Knife Review: Ontario Knife Company – Black Bird SK-4

When Paul Scheiter was asked about the name of the Ontario Knife Company Black Bird SK-5, he joked that it was in the hope OKC would consider making different versions. Well here is the second Black Bird, the SK-4, a more compact version of Paul’s original design; is it only the first of many?

 photo 05 OKC SK-4 SK-5 P1230061.jpg

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knife specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.
 photo 28 OKC SK-4 grind P1250055.jpg

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).
 photo Knife measuring P1180483.jpg

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

Key aspects such as the primary bevel angle, grind type, blade depth, blade thickness, length, weight are detailed, along with balance information.

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate.

 photo SK-4 paramentersV2.jpg

The blade is made from 154CM steel.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

Unfortunately I can’t always get time with the designer so will use this section to include relevant information about the knife and its designer.

The design principles of the SK-4 are generally the same as they were for the larger SK-5, so I shall refer readers to the SK-5 review for further information:
Ontario Knife Company Black Bird SK-5 Review

A few more details:

The Black Bird SK-4 arrives in a cardboard box with lift off lid.
 photo 01 OKC SK-4 Boxed P1230041.jpg

The knife and sheath are packed separately, with the knife wrapped in a plastic bag.
 photo 02 OKC SK-4 Box open P1230046.jpg

There is a thin cardboard sheath over the blade.
 photo 03 OKC SK-4 Box contents P1230049.jpg

With all packaging removed we get to see the SK-4 and its sheath.
 photo 04 OKC SK-4 P1230053.jpg

Bare-bones simplicity, the SK-4’s blade is a shorter version of the SK-5 blade.
 photo 06 OKC SK-4 blade P1230066.jpg

While we are looking at the blade, this is a close-up of the blade tip with factory edge.
 photo 07 OKC SK-4 blade tip P1230068.jpg

Though the design is simply, I’m glad to see it does have a choil.
 photo 08 OKC SK-4 choil P1230072.jpg

The G10 handle slabs are secured with three hex bolts.
 photo 09 OKC SK-4 bolts P1230076.jpg

A nicely formed lanyard hole is included.
 photo 10 OKC SK-4 lanyard P1230080.jpg

Incorporated into the beautifully simple design is a sharp edged spine for striking sparks from ferro-rods.
 photo 11 OKC SK-4 spine P1230087.jpg

A guard stands just proud of the handle to help protect your fingers from slipping forwards.
 photo 12 OKC SK-4 standing P1230090.jpg

That sharp spark-striking edge runs the entire length of the spine.
 photo 13 OKC SK-4 spine edge P1230094.jpg

In keeping with the design principles, the handle lines are very simple, but importantly all edges are nicely rounded.
 photo 14 OKC SK-4 handle P1230095.jpg

Taking a closer look at the rounding of the G10 handles.
 photo 17 OKC SK-4 handle finish P1230102.jpg

Just like the SK-4 is a reduced version of the SK-5, so is its sheath.
 photo 18 OKC SK-4 sheath P1230106.jpg

For the retaining strap, a single-direction press-stud is used, meaning it can only be opened by pulling in one direction.
 photo 19 OKC SK-4 sheath press stud P1230103.jpg

On the back is a PALS/MOLLE mounting system which can also be used for fitting to large belts.
 photo 20 OKC SK-4 sheath PALS P1230110.jpg

Effectively you have the choice of two different belt loops as you can use the PALS/MOLLE mount strap as well.
 photo 21 OKC SK-4 sheath PALS woven P1230113.jpg

It is possible to adjust the retaining strap (this turns out to be crucial) to get the fit just right.
 photo 22 OKC SK-4 sheath retainer adjustment P1230116.jpg

Inside, the sheath has a felt lining for the blade.
 photo 23 OKC SK-4 sheath felt P1230120.jpg

The sheath also incorporates a drainage hole.
 photo 25 OKC SK-4 sheath drainage P1230130.jpg

The SK-4 in its sheath.
 photo 24 OKC SK-4 sheathed P1230127.jpg

What it is like to use?

I have been looking forward to this since I heard the SK-4 was being made. For the sharp eyed amongst you, you may have noticed the blade has no markings on it at all, as this is a pre-production sample (but is exactly as the production version will be), so I’ve had it a little while to give it plenty of use.

The SK-5 has turned out to be one of my favourite trail knives. It is my go-to when it comes to grabbing a medium fixed blade, but not any longer. Now I might equally go for the SK-4.
The 1″ shorter blade and 1″ shorter handle gives you a saving of 2″. Doesn’t sound that much, but the effect is significant.
 photo 26 OKC SK-4 SK-5 sheathed P1230132.jpg

Where I couldn’t just throw the SK-5 into a pocket, the SK-4 is small enough to fit fully inside most coat pockets, making the choice between taking a folder or a fixed blade easier. Despite the smaller dimensions the SK-4 is a very capable knife, much more so than almost any folder. (For heavier work, I’d still go with the SK-5.)
 photo 27 OKC SK-4 SK-5 unsheathed P1230135.jpg

If you are used to large knives, the SK-4 can initially seem a bit too small for anything other than light tasks.
 photo 15 OKC SK-4 in hand P1230097.jpg

