Miller bros m22 Ontario sp10 combo review
Jan 3, 2015 0:18:30 GMT
Post by justin520 on Jan 3, 2015 0:18:30 GMT
Disclaimer
I'm in no way shape or form affiliated with or receiving compensation from Miller Bros Blades or Ontario Knife Company. I'm just a dude what loves blades.
Specs:
M22
Blade: 15 1/2"
Handle: 8 1/5"
Overall: 24"
Steel: 5160
P.O.B: 2" from handle
SP10
Blade: 9 3/4"
Overall: 15 1/8"
Steel: 1095
P.O.B: 1 1/2" from guard
Opening Statement
This is done as a combo review for a specific reason, to help you decide on your needs for a bushcraft tool and what price you'll pay for that. These items are geared towards similar purposes and environments and while not the be all end all they make fantastic bugout items.
Blade
M22
Ok, so geometrically this thing is both a sound wood processor and fighter. Saber ground and sporting a secondary bevel with a black tractionless coat it looks beautiful, wicked, and utilitarian all in one package. It's a veritable cyber punk and post apocalyptic tool of survival and destruction. It's 1/4" thick with a pipe back blade.
SP10
Another saber grind but with a clip point (unsharpened) and a secondary bevel. Grinds are ugly and uneven all accept for the main cutting edge which is more carefully looked after. Utility doesn't demand beauty but it would be nice. The black coating is a powder coat and has some traction on it, not great but not bad either.
Handle
M22
Ohh the beautiful craftsmanship! These are hand carved g10 slabs on a full exposed tang! Unique to my blade and mine alone these provide excellent traction in hand for chopping, batoning, and what ever other bush whackin' need you may have come the zombie apocalypse. There is a little hot spot at the top of the handle but gloves make that a non issue.
SP10
Hidden tang wrapped in injection molded kraton. The kraton has wrap around grooves in it giving you great traction when smakin' a log. But where this guy really shines is the guard! It's a double guard common on bowies made of steel and also powder coated, if you somehow ended up in edged conflict this could function as a great advantage.
Sheath
M22
Ohh the fantastic kydex job the Miller Brothers did for me! Just look how it wears!
I Opted for a dangler construction as I wanted this to wear like a saber/gunto, boy was this a good idea! It feels comfy camping and allows my body every position I will take. The kydex is .093 so it's the thick tough stuff. The heat mold is flawless giving a positive locking click and no rattle. Also from this position it draws quick if a defensive situation arises. Look at it again
SP10
It's a leather/cordura dangler, I don't have much to say other than it's crap, burn it, buy kydex for your knife.
Testing
M22
Ok I'm gonna start with my favorite part here, the long handle makes me feel safer batoning, which this bad boy does with ease! Not to mention it's chopping ability, using a two handed grip this will fall a tree like a good camp hatchet, but it's a sword! I also had the opportunity to dig with it (sometimes a mans gotta go) which it did not shine at but was capable of doing. The choil also makes great for fire steels as it has 90 degree angles, not to mention it chokes up well for feather sticking and whittling. The coating held with only minor scratches through all of this. Overall this passes end of the world testing and it's coming with me when civilization collapses.
SP10
This thing chops with authority and will take small trees in a few minutes flat. This blade is not much for batoning as it's clip will chew up your stick and make you need to find a new one, which isn't great, but it's manageable in the field. This blade was also used to dig tootsie roll holes and it's wide profile handled the task with ease. Seriously it digs like a garden trowel! Just as on the M22 the coating was barely damged at all. This also passes my bushcraft test, and while I wont carry it on me I am arming somebody less prepared on my team with it knowing it will give them what they need.
Overview
M22
Pros:
Tough blade
Tough corrosion resistant coating
G10 scales with good grip
Beautiful kydex
The simple coolness of it being a custom
Cons:
Doesn't dig well
Costs an arm and a leg!
SP10
Pros:
Tough as nails
Has a hand guard
Kraton has great traction
Coating is also super tough
At the price you can't beat it!
Cons:
Craptastic sheath
Clip chews up batons
Slight traction from the coating
Final verdict!
Both of these blades define awesome tool and get a 9.5 out of 10 from me with a verdict of buy it! The only thing to look out for is price point, if you bush whack on a budget go for the Ontario, but if you can stand to part with three to five hundred dollars give the miller bros a call cause they know what they are doing!
