USGI Air Force Survival Knife

So what's there to say? You get a no frills survival/utility blade at an unbelievable price. Blade finish could be better but that's really nit picking. And speaking of finish, the knife was completely free of finish. I used some lapping solution and a course buffing wheel to polish it up a bit. It is a hardened/quenched high carbon steel and is up to the task. Sheath sucks, at least on mine, and if the stitching was the only issue it could easily be upgraded with something else, like a leather liner. You won't find a better value for the price and this is a rugged no nonsense outdoorsmans' knife. For me, the mark of a good blade, in the woods, is whether or not I would use it for anything other than chopping and sawing. I would definitely put this knife to use for just about anything else I'd encounter in the woods. My Ontario Military Stinger got used on various ops as well as used for general outdoor survival and adventure activities. I wouldn't take it with me on an overseas mission or anything really, but as a good reliable knife it served me well and I still have it to this day. I'm sure this blade will serve me just as well. Highly recommended. Update April 2016 I recently got my 2nd ONTARIO survival knife, and am extremely pleased with it as well. My first was in a really nice case, the 2nd I bought as a cheap $10 replacement to use as a working tool. After I received the new knife I looked up the first one and was a bit surprised to find that the sheath that came with it was a nicer version of the USAF survival knife sheath that I had seen online. A quick call to ONTARIO Customer Service let me in on the fact that they have upgraded the MILITARY Survival knife sheaths and I was able to have them ship me the upgrade. So this review is for the knife and sheath upgrade. In the picture of the new knife in the new sheath,

Just what I wanted

One could argue this isn't the sharpest blade in the world, but its certainly the most durable and dependable, and thats because it is a mil spec issue. Exactly the same design issued to the U.S. military for decades, this blade has withstood a decade of rigorous use, including arduous tasks such as machete work and batoning. Its heavy, dense and strong. A few modifications and its ready for heavy use. A cheap blade with cheap handle and blade and coated in lacquer for easy sharpening and long life.

For those with less than adequate experience in evaluating a field knife for actual service - this "is" what it is designed to be - but - as with most field knives - will never be the "one" knife you will want to take into a BSEE survival situation - this is what Ontario (specifically US Otek in New York State) is aiming for with this fine knife. And to that aim, they hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head. Pro: A no nonsense military-style knife made to US GI military and Otek specifications (US standards), designed for just about any type of duty except those you might find in an Ike "all weather" coat pocket or pack pocket and made at reasonable (albeit "short of the substandard for production purposes") standards at Ontario. Con: Nothing to "see" here. Recommendations for additional items for purchase to be the same thing that might be purchased at just about any military or field supply outlet (such as Brownells or other similar online supply houses), such as a combat utility knife with gut hook - in fact this model of survival knife (while I'm not going to put this model through combat, per say) might make a better fighting knife (where it could serve dual duty as a weapon and utility knife for survival purposes) for those who find that fighting (or defending) from their vehicle (such as the front seat or back seat) a more practical idea than going into combat, unarmed, where possible (which should only be a last option). Summary - if I can get this in a better edge (dull is fine, and in keeping with the mission), and in less rust, as a gift for a family member in the field, with a better price, I'll do it again.
So long, ................
Rusty The Retired in FL.

This thing is sturdy. The coating is kind of weak and will scratch easily. Overall, I'm satisfied with this purchase. Would buy again.

I got this as a gift and they loved it! Definitely would be good to have for hiking.

Awesome! Just like the original! Only 4 stars for a dumb reason. Why isn't the sheath made of the same leather as the blade handle. Its uncomfortable to wear with the nylon webbing sheath that it comes with.

Very good blade, will buy more from this supplier

Quality, USA item

It's almost indestructible and feels good to hold. No nonsense knife

This is a great knife and I'm very happy with it. It's a little dull out of the box but not too bad. The sheath is good but I would have liked to see a strap instead of the plastic insert. I will be buying another one soon!

This is my second one of these knives and I love them both. The first was purchased new in 1986 and is still going strong after 30 years of hard use.

I have had several of these over the years and they are always good to go. They will take a beating and keep on cutting.

Great little blade. I have used it to cut through plastic and cardboard. The sheath is not great but does its job.

This is my second one I have bought and I am very happy with it

This is a great knife and I am very happy with it. The only thing that would make this better is if it was made in the USA but other than that it's a great product.

Great product

I love this knife! It’s sharp and sturdy. The only thing I would change about it is the sheath.

Great knife! I've been using it for years and it has held up great.

I like it very much

I bought this knife to use as a camping/hiking knife and it has been great so far. It's not a big knife but it's plenty big enough for what I need. The blade is sharp out of the box which makes cutting easier. The sheath is also nice.

Excellent quality and value

Great product and great price

This is my second one of these I have bought. The first one was given to me by my dad when I graduated from boot camp in 2014. It's still going strong and I use it all the time!

I have had this knife since 1987 and it has held up great. It's still sharp as ever and I love it.

I bought this to replace my old Okc survival knife. The blade was getting dull and the handle had some rot. This one is sharper and the handle has no rot.

This knife is good and I would recommend it to anyone who needs one.

I bought this as a gift for my husband and he loves it! It’s exactly what we were looking for.

This is a great knife and I'm very happy with it. It came in a nice box with a belt sheath and leather handle covers to protect the blade. The only thing that I don't like about this knife is that it doesn't come with a lanyard or paracord. That would be a nice addition but other than that it's a great knife.

Great little knife, good steel and handle. I've used it to cut through rope and small branches. It has held up well so far.