Ontario
Ontario handle scales
Ontario Knife Company, an iconic American knife brand known for military knives, survival knives, and tactical blades, was founded in 1889 in Naples, New York, by five local businessmen as Ontario Knife Company
Initially focused on high-quality cutlery for farmers and households, the company grew steadily in the early 20th century. A pivotal moment came during World War II: in 1942, Ontario became a major supplier of the famous USMC 1219C2 Combat Knife (later known as the Ontario M7 Bayonet and OKC-3S), producing millions of fixed blades for U.S. troops—earning legendary status and the nickname "Ontario's fighting knives."
Post-war, Ontario diversified into hunting, fishing, and industrial tools while retaining military contracts. Key milestones include the 1960s–1970s production of the M9 Bayonet (for U.S. Army) and RAT series (Randall's Adventure & Training collaboration in the 2000s)
In 2007, Ontario was acquired by Böker USA, but production remained in the USA. The brand is renowned for 1095 carbon steel durability, no-nonsense designs, and trusted performance in military knives, bushcraft knives, tactical fixed blades, and EDC tools—a benchmark of American