I'm in no way shape or form affiliated with or receiving compensation from Miller Bros Blades or Ontario Knife Company. I'm just a dude what loves blades.
Specs:
M22
Blade: 15 1/2"
Handle: 8 1/5"
Overall: 24"
Steel: 5160
P.O.B: 2" from handle
SP10
Blade: 9 3/4"
Overall: 15 1/8"
Steel: 1095
P.O.B: 1 1/2" from guard
Opening Statement
This is done as a combo review for a specific reason, to help you decide on your needs for a bushcraft tool and what price you'll pay for that. These items are geared towards similar purposes and environments and while not the be all end all they make fantastic bugout items.
Blade
M22
Ok, so geometrically this thing is both a sound wood processor and fighter. Saber ground and sporting a secondary bevel with a black tractionless coat it looks beautiful, wicked, and utilitarian all in one package. It's a veritable cyber punk and post apocalyptic tool of survival and destruction. It's 1/4" thick with a pipe back blade.
SP10
Another saber grind but with a clip point (unsharpened) and a secondary bevel. Grinds are ugly and uneven all accept for the main cutting edge which is more carefully looked after. Utility doesn't demand beauty but it would be nice. The black coating is a powder coat and has some traction on it, not great but not bad either.
Handle
M22
Ohh the beautiful craftsmanship! These are hand carved g10 slabs on a full exposed tang! Unique to my blade and mine alone these provide excellent traction in hand for chopping, batoning, and what ever other bush whackin' need you may have come the zombie apocalypse. There is a little hot spot at the top of the handle but gloves make that a non issue.
SP10
Hidden tang wrapped in injection molded kraton. The kraton has wrap around grooves in it giving you great traction when smakin' a log. But where this guy really shines is the guard! It's a double guard common on bowies made of steel and also powder coated, if you somehow ended up in edged conflict this could function as a great advantage.
Sheath
M22
Ohh the fantastic kydex job the Miller Brothers did for me! Just look how it wears!
I Opted for a dangler construction as I wanted this to wear like a saber/gunto, boy was this a good idea! It feels comfy camping and allows my body every position I will take. The kydex is .093 so it's the thick tough stuff. The heat mold is flawless giving a positive locking click and no rattle. Also from this position it draws quick if a defensive situation arises. Look at it again
SP10
It's a leather/cordura dangler, I don't have much to say other than it's crap, burn it, buy kydex for your knife.
Testing
M22
Ok I'm gonna start with my favorite part here, the long handle makes me feel safer batoning, which this bad boy does with ease! Not to mention it's chopping ability, using a two handed grip this will fall a tree like a good camp hatchet, but it's a sword! I also had the opportunity to dig with it (sometimes a mans gotta go) which it did not shine at but was capable of doing. The choil also makes great for fire steels as it has 90 degree angles, not to mention it chokes up well for feather sticking and whittling. The coating held with only minor scratches through all of this. Overall this passes end of the world testing and it's coming with me when civilization collapses.
SP10
This thing chops with authority and will take small trees in a few minutes flat. This blade is not much for batoning as it's clip will chew up your stick and make you need to find a new one, which isn't great, but it's manageable in the field. This blade was also used to dig tootsie roll holes and it's wide profile handled the task with ease. Seriously it digs like a garden trowel! Just as on the M22 the coating was barely damged at all. This also passes my bushcraft test, and while I wont carry it on me I am arming somebody less prepared on my team with it knowing it will give them what they need.
Overview
M22
Pros:
Tough blade
Tough corrosion resistant coating
G10 scales with good grip
Beautiful kydex
The simple coolness of it being a custom
Doesn't dig well
Costs an arm and a leg!
SP10
Pros:
Tough as nails
Has a hand guard
Kraton has great traction
Coating is also super tough
At the price you can't beat it!
Clip chews up batons
Slight traction from the coating
Final verdict!
Both of these blades define awesome tool and get a 9.5 out of 10 from me with a verdict of buy it! The only thing to look out for is price point, if you bush whack on a budget go for the Ontario, but if you can stand to part with three to five hundred dollars give the miller bros a call cause they know what they are doing!