Hey guys I'm new to the forum. I've read Doug's article on survival knives and looked at his suggestions but I was wondering what you guys think about the Ontario Spec Plus Quartermaster knife. It caught my eye and looks as though it would be a good survival knife but I'm not sure. Just wondering if any of you guys have had experience with this knife and if it is suited for the task. Feel free to make suggestions as well. Thanks.

I am waiting for the release of the RSK Mk2. It is made by Becker Knife and Tool (Camillus).
The one in the center.

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I like the origionals, long enough but not too long, stout enough to baton with, plenty of belly. I'm presonally not fond of the handles used in the SpecPlus line. I just think they feel funny. That being said, if someone would bring the Quartermaster knife with leather washer grip and a 1095 blade, I would grab it in a heartbeat.

It was designed to be a short utility knife that was strong enough to pry crates apart without breaking. For a long time, they were also called commando knives, because the were coveted by people who might need to pry a Nazi's head off on a dark night when things went wrong. Becuase of this strength, the blade is almost a quarter inch thick if it is made to the origional spec, which might make sharpening a little funny depending on your prefeered technique.

Similiar to it, with a harder sythetic handle is the Ka-Bar Warthog. Again, another knife I'd like to put a leather washer grip on, but the two are very similiar in most regaurds. Not quite as thick in the blade, so if you use a drag sharpener, it might work a little better for you. With stones, shouldn't make a difference.

One comment:
The term "commando knife" generally applies to the Fairbarin-Sykes dagger designed for and originally issued to the British Commandos in World War II. It was pretty much the opposite of the Quartermaster knife, in that it has a long, narrow, thin blade designed for one thing, kill.

"There is nothing so frightening as ignorance in action."

I know that. It is also a evocotavie lablel, so it is going to be used poorly.

I've also seen at least four museams and half a dozen books that call the 225Q a "commando knife". If I had to take a guess, it's becuase as great as the F-S dagger is, it is one dimensional. If I'm part of a raiding force, I wan't something a little more useful when it all goes to hell. When Ontario made some to the old pattern about ten years ago, even Brigade had that in thier description blurb.

I've also seen M-3 Utilities called "trench knives". *shrugs* Go figure.