Ka-bar
- Thread starter FerlasDave
- Start date
The KaBar is what the KaBar is... a knife. How many of us have just one knife? How many of us have tried out a multitude of knives only to find out "the one" wasn't "the one" after all? That's how we've ended up with shelf sitters and drawers full of knives. I retired after 22 years in the Marine Corps, all of it infantry. I'm well acquainted with the KaBar. The one I carried for the better part of my adult life, including through three wars (Iraq included) is sitting in the top drawer of my tool chest in my shop, like me, a retired old Veteran. I've got my share of Moras and custom bushcraft jobs, but not a one of them can hold a candle to my KaBar. Is it a perfect bushcraft knife? No. But it did a great job until I discovered all of the stuff I had been doing for years as a Marine grunt was called "bushcrafting" and I was supposed to have a special knife for it. Bottom line: if you want one, go buy it. Use it. You'll get hooked. Then you'll find another knife you like. Then another and another. It's an addiction. Have fun with it. Just don't tick off the wife.
damn I miss it.
Got me another one!!!!
WOOP WOOP!
And its a circa 1990s one with a leather stacked handle. Not going to get rid of this one!.
Got me another one!!!!
WOOP WOOP!
And its a circa 1990s one with a leather stacked handle. Not going to get rid of this one!.
I've had a couple, and sold both on to get more kit
The more recent one i cleared our back hedge, a good 25 metres long and 3 feet deep with just a kabar.Great bits of kit and i'd give my eye teeth for another one (although i've had my eye teeth out so i'd have to go to the dentist and demand them back
)
Got me another one!!!!
WOOP WOOP!
And its a circa 1990s one with a leather stacked handle. Not going to get rid of this one!.
its the price that shocked me mate, dont say a word
USMC Knife or Ka-Bar was patterned after the Marbles Ideal hunting knife. Due to shortages in equiptment and the rush to prepare for combat in WWII. The manufacture of the Marine combat/utility knife was contracted out to several companys, KA-BAR & Camillus being two of the biggest. the knife has been used for war duties since 1943,
but far and away the largest use has been in the utility role by the millions men who served in peace time.
Umm the ka-bar debate pops up with a certain degree of frequency. I have a short version, use it all the time, I like it. Not as easy to sharpen as a scandi knife but once you figure out the technique its not a problem. I have given my ka-bar a real workout over the years, still going strong.
I have knives that are probably better bushcraft tools than the ka-bar but despite that I keep grabbing the ka-bar. Nothing like growing old with a trusted friend.
I have knives that are probably better bushcraft tools than the ka-bar but despite that I keep grabbing the ka-bar. Nothing like growing old with a trusted friend.
I've had a couple, and sold both on to get more kit
Great bits of kit and i'd give my eye teeth for another one (although i've had my eye teeth out so i'd have to go to the dentist and demand them back
I know how you feel mate. I sold mine on last year for a few bits, a week later and I wanted it back.
Sold my left arm to get this one. mind you I ripped his left arm off when he told me the price.
I know how you feel mate. I sold mine on last year for a few bits, a week later and I wanted it back.
Sold my left arm to get this one. mind you I ripped his left arm off when he told me the price.
Do tell
Sold my left arm to get this one. mind you I ripped his left arm off when he told me the price.
yes.... im sure you where horrified, thats money you could have spent on a dairy milk and a bus ticket.
Well, he did throw in some molle webbing, complete with bullet hole from the gulf.
I hope that wasn't a Cammils. They're collecters now. Possibly wotrh twice the price of a new one.
Have to agree with you about not being good for carving. When it comes to the other tasks you mentioned though (skinning, butchering, cooking) those are the tasks most usually done with "Butcher Knives" You've seen those haven't you? Nice, long (8"-14") knives with that same wide belly design of a Bowie; Usually made of 1095 carbon steel like the Kabars. Yeah, some of my friends are butchers.
I have a Ka-bar large heavy Bowie......love it! Seriously heavy duty, but maybe more survival than bushcraft perhaps
I looked at the ka-bar and i agree more survivalist, so i went for the mk1 plain edge 5" blade with kydex sheath kraton handle
and i love it.
and i love it.
i hadn't visited in quite awhile and was surprised to see that this thread was still alive.
i bought my first REAL kabar last autumn, i've carried pal's, camillus and a cases off and on for years.
davey's original question was how are they in the wilderness. the answer is not too bad.
i've field dressed a few deer. skinned out a couple of coyotes. Butchered pheasants and quail. chopped up lots of fish for dinner. chopped firewood. opened cans and boxes. dug holes to poop in. cut the drag rope on my canoe when it hung on a cottonwood snag. made a few walking sticks. cleared brush for hunting blinds. dug out splinters. shaved a couple of times. that's enough, i hope!
never carved a spoon with it. i used my old case stockman for that.
by the way, i looked very outdoorsy and virile every moment.
i bought my first REAL kabar last autumn, i've carried pal's, camillus and a cases off and on for years.
davey's original question was how are they in the wilderness. the answer is not too bad.
i've field dressed a few deer. skinned out a couple of coyotes. Butchered pheasants and quail. chopped up lots of fish for dinner. chopped firewood. opened cans and boxes. dug holes to poop in. cut the drag rope on my canoe when it hung on a cottonwood snag. made a few walking sticks. cleared brush for hunting blinds. dug out splinters. shaved a couple of times. that's enough, i hope!
never carved a spoon with it. i used my old case stockman for that.
by the way, i looked very outdoorsy and virile every moment.
The half Ka-Bar was my first sheath knife at the age of 13. Got it from the King of Knives in San Jose...ah good memories.
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