Take up a power grip on the SK-4 and you realise you can apply a lot of force into the cuts. Though the handle doesn’t protrude from your fist, the rounded butt of the handle allows it to press into you hand very comfortably and not give you any hotspots while you work with it. The amount of blade available is plenty, even for pretty heavy work, so all you lose with the shorter blade is the ability to chop, and a limitation on the size of wood you can split by batoning.
 photo 16 OKC SK-4 in hand P1230099.jpg

The only issue I have identified with the SK-4 is actually with the sheath. Due to the shaping of the handle, the position of the retaining strap falls onto the wide part of the handle. It means that even when adjusted to a tight fit, the knife can easily still be pulled part-way out exposing nearly an inch of cutting edge. If the strap is not really tight, you can pull the knife out completely without opening the strap. Unfortunately the press-stud also marks the handle. As delivered from OKC, I was able to pull the knife out of the sheath without releasing the retaining strap, so please ensure you check yours and adjust it to be as tight as you can (then check you can’t pull the knife out all the way).

Factory edges – instead of opening that can of worms, let’s just say that whatever the quality of the original factory edge, you will need to re-sharpen your knife (unless you are very wealthy).
So the SK-4 was set for a Wicked Edge. Starting off with the Advanced Alignment Guide to get the blade set up for consistent future sharpening, this first time needed a reprofile to bring the edge angle back to 40 degrees inclusive angle
 photo 31 OKC SK-4 wicked edge P1250143.jpg

Freshly re-edged, the eager Wicked Edge is ready to bite!
 photo 33 OKC SK-4 wicked edge P1250548.jpg

The combination of a great edge and the SK-4’s geometry had it breezing through smaller branches leaving very clean cuts.
 photo 29 OKC SK-4 clean cut P1250161.jpg

On this particular day I found myself with a rapidly approaching sunset as I’d lost track of time while working with the SK-4. It wasn’t fatigue that stopped me, just the failing light.
 photo 30 OKC SK-4 sunset P1250167.jpg

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Things I like What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Compact and capable fixed blade. Sheath retaining strap not ideally placed, and marks the handle.
Edge geometry makes this a great slicer. Handle can feel a bit blocky.
Well rounded handle avoids hot-spots. 154CM can be hard work to sharpen.
Spine is great for striking sparks from ferro-rods.
Minimalist yet functional design.

Useful Links:

The Ontario Knife Company.
BA Blades – The UK’s official importer of OKC products.

 photo 00 OKC SK-4 feature P1230062.jpg

 

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

EdgeMatters – Sponsored Reviews (UK based Forum for Knife Makers and Collectors)

BladeForums – Knife Reviews (US based Forum for Knife Discussion)

CandlePowerForums – Knife Reviews Section (Largest and Friendliest Flashlight Community Forum)

Knife Review: Ontario Knife Company Black Bird SK-5

The Ontario Knife Company Black Bird SK-5 review is the third of a three-knife review series featuring the Black Bird SK-5, RD Tanto and RTAK II. (See – OKC Group Review.)

 photo 01 OKCtrio sheathed P1140542.jpg

The Black Bird SK-5 is a survival knife designed by Paul Scheiter and is intended to be highly functional and yet very simple.

 photo 13 Blackbird angle2 P1130908.jpg

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.
 photo 30 Blackbird measuring2 P1140190.jpg

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

Key aspects such as the primary bevel angle, grind type, blade depth, blade thickness, length, weight are detailed, along with balance information.
 photo 29 Blackbird measuring P1140186.jpg

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
 photo 31 Blackbird balance P1140196.jpg

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate.

 photo OKC Parameters BlackbirdRDTantoRTAKII.jpg

The blade is made from 154CM steel.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

Unfortunately I can’t always get time with the designer so will use this section to include relevant information about the knife and its designer. The following information was noted from an interview with Paul Scheiter by Adam from Equip2Endure

Starting with the name, why is it the SK-5? Well, the ‘SK’ of ‘SK-5’ stands for Survival Knife and the ‘5’ is for its 5 inch blade length, so SK-5 allows for a possible future series with an SK-4 and SK-3.

The concept of this knife is to have sheer simplicity and to achieve maximum function because of that. There is nothing gadgety on the knife, and it only has the bare basics. This gives a knife that has everything it needs and nothing that it doesn’t.

The result is something that is very comfortable in the hand which you can use for hours on end. There are no abrupt angle changes anywhere that your hand would come in contact with, so you are not going to get hotspots and blisters. This is really important for a survival knife where you will be doing a lot of wood processing and splitting.

A notable point is the steel choice of 154CM; in addition to there being a good compromise of edge retention and corrosion resistance, it allows for there not to be a powder-coat on the blade. Amongst other things, not having the powder-coat makes it easy to strike a ferro-rod.

The full flat grind gives the ideal cutting geometry; it stays as thin as possible for as long as possible, and reduces the calories used when cutting wood.

A spear point tip puts a little more metal behind the point, making it less prone to breaking if it gets torqued. The tip itself is placed in the dead centre line of the blade making tasks, such as the initial shaping of a bow drill pit, straightforward as this knife will drill very nicely.

The pommel of the knife is flat and perpendicular to the blade so that if you wanted to use it as a spear head (which would not be recommended, but sometimes it may be a necessity), you can carve a shelf into a piece of wood so the pommel seats perfectly onto this, giving you thrusting power, then you put the lashing around the handle to complete the spear.

Blade stock thickness at 0.13 inches was chosen as a sweet spot where you can confidently baton with it but not take away too much from wood carving which is the primary intention.

