EXTREMA RATIO SETHLANS SURVIVAL KNIFE WOW!

 EXTREMA RATIO SETHLANS 

SURVIVAL, Bushcraft, Backup, Hunting, Hiking/Camping  KNIFE 

New for 2020!

New for 2020 is the Extrema Ratio SETHLANS Survival Knife. All I can say is WOW!

Extrema Ratio have combined their knowhow for safe carry system  and dependable and functional knife design, into a truly transportable new product, the Extrema Ratio SETHLANS was designed in collaboration with  Daniele Dal Canto Master Advanced Instructor at FISSS** in Italy.

This a bit of a departure from the usual straight out and out military concept.

The carry system is based around a Molle configuration which allows many many transport configurations such as, for example but only limited to one's imagination:

On the regular belt carry, on the pack (non-Molle) on the Molle pack/vest/belt,  tactical belt and the list goes on.

Quality Accessories Included

Included fire steel and sharpening Ceramic stone and Diamond plate

QualityAlloyed Fire steel Included!

Included with the Sethlans is a quality high grit size ceramic stone (Extrema Ratio do not state the "grit size" but I would say it is over 2000 easily. To offer a comparison, I purchased a Fälkniven stone a while back and it cost me 37 bucks (whoops I don't mention price! but) I have to say I thought it was a bit pricey and it was only a few millimetres thick!; glued to a cheaper coarser synthetic; at least here included with my ER Sethlans, this sharpening stone  this is a good 5mm, just the ceramic plate; which is less likely to break in the field and should last a very long time!

A Coarse/medium grade Diamond coated plate is included on the reverse side! Again they do not state the diamond particle size but certainly it cuts but it's not too rough and the diamonds look to be well bonded to the plate as apposed to those cheap and nasty shiny plates covered in chrome and few diamonds LOL and very poor bonding!

Included in the Extrema Ratio Sethlans (survival kit) is also a large quality alloy fire steel. Take note, I say quality fire steel because "fire steels" (ferro cerium rods)  are not all made alike when it comes to the alloying compositions. Some steels, one needs excessive pressure, in order to even faintly achieve any sparks from it, or it must be struck with such violence creating unnecessary friction in order for the alloy to ignite.  However, for a quality steel, one just has to look at it for it to "throw sparks"! The fire steel which comes with the Extrema Ratio Sethlans is such a steel (u will see this in the upcoming video). 

I added a small piece of plastic to stop the diamond plate from abrading the Molle pouch (It's not really necessary but I'm a bit crazy with this sort of stuff LOL!)

The Molle system is built around a sturdily constructed Kydex scabbard which securely and safely stores the business end of things. Needless to say, the whole carry system can be striped down to the individual components, namely, the Kydex unit; the rear Molle straps and loop, the front pocket and finally a Malice clip to secure the small front pouch. The whole thing can be reversed for left hand extraction.

The whole "system" of the Extrema Ratio Sethlans comprises of the following: One knife (my model made with Böhler's N690 (uncoated blade- there is a coated D2 version, HRC 60 and Teflon coated with what Extrema Ratio are calling "EXP DARK"); an excellent super fine ceramic stone (as mentioned above) bonded to a coarse diamond plate and a big chunky fire steel which is held in place via 3 ballistic nylon webbing loops. 

Finishing off the Sethlans Knife system is a piece of included paracord, which is designed to tie into both the Molle skeleton and the Kydex scabbard (of course one can put their own cordage/length here). 

Mountain camping with the Extrema Ratio Sethlans

Why is the handle slightly curved?

The handle is curved to make using the knife more comfortable to cut with. When the blade is held in a horizontal position, one's elbow is down. If you hold a knife and the handle is regularly straight and the blade is held horizontally, your elbow will be at a higher angle, try it. The higher the angle of the elbow, the more this becomes unnatural. Nothing has been left to chance with the design of the Sethlans, including the handle design. Trust me, these things do make a difference when using ANY TOOL over long periods of time. For an example: I would use the construction of a shovel and its handle. There are shovels comfortable to use all day digging holes and there are ones which will break your back in a short time of use.

It was clear from when laid eyes upon this system, a lot of serious thought has gone into the design of the Sethlans.

Why do I refer to the Sethlans as a SYSTEM?

