Anyone own a USMC Ka-Bar knife?

YES, I'm sure that someone somewhere does.

reply to post by Romans 10:9


Moonwilson is right. I love the Mora knives too. They only cost about $20 but don't let the price fool you, these are great knives. Blade length is about 3/12 to 4" which is ideal for survival purposes. Ever try skinning an animal with a Kabar? Forget it! Ditto for carving small trap parts etc.
I;ve owned many knives including the Kabar and had occasion to use them extensively. The only time I ever broke a Mora was trying to use it to split a 5" piece of Dogwood with it.
Multitools are great for survival purposes but they will never replace a full-tang knife. Fact is, you'll want both.
Unless your in the jungle for years I don;t think the leather handle on a Kabar would rot.

I used to work for the UK distributor of Gerber blades. My favourite, personally, is the BMF (Big Mother F****r). Keeps a great edge for a long time, even when seriously abused on board a busy boat as a day-to day tool.

This is the knife I carry, Ill post two vids, you can find the rest on youtube








[edit on 16-6-2010 by ManBehindTheMask]

[edit on 16-6-2010 by ManBehindTheMask]

I have one but more for show. Got it from my Dad who served in Vietnam. Not the one he carried(lost it), bought a replacement later. Looks similar to this one but a little more beat up.

reply to post by Romans 10:9


I don't have the USMC Model. But I do have the same knife, by that I mean it's the exact same blade. Mine just has the rubber material n the handle and a plastic sheath.

It's an Ok knife. Holds a decent edge. You can do better though tbh.

I'd say it's just a pretty decent quality, but if you want superb.. Im not sure where to send you for that.

I have and use a USMC Ka-Bar, and as moonwilson explained the Ka-Bar does have its limits but I also carry this:
images.andale.com...
as an all around camp tool.

Reply to post by Romans 10:9

I have 1 that served me well through phantom fury(falluja 2004) i have no complaints


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Here is a SOG remake of the classic K-Bar with no leather wrap:

An instinctual new handle shape with bold diamond checkering and scored with grip lines

Gov-Tac - Black TiNi

I bought one of these for camping/survival, and it’s a very nice, sturdy, knife.

The KaBar, though robust, is way too big. Carry a seal pup and a hatchet.

So far the best knife I've abused is the coldsteel bushman. Nothing to break here just one simple rolled piece of sharp steel handle and blade are one piece, also the handle is hollow so you can fill it with gear or attack it to a stick to make a spear.

I do own a Ka-Bar and the ONLY reason I own it is because of the history of the knife , I received it as a gift from my father when I Graduated Boot Camp on P.I. Back in 99'. I love the look of the knife and I used it a few times during MCT to open MRE's , but that was the extent of it's field use...lol It now resides in my safe. It's a decent all around knife for fieldwork and I'd recommend it because I think it's well made and decently priced.

Now my BABY is my Ranger RD-4 . I had wanted to get an original one that was made by Justin , but it wasn't in my budget so I settled for the one that Ontario produces. ( at $85 delivered It's a BARGAIN!!!)

This knife is a BEAST , It's made out of 5160 and it's rated @ 57-58 RC and is a full 1/4 thick. It is the most solid knife I've ever held and I'm pretty sure It's indestructible.

If you need a knife that absolutely bombproof It gets my vote!. Moonwilson also gave you some very solid recommendations on the 1st page. You can't go wrong with any of them... at the end of the day It's about what feels right for you & the RD-4 spoke to me when I picked it up , it just fit "right".

Ontario Knife website







[edit on 19-7-2010 by EyesWideShut]

Does anyone know of a good knife that can be used in the UK legally? Were not allowed any fun over here at all

reply to post by spolvil


Getting caught with ANY type of blade on the street/in cars etc is an arrestable offence in the UK now it seems.Folks have had swiss army knives taken and been arrested.

If you want to use knives in the UK,become a chef,or a craftsman.
You can still use them as tools for jobs,thats about it though.

Does not seem to stop the feral youth from packing blades though does it?

I used to use survival/outdoors knives as a kid,could buy them without ID,no questions asked.
But I used them in the forests,and on the mountains-mostly to chop firewood and make shelters.Nothing violent.

These days,It seems kids today would rather use knives to stab one another,rather than go camping or whatever.

Damn shame.

I did like the look of Silo13s short tanto though,and that "scrapper 6 scrapyard knife" looked mean as well.Simple functional yet solid knives are usually the best workhorses IMO.

No chance in the UK though.

I owned two USAF Ka-Bars that were my favorites until they were stolen.

I own a wide variety of knives and lately have been fond of my Smith & Wesson Bullseye camp set. It's cheap, 440 steel but it has a nice, heavy cleaver suitable for hacking brush, chopping branches, arms, heads, etc. Keeps a good edge and has proven quite handy around my property. There are two other knives in the set, the trio is enough to cover most needs.

For all-around use, not so bad.

For fighting knives I have throwing knives, custom knives, and fixed and folding blades.

My advice for SHTF situations is not to bank on any one knife, but have a dozen or so. You never know when you might need to arm your companions who didn't bring anything or lost what they had. Pound for pound, a multitude of knives serves you better, whether for trading, use, or equipping others.

www.knivesplus.com...

Cheers for the U2U Birddog...cant reply though as im not up to 20 posts yet.

That knife does look good (Buck 105) but that will get me arrested if found on me in the UK. Still - in a SHTF im not sure that the local plod will be too bothered!

Let me first start out saying the ka-bar is designed to perform a specific task. it is a decent field use knife. but remember, it is designed for a specific task. ive trained using this knife and it is the USMC fighting knife. ie; fighting. you should definatly have more than one TooL, also look into flintknapping (yes, it could be hard to find but ancient peoples obviously used it quite effectivley, wouldnt you agree). this obviously opens a much broader topic discussion. TooL making. however simple the tool, effectiveness and field expediance are of most importance.

Humanity did not arrive at a SHTF scenario without the implementation of TOOLS

I have had USMC Ka-Bar for a while now and i love it, i have the black Kraton handled one with the Kydex sheath.

I've done a lot with it, but i'm not the type to use it to destruction like on the knife tests online, i don't have the money to waste knives like that.

I am very interested in the Scrapper 6, i have been debating getting a Becker Campanion as they look indestructable.....i would love to hear about comparisons between the two...

Becker Campanion

I don't think the USMC knife is as indestructable as others, but like people say, it is purpose built and that does not mean it's right for every task.

It's a nice addition to the toolbox though.

CX.

[edit on 22/8/10 by CX]

I have a customized Kabar USMC, used it for years in the bush hunting or camping. It's a pretty solid knife, has a good weight on it which helps against bears.

Only downside is the blade needs a lot of sharpening, definitely not the quality of modern standard issue knives (like OKC). It would probably be more useful if it was the serration model too.