At various shows, Paul has noted that people have generally been surprised that it is a lot lighter than it looks.

On a final note about how to carry the knife, Paul Sheiter’s preferred carry option is not to wear the knife on his belt but to use a high over-the-shoulder strap/band (like a cross-body sling bag) as it allows the knife to be kept in sight to the front of the body and if wearing a winter coat you don’t have to lift the coat to access the sheath.

A few more details:

Just as with the others in this series, the Black Bird SK-5 comes in Ontario Knife Company’s standard knife box.
 photo 01 Blackbird boxed P1130826.jpg

Inside the box the knife has a cardboard protector over the blade, and the knife is not fitted into the sheath. There was also a letter explaining that this knife had upgraded G-10 handle slabs.
 photo 02 Blackbird box contents P1130833.jpg

The first proper view of the Black Bird and its sheath.
 photo 04 Blackbird with sheath2 P1130851.jpg

Before going back to the knife, a quick look at a few details of the sheath. On the back, the sheath has a PALS/MOLLE strap for mounting on a pack, vest or load carrier.
 photo 05 Blackbird sheath back P1130856.jpg

The press stud used on the retention strap is a military specification type where you can only release it from one direction.
 photo 06 Blackbird sheath popper P1130860.jpg

It is possible to change the fit of the retention strap using the Velcro adjustment.
 photo 07 Blackbird sheath detail P1130866.jpg

Inside the sheath is a felt liner.
 photo 08 Blackbird sheath liner P1130878.jpg

As well as there being PALS webbing on the front of the sheath, here you can also see the drainage hole at the bottom to allow water out.
 photo 09 Blackbird sheath drainage P1130885.jpg

Back to the knife and its details. On one side the maker and model are engraved on the blade near next to the handle.
 photo 10 Blackbird engraving P1130889.jpg

There are three details I’d like focus on in this photograph:
– The generous lanyard hole allows for easy fitting of a lanyard.
– Inside the lanyard you can see evidence of the water-jet cutting and slightly imperfect fit of the handle material, but on the outer edges of the handle and blade tang have been ground to a smooth finish.
– We are looking at the handle grip hook which gives plenty of purchase for all tasks.
 photo 11 Blackbird hook detail P1130897.jpg

Although the handle slabs are flat sided, they have been well rounded to remove sharp edges. Three bolts are used to secure the grips.
 photo 14 Blackbird grip P1130910.jpg

A close look at the blade tip showing the blade-flat surface finish as well as the factory edge and its finish.
 photo 15 Blackbird tip detail P1130917.jpg

One of my personal preferences, a sharpening choil.
 photo 16 Blackbird choil P1130919.jpg

As mentioned earlier, the handle slabs and blade tang are ground/sanded to a completely flush fit.
 photo 17 Blackbird grip detail P1130924.jpg

A sharp edge is left all along the spine meaning you can strike a ferro-rod from any part of the spine that suits you.
 photo 19 Blackbird along the blade P1130936.jpg

Though not a mirror finish, you can see the reflection of the handle on the blade flat so you could use the knife for signaling.
 photo 21-27 Blackbird along the blade flat P1140162.jpg

Unlike the other OKC knives in this series of reviews, the Black Bird’s sheath has only a single retaining strap. There is enough room for the knife to come about half an inch out of the sheath with the retaining strap closed.
 photo 22 Blackbird sheathed P1130972.jpg

For the last photo in this section, we have en extremely close view of the peely-ply G-10 handle texture.
 photo 26 Blackbird texture P1140138.jpg

What it is like to use?

As the designer Paul Scheiter noted earlier, the SK-5 does feel lighter in the hand than you would expect – immediately manoeuvrable and easy to use. This is largely thanks to the full flat grind keeping just enough steel in the blade for strength without being overly thick and heavy.

There is no ‘ideal blade length’, as everyone has their own preferences, but being the only Black Bird so far, the choice of 5 inches for a general purpose survival knife is really hitting the spot for me.

To give an idea of scale, here it is next to the Fällkniven F1 and a Spyderco UK Pen Knife.
 photo 23 Blackbird size P1130984.jpg

At 5″, the blade is half the overall length of the knife. Combining this with the full flat grind and full tang, even though the blade is 5″, the balance point is brought right back into the hand (see ‘The Blade and Handle Geometry:’ section), and this is the reason it feels light and easy to handle.

With this blade length you still have great control over the point and enough length to make batoning easy (if you need more than 5″ to baton, you should probably choose smaller wood or be making wedges for splitting instead).

Overall the package is small enough to carry easily, immediately making it more likely to be your survival knife (as a ‘survival knife’ is the knife you have with you when you need it).

The Black Bird is extremely comfortable in the hand, though the grip is a little boxy due to the flat sides.
 photo 32 Blackbird in hand P1140303.jpg

Not to get started on the subject of factory edges (which by necessity have to be created quickly, typically with belt sanders, and are usually not the best edge that knife can have), but in this case I need to mention the factory edge on the Black Bird sample I received. Check back to the measurements I took and you see it was a 58 degree inclusive angle out of the box; this is more like an angle you might choose for an axe. My initial testing was with the factory edge including comparing it to the other OKC knives. (OKC said this was an anomaly as the factory edge is not normally that steep)

Despite such a large edge angle it still cut very well just requiring a higher angle of attack for each cut. Unsurprisingly it was by far the most controlled carver of all three.
 photo 08 OKCtrio Blackbird stick P1160293.jpg

Despite not needing a sharpen at this point, I wasn’t satisfied with the factory edge angle, so decided to reprofile to around 38 degrees. Even using DMT diamond stones, the 154CM steel proved to be very hard to work and the reprofiling took me a good four hours. The edge bevel is around three times as wide as the original factory edge. Was it worth it? Well, YES, a complete transformation!