All too many knife manufacturers skimp when it comes to knife carry systems. I can say, based upon 35 years plus outdoor experience (10 years experience carrying and using Extrema Ratio products) in the field (not the bedroom or desktop or garage or shed), this is definitely not one of those companies. I have never had a scabbard fail on me, even under the most harsh conditions in the Australian wilderness, nor Northern hemisphere adventures either (not to leave out the North!). No stitching has ever come undone, no webbing abraded through, no FRN cracked, no press studs coming loose, buckles breaking, etc. The parts are made in Europe.

The "System" of the SETHLANS

The KNIFE

  The Extrema Ratio Sethlans can be described as a drop point (possibly the most useful design when it comes to outdoor/survival knives (Im not talking about machetes here or parangs ok or even tanto blades also easily maintained-see below). The tang is a big chunky 6mm (1/4") thick slab of N690 Cobalt tool steel. But wait there's more! No, the knife is NOT heavy in the  handle and that's because they have engineered a fuller within the grip!

The Sethlans' chunky tang is 6mm (1/4") thick, although there is a "Fuller" within the handle to keep the weight down. Do not be concerned with strength, as the handle is more than strong enough^^ for the most rigorous tasks for such a knife. The G10 scales are milled to fit precisely into the Fuller. These scales will also (just like for any good  liner lock folder) also provide some mechanical strength. But this knife has been designed to be used without the scales as well and it can be "cord wrapped" for those who like this minimalist approach (hence the slotted milled sections to help maintain an effective wrapping weave). 

The weight distribution is such that the knife does not weigh heavy in the hand (in fact the fulcrum point sits behind the ricasso!). This is a very important consideration for extended periods of use, such as: skinning medium to large game, working wood and food preparation. WHY? Because the sole purpose of a knife is to cut and if unnecessary energy is put into simply supporting a knife in one's hand/wrist, then this amounts to wasted energy. You may be reading this and thinking: "What a load of rubbish"! However, I would ask you to consider the following: A huge (and proven countless times both via anecdotal and scientific evidence) difference can be seen in the distance someone can travel (all other things being equal) on the weight of the footwear one wears. Hence the outdoor shoe industry, (good shoes/boot makers) strive to produce products which are light weight but sturdy enough for the intended task/s. Many of you will have seen I like to wear "Approach" type boots (over both hemispheres, from alpine*** to jungle). These are relatively lightweight, sturdy, fast and durable/tough; much the same can be said of the Extrema Ratio Sethlans in its design rationale.

The scales do not form part of the retention system and hence can be removed  as mentioned above without affecting the safe carry of this knife.

I noted there was a generous coating of oil over the entire tang when I removed the scales. Take note here that despite the excellent corrosion resistance of N690 at HRC 58, to seawater, it is NOT corrosion proof, so like all good users, we should indeed carry out maintenance checks once in a while should the knife get submerged. My field experience tells me however, that unless the knife gets a good dunking in the sea, then just letting it dry in a warm place should be fine without the need every time to remove the scales. On that note the scales can be easily removed with an ordinary flat bladed screw driver.

The blade geometry and edge quality is such that typical camp activities can be easily achieved. The Extrema Ratio Sethlans is not thick around the edge so getting shallow angles for feathering is easy.

The first fixing bolt hole sits way back from the ricasso and that is important from the perspective of NOT putting holes close to the point of a fulcrum (if indeed the knife be subject to such forces) so as not to provide a point of potential failure- just like in aircraft design, bending forces are not occurring around, or close to holes. (Yes, that's right, that's why on other Extrema Ratio models the handle fixing bolt is not where near the guard)

Getting close to nature is what it is ALL about!

The scales of the Sethlans are made with black G10 composite. It goes without saying G10 is super strong and basically doesn't absorb water, unlike micarta composites. G10 is the industry standard when it comes to high mechanical strength and high dielectric breakdown (ok the latter quality isn't important here LOL)

To Strike or not to Strike?

If you are going to include a fire steel then you had better make sure at least part of the spine is acute enough to strike a steel, should you require this method in order to light a fire. Sure, a steel can be struck with a piece of broken quartz or glass or any sharp and relatively hard (at least 7 on MOHs scale of hardness) material with a good edge. Yes, the Extrema Ratio Sethlans does indeed feature an acute edge on part of its spine. Many people have complained that ER do not make spines that a fire steel can be struck against. Of course they don't they make predominantly military tools and no one is striking fire steels. Now they address this "social media request/complaint"

There is well-placed gimping and an acute edged spine.

