[Justang]

I've always been under the impression that these were pretty good knives. But when I asked a co-worker who was a Marine, and served in Iraqi Freedom, he said he didn't like them. Said they would break, wouldn't cut through bone, and basically that they weren't as strong as they should be. He did mention that the Bowie knives found on Iraqis were nice and strong. So basically I'm looking for a knife of that size (7" blade or so). I want something strong that will cut through just about anything. What is the general thought on Ka-Bars?

[Soap]

They are awesome knives but bad prybars and hatchets. Mine has a keen edge that will slice anything with ease. But due to the thinner tang, sometimes they do break at the guard...but this only happens when you stop using it as a knife and as a prybar or axe.

If you want a do-it all knife, you might be disappointed if you're expecting it to be excellent at slicing, puncturing, prying, and chopping. If you build a knife to be strong enough to pry or chop with, it generally won't slice or puncture as well as a thinner blade. YMMV.

[hso]

Daniel is pretty much correct, but I'll add that if you pick a full tang, or slightly reduced tang, knife the potential for breaking at the guard is significantly reduced.

If you want a pry bar get a pry bar. If you want a knife that can be used for light prying you'll sacrifice some of it's cutting ability because of compromises with the geometry. If prying is an important characteristic look for a knife with a prybar shaped tang extension that sticks out of the butt/grip. This keeps the prying off of the hardened blade where break/chip potential is higher, but means you've got a "screw driver" sticking out of the handle of your knife that sometimes is pointing at your gut. http://www.ekknife.com/ekm3.html

[BigG]

I have an old WWII Kabar that has some of the best steel for sharpening I've ever seen. Ditto for an old Camillus of the same pattern. They are not rust resistant but they are a hell of a knife. The tang runs through the grip (leather washers) and is riveted to the butt cap.

[meathammer]

But due to the thinner tang, sometimes they do break at the guard...but this only happens when you stop using it as a knife and as a prybar or axe.

OR using a Kabar as a throwing knife. Yeah, young and stupid. :o
Yep, snapped off right at the guard. Oh Well. Nice knives though when used as a knife should be.


--meathammer

[Justang]

Well the things he/they were doing when the Ka-Bar broke were it's intended purpose. It's a combat knife, and more or less, when used as one it broke on him/them.

[Khaotic]

Yep, mines seen years and YEARS of use and (light) abuse.

I usually carry three blades, tool knife, package opener, and combat blade.

There's some overlap among knives, but this is a good policy

<- your package opening blade, in this day and age of pyschotic overpackaging in heavy plastics, is going to see LOTS of use and probably need frequent sharpening, it should be small, inoffensive (of course, you're welcome to pull out the tool knife if you wanna freak out aunt mable..) and sturdy.

<- your tool knife should have a chisel-edge and be sturdy enough to pry, chop and hack with, or even be serrated on one side for sawing - it depends a lot on what you'd use a tool knife FOR, cause some folks substitute a skinning blade here if they hunt a lot.

<- your combat knife should be just that, a weapon, and fully intended as such, check your local legalese before you start lugging it around tho, as many places are awfully flaky about true combat blades.

-K

[Hobie]

Khaotic has it exactly right. You can get by with 2 of those blades on an SAK plus the "combat" blade.

IME, the Kabars are as described, good to excellent knives, poor axes and crowbars.

[middy]

The traditional Ka-Bar has a rather flimsy tang.

I think the BK7 (http://www.camillusknives.com/bkt/bk77.shtml#knife) would be a superior replacement.

[1 old 0311]

The K-bar is a great knife for what it was designed to do. The Fairbain Stykes is also a great knife , for a dagger. The Bowie is a super knife, it will cut, chop, and remove arms.Bill Bagwell has been pushing this style for years. Only drawback is size and weight.
No one gun is perfect for all occasions and the same holds true for knifes. In Iraq I would go with the Bowie. On the streets the K-bar.

Kevin

[Vic303]

Check out Swamp Rat Knife Works stuff. Great knives. Reasonable price.

[Khaotic]

You know, having looked at recent Ka-bar products I am not sure we're talking about the same knife ?

Mine is really old, beat up and looks something like an SW tactical, black, double-edged dagger style with close-fighting type grip, rather than round.

Nothing Ka-bar currently sells looks even remotely like it... best guess would be it's maybe based on the old M7 bayonet...

Any clue when/where this codger is from, folks ?

-K

[Soap]

I'm curious, how did they break them?

[shrpshn]

The kabar Fighting/Utility Knife is based on the old reliable Marbles "Ideal" sheath knife. Has been used/carried in every conflict since World War II, including Iraq. It is a great knife for general use, still being manufactured by several reputable US knife companies, such as, KaBar, Ontario, Camillus, and Case.

As with most things, it is not/cannot be everything to everybody ~ but that doesn't diminish it's reputation.