Reprofiling the edge has taken a capable cutter and made it supremely efficient and eager. On a simple paper cut test it now glides through with a push cut where previously it cut perfectly well but needed some drawing across the edge. In wood I have to be careful not to over-cut. (Remember to sharpen your knives to suit you and don’t be afraid to change the edge angle)

Another characteristic this knife has is its inoffensive look. By this I mean the fact that it has a SAK style spear point which makes it look more utilitarian than many ‘survival’ knives on the market. If other people are more comfortable when they see the knife you are more likely to carry it and have it with you when you need it (if you are bothered what others might think). Obviously when sheathed you can’t see this, but overall it is easy to carry unobtrusively. If you take it out to whittle or use it for frivolous cutting tasks it doesn’t look like a weapon. It might seem a minor point, but so far I’ve found this knife getting more positive reactions than any other I’ve carried.

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Things I like What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Excellent Handling and Balance. Grip could be more contoured.
Comfortable for extended use. Factory Edge too steep.
154CM steel with great edge retention. 154CM is harder to sharpen than other steels.
Full Flat Grind.
Showers sparks from ferro-rods.
Aftermarket sheaths available.

 photo 28 Blackbird angle4 P1140165.jpg

 

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

EdgeMatters – Sponsored Reviews (UK based Forum for Knife Makers and Collectors)

BladeForums – Knife Reviews (US based Forum for Knife Discussion)

CandlePowerForums – Knife Reviews Section (Largest and Friendliest Flashlight Community Forum)

Knife Review: Ontario Knife Company – Group Review

After selecting a set of three knives I felt represented what Ontario Knife Company bring to the market (Blackbird SK-5, Ranger RD Tanto and RTAK-II), I originally intended to present a single group review.
As I have got to know them better, I found that individual reviews would work better, so this page is to tie together the review series and provide a single point of reference to link to all three reviews, plus provide a few group shots for comparison.
This article includes some exclusive images and comments, so is worth getting to the end of before going to an individual review.

03 Apr 2016 – ‘Ranger’ RD Tanto
06 Apr 2016 – RTAK-II
18 Apr 2016 – Blackbird SK-5

 photo 01 OKCtrio sheathed P1140542.jpg

 photo 09 OKCtrio in log P1160300.jpg

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

See individual reviews for this exclusive information.

A few more details:

The images at the beginning of this group review page show the unsheathed knives together. This image better shows how the sheathed knives compare in size.
 photo 02 OKCtrio sheathed P1140548v2.jpg

Looking at blade stock thickness, top left is the RTAK-II, middle RD Tanto and bottom right is the Blackbird SK-5.
 photo 03 OKCtrio blade thickness P1140571.jpg

Moving back to show the three blades sitting next to each other.
 photo 04 OKCtrio comparison P1140575.jpg

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.

 photo 36 RD Tanto flat grind P1140603.jpg

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

Key aspects such as the primary bevel angle, grind type, blade depth, blade thickness, length, weight are detailed, along with balance information.
 photo 32 RTAK II angle P1140389.jpg

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
 photo 31 Blackbird balance P1140196.jpg

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate. This table includes the parameters for all the OKC knives in this series of reviews.
 photo OKC Parameters BlackbirdRDTantoRTAKII.jpg

What they are like to use?

There is too much detail to describe each of these blades strengths and weaknesses in detail, so I’ll just use this opportunity to show the pointed-stick comparison side-by-side
 photo 05 OKCtrio whittlers P1160278.jpg

The RTAK-II is an excellent cutter.
 photo 06 OKCtrio RTAKII stick P1160289.jpg

As a super tough extraction/digging/rescue tool, the RD Tanto struggles a bit for some basic cutting. It excels at heavy tasks though.
 photo 07 OKCtrio RDTANTO stick P1160291.jpg

With the factory edge the Blackbird works well enough, but the edge angle is steep. This photo is from before an edge reprofiling after which the SK-5 cuts furiously well.
 photo 08 OKCtrio Blackbird stick P1160293.jpg

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

Here I’ve included a very basic summing up of each knife. See individual reviews for detailed information.

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Knife In a nutshell
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Blackbird SK-5 No-nonsense survival knife
Ranger RD Tanto Super tough extraction/rescue tool
RTAK-II Fantastic all-rounder

 photo 10 OKCtrio on log P1160316.jpg

 

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Knife Review: Ontario Knife Company RTAK-II

The Ontario Knife Company RTAK II review is the second of a three-knife review series featuring the Blackbird SK-5, RD Tanto and RTAK II. (See – OKC Group Review.)

 photo 09 OKCtrio in log P1160300.jpg

Part of the OKC RAT series, and designed by Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin of ‘Randall’s Adventure and Training’, the RTAK II (Randall’s Training and Adventure Knife) is the largest of the series. This review is looking at the plain edge variant (you can also get a part-serrated version).

 photo 28 RTAK II angle P1140355.jpg

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.

 photo 31 RTAK II flat grind P1140382.jpg

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

Key aspects such as the primary bevel angle, grind type, blade depth, blade thickness, length, weight are detailed, along with balance information.
 photo 32 RTAK II angle P1140389.jpg

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
 photo 30 RTAK II balance P1140378.jpg

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate. This table includes the parameters for all the OKC knives in this series of reviews.
 photo OKC Parameters BlackbirdRDTantoRTAKII.jpg

The blade is made from 5160 steel.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

 photo 21 RTAK II with sheath P1140289.png

Though this knife is well established, and Jeff Randall is no longer directly associated with OKC, he was kind enough to give me a few insights into the history and design of this knife.