Thumb/forefinger (on the top of the knife), rear top and underside surfaces. There is a lanyard hole which can accommodate either webbing (such as climber's webbing) or cords with a diameter of up to 4-5mm.

The handle is slightly curved for ergonomic comfort and "cutaway" around the index and middle finger as in their other models, to provide a secure non-slip grip.

Despite having a 1/4" (6mm) thick spine At its maximum width, the Sethlans blade geometry has been milled in such a way as to provide maximum cutting efficiency, yet sturdy construction and there is also a swedge near the tip.

The Extrema Ratio Sethlans is comfortable to use in the ungloved hand and the forefinger/thumb gimping is grippy but not uncomfortable, due to its profile.

Make a fire, prepare food,  (or prepare food make a fire) cook, that's what interests me. These things can be easily achieved with the Sethlans. I wouldn't necessarily take it camping in the tropics (read my other blogs about why that would be based upon extensive camping in the tropics) but outside of the tropics, no problems.

The Scabbard setup

Note where my thumb is pointing, one can see where the G10 has been milled in such a way as to provide a pathway for any water (should the knife get submerged) to drain away from. 

Underside rear (little finger) gimping helps to provide a solid no slip grip.

Having a slot for the "lanyard hole" (slot) Not just cords can be used for a lanyard but also tapes and or webbing such as climber's tapes (very strong, very useful)

Double press stud retention strap however, it is not needed unless to secure the knife completely, as the kydex sheath securely locks the Sethlans in place. Although I ALWAYS use a retention strap when moving through the bush and then there is ZERO chance of losing your  knife.

Extrema Ratio really address the issues with the "survival" knife thing. It's no good carrying a supposed survival knife/bushcraft/Backup Knife if you are not carrying anything to keep it sharp and it's no good carrying the same said type knife if the scabbard is the weak point as any knife will become a potential danger to the wearer should the scabbard fail and the knife inflicts an injury to the wearer. 

The Extrema Ratio Sethlans is securely retained via a no rattle Kydex moulding and further security via a left or right handed double press stud 40mm wide strap.

As mentioned, the whole carry system can be disassembled and the kydex unit reversed for left handed carry. Extrema Ratio are also providing as options a belt clip for horizontal carry for the Sethlans as well!

It came with that bit of paracord but there is no reason why a longer piece could not be attached in the same way. Remember there are options available for horizontal belt carry. Personally, I do not find this anything additional, it's bit of cord at the end of the day.

Why a Drop Point? (because why reinvent the wheel when it comes to functional blade designs)

I've talked about this many many times and that is on the subject of blade shapes, specifically useful ones. There is a plethora of blade shapes out there but to qualify as a "Tool" (hence my channel name- BushCampingTools) then it has to come under the banner of being a useful tool. The "Drop Point" blade design is of course undisputedly such a tool. 

A drop point has enough of a tip for penetration tasks (gutting, skinning etc.), simply maintained in the field (kept sharp), easily able to skin game and cut meat and other raw or cooked food items. I'm not saying there are no other useful blade shapes, of course there are, however, the drop point, or variations of this shape can be very useful tools. There are more easily maintained knife shapes, such as the Tanto and or modified Tanto or blades resembling Japanese Wakazashi; I have spoken and written about these latter designs elsewhere and on this blog. Some people have complained saying "it's just a drop point", well of course it is, as mentioned, the "Drop Point" like the ordinary triangular bicycle frame is to the bicycling industry LOL!

The Sethlans can be used for hunting (in my bowhunting experience) without any doubts in my mind, so the Extrema Ratio Sethlans  should also appeal to the hunter. We regularly walked many kilometres into virgin rugged cliff based bushland hunting wild goats and one must go totally self supporting should the situation involve any delays in returning to camp. In reality, the Sethlands, isn't too heavy or long to cart around, on the waist or strapped to a pack (I always carry a pack hunting). 

