USMC Kabar as Camp Knife??

by **0122358** » Sat May 19, 2012 9:38 pm

So i have a good old fashioned Kabar fighting knife with the rubberiezed handle and black finish...but here is my question...can the kabar be used as a batoning knife or camp knife? Ive heard yes, ive hear no beucase you can ben the blade from the handle...so what is all your expierences. I really want a BK2 companion, but the money ist there right now...my Kabar has never been used becuse of this question.

Thanks.

EDIT...I ALWAYS HAVE MY SAWVIVOR, SOG POWERLOCK AND A FOLDER FOR FINER TASKS

by **KnightoftheRoc** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:20 pm

Can you post a pic of it? If it's the one I'm thinking of, bending it would probably require a tank or something, but I'm guessing as to which knife, here. Assuming by "good old fashioned" you mean a WWII era production, and not a reproduction or a much later (cheaper built) version, the steel was just about as good as you could get, and Kabar got it's rep by producing an excellent knife. Using it for normal camp activities wouldn't phase one of the WWII knives in the least- but I'd be thinking a lot about keeping it out of the daily use lineup because of it's collector value, if that were the case.
YMMV

by **0122358** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:34 pm

KnightoftheRoc wrote:Can you post a pic of it? If it's the one I'm thinking of, bending it would probably require a tank or something, but I'm guessing as to which knife, here. Assuming by "good old fashioned" you mean a WWII era production, and not a reproduction or a much later (cheaper built) version, the steel was just about as good as you could get, and Kabar got it's rep by producing an excellent knife. Using it for normal camp activities wouldn't phase one of the WWII knives in the least- but I'd be thinking a lot about keeping it out of the daily use lineup because of it's collector value, if that were the case.
YMMV

This is the same knife i have, just mine has a leather sheath.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Fighting-Ut ... =8-2-spell

by **hotlead** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:48 pm

Your KaBar will do you fine, provided it actually says "KA-BAR, Olean, NY" on the ricassa.

If you do something stupid, you will damage any knife, normal use and competent ownership of a quality knife will give you something to pass to your grandkids. I've owned and used KaBar knives for 24 years, the first one was a U.S. Navy MkII given to me by my Grand Dad when I joined the Boy Scouts, and I've aquired many of my own since. I've dressed hogs and cleaned fish, dug out slivers, batoned wood for countless fires, and about 17,894,537 other things that knives can be used for with a KaBar or two. There are those that are all about Mora knives or CRKT, or Buck, or Gerber, or whatever, and will tell you you need one of those, but your money is already spent. Becker is good stuff, a Becker 9" Bowie will likely replace the 94 year old M-1917 Bolo knife I currently use for heavier stuff pretty soon.

You have a good knife, get out and do stuff with it.

by **KnightoftheRoc** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:50 pm

OK, so this is a more modern version of the original design- which means, sadly, that the steel isn't the manganese steel used in WWII. Still, not absolute crap, either- it says on the amazon link that the blade is 1095 chrome vanadium steel. That's the same stuff some of my more expensive mechanic tools are made of, and it beats 440 stainless 8 ways from Sunday. If you whack the back of the blade for batoning with another piece of wood, I don't see this giving up the ghost any time soon- but there's really only one way to find out for sure: you willing to spend $60 on a replacement? I'm assuming from the design and the fact that it's Kabar, that they kept the full tang design- anyone care to confirm/deny that?

by **0122358** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:58 pm

KnightoftheRoc wrote:
OK, so this is a more modern version of the original design- which means, sadly, that the steel isn't the manganese steel used in WWII. Still, not absolute crap, either- it says on the amazon link that the blade is 1095 chrome vanadium steel. That's the same stuff some of my more expensive mechanic tools are made of, and it beats 440 stainless 8 ways from Sunday. If you whack the back of the blade for batoning with another piece of wood, I don't see this giving up the ghost any time soon- but there's really only one way to find out for sure: you willing to spend $60 on a replacement? I'm assuming from the design and the fact that it's Kabar, that they kept the full tang design- anyone care to confirm/deny that?

i can tell just by looking at the prommel at the bottom edge of the knife, that it is full tang...but not full tang that the same time. When the blade enters the handle, it is still one piece, just narrower.