The RTAK was designed based on Jeff’s and Mike’s experiences in the jungle back in the mid-90s. There were no specific plans when designing the knife, as at the time R.A.T. were simply designing a knife that would be a compromise between a full length machete and a fixed blade. Machetes are still the preferred tool in jungle environments but shorter fixed blades work better for finer work. The RTAK was Jeff’s and Mike’s vision of that compromise.
Before moving to Ontario Knife Company to be able to increase production capacity, the first RTAKs were made by Wicked Knife Company (Newt Livesay).
Mike and Jeff had been running around in the jungle and using knives enough to know what felt good in the hand. Basically they knew nothing about making a knife when they came up with the RTAK and simply based the blade length (A) and other design aspects on what works, nothing more.
The problem with a lot of big knives is the steel is too thick for the width of the blade, even on full flat grinds. This causes a geometry issue with regard to cutting efficiency, and the choice of a 3/16″ blade thickness (B) and a full flat grind (H) for the RTAK II is a compromise between toughness and cutting efficiency. A machete works so well because its overall blade geometry is thin.
When talking about the handle material / style (C) and the fact that this is seen on many OKC knives, Jeff commented that R.A.T. had introduced this handle style to OKC. Simple to produce and doesn’t have a lot of bumps and hotspots that will fatigue you during extended use.
As it is a large knife, choking up to do finer work means moving your control hand out towards the point and pinch gripping the blade; for this reason, jimping was not worth adding to the spine near the handle (D), so it was left plain. It is possible to use the choil (G) for choking up on the blade, but it was not intended for that purpose; it was mainly put in as an edge grind relief.
A long finger guard (F) and grip hook (E) come from various machete designs. Considering the finger guard specifically, after using a large knife for a while under tough conditions you want as much protection as you can get. Overall the grip and palm swell (L) were made a generous size as large handles stress you less on extended use.
Using a drop-point (I) goes back to the compromise between a fixed blade and machete; drop points do well for most tasks in the field.

A few more details:

Ontario Knife Company’s standard knife box.
 photo 01 RTAK II boxed P1140203.jpg

Inside the box the knife has a cardboard protector over the blade, and the knife is not fitted into the sheath.
 photo 02 RTAK II unboxed P1140209.jpg

The first view of the RTAK II – now THAT is a knife!
 photo 03 RTAK II revealed P1140220.jpg

Before going back to the knife, a quick look at a few details for the sheath. On the back, the sheath has a combination PALS/MOLLE/belt loop system. Effectively you use the top PALS strap for a belt loop and can change the placement and size using the webbing.
 photo 04 RTAK II sheath back P1140223.jpg

There are two PALS straps as the sheath is very long. Both using poppers to secure the end of the strap.
 photo 05 RTAK II sheath PALS P1140227.jpg

Metal eyelet holes are provided for a leg tying point and it comes with a lace fitted through the holes.
 photo 06 RTAK II sheath leg lace P1140230.jpg

This is a long sheath, and has a pocket and twin straps to hold the handle.
 photo 07 RTAK II sheath front P1140233.jpg

Exactly as with the RD Tanto, an expanding pocket is kept closed with a plastic snap-buckle. Opening the pocket shows a fixed elastic strap keeps the pocket neat and tight onto whatever is held in the pouch.
 photo 08 RTAK II sheath pocket P1140238.jpg

A kydex liner is provided in the sheath, and in this case the blade fits easily without rubbing.
 photo 09 RTAK II sheath liner P1140240.jpg

Both the knife retention straps are adjustable to allow the user to tighten or loosen the grip on the knife to suit.
 photo 10 RTAK II sheath straps P1140246.jpg

Overall a substantial package.
 photo 21 RTAK II with sheath P1140289.jpg

Fit of the blade to the sheath is just right.
 photo 24 RTAK II inserting P1140336.jpg

Two straps with popper closures are used to secure the handle when in the sheath.
 photo 25 RTAK II in sheath P1140338.jpg

Despite its size everything looks nicely in proportion.
 photo 11 RTAK II angle P1140249.jpg

OKC-USA is stamped into the blade coating on one side.
 photo 12 RTAK II detail logo P1140253.jpg

The micarta handle slabs are secured with three bolts.
 photo 29 RTAK II detail handle contour P1140363.jpg

All handle edges are nicely rounded over making the grip very comfortable.
 photo 16 RTAK II detail handle contouring P1140265.jpg

A lanyard hole is included in the exposed pommel.
 photo 14 RTAK II detail handle lanyard P1140257.jpg

There is a slight overlap of the handle slabs which are shaped separately to the blade tang. You don’t notice this in use.
 photo 17 RTAK II detail handle fit P1140266.jpg

Not intended as a finger choil, here is the edge relief choil and its relationship to the plunge line.
 photo 18 RTAK II detail choil P1140274.jpg

For corrosion resistance, there is a blade coating. It was much rougher than I expected and is somewhat abrasive. (Any marks on the edge are due to there being a waxy protective film on the blade.)
 photo 19 RTAK II detail coating P1140280.jpg

This RTAK II arrived with a great working edge.
 photo 20 RTAK II detail edge P1140282.jpg

Once you pick it up, that large blade feels like it has shrunk and is as manoeuvrable as a much smaller blade.
 photo 27 RTAK II angle reverse P1140351.jpg

What it is like to use?

