Ontario Knife Company Knives – History and Products

Ontario Knife Company is among the oldest and most respected manufacturers of cutlery in the world. Ontario Knives are recognized for their 120-year American heritage of great craftsmanship and impeccable quality.

History

It was established in 1889 in Naples, New York. The company name originated from Ontario County in New York and not from Ontario City in New York as many people mistakenly believe. Today, most of the company’s manufacturing facilities are located in Franklinville, New York. One of the Ontario Knife group companies is Queen Cutlery, which is a renowned manufacturer of high quality pocket knives. Ontario Knife is also one of the leading sellers of private label blades and knives.

military knives

Ontario Knife is widely recognized as one of the leading manufacturers of military knives. For many decades it has served the United States Army with an excellent range of products including the M7 and M9 bayonets, the USAF Survival Knife, and in recent years the USMC OKC-3S Bayonet. The US Army selected Ontario to produce the Aircrew Survival Egress Knife (ASEK) system, which meets the strict quality standards required of it.

Commercial Knives

Aside from military knives, Ontario Knife is also known for its impressive range of commercial knives. One of the popular series of commercial knives is the Spec-Plus. It is inspired by various military and survival blade designs with new handle and scabbard designs. There is also the Freedom Fighter Knife series which includes metal grips and pommel along with survival blades. Ontario Knife also produced Randall Adventure and Training survival knives in collaboration with the renowned outdoor survival and training company, Randall.

Cutlery and Other Products

Ontario Knife Company not only manufactures military, sporting and outdoor knives, but is also known for its wide range of cutlery and tools. Includes Old Hickory kitchen cutlery, industrial and agricultural tools, and scientific and medical tools and instruments. In addition to its in-house knife designs, Ontario has also partnered with renowned knife designers such as Bram Frank and Bill Bagwell. The company offers many cheaper versions of Bagwell’s exclusive designs.

Awards and honours

For several years, Ontario has won the Gold Award of Excellence instituted by the Defense Supply Center of Columbus (DSCC). The award is a recognition of the company’s perfect score in quality, performance and on-time delivery. In 2006, the company received a Material Readiness Award from the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA). This was in recognition of his work done for the military for the Aircrew Survival Egress Knife (ASEK).