BK9 Camillus AND Kabar owners a ? on comparison

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Plainsman

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Apr 5, 1999
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My BK9 is a Camillus and I’m wondering if anybody notices a difference in performance between it and the Kabar version? I know the Kabar is thinner and the steels are different so Im only looking at how perform side by side. If there are any noticeable differences, what are they and the pros/cons of each?

Thank you!
 
the Cam is a slightly better chopper, the KaBar is a better all around tool due to being quicker in hand and better balanced.
depending on how close to the end your cam was made, the kabar might have a better HT.
 
Seems like the Camillus BK9's break easier than the KA-BAR version. I remember a few years back there were a number of them that were breaking, iirc.
 
1066vik said:
yay, roll stamp and a slightly higher RC!
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I was thinking it had something to so with the roll stamp, didn't know about the higher Rockwell though.
 
I have a sterile 24. KA-BAR decided to discontinue em I guess they figured why bother to etch em . Sterile is printed on the box though :p. As many knives Camillus and KA-BAR have made a few unmarked is very possible. Never heard of it on a 9 though. On the bright side yours has no chance of a stress crack :)
 
Xr6x said:
. On the bright side yours has no chance of a stress crack :)
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That has been a concern of mine until I saw the roll stamp might have been the cause!
Now I just have to worry about any other Cams I have that are roll stamped. Now Ill have to look to see which ones are!

Thanks!
 
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If you're not batonning or throwing them, the roll stamp shouldn't cause any issues
 
1066vik said:
If you're not batonning or throwing them, the roll stamp shouldn't cause any issues
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This.

The roll stamp only seems to cause weakness in the extreme circumstances. Beckers are known to be extremely durable. The roll stamp just makes them less extreme. Still durable though. Probably can baton but just not through knots, as you shouldnt be anyways. Dont pry with it, as you shouldnt anyways. These newer beckers have worked out these weaknesses making them overachievers. People can push their beckers past where the earlier beckers hit their breaking point.
 
Plainsman said:
That has been a concern of mine until I saw the roll stamp might have been the cause!
Now I just have torry about any other Cams I have that are roll stamped. Now Ill have to look to see which ones are!

Thanks!
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I wouldn’t worry about any of Roll Stamped blades :thumbsup: there’s plenty out there that are just fine :thumbsup::thumbsup: plus if you happen to have a bad one better to find out right away :)
:poop: Can happen anytime you just never know
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Gave my son a potbelly he just took it camping for the first time. It broke not sure what he was batoning ? He said it was just some junk wood and for sure no Knots or nails :) but no roll stamp to blame. You just never know :thumbsup: it’s best to test before any mods done. If there’s any defect it will show up fast :D
 
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I had a Cam-9.
Loved it. Until I snapped it at the stamp during a chopping competition at BeckerWest.
It’s a hair thicker than the current Ka-bar model.
Mine had a nice convex edge and really hit hard when chopping. Chewed through logs like a pissed off beaver!
 
Xr6x said:
I wouldn’t worry about any of Roll Stamped blades :thumbsup: there’s plenty out there that are just fine :thumbsup::thumbsup: plus if you happen to have a bad one better to find out right away :)
:poop: Can happen anytime you just never know
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Gave my son a potbelly he just took it camping for the first time. It broke not sure what he was batoning ? He said it was just some junk wood and for sure no Knots or nails :) but no roll stamp to blame. You just never know :thumbsup: it’s best to test before any mods done. If there’s any defect it will show up fast :D
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Wow, not good.if that happens... and that Potbelly is a sturdy knife!
 
knoefz said:
Wow, not good.if that happens... and that Potbelly is a sturdy knife!
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I know :rolleyes: :thumbsup: It just goes to show sometimes things go wrong o_O The park where they were at won’t let you gather wood to burn so he brought some scraps from home :p:p but that shouldn’t have caused the the knife to crack,especially a 1/4” one .
 
Xr6x said:
I know :rolleyes: :thumbsup: It just goes to show sometimes things go wrong o_O The park where they were at won’t let you gather wood to burn so he brought some scraps from home :p:p but that shouldn’t have caused the the knife to crack,especially a 1/4” one .
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Did you end up sending this in for replacement and if so any word from Kabar on what they thought happened? Did ya get a replacement? I know they had two versions of the Potbelly, once with a round ricasso (I think those were the roll stamped ones) and one with a more angled ricasso (looks like that's what yours had?) - I believe they changed from the round to the angled ricasso b/c of issues like your son had, though seems like he had the updated version. I've got one with the angled ricasso but haven't used it hard. Hopefully was just a bad one and bad luck and you got it worked out!
 
Plainsman said:
My BK9 is a Camillus and I’m wondering if anybody notices a difference in performance between it and the Kabar version? I know the Kabar is thinner and the steels are different so Im only looking at how perform side by side. If there are any noticeable differences, what are they and the pros/cons of each?

Thank you!
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They should be essentially the same steel. Camillus used Sharon Steel 0170-6C and Ka-Bar uses 1095CV, but those are two designations for the same steel composition.
 
beestokk said:
Did you end up sending this in for replacement and if so any word from Kabar on what they thought happened? Did ya get a replacement? I know they had two versions of the Potbelly, once with a round ricasso (I think those were the roll stamped ones) and one with a more angled ricasso (looks like that's what yours had?) - I believe they changed from the round to the angled ricasso b/c of issues like your son had, though seems like he had the updated version. I've got one with the angled ricasso but haven't used it hard. Hopefully was just a bad one and bad luck and you got it worked out!
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I told my son to send it in to KABAR and have em check it out. He hasn’t done it yet . Its probably too late now ? Blade is now discontinued . I think something might have went wrong with the steel or heat treat on that blade . It was the updated version that broke. I’ll remind him to send it in. If anything maybe find out WTH :oops:
 
I obviously own and use both versions of the Nine.... Over the years I have definitely gravitated to the Ka-Bar made model....It is slicier and makes a much better short machete without sacrificing much in the way of “power”chopping......T’is a bit lighter and is therefore a bit handier when doing close in “little” stuff. I just find it handier period...

The stamp situation is interesting....When Jonny 1280 broke his Nine I happened to be ther and observing much too closely....He was really going for a win and the blow that broke it was pretty flat....Not a criticism of Jon just what I observed .....I was pretty shocked actually.....Nothing like a little field testing to get you thinking about fixes! ...When I got to analiysing the causes I realized that the stamping tool is v shaped in cross section....Kinda like making a series of shallow Charpy notches..... I like the laser!
 
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