The first thing that struck me, as soon as I had the RTAK II in my hand, was how much lighter than expected it felt for a knife this large. Immediately I could see myself being able to do a lot of work with minimal effort. It is a big knife but simply doesn’t feel big. Here you can see it in my hand (I take XL sized gloves) and the grip fills my hand well, and despite being one of the largest grips I’ve used, doesn’t feel a stretch.
 photo 22 RTAK II in hand P1140300.jpg

To give another idea of scale, here it is next to the Fällkniven F1 and a Spyderco UK Pen Knife. (Yes, they do look tiny next to the RTAK II.)
 photo 23 RTAK II size P1140328.jpg

Taking the RTAK II out for a few woodland tasks, it was in its element; chopping, carving, slicing, splitting, feathering all done with ease. The only real issue I could see was that rough blade coating and its tendency to pick up ‘rubbings’ (for want of a better word). This would make it less than ideal to follow up with food prep, as it will have contamination in the coating and is not easy to clean.

One of the comparisons I made to the other OKC knives was in putting a point on a stick. Due to the full flat grind, the RTAK II cut extremely well letting you chose the cut direction easily. The edge bites well, eagerly getting stuck into all woodland tasks.
 photo 06 OKCtrio RTAKII stick P1160289.jpg

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Things I like What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Fantastic handling. You know this knife is strapped to your leg.
Can work comfortably for long periods. Rough blade coating.
Great slicer. Grip could be too large for some.
Curent version is 5160 steel
‘Feels’ light
Big enough to slash, small enough for fine work.

 photo 15 RTAK II angle2 P1140262.jpg

 

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

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Knife Review: Ontario Knife Company’s Ranger RD Tanto

The Ontario Knife Company RD Tanto is the first of a three-knife review series featuring the Blackbird SK-5, RD Tanto and RTAK II. (See – OKC Group Review.)

 photo 09 OKCtrio in log P1160300.jpg

The RD Tanto is one of the ‘Ranger series’ of OKC knives, a heavy duty high performance range of knives designed by Justin Gingrich.
 photo 11 RD Tanto angle P1140443.jpg

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.

 photo 36 RD Tanto flat grind P1140603.jpg

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

Key aspects such as the primary bevel angle, grind type, blade depth, blade thickness, length, weight are detailed, along with balance information.

 photo 38 RD Tanto angle P1140623.jpg

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
 photo 37 RD Tanto balance P1140616.jpg

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate. This table includes the parameters for all the OKC knives in this series of reviews.
 photo OKC Parameters BlackbirdRDTantoRTAKII.jpg

The blade is made from 5160 steel.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

Though no longer directly involved with OKC, Justin Gingrich was happy to talk to me about the RD Tanto, how it came into being, and some of the design’s details.

As this was done by phone to help our discussion I sent this marked up image and include it now so I can use the same reference labels in the description.
 photo 24 RD Tanto with sheath front P1140515 002 002.png

The entire OKC Ranger series comes from Justin’s original company ‘Ranger Knives’ which he started in 2002 and eventually sold to OKC in 2008. Under OKC, Ranger Knives became the ‘Ranger series’. All Ranger Series knives have been designed by Justin and the original Ranger Series included four knives, the RD-4, 6, 7 and 9 as well as two versions of the RD Hawk. Justin continued to design the Ranger Series for around three years after selling Ranger Knives to OKC, and the RD Tanto was one of the knives designed for the OKC Ranger series.

During the time he worked with OKC, Justin continued to design various different knives and presented them to OKC for consideration. The Tanto was added as he had received a lot of demand for this style of knife.

With the RD Tanto being an additional design to an existing series, many of the design parameters were already set. Specifications such as the blade stock being 1/4 inch thick and using 5160 steel, as well as the handle design and materials, were kept the same to maintain continuity.