In terms of "survival" (it that's your thing) then the greater the probability you will be carrying some item the greater the probability you will also have it on you during a situation should any unscheduled incidents occur and you await rescue, that's all I'm going say here on that subject

The Extrema Ratio Sethlans is a knife that will also appeal to those in countries (like for example some countries within Europe) where the law can be harsh on knife carry since this knife does not appear threatening in design and can be clearly seen to be a tool of the hiker and camper. The Extrema Ratio Sethlans can be easily taken hiking and camping, as food preparation is also easily achieved without embarrassment of pulling out some 9 inch chopper among other campers to prepare your evening meal! I also think this would be a great knife for extended hunting trips away from vehicle and comfort amenities (such as cabins or huts), simply camping out and hunting, for example Bow hunting (based upon personal experience).

As with all of their products (I own and have tested), they are built with Italian pride in manufacturing.

^^HOW STRONG IS IT?

Now a quick demo for those who think the handle isn't strong (I noticed lots of comments after they saw the trailer videos. But first to say: this handle strength thing is only of relevance to those who don't want a knife to cut with but only to fool around with and of course stand a high chance of breaking it unless it's a "crowbar"/ "pry bar" LOL and crowbars don't cut very well and are heavy to carry. I have in 35 years, never seen or heard of anyone breaking a handle of even the most cheap crap knife (unless trying to break it or it was faulty to begin with).

 So now to the basic strength test, this is my now 72Kg weight (yep I've lost weight, I was getting too fat LOL from close to 80Kg!!) plus another 500gm for the shoes across the knife at the fulcrum-or close to it. No chance of breaking it horizontally and the design from the vertical loading aspect is that of a bridge. Ok? yep one big "triangle" (in the design of the fuller).

Do not try to do this! My foot is raised a bit because I'm now balancing upon one foot LOL!- cardboard  and wood block to protect the knife edge against the blocks of granite. Three times, I performed this and no strike 3!

Stick around fo the upcoming field review of the Extrema Ratio Sethlans.

BCT

** FISSS- Italian Federation of Sports and Experimental Survival

http://www.fisss.it/

*** Ok you have not yet seen me wearing my mountaineering boots and crampons LOL-specifically for snow and ice only in reality and or prolonged sub zero temperatures.

All images BushCampingTools

Why buy an old Strider when you can own a brand new current model Extrema Ratio Fulcrum Bayonet NFG? 
or simply a followup review on this knife! by BushCampingTools

Cord and rope cutting made easy with the serrations

The Extrema Ratio Fulcrum bayonet NFG cuts double stranded barbed wire easily. Nobodies fences were sabotaged in the testing of this application.

Double stranded barbed wire no problems to cut with this tool.

Easy to carry on any pack or webbing

The Fulcrum Bayonet NFG is one hard core knife. Why wouldn't it be? it's just a modified bayonet design. 6mm thick N690 Cobalt stainless steel blade, western styled Tanto, no curves, dead easy to sharpen, wire cutter hole, T.N.S. (that's Take No Sh*t) scabbard and well-stitched light weight carry system.



I always wanted one of Strider's big knives but now of course they are no more so the likely-hood of this happening is about zero unless I pick one up from ebay, no not likely. Besides that, about half a dozen emails never replied to from Mick Strider, I gave up, especially as I was one of his very first supporters, mmmmmm, get famous and forget about those who supported your products from the start. No biggie, I still have one of his knives and love it. But I wouldn't swap my ER Fulcrum NFG for one of his big tantos now, or would I? 

The Extrema Ratio Fulcrum Bayonet NFG IS a hack about knife ready for action in all conditions, like making a fire in the rain.

A simple cord wrapped full width tang does have it's strong points, no pun intended. But when that cord gets wet with salt water it stays wet and isn't easy to take off and rewrap in the field unless you happened to have a vice close by. Forprene does such a great job of helping to alleviate any shock to the hands and doesn't to any practical purposes absorb water.

I've slightly modified my ER Fulcrum NFG now:

Cut up credit card inserted and used Loctite to glue a small piece into the inside of the scabbard to help prevent the blade from cutting into the (already tough) fibre reinforced scabbard. 

"Credit card" insert super glued/Loctite to inside of scabbard to reduce scabbard wear.

I did the same thing with my FKMD Combat Survival knife, as it's scabbard is similar. Lots of insertions and removals with these types of scabbards can result in (over the years-so it's not exactly quick) a groove being cut into the scabbard. That small piece of credit card (replaceable) will prevent this.

