stuff I have used my Glock M81 since the mid-80s and still love it. It’s as ugly as a mud fence but with the saw (which actually works well) it has been up to whatever I needed an outdoor knife to do.

  11. CCC February 21, 2019 at 18:37

    Thats everything I like about the Greyman Ground Pounder at 1/3 the price.

  12. […] and survival instructors who advocate small knives, usually as part of a system with an ax, the military approach that normally favors a mid sized, 4-7 inch blade, and then there’s those that prefer machetes and large knives. All Rambo joking aside, […]

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