The final blade length (A) was chosen for a couple of reasons, but the main one actually being aesthetics. It had to look in proportion to the RD series handle and 6 1/2 – 7 inches was a sweet spot for this blade. To better understand the purpose of this blade length you need to consider that it doesn’t really fit into the category of a fine-work blade or a heavy-work blade. This blade length is a hybrid of the two and though it won’t do anything really well, it will do everything moderately well. For the person who doesn’t want to carry more than one knife, and doesn’t want to carry a heavy tomahawk or hatchet, the 6-7 inch blade allows them to more-or-less do anything they need to do, without it being too bulky to carry.
Looking at the very heavy blade stock (B), though this was carried over from the other knives in the Ranger series, the intention is to allow it to be a heavy duty tool with powerful stabbing ability. The design needed to be suitable to open a can of beans, dig, carry out extraction work such as prying open car doors or interior doors and to allow the user to really be able to lever on that blade without fear of it breaking.
Handle style (C) is something Justin has gone over with OKC a lot as he would prefer there to be more rounding on the handle slabs to increase comfort. The design originally comes from a time when the slab style of handle was very popular as a straightforward Tactical design. When working on the Ranger knives, Justin had just come out of the military so this tactical style was the one he adopted, however, his original knives had a more rounded handles than the current OKC versions.
Next to the handle, a thumb ramp with jimping (D) is included to provide additional grip strength when thrusting the knife.
Though the exposed pommel (E) allows the knife to be hammered with or hammered on, the jimping on it is not to stabilise the hammer strikes but is intended to keep your thumb in place when using a reverse grip for digging or stabbing.
There are well pronounced hooks front and back of the handle (F) as well as a palm swell (L), asking Justin how these were sized and spaced he explained that the handle shape and size came about because he designs so that it is comfortable for him to use with or without gloves.
Though views vary about the safety of using a choil (G) such as this for choking up on, Justin specifically did design this to be used for a finger to sit in and change the grip for finer work. It was sized for comfort and to enable one finger to sit in it without riding up onto the edge. He was careful not to go too big as it does increase the overall length of the blade. Asking Justin about the choil pushing the cutting edge further from the handle, he responded that with a 6 inch blade you won’t be doing a lot of food prep type cutting and if you are holding the handle you are going to be chopping, digging and slashing. For finer work where you want the edge as close to your first finger as possible you choke up on the blade and use the finger choil to get you back right up on the edge so you can apply more pressure. With a choil, when choking up on it, the change in grip takes a 6 inch blade and brings the blade back to a more manageable 4-5 inch length. Not leaving this subject right now, I pressed Justin as to why not just leave the choil out and bring the edge back to the handle? His reply was that removing the choil increases the blade length making it more daunting to do tip work with. The choil gives you two blade lengths in one knife for greater control in finer tasks.
A flat grind (H) was chosen simply for strength though this can bind or stick when chopping wood.
When asking about the use of a Tanto point (I), as mentioned earlier, there was a high demand for a Tanto design, so this piece was specifically added to fill that gap in the series.
Placing the tip position (J) directly in line with centre of grip was to make the tip as effective as possible. Whether stabbing/thrusting or using the tip as a drill, you get the most power behind the tip when it is in the centre line. If the tip is off centre the point has a tendency to travel in the direction it is already going.
The spine (K) has been kept plain and with no swedges partly for strength, but mainly to give you better purchase if you baton with it. A swedge grind chews up the baton and does not provide any real weight reduction.
Grind line position (M); though the steepness of the primary grind limits slicing sharpness, the more material there is behind the edge the less likely you are to chip that edge. When you are doing tasks like cutting through car doors, prying or processing a lot of wood, with all the material behind it you are less likely to chip the edge. You can still cut paper with it and you can still shave with it if you take the time to hone the edge, but it is not meant for super fine cutting tasks.
In the design specification, the steel is 5160. Though 1095 is a proven blade steel and has been around forever, 5160 is much tougher than 1095, and has the same or better edge retention as 10 series steel. At 56-58 HRC you will be hard pressed to break the knife because it is made from a spring steel. Typically 5160 is used for truck leaf springs as it is meant to take repeated abuse, back and forth motion, and flexing of the blade without forming stress risers or stress cracks in the steel that would lead to catastrophic failure. Failure should never happen with a knife made of 5160 and it should flex/come back, flex and come back for the life of the user.
Lastly looking at the Sheath (N), this is a standard item used by OKC and by Justin when working as Ranger Knives. It is a nylon sheath with a pouch and snap closures, plus a plastic liner to stop you cutting through it if you fall or drop the sheath. Working to a price point, the compromise of using a relatively basic but serviceable sheath was made rather than pushing the price up with a spectacular sheath.

A few more details:

Ontario Knife Company’s standard knife box.
 photo 01 RD Tanto Boxed P1140397.jpg

Inside the box the knife has a cardboard protector over the blade, and the knife is not fitted into the sheath.
 photo 02 RD Tanto UnBoxed P1140407.jpg

The first view of the RD Tanto – Heavy Duty! (Any marks on the blade are due to there being a waxy protective film on the blade.)
 photo 03 RD Tanto revealed P1140415.jpg

Before going back to the knife, a quick look at a few details for the sheath. Metal eyelet holes are provided for a leg tying point.
 photo 04 RD Tanto sheath detail 01 P1140421.jpg

An expanding pocket is kept closed with a plastic snap-buckle.
 photo 05 RD Tanto sheath detail 02 P1140422.jpg

Opening the pocket shows a fixed elastic strap keeps the pocket neat and tight onto whatever is held in the pouch.
 photo 07 RD Tanto sheath detail 04 P1140424.jpg

Two straps with popper closures are used to secure the handle when in the sheath.
 photo 06 RD Tanto sheath detail 03 P1140423.jpg

Both the knife retention straps are adjustable to allow the user to tighten or loosen the grip on the knife to suit.
 photo 08 RD Tanto sheath detail 05 P1140431.jpg

A kydex liner is provided in the sheath. Due to the thickness of the blade, the fit is snug.
 photo 09 RD Tanto sheath detail 06 P1140434.jpg

The back of the sheath has PALS webbing (MOLLE compatible).
 photo 10 RD Tanto sheath detail 07 P1140441.jpg

Enough of the sheath, back to the RD Tanto. Each slab handle is held in place with three screws.
 photo 12 RD Tanto angle reverse P1140445.jpg