 I've also done the "Mossy Oak" camouflage tape thing as the stone wash version of the NFG is only at present available with a "Desert camouflage" scabbard, which sticks out like a sore thumb away from those desert sands!

Mossy Oak camo now covers all of the scabbard.

 Of course I was careful NOT to cover the diamond sharpening plate on the rear of the scabbard!
Ok so is there anything i don't like about this knife?

Yes but it is just nit picking really. I would have liked to have seen the butt cap also made of hardened N690 instead of relatively soft 300 series stainless steel. WHY? because the acute edge of the butt would hold up a lot better when using it to strike a ferro rod, as 300 series is soft and the edge is affected but then again these days the fire steel-well it's always been for me, a secondary emergency way to start a fire. The windproof lighter such as a high quality Windmill lighter is the way to go for serious fire lighting.

Chopping logs, no problems either

This is a seasoned (like as in 4 year dead) Elm log/tree. There is plenty of weight in this big blade to hack away. Yes it isn't a hatchet or better still an axe for a quick job but there is zero shock transferred via the Forprene grip.

Strong, actually VERY STRONG tip of the Extrema Ratio Fulcrum bayonet NFG

What did I find in terms of negatives about this take no sh%t knife??
Now as in all honest reviews, what are any negative points about this knife? Well I guess they aren't so much negative as rather things one should be aware of. The butt cap is held in place via a 3mm Allen bolt. Under normal use for a knife, that is no bashing the bejeezus out of it but rather using it for cutting tasks, then what i'm about to say is irrelevant.

The tension upon the 3mm bolt is partly due to the elastomeric properties of the Forprene handle. That is one can continue to screw the butt cap down until deformation of the handle begins. This is totally unnecessary but the question is how much should one screw down this bolt? And rather why? Well if you have been using the knife for about two weeks plus and have NOT previously adjusted this cap bolt then it may work loose when the grip moves a bit due to the above mentioned elastomeric properties of Forprene. One could use semi permanent "Loctite" /thread locker on the bolt and this would fix that, so that when necessary, an Allen driver could be used to remove the butt cap to clean the tang (if immersion in sea water happened). What I did instead was to use some el cheapo nail polish from the wife to "lock" the head of the bolt into the butt cap, 

Yeah pretty pink isn't it??? For all you ladies out there reading this, it happens to be a Maybelline product according to the wife LOL! But seriously, for all you blokes out there reading this one can see how this stuff functions here, essentially a "el cheapo" thread locker semi permanent/no permanent. I put a red mark to test this out that the screw does not move at all when this is done. Of course it will not move at all either if one doesn't do it but one needs to check the screw once in a while and the easiest way to do this is to mark it as I have shown above.

by simply using the nail polish as a semi permanent glue. This works just fine and no amount of vibration will cause the bolt to come loose. Because if you are not carrying an Allen driver with you in the filed (highly unlikely) then you will not be able to tighten the butt cap. Now unlike Extrema Ratio Models which feature a single fixing bolt in the middle of the tang, even if it comes loose and is lost, all is not lost as a simple bit of cord from anything tied into the lanyard hole will prevent the handle coming off......bet you didn't know that eh????


***Finally, I would like to see Extrema Ratio precision press fit the guard onto the tang and not simply slipped onto the tang. The reason being that it moves. Not much but it moves and can make a clicking sound when the knife strikes something. The sound won't alert your enemy. You could use the guard when removed for something but I shan't say here as it's probably a dangerous use for it but none the less in a dire emergency it could be imagined as  kind of piton? Did I say that?? Ok u get my point. But don't say i didn't warn you.



*** This information is only for entertainment and undertaking any outdoor activities is at your own risk.

BCT

EXTREMA RATIO Extremely Good Knives

Hi all, well today I received 3  knives from EXTREMA RATIO for coming video field reviews and I’m going to start to preview them here in this blog. I hope what you read here will give you good background about this company's knives, at least the following models. I’ll give a general overview and then discuss each model on it’s own.

They are:

EXTREMA RATIO DobermannIV

EXTREMA RATIO Task

EXTREMA RATIO ONTOS SURVIVAL KNIFE

I’ve been following the progress of the Italian company EXTREMA RATIO  for some years now since its inception back in 1997 and I've got to say EXTREMA RATIO's knives are quite apart from anything you may have seen, fantastic  practical design and the finish which is exceptional right down to the boxes they are supplied in.