My 2 cents worth.........

John

[HiWayMan]

"""The traditional Ka-Bar has a rather flimsy tang.

I think the BK7 would be a superior replacement."""


I have the BK7. In all honesty I am scared of this knife. It came from the factory scary sharp. I get nervous every time I unsheath this bad boy. It has a very heavy blade and it takes very little momentum to do serious damage to any and all things. I have taken down 2" saplings with one swing and punched it thru a 55 gal. steel drum with ease. This is 10 times the knife that the K-Bar is IMO.

[Boats]

The Beckers have uniformally cruddy grip scales. Their heat treatment seems to be somewhat inconsistent too.

I have used many of Uncle Sam's Ka-Bars and owned and used many of my own, and I have never seen one do what this Becker BK-9 did:

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/becker_combat_bowie_damaged.jpg

To recap: The Ka-Bars are excellent knives, can be a pretty tough hammer, but are not suited to throwing or using as a crowbar.

[Guns_and_Labs]

Said they would break, wouldn't cut through bone, and basically that they weren't as strong as they should be.

Well, I have a Ka-Bar that my great uncle carried "in the war", and a relatively new D2 version, and I can attest they both cut through bone very well. They don't skin worth a darn, but they're my favorite for cutting through elk bones, if I don't have a bone saw handy.

True, I've never tried chopping wood with one, which all the bowie fans seem to do with glee. I guess it depends on what you want to cut.

[Kestrel]

Is there a difference in quality between the Ka-Bar and the Camillus version? I think the Camillus version is actually the version issued to the Army, isn't it?

Thanks.

[BigG]

My Camillus is stamped U.S.N. If anything it is even better than the Ka-Bar of the same pattern. Magnificent steel. YMMV

[Soap]

Boats- Is that your blade? For some reason it reminds me of something Cliff Stamp would do to a blade :eek:

[thebigc]

i have my grandfathers ka bar he was issued in 1942 it is still real sharp and a nice knife accept when i got it it had been in a tackel box for at least 15 years and the finsish is gone and the blade is pitted but it cleaned up nice i still use it for killing skates and sharks on the boat.

[torpid]

Not only does the Ka-Bar make a poor pry bar, but it is a highly inappropriate substitute for toilet paper as well.

:uhoh:

[allmons]

Here I am, reading along, ready to comment on my KaBar combat knife when I read torpid's line. Next thing I know, diet Pepsi is spewing from my nose and I am laughing uncontrollably. Good one, torpid!
:)

I have had my KaBar for better than 30 years, bought at Fort Polk long ago. I have no qualms still carrying this knife in any dangerous situation, but I keep a folding shovel and a camp axe in my BugOut gear so that I don't use the knife for inappropriate things.

Ummm.... I keep toilet paper also. ;)

[Boats]

That's a Cliff Stamp photo, but what I think it illustrates is a heat treat that made the blade too brittle, the snap line is too clean and a properly treated blade would have distorted more.

[ecos]

but what I think it illustrates is a heat treat that made the blade too brittle, the snap line is too clean and a properly treated blade would have distorted more.

hard to tell for sure in the picture but i would have to agree with you.

people make knives with thick grinds, thick steel, beefy handles and think thats good enough for a hard use knife when they could have made a knife that was tougher and cut better out of thinner stock with proper geometry and heat treating.

[Dirty Bob]

If I were heading to the sandbox, I'd probably take along a TDI as a backup knife, carried concealed behind a mag pouch. The angled handle makes it easier to carry, and I really like the design for up-close defense. Perfect? Nothing is, but the TDI is small/light enough to add to one's kit without much penalty.

It would not be my only knife, but I think it fills a niche that wasn't covered very well before. I think KABAR has a winner here. I spoke with their marketing director, and she said they're selling about double the number of TDIs that they anticipated.

I also have a standard "Ka-Bar." It's a great knife, but I can't carry it in Texas (5.5" blade limit).

Regards,
Dirty Bob

[hso]

Yep, that's the bigger BKT that Ciffy busted. You should read the whole article before you pass judgement though (Cliff plays ROUGH with his test toys :evil: ).

[RoyG]

I'd probably take along a TDI as a backup knife

Looks like a TDI is on my wish list now.

[RoyG]

FYI...

KA-BAR® TDI™ Law Enforcement Knife with Plain Blade (http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eCommerce/product.jsp?PriceEnd=&order=Default&CatalogName=&range=51&list=50&Feature=&SearchText=KABAR%20&Mode=Text&Brand=&PriceStart=&SKU=KA1480)

http://www.eknifeworks.com/large/knife/KA1480.jpg

[Soap]

Cliff Stamp could "break an anvil" :p

[Bob41081]

Can we please leave Cliffy at Bladeforums. This is the High Road so I can really comment about how I feel About Stiffy.

Bob