The RD Tanto has an exposed pommel with thumb-grip jimping. You can also see the texture and layers in the micarta handle slabs.
 photo 13 RD Tanto detail butt P1140448.jpg

The Ranger Series handle around which this Tanto was designed.
 photo 14 RD Tanto detail handle P1140450.jpg

A finger choil allows you to choke up the grip for finer work.
 photo 15 RD Tanto detail choil P1140453.jpg

With the 1/4″ blade stock and V-grind, this tanto has a very strong point.
 photo 16 RD Tanto detail point P1140462.jpg

Another look at the grip hook. Here you can also see the micarta handle slabs extend slightly beyond the tang.
 photo 18 RD Tanto detail hook P1140472.jpg

At the front of the handle is a similar hook forming the finger guard, and in front of that the finger choil.
 photo 20 RD Tanto detail choil P1140481.jpg

Jimping on the thumb ramp is coarse but effective.
 photo 21 RD Tanto detail jimping P1140483.jpg

There is slight rounding on the plunge line. You can also see some evidence of the water-jet cutting used to create the basic blade shape.
 photo 22 RD Tanto detail plunge line P1140497.jpg

A closer look at one of the handle bolts and the raw sanded surface of the micarta grip.
 photo 27 RD Tanto detail grip texture P1140529.jpg

This is a HEAVY DUTY blade!
 photo 23 RD Tanto detail phat blade P1140504.jpg

Next to the sheath for an overall view of the RD Tanto and the front of the sheath.
 photo 24 RD Tanto with sheath front P1140515.jpg

Flipping both over to check the other side.
 photo 25 RD Tanto with sheath back P1140512.jpg

Due to its thick blade stock, the RD Tanto rubs all the way in when inserting into the sheath.
 photo 28 RD Tanto detail inserting P1140532.jpg

With both straps closed there is no chance of this knife coming loose.
 photo 29 RD Tanto sheathed P1140537.jpg

We will see more comparisons of blade thickness in other reviews in this OKC series, but here is a comparison to the RTAK II. The RD Tanto is substantially thicker.
 photo 30 RD Tanto thickness P1140552.jpg

Placed pommel to pommel, the RTAK II and RD Tanto compared again.
 photo 31 RD Tanto thickness2 P1140558.jpg

What it is like to use?

With a seriously heavy duty knife such as the RD Tanto, before looking at what it is like to use, it is important to consider your expectations for a knife like this and what it will give you.

There is little finesse in a knife of such heavy build – it is a bruiser and unashamed of that. Built for those jobs you would balk at using a knife for, but you want to be prepared for and can only justify carrying one knife/tool.

So if you want to do some delicate whittling and sophisticated food preparations but still want to be able to breeze through a fire door or release someone trapped in a vehicle, you will be disappointed.

For everyday tasks this knife is vastly over engineered and will disappoint most with its cutting characteristics. But, this is NOT why you choose a knife like this.

Look at it next to the Fällkniven F1 and a Spyderco UK Pen Knife. This photo doesn’t do justice of the heavy build in relation to those other knives.
 photo 32 RD Tanto size P1140581.jpg

Having put aside the notion that this might go on your belt or pack for ‘normal’ knife work, we can move onto its more serious purpose – Heavy Work.

My hands take XL sized gloves and the grip fills my hand well. When you are really going to be beating a knife the last thing you want is a slim grip, so a good handful makes for a solid grip.
 photo 33 RD Tanto in hand P1140587.jpg

As penetration is a Tanto’s strong point (pun intended) the thumb ramp combined with deep hooks on the grip gives you a great power behind the thrust.
 photo 34 RD Tanto in hand2 P1140589.jpg

You can either hammer on the exposed pommel or in this case give something a good pounding with it.
 photo 35 RD Tanto in hand3 P1140596.jpg

Taking the RD Tanto out for a few woodland tasks it was surprisingly capable, but does feel heavy. One of the comparisons I made to the other OKC knives was in putting a point on a stick. Due to the steep edge bevel, the RD Tanto had a tendency to slide off the stick and this resulted in a long point which was formed like this due to the cutting action tending to push away from the centre of the stick. The edge itself is sharp and cuts cleanly but needs to be angled far more ‘into’ the material than most.
 photo 07 OKCtrio RDTANTO stick P1160291.jpg

Will you want a knife like this? If you want to be prepared for all eventualities, then yes I would say you do. It would not be my every day choice, but it is a choice I want to have and a knife I continue to grab when preparing for certain situations.

To date I’ve not had any doors to demolish, or vehicles to gain entry to, but can tell you this is a tool I would happily take for the task. During some severe weather, which was threatening structural damage to buildings, the tool I kept within arm’s length at all times during the threat was the RD Tanto, and it gave me confidence to know I had it.

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Things I like What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Super Heavy Duty Build in 1/4″ blade stock ‘Feels’ too heavy for daily tasks
5160 spring steel Steep edge angle
Tanto point penetration Edge can bind during wood preparation
You can confidently work this knife hard!

 photo 19 RD Tanto angle P1140474.jpg

 

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

EdgeMatters – Sponsored Reviews (UK based Forum for Knife Makers and Collectors)

BladeForums – Knife Reviews (US based Forum for Knife Discussion)

CandlePowerForums – Knife Reviews Section (Largest and Friendliest Flashlight Community Forum)