First observations:

All models came deadly razor sharp and I mean deadly as some cosmic surgical blade can only be! Not only were they deadly sharp but when I examined each edge at over X10 magnification, this is what I saw: 

Knife Edge at greater than lifesize note few grind marks

These knives were sent out of the factory with almost POLISHED edges! Beat that! There were almost no grind marks visible and that was reflected (no pun intended) in the mirror reflection from the edge! 

Now I know that these blades are hand finished and this clearly shows the dedication and workmanship of staff at EXTREMA RATIO. The other thing I observed straight away was that the bevelled edge was not some skimpy steep angled grind. This latter kind of knife bevel often found on mass produced knives from automated sharpening (or even if it isn’t automated grinding ) results in an edge that has limited cutting ability and will not last very long  and if the blade is used at shallow angles, it won't bite into the material you are trying to cut (That’s just plain  physics!)

How about the comfort? Not too many manufacturers are willing to enter into this discussion. Not so with EXTREMA RATIO.

What did I find? Unbelievable comfort and ergonomics! Seriously! This comes as no surprise, but I needed to experience it first hand. EXTREMA RATIO entered into a collaboration with the Motor Sciences department at the University of Perugia  for the design of the handles. 

Ok you ask what is Motor Science? It's kinesiology! This is the research of the mechanics of motion with respect to human anatomy. Smart move here from EXTREMA RATIO and as far as I am aware at the time of writing this article no other knife manufacturer does this.

Despite all three knives here being of different design, when I started swinging each knife (A test I always perform without wearing a glove or tying the knife to my hand with a lanyard) at no point during a powerful downward (and of course upward) swinging arc did these knives feel as if they were going part company with my hand. Now this is partially due to the frictional properties of the material the handles are made from, which is FORPRENE. The Forprene EXTREMA RATIO are using is a composite (glass fibre) with a Shore hardness of 80-90. However, a major influencing factor is the actual handle design. This grippy design feels great. That's right first impressions!  The end of the handle decreases slightly in size, NOT increases, so a swinging motion will tend not to open your last two fingers. The top and bottom profiles are rounded and the sides are partially flattened to provide a resistance to a twisting motion.

Forprene Composite handle

You know a lot of manufacturers put a lot of effort into the blades but not the scabbards or the actual handles, thinking, a handle is a handle and let's just bolt on some composite slabs and be done with it. NOT so here.

What did EXTREMA RATIO say about it to me:

The handle design was a result from a collaboration between the University of Perugia's Motor Sciences Department (see above).
For handle materials they collaborate with the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Florence, where tests are made on materials, structures and finishings.

Ok so FORPRENE is an absolutely industry proven elastomeric polymer. It is made right here in Italy from the S.O.F.T.E.R company. It’s has an extremely wide use in all sorts of industries. It can be manufactured to give a wide range of physical characteristics along with fantastic chemical resistance, even to some polar solvents, high resistance to stress (like impact) and abrasion, temperature extremes from approximately -50C to +125C!  and highly resistant to the effects of UV radiation! The handle colour is available in two choices, black or an Olive drab colour.

The handling ergonomics is also due of course to the actual blade geometry, ie it’s weight distribution and centre of gravity. Again we cannot ignore physics in the design of a great blade. This is a company where they have no problems in showing the public what tests they perform on their knives, test data/images, previous models and of course destruction test data. Why? Because they have absolute confidence in their products, that’s why. Backing this up is of course a lifetime warranty on EXTREMA RATIO knives. Serialized blades and a special lot number accompanying each knife, so that in the unlikely event of a manufacturing defect, the blade can always be traced.

Construction

EXTREMA RATIO state that all fixing metallic parts such as bolts etc “are virtually immune from oxidation”. Again what manufacturers are stating this in writing?

Blackening process

All of the above models came to me with a blackened blade. This is the Mil-C-13924 chemical blackening process that imparts a non-reflective surface.

Anti-Reflection Black Mil-C-13924

Don’t get hung up by thinking it improves the blades resistance to oxidation- it doesn’t really and as EXTREMA RATIO state: “Superficial coatings” (such as blackened blades) still need to be maintained. Common sense but it is written down in the “Ordinary maintenance” pamphlet that comes with every knife.

