AITOR OSO BLANCO OLIVO

I just recently purchased the above knife. Aitor's OSO Blanco with, you guessed it, an olive wood handle! This is a blade design that dates back to well over 20 years ago. The famous Spanish knife company AITOR have been making knives since 1939 and the fact that this blade design is still available has to say something. Also AITOR supplies NATO.

There are many misconceptions about what steel is being used and "how can such a knife be so cheap"? 

The funny thing is if you start to read Blade Forums, then you will quickly realise a lot of people are talking (like all forums) off the tops of their heads :) about what they "think" or even worse assume/know? that it is somehow impossible for any manufacturer outside of the USA to be producing knives at a reasonable cost at point of sale, out of quality steel, unless they are BSing about it. LOL!!!!!!

Why on earth are the Spanish BSing but the US companies don't??? Really???
The above image I photographed off the side of a genuine AITOR knife box. If we are going to assume they AITOR are full of it, up to the point of telling fibs on their boxed products and laser engraving garbage on their blades, then hell yeah, why not assume the same for every other damn company eh??? 

Hold on, the only way is for me to take samples now from all knives and run an EDAX (yes quantitative) on them to see that the elemental composition is what the manufacturer says it is. LOL! Yeah right at the cost of quantitative EDAX/EDS, I don't think so unless I have absolute proof someone is NOT telling me the truth and fact is that was the only reason we ever did this sort of analysis for people/companies.

BTW the steel they are using is MOVA or MoVa. This is what is actually written on their official catalogue page. I've detailed what this proprietary alloy is in many Knife review videos on BushCampingtools. MoVa, IS NOT X42 pipe steel as has been written in many third party catalogues or by the uniformed.  

Many Spanish companies use this steel for example Cudeman. See above video for the actual analysis.

AND all of this hoo ha is just a waste of time. I mean what's important is that a knife can hold a reasonable edge in the field, can be field sharpened if necessary, resists corrosion from the sea, can be easily maintained (if necessary) and the USER KNOWS HOW TO ACTUALLY get the most out of his or her knife/machete/ whatever. Because at the end of the day no stranding/disaster/camping/hiking trip/hunting trip;  gives 2 hoots what ones knife is made from. 
Don't get me wrong I own knives that are made from THE latest PM steels but as of yet I would be lying if I said their performance eclipses that of non PM steels. MAYBE in the world of machining/dye making etc etc but not in the regular field of outdoor stuff.

Well if you know something about AITOR then you will know that the factory is very advanced and well organised. PLUS it's not a small "backyard factory" and of course these people have been making knives for a very long time, they do know what they are doing and they do it well. 

Let's face it Spain does, believe it or not produce some very good knives at very reasonable prices (labour costs are cheaper) but we are generally moved towards US companies trying to win us over with  this that and the other marketing about the latest steel alloys.

Aitor also show the real, and not just talk about it, HRC diamond imprint in their blades.
BTW PUMA of Germany used to do the same with each blade carrying the diamond imprint from the HRC machine.

Diamond imprint from the Rockwell testing machine HRC 55-58

Knives are individually Serial numbered

"Yes it's a saw back knife, what a gimmick"!!! 

Well it's not a gimmick if the saw is functional in design and clears both green and dead wood from it's teeth. And before anyone starts to rant about  "get a real saw or use an Axe/hatchet, just wait till you see how they are supposed to be used in the field. Saw backs aren't necessarily for cutting down trees. They can be used for: notching; weakening large branches that can then be snapped/broken off by easier means ie utilising the leverage of the branch; cutting artificial hard plastics into shape plus numerous other tasks such as scaling fish; tinder preparation etc.

NOW hold on!!!! You're saying: "Wait on, this knife isn't a full tang knife"! It's got to be crap!

Hold on a minute if that's the case, then all of those ONTARIO Spec Plus knives with a narrowed tang are crap too! BS!! My Ontario Spec plus is a Sh&T hot knife that's seen over 20 solid years of use in the field not sitting locked away in a shed/desk; under the bed/in the garage/barn etc. etc. There is no reason why a narrowed tang knife (if made properly) can't serve you well if not mistreated as a lever. I mean what the heck are the Swedes thinking???


Specifications of the Aitor OSO Blanco Knife

Length 180mm
Blade leaf thickness at Spine 5mm
HRC 58
Steel Alloy MoVa
Blade geometry: Upswept tip, recurve, spine saw, Partial hollow grind to bevel edge.
Natural Olive wood handle with painted brass fittings and stainless steel (blackened).

Cowhide leather scabbard




The proof will be in the pudding. Stay tuned, this knife the Aitor OSO Blanco Olivo is about to be tested in the real world and not some armchair review.

BCT

YES it was a bit of a rant, maybe I got sick of all the BS on BF! And it's my opinion.