And if i do damage it, then im planning on buying a BK2 here anyway so itll give me that much more of an excuse

by **Barr** » Sat May 19, 2012 11:58 pm

I have one of those knives and yes the full tang design was kept.

I've used mine to do a variety of camp chores and the only thing other than dulling the blade like any knife would was the finish doesn't stay as pretty, basically what you would expect.

by **hotlead** » Sun May 20, 2012 12:05 am

Yep, here's a recently purchaced newer production KaBar that Bubba was trying to work some handle customizing magic on,

(Photobucket is acting up, so you'll have to imagine this is a picture of a KaBar blade with the handle and hilt removed showing the full length tang)

by **Kutter_0311** » Sun May 20, 2012 3:13 am

Those knives will take some beating.

When you have the cash for another, try the Gerber LMF II(link to review) instead of the BK2.

by **Boondock** » Sun May 20, 2012 8:31 am

I've had my Ka-Bar since 1993. Jumped it, humped it, worn it on at least two deployments. The leather sheath looks worn and there's a hole from when I landed on it a bit rough on Sicily drop zone.

Overall, I think it's a sturdy piece of gear. But is the Ka-Bar a great bushcraft or camping tool? Not exactly, it's a fighting knife, after all.

Kind of like the difference between a hatchet and a tomahawk, one's a tool that can be used as a weapon, the other's a weapon that can function as a tool.

Still, there's a lot one can accomplish with a balanced, full tang, 7-inch blade that's got a finger guard. You can baton wood, pound stakes with the pommel, even skin large game.

Take care of the Ka-Bar, provided it's not a cheap imitation, and it'll take care of you. I say use it if that's what you got.

by **0122358** » Sun May 20, 2012 11:12 am

Kutter_0311 wrote:Those knives will take some beating.

When you have the cash for another, try the Gerber LMF II(link to review) instead of the BK2.

you know i was actually looking at those last night whilst browsing through the fixed blade thread...and i think theyre cool...but im just not a fan of serrations on my fixed blade...or any blade for that matter, tried them, just didnt work for me...

plus how well do serrations do when batoning?

Although i do love the sheath and all the mounting options and built in sharpener...

by **Dawgboy** » Sun May 20, 2012 11:40 am

Feel free to beat that with a stick. I have an old Vietnam era Air Farce model and it was my camp knife for almost 30 years. Durable as the hubs of Hell.

by **ninja-elbow** » Mon May 21, 2012 12:16 pm

If it truly is a Kabar, then you will be fine using it as a utility/camp knife. I used one as that (except for any re-creation stuff I was doing) for over a decade. Then I needed a new knife as my Kabar got a little wiggly in the handle after 10 years of being batoned, and I admit a bit improperly for much of that batoning, and I decided to get a new knife. This was 2007 and I ended up going all scandi.

That Kabar lasted 13 years though. 13 years of doing everyting a Kabar would be asked to do other than fight. It's a good fucking knife.

by **praharin** » Mon May 21, 2012 4:56 pm

I voted yes. I was issued a Camillus fighting knife while in the Corps while a SAW gunner, and it had been very poorly taken care of but was still very serviceable. Later on, I found a Kabar brand USMC Fighting Knife in a chow hall in Iraq. Someone had been using it to cut shrink wrap to cover meals-to-go. I still have that one and it's a great knife

Get one and you will be pleased.

But I do like turtles...

by **Shado67** » Mon May 21, 2012 6:42 pm

I have this knife (foliage handle) with serrated edge. It's awesome, and indestructible. It batons, cleans fish, and anything else. It's 1095 crovan steel, hard.

by **111t** » Wed May 30, 2012 10:13 pm

It's a good knife. I would say a supplemental smaller blade would be good for fine carving. The tang does go all the way through, but as noted it's a lot narrower. It's pretty tough though. $60 is not that expensive as far as knives go. My advice is beat on it and see if it holds up for you.

by **TripleThreat** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:32 am

Good luck to all

by **BadIntel** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:06 am

Among all my other knives, I have two Kabars, and I love them. I got a big, full-size one first, and then got a smaller one before I went to SERE school. They haven't been beaten up as much as some people's on here, but the smaller one did go to SERE with me, and I was able to effectively dig a Dakota fire pit with it with no damage (actually didn't even really dull it).

by **Tetra Grammaton Cleric** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:18 am

My second for realz fixed blade knife ever was a black KaBar USMC Knife with the full tang "stacked" handle as per the USAF Survival Knife. As a dumb kid I beat the crap out of it, threw it at shit I shouldn't have, chopped shit I shouldn't have, dropped it in rivers, all that - it still out shined the "rambo knives" it replaced (duh) and kept on kicking until some fuck stole it.