I should point out here that the Dobermann IV also comes with a polished surface finish and leather sheath system. The shiny surface may appeal to those who would like to use their knife, should the situation arise, to signal for help etc. something impossible to do with a blackened blade. On this note a blackened blade is much less obtrusive in a civilian situation, ie wilderness camping/hiking and personally this is something that is playing a significant role these days with increasing rules and regulations on knife usage around the world.

Sheaths

Sheaths are all well designed and the stitching is very nice and even. There is nothing weak looking. The Dobermann IV even came with an extra plastic reinforced retention strap, presumably when the first one wears out (more on this in a later blog!). I couldn’t fault the scabbards  and that’s why they carry a whopping 6 year warranty! Who is warranting their sheaths like this? As I said I'll review the sheaths on an individual basis later, this blog is just to whet your appetite!

Of course EXTREMA RATIO are manufacturers of knives for military usage so again it was no surprise that all of the above models could be inserted and removed ABSOLUTELY silently into their scabbards/sheaths.

Let's start with the:

ONTOS Survival Knife

What a great name! From the Greek, meaning “THING” and this knife is a “SomeTHING” for sure!

Survival knives, wow what can be said here? Generally people start thinking of hollow handle RAMBO style knives, or knives based on similar design sporting vicious looking (and mostly ineffectual) saws or what manufacturers would have you believe are saws. Have you ever tried using them?

I’ve had these hollow handle knives in my hands both expensive and cheapo. The biggest problem is not actually the hollow handle but the lack of ergonomics of a metal hollow handle (that has to be made strong enough) against justifying placing a few “survival items” inside this handle and a pommel, which, if you damage it, either you will not be able to retain your precious “survival stuff” or not be able to unscrew it to retrieve your materials! Plus there generally isn’t a lanyard hole on these types of knives, so what happens if you drop it down a hole because you can't secure it. Sorry, a lanyard hole IS mandatory on any knife being marketed as a "survival knife". Hollow handle knives, to be strong enough to resist breakage due to levering action must be made from metal. How about using these kinds of knives in sub zero temperatures without gloves? No chance or with an ambient temperature of 30C and above? Burnt or stuck fingers I bet!

The ONTOS a knife that can truly carry the label of Survival Knife!:

The ONTOS was designed from the ground up.

What do I think about the design?

As I said above, the knife is very ergonomic due to it’s balance of weight and the design of the FORPRENE handle. There is a lanyard hole so if you are working at height or over a crevasse or simply somewhere that if you drop your knife you will loose it (river, lake, cave, coastal shore etc) then this is not a problem. The use of Forprene means that your hands will not freeze to the handle in sub-zero conditions, nor will it burn from the heat of the desert, if this knife is left even for seconds in the blazing sun.

The butt end 

Pommel region and lanyard hole

is that same for all EXTREMA RATIO fixed blades  which, could be used as a glass breaker. The extension and design of the butt means you wont be damaging yourself on some sharp bit of metal. For glass breaking it’s just not necessary to have a sharp butt end glass breaker but for some reasons many manufacturers design knives like this. Full marks to EXTREMA RATIO here for thinking this out. Just another of their well thought out design features.

The blade is thick where it needs to be 

ONTOS Spine view

and has powerful feel to it. It has a simple edge geometry. It's a convex grind on the cutting edge for superior edge strength compared with a basic flat beveled edge. The blade shape makes for easy field sharpening, or in unskilled hands (maybe someone with you when the sh*t hits the fan may have to use your knife if you are incapacitated and maybe that person has no or little skill in sharpening knives. Simple blade geometry is crucial for anyone trying to market a knife under the label of “Survival” The ONTOS certainly passes this test of mine. 

ONTOS Specifications at a glance

The cutting tip is a western style Tanto. The main blade edge is slightly convex. Now this latter point means despite this being a heavy duty knife, the edge design is perfect for light weight food prep by a simple rocking motion of the blade. Pretty smart eh?!

There is a false edge at the tip running back about 67mm to a section of full thickness spine for a distance of about an inch or 25mm. This is followed by a section of deadly sharp (but shallow in height) serrations. Shallow serrations are less likely to sustain damage if they sustain a striking blow. Serrated edges ARE great for rapidly cutting ropes  and any fibrous materials plus slicing through man made materials such as rubbers and plastics. 

