KA-BAR or Mora for first knife?

[Amon81]

Owning both I'd say without question the Mora. Easy to keep sharp, fantastic blade shape and grind to do pretty much anything.

 

[Ronnie]

The Ka-bar seems to be a bit of an American obsession. It's interesting how different cultures gravitate towards different tools.

 

[ebt.]

probably because ka-bar did the USMC combat knife for WWII.....

 

[Ronnie]

Aye, but I don't go into the woods for combat - usually the opposite

 

[British Red]

KA-BAR are not good,

Actually they are, good steel, decent handle , good heat treat. Nothing wrong with them at all - a well made knife at a good price. A different sort of knife, but not a bad one by any stretch

 

[santaman2000]

probably because ka-bar did the USMC combat knife for WWII.....

Our obsession is with Bowie knives. The Kabar USMC "utlity knife" is just a well made and inexpensive small bowie. But their reputation as the WWII knife doesn't hurt; although interestingly the actual issue knife was (and is still) made by various different brand manufactures. Mine is Camilus.

 

[Paganwolf]

there is no "ideal" knife IMO, Mora for general bushcraft tasks is an ideal blade, but a larger Kabar is more utilitarian for camp duties id say the "best production bushcraft knife" is a Stromeng Leuku 8/9 inch and then if you want to just carve spoons get a little frosts carving knife for your pack. If i was stuck out somewhere i know what id rather have out of the Leuku and the mora.

 

[MartiniDave]

My Ka-Bar is also a Camilus, the WW2 pattern one, nice knife, good steel, but a bit of a big old brute. I use my moras and hultafors much much more.

Dave

 

[Corso]

.

? I don't think they're the "most liked." As I said, I've still never seen one and had never even heard of Mora until a year or so ago. Don't know of anyone over here who stocks them other than online.

you have lived a sheltered life


http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html

http://www.swedishknives.com/

http://www.bushcraftoutfitters.com/Knives_c15.htm

My Ka-Bar is also a Camilus, the WW2 pattern one, nice knife, good steel, but a bit of a big old brute. I use my moras and hultafors much much more.

Dave

how does that work? arn't Ka-bar and Camilus two different companies - do you mean you have a USMC knife made by Camilus that the same pattern as a Ka bar - iirc all the main knife manufatures around that time made them for the war effort - Marbles was another one

 

[oldtimer]

.

? I don't think they're the "most liked." As I said, I've still never seen one and had never even heard of Mora until a year or so ago. Don't know of anyone over here who stocks them other than online.

I wonder where Cody Lundin gets his from then?

 

[Kepis]

.Don't know of anyone over here who stocks them other than online.

Appreciate you are in Florida, but one of the outdoor shops i used to visit on a regular basis up in NH always had a good range of Mora's on the shelf, not been there for a couple of years now though, so things may have changed a bit, but i doubt it.

 

[MartiniDave]

how does that work? arn't Ka-bar and Camilus two different companies

Quite common for the military to source the same thing from different companies. When I was a pistol shooter I several of my shooting buddies had Colt 1911 pistols. Mine was a Colt, others owned identical pistols made by Remington (the typewriter company) and by Union Switch and Signal Co. Same happened with the Ka-Bar, some made by Ka-bar, some by Camilus. No real diference.

 

[santaman2000]

Appreciate you are in Florida, but one of the outdoor shops i used to visit on a regular basis up in NH always had a good range of Mora's on the shelf, not been there for a couple of years now though, so things may have changed a bit, but i doubt it.

Agreed they're sold elsewhere but that wasn't my point. You hit on it when you listed two separate localities. They aren't seen here in Florida. Aat least not up here in the panhandle but I cain't speak for Southern Florida although I never saw them in the Keys either.

I've never been to new hampshire but then again I never saw Moras in Neveada, Texas, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, etc, etc. Bear in mind that I haven't been to many of those places in years however and as you said things do change. From what I'm reading Mora is becoming popular over here as well but aht said, I still haven't seen one.

 

[santaman2000]

....how does that work? arn't Ka-bar and Camilus two different companies - do you mean you have a USMC knife made by Camilus that the same pattern as a Ka bar - iirc all the main knife manufatures around that time made them for the war effort - Marbles was another one

Yes they are two different companies. It's rather like calling all vacuum cleaners a 'hoover' regarless of who actually made it.

Actually it even applies to guns; the Colt 1911 was made by several different companies under license during the war. Including railroad tool companies (Union Switch and Signal) and truck manufacturers (International Harvester)

 

[santaman2000]

Quite common for the military to source the same thing from different companies. When I was a pistol shooter I several of my shooting buddies had Colt 1911 pistols. Mine was a Colt, others owned identical pistols made by Remington (the typewriter company) and by Union Switch and Signal Co. Same happened with the Ka-Bar, some made by Ka-bar, some by Camilus. No real diference.

