I picked up these two Ontario Spec Plus versions of USGI knives for $26 shipped each tonight. They both ditch the stacked leather handles and metal pommels for molded Kraton plastic handles, and as well, add a big metal-reinforced lanyard tube. Blades are powder coated instead of blued/black oxide coated. Steel is 1075, which is really tough. If you've got a USA-made Colonial in carbon steel from the original company, that's what it has. It sharpens up easily, but to me, has slightly less edge retention than 1085 and 1095. I figure as working knives, I couldn't go wrong at the inexpensive prices--a Kabar Marine Combat these days is more money for just that. They are both USA made, but I think the sheaths are from Taiwan.
The SP-2 is the Spec Plus version of the Jet Pilot's Survival Knife. It is a pattern I've long been wanting to try, and at $15 or so cheaper, I decided to go with it.
The SP-1 Combat Knife is the Spec Plus version of the Marine Combat Knife. I already have, and use a Camillus version of one of these, so I can't wait to do a comparison. The good thing is that I can use the nylon sheath with the Camillus, and the leather sheath of the Camillus with this knife. However, because the guard is plastic, and not steel, I can't use the hard Kabar sheath I typically use with the Camillus, since it needs the guard to lock into the sheath as its main retention (it's got a pommel strap too).