Spine Serration's

No nonsense thumb/finger rest

There is a generous  area to rest your thumb on. I measured a 

spine thickness of about 6.38mm which runs to 11mm from the tip! You are not going to bust this tip! Despite it’s heavy appearance the ONTOS is not what I would call a heavy knife weighing in at 406 grams/14.3 Ozs, with full survival kit at 1kg. The survival kit and diamond sharpener (installed in a side pocket on the optional survival kit pouch)

Diamond impregnated sharpening surface, use with water

Sharpening Instructions

weigh in at 290gm, so the scabbard and pouch weigh approximately 304 grams.

I should point out here that the Survival kit is NOT a product by EXTREMA RATIO but of the brand BCB International. A quick word  here on it’s contents.

BCB Survival Kit Not from Extrema Ratio

The aluminium container is just ok. The contents like all of these types of kits is very ma ma and I’ll be getting rid of certain objects, and replacing with first aid gear, as for me in a survival situation, first aid is paramount. But more on the survival kit in a later blog and the video field review.

N690 EXTRA  Blade Material and Heat Treatment

Like all fixed blade EXTREMA RATIO knives (except the Landing Force, made of Ti alloy) the ONTOS has a Rockwell of 58. EXTREMA RATIO choose a Rockwell of 58 because for N690 this provides the best stainless corrosion performance and sharpening qualities.

 All EXTREMA RATIO blades are heat treated in a specialized  external facility using a vacuum-sealed furnace and heat reduction is carried out in a similar facility with a Nitrogen forced pressure treatment.

N690 EXTRA  from the Austrian company BÖHLER-UDDEHOLM AG, which by the way has been renamed to Voestalpine Edelstahl GmbH.

N690 (you can read all about here by following the link) is a Cobalt stainless steel of exceptional qualities for high end knife steel manufacture. I've been using several knives made with N690 for the past 3 years and they really hold an edge plus are great for working in or around watery environments, resisting corrosion. It's tough and can really take a beating.

The overall width of the blade is about 43 mm, fairly constant along it’s entire length, of which the latter is about 165/166mm or about 6.5 inches.

The full-length tapered tang (see below)

Full tang

is a mechanically proven design of EXTREMA RATIO’s but those in doubt will have to wait and see my field test of the ONTOS. The Forprene handle is fixed to the tang, like all EXTREMA RATIO fixed blades by  corrosion resistant bolts, 

Corrosion resistant handle fixing bolts

which can be simple undone with either a flat blade screw driver type blade or an Allen wrench. Note that the fixing bolt is the only hole in the tang other than the hole for the lanyard. This hole too is set some distance back from where there might a bending moment, ie there is plenty of solid steel between actual knife blade and handle fixing bolt.

There are plenty of places to strike a fire steel and the one inch section on the spine will enable you to baton with this blade without damaging the serrations (if you have to baton- where noise is not a problem ie not to disclose your position/frighten game or maybe your environment’s combustible materials don’t need to have the daylights beaten out of them to start a fire).

The carry system of the ONTOS

The functionality of the sheath is unbelievable! I mean it’s great! Let me tell you about it.

Side view with optional Survival Kit from BCB

Front outside view shown with Molle Survival kit
attachment

Backside view showing fully adjustable leg strap and carry loop
along with Molle attachments for direct pack transporting

The scabbard is fully MOLLE compatible both front and rear. Excellent stitching and attention to detail only instal user confidence in this carry system.

To remove the survival pouch you must first remove the survival kit and diamond sharpener. This will enable you to bend the pouch to access the 2 press studs to undo them. Once undone then slide the MOLLE straps out of the loops. This is a very tight fit and you may need to prise with a blunt object, the MOLLE loops, to allow the height of the press studs to pass under them. It’s not a problem and better like this than a sloppy fit especially if you are on the run/move! The last thing you want is a sloppy system. More on the carry system in the coming video reviews.

Buying an EXTREMA RATIO knife is a good investment when it comes to a product you can rely on.

Let’s face it, you really do get what you pay for and what is worth more? Your life or the cost of a knife at the end of the day? It doesn’t matter whether you are:

in combat or simply out in the middle of nowhere, if you are relying on your equipment to keep operating and safe from harm, whatever that maybe, then better to not have to think about whether the knife you took with you could fail you.

Once you start to doubt your equipment then you’re really in trouble.

 Up next the TASK from EXTREMA RATIO!