I still miss that knife some thirty years later.

Like folks have already said, it'll handle the use you will put it to.

-

by **Boondock** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:22 am

Not a bad video of what a Ka-Bar can and cannot do:

by **JustAGirl** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:38 pm

I have the Ka-Bar 7 inch Utility knife for my main camp knife. Like this: http://www.armynavyshop.com/prods/rc3253.html
The only real dfference I observed between this and the fighting knives is the lack of partial serrate and some tips. Or is there something else I am missing? Is the tang different inside, weight distribution or thickness with the fghting knife? $60 bucks? Wow, I paid like $90.

I have learned you have to keep the Ka-Bar oiled without fail because the edge does rust. Even after the first high desert trip, I didn't clean and oil it right after I returned home (should have brought oil! or at least used olive oil while out there) and it did rust. I noticed it about 2 weeks after. I also found that it didn't keep an edge as much as I would have liked. It is solid though, if you use it as a utility knife should be used, I think it will last a very long time. I can't imagine it bending with even harder usage. BTW for delicate work, like cleaning a fish, it is not very useful, but can be done. lol

Honestly, although I use it for a lot of jobs (nothing too heavy), I mostly use it for cutting paracord, general light utility and to take with me into the bush when nature calls. It could be an effective fighting knife if need be. As an aside, I use my clip point Recon 1 more for general use (eating, cooking, as a tool, cutting) while riding dirt (I leave the Ka-Bar at camp). But the locking mechanism is extremely annoying to close. Sand also readily gets into the mechanism which is quite audible even with much rinsing and oiling.

I also have a Tomahawk and small hatchet but the hatchet is pretty weighty for its usefulness. The Tomahawk is just for fun, it's light, but I am not proficient enough to be useful with it. I rarely bring either anymore due to the type of wood available where we often go. But I am considering sharpening the hatchet to improve its usefulness and giving it another try.

Overall I like the Ka-Bar Utility knife a lot. I also love the heavy duty leather sheath. I like it better than a Kydex sheath as I have for my back-up. I would never use a nylon sheath, personally.

by **JustAGirl** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:14 pm

Boondock wrote:Not a bad video of what a Ka-Bar can and cannot do:

Thanks for posting tht vid, Boondock! My Ka_Bar is NOT that sharp. Must improve my sharpening skills. That's actually the first video I have watched on batoning or any similar knife use. Clearly my Ka-Bar can do more than what I use it for.

by **Turtlewolf** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 4:58 pm

Okay here goes, the USMC fighting knife if manufactured by a reputable maker such as KABAR or OKC is a good knife but the knife is not freaking called the Kabar Fighting Knife, it is the USMC Fighting Knife and the civilian reproductions made by KABAR are good knives but the ones manufactured by OKC (not reproductions-they didn't ever stop making them and are still official USMC issue) are just as good except that they are 1095 instead of 1095CV.
The knife should last a life time and more if taken care of.

by **111t** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:12 pm

Yeah that $90+ price is way high for that model knife. 60-70 is about the going rate. I generally check amazon, the knifecenteroftheinrernet and smoky mountain knife works when pricing knives.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store ... ction=true

I have both the model in the video as well as the non serrated Kraton handle one. I have both the Kydex and leather sheaths for both. I have the original kydex design and more often than not I carry the leather sheaths. The guy in the video calls the leather sheath "junk" but I haven't seen that to be the case. I'm not sure what he has against it but some people just like kydex.

The only other point regarding the video is that I don't really like the kabar for chopping. It's really not designed for it IMHO. It's designed for general utility, cutting things and stabbing people. (not advocating assault). I'm just pointing out where the 7" length came from.

My advice if you want to chop and slash with an edged implement is a good quality machete.