However the current commercial ones do show some difference. Kabar seems to have quite a bit better quality control as far as the ashtetics.

 

[santaman2000]

I wonder where Cody Lundin gets his from then?

Somewhere else maybe? LOL. Not in the Florida panhandle for sure.

 

[abominable_scouse_monster]

Actually it even applies to guns; the Colt 1911 was made by several different companies under license during the war. Including railroad tool companies (Union Switch and Signal) and truck manufacturers (International Harvester)

If you ever come to the UK and go to the Royal armoury's you can see a M1 Garrand with the IBM logo.

To the OP, Please do not get a K-Bar while it is a great knife it is a utility / tactical combo it's designed to work for as a survival tool and as a fighting knife in the UK the police don't like knifes but one that looks menacing like a K-Bar will cause problems. On one police knife ID poster I have seen has a picture of a k-bar and it's listed as a combat knife, I don't want to see you land in the brown sticky stuff and having that label attached to it will not help you at all if you get pulled over.

 

[Corso]

If you ever come to the UK and go to the Royal armoury's you can see a M1 Garrand with the IBM logo.

To the OP, Please do not get a K-Bar while it is a great knife it is a utility / tactical combo it's designed to work for as a survival tool and as a fighting knife in the UK the police don't like knifes but one that looks menacing like a K-Bar will cause problems. On one police knife ID poster I have seen has a picture of a k-bar and it's listed as a combat knife, I don't want to see you land in the brown sticky stuff and having that label attached to it will not help you at all if you get pulled over.

not sure I agree, while the Ka-bar USMC fighting knife has a rep as a military knife I dont think this looks any more menacing than a falkniven S1 or various other prodduction fixed blades



View attachment 14740

I nearly picked one up myself.

I was just put off that there is a plastic ring between the leather handle and the metal hand guard and that the handle is a little small and pommel a little oversized

 

[Robbi]

I like the Ka-Bar

 

[Descant]

I always think that KA BAR knives look a bit military and are liable to give regular people the wrong idea about you.
I know it's still a tool not a weapon etc. but appearances can be misconstrued , particularly by ramblers who may come upon you by accident whilst you are preparing your campsite or splitting wood for a fire.Next thing you know your tent is surrounded by armed police! :AR15firin

Get a Mora or if you want to spend a bit more , a Helle or a Boker bushcraft.
You will , as we all do , attract knives like an electro-magnet as you get more into the hobby.There is always a reason to have more sharp shiny toys.
Sorry , I meant TOOLS.
Cheers , Simon

Hahaha, this did make me chuckle

You come over from Reddit by any chance?

Nope, I don't have a Reddit account. Why do you ask?

Well, why not get both if you can afford it? I'd hate to only have one knife, ansd as Dave Canterbury is fond of saying "In survival two is one and one is none".
Anyway, you know you want to!

Dave

I want to but unfortunately as a student, I can't afford both

Mora. Definitely. Go for one of the cheaper ones like the Clipper,Companion or Robust. I don't feel bad wailing on my Moras when splitting kindling etc. Easy to sharpen and CHEAP. The sheath is not great but not terrible.

Mhm this is true, I'd still rather keep my knife intact though

My good lady bought me a Chris reeve fixed blade bowie (one piece jobbie), I loved that knife from the moment I opened the box and read the birth certificate, but the first time I scratched the blade was heart breaking and I put it in the draw until I decided what to do, in the end I sold it and vowed never to own a knife that I would think twice about pounding on.
Obviously one of the knives I bought with the funds shattered while battoning a serious piece of timber, doubt the chris reeve would have somehow... :bluThinki

Ahh couldn't you have kept it as a drawer piece? You could always have put it to good use cutting up carrots

If you ever come to the UK and go to the Royal armoury's you can see a M1 Garrand with the IBM logo.

To the OP, Please do not get a K-Bar while it is a great knife it is a utility / tactical combo it's designed to work for as a survival tool and as a fighting knife in the UK the police don't like knifes but one that looks menacing like a K-Bar will cause problems. On one police knife ID poster I have seen has a picture of a k-bar and it's listed as a combat knife, I don't want to see you land in the brown sticky stuff and having that label attached to it will not help you at all if you get pulled over.

Yeah I was put off by that but the Mark 1 isn't as threatening as the USMC version. Still, wouldn't want to land in any trouble with the fuzz as a typical 18 year old with a big bad knife who claims to be 'camping' :/

I like the Ka-Bar

Nice knives, KA-BAR looking nice ;D



Thanks to all who have posted - although I still haven't purchased either yet as I had to cancel my bank card because I lost it Ahh well, it's too damn cold at the moment to do anything interesting anyway!
The KA-BAR just strikes me as being reliable for some reason, even though it's not full tang.
However, the Mora robust/clipper are obviously reliable enough, and would probably be better suited for my purposes, especially at the price! Will probably buy a Robust when my new card arrives

Cheers for all the help & advice