Differences between the Camillus and Ka-Bar prodcucts...

Marion David Poff

Marion David Poff

Joined
Oct 8, 1998
Messages
5,403
Howdy,

Now, I am asking a very specific question...

I make thermo-form sheaths (kydex and concealex) and I have a customer who wants a sheath for a BK7. If I made a sheath for him, with a Camillus BK7 would it fit a Ka-Bar BK7?

In other words, other than the regular variance between any two manufactured items, are the the Camillus and Ka-Bar products the same?

For instance, the Camillus BK11 is a sabre grind, and the Ka-Bar BK11 is a full flat grind. So while a sheath made for a Camillus BK 11 would probably fit a Ka-Bar BK11, the opposite would likely not be true.

Thank you,
Marion
 
The handle scales are different. They have a different shape and texture. I can't give exact measurements because my Camillus BK9 is in storage. The Camillus scales were blockier and rougher.
 
Well, those handle shape changes sound enough to throw the deal off, as do the stock size change...

Oh well, I will just buy a new one...

Marion
 
MDP,

The thickness of the Camillus BK-7 was 0.188". This is the same as the KA-BAR version. The pattern profile is so close between the two as to be insignificant. The biggest change will be in the handles. We revised the handle thickness profiles as AF has mentioned.
Hope this helps.


Best Regards,


Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
A fine and precise answer, thank you!

I will make sure to get the new ones then for the new knives!

Marion


Toooj said:
MDP,

The thickness of the Camillus BK-7 was 0.188". This is the same as the KA-BAR version. The pattern profile is so close between the two as to be insignificant. The biggest change will be in the handles. We revised the handle thickness profiles as AF has mentioned.
Hope this helps.


Best Regards,


Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
Click to expand...
 
I hope the OP doesn't mind me asking this here, it just seems like a great thread to post this.

I'd like to do a comparison between the BECKER BK&T CAMILLUS BK7 and the newer Becker BK7. I think they are very similar but not sure of the differences.

I know the Becker BK7 has 1095 cro-van steel but what does the original Camillus BK7 use for blade steel? I think I read somewhere that it was 0195.
Can someone confirm this and if so also explain the pros and cons between the 1095 cro-van and 0195 steels?

Are there any other differences besides the type of blade steel used?

Thanks for any replies!
 
Mikellen,

KA-BAR's 1095 Cro-Van and Camillus's 170-06C are basically the same steel. The recipe is Sharon Steel's 170-06 Specialty Steel. Sharon Steel has been defunct since the early 1990s so other steel companies are making it for users if they can pony up for a minimum of a whole heat of the stuff. There may be some small minor % differences in the formula as different steel companies may do different chemistries but it is mostly negligible.
KA-BAR's heat treat protocol is entirely different than Camillus's. KA-BAR Beckers are very slightly lower in Rockwell hardness but have approx 15-20% greater toughness according to my calcs. We also think a lower hardness is better for sharpening in the field. Some of these new super steels are so hard that sharpening in the field is a very challenging task. Survival/bushcraft/battlefield is difficult enough without having to add knife sharpening to the list.
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
SilentJohn,

The "Van" in Cro-Van is vanadium. Vanadium does several things in steel.
When it is in the presence of Carbon, it forms a very hard Carbide that helps with wear resistance and more importantly it supresses grain growth in steel. The finer the grain, the better resulting steel properties; ie, strength, hardness, toughness.
Hope this helps.


Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
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