Ka-Bar, Share your opinion

[Biggfoot44]

Shitty steel LOL.

1095 is Not shitty steel . ( Assuming actual K Bar or equally Authentic Camillius , not generic kbar shaped object for $10 at flea market )

Old School , not rust resistant , but time tested combination of hardness , toughness , edge holding , and ease of sharpening .

 

[eruby]

Bought mine at the Lejeune Exchange in '82. I don't know where it is at the moment. It doesn't hold an edge during use as well as it is expected or should.

The dead lady that stole the $10 vodka probably stole your knife

 

[TheBert]

The dead lady that stole the $10 vodka probably stole your knife

I hope my knife isn't in her car.

 

[brianns]

That is an enormous cock ring. Much respect.

Funny it’s shaped like a carabiner though

 

[Bob A]

I used mine to take out Charlie when I was in ‘Nam

Charlie Sheen? He was only a kid. You must be thinking of his dad.

 

[Boats]

My thoughts:

The KaBar is an iconic mass produced fighting knife. The steel (1095) is just fine with the right heat treat. The stacked leather grip feels better in the hand than even some modern designs and materials.

That said: The heat treat on KaBar is either non-existent or rudimentary, and they don't hold an edge well. They are easy to field sharpen, and take a keen edge, but lose it quickly. The construction, fit, and finish is usually sub-par, and the blade design, while excellent for a fighting knife, struggles with what most knives are used for: utilitarian tasks.

The design has been eclipsed by more modern designs and steels like the Ontario RAT-7 D2, The Hogue EX-F01 A2 fixed blade, The Spyderco Rock Salt, Some of the Tops designs, or anything from Busse or Swamprat.

The balance of a KaBar is indicative of its purpose. A neutral, slightly pommel heavy balance for fast handling, typical of a fighting knife. The balance, finger guard, and clip point make it excellent for fast stabbing, the long, uninterrupted edge make it decent for slicing but is let down by poor edge retention. For chopping, hacking or batoning it is poor.

Bottom line, as a weapon it is pretty good. As a tool it is pretty poor.

 

[Doco Overboard]

1095 is Not shitty steel . ( Assuming actual K Bar or equally Authentic Camillius , not generic kbar shaped object for $10 at flea market )

Old School , not rust resistant , but time tested combination of hardness , toughness , edge holding , and ease of sharpening .

Thanks for the metallurgical lesson. Its nearly the same steel used in M1903 manufacture prior to the nickel steel receivers as far as I know.
Both types are used for levers bolts studs rebar etc and are dependent on heat treating for hardness not unlike other iron based metallic alloyed metals used to manufacture tool's implements and of course 1903 single heat treat receivers.
I dont know much about flea market knives or equally authentic facsimiles becuase I dont own any.
A knife that cant be readily sharpened in the field, isn't worth owning IMO.

 

[Tod]

My father’s kbar survived Korea but almost didn’t survive my hippie brother. After Dad passed I found it in my brothers tool box, was using it as a gasket scraper. I took it cleaned it up and he has never mentioned it.
It will go to my son… most precious knives in my collection.

 

[4g64loser]

My father’s kbar survived Korea but almost didn’t survive my hippie brother. After Dad passed I found it in my brothers tool box, was using it as a gasket scraper. I took it cleaned it up and he has never mentioned it.
It will go to my son… most precious knives in my collection. View attachment 429411

Awesome!

Glad you got them and are going to pass them down.

I have a twin to the bayonet you do, from my grandfather's things same era. Had to do some rust removal (grandmother didn't know it was in the box with other things/decorations). It may be a mass produced knife but I will keep it anyway.

 

[Tod]

I still sometimes attach the bayonet to my m1 carbine as my father did in Korea.

 

[4g64loser]

I still sometimes attach the bayonet to my m1 carbine as my father did in Korea.

Much respect.

I don't have an m1 carbine to do.that with. I do keep the bayonet at a 20degree edge that you can shave with. Pointless, I know, but it seems right.

 

[joppaj]

Much respect.

I don't have an m1 carbine to do.that with. I do keep the bayonet at a 20degree edge that you can shave with. Pointless, I know, but it seems right.

The point is that little sharp bit right at the end.

 

[Finn]

I have had mine for years... been a great camp/truck knife. I have blades that hold their edge longer under use and I have blades that look cooler.
The KABAR is a great tool to have around and never disappoints and so far has never let me down. When my father passes I will get both his and PopPop's KARBARs as well.

 

[4g64loser]

The point is that little sharp bit right at the end.

You got me. Fair and square.

 

[Dave.B]

My EDC

View attachment 429281

Is that stiletto an Edgeco kit knife? I haven't seen one of those in many years.

 

[outrider58]

Is that stiletto an Edgeco kit knife? I haven't seen one of those in many years.

Yup

 

[owldo]

This is mine.

Now your talkin ... I also have an older 7" blade SOG Seal

 

[Dave.B]

Yup

View attachment 441423

A nice bit of 80s knife nostalgia. I found four new old stock Edgeco OTF kits 4-5 years ago at a gun show for $20 each. Only three of them survived assembly. One literally fell apart in my hands putting the blade in. Lol

 

[outrider58]

A nice bit of 80s knife nostalgia. I found four new old stock Edgeco OTF kits 4-5 years ago at a gun show for $20 each. Only three of them survived assembly. One literally fell apart in my hands putting the blade in. Lol

They are pieces of time. The "greaser" era. I love mine. I skun a deer with it once.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Just have to be careful to clean the blade completely before retracting , so as to not gum up the knifes internals