Is Ka-Bar USMC really that good?

P

Petar

Joined
May 20, 2014
Messages
38
Hello everybody,

I'm buying new knife and I'm thinking about Ka-Bar USMC.
I read about it and almost everybody in reviews said it's good.
However I want knife that is sharp,very durable,and very quality made.
I would use it for camping,or ''surviving'' things like wood chopping,cutting ropes,and heavy batoning.
I saw one guy on youtube who had 2 Ka-Bar and they both broke after batoning,and on Ka-Bar's official site,designers also mentioned that guarantee won't cover batoning.
Is it possible to practice trowing with it,or will it break?
Also,if i stab tree as much as i can with full power,will it go into tree,or will it break and slice my fingers?

And lastly,if i use it for ALL above,will it be good,and last for years,or will it break?

PS
you can see I'm very worried it will break,because that's the last thing i want from knife.

Every comment is welcome
 
I find the USMC Kabar a rather poor knife, although some more recent versions with plastic handles and single quillion guards are better, with better sheaths.

In that price range, I would look at anything from Ontario Knives instead, as they are made from thicker blade stock and have better handles.

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If the edge geometry is not as good as you want, you can always have them re-profiled sharper at RazorEdgeKnives.


Gaston
 
I use my kabar for batoning. It has worked fine so far, however knowing what I know now, I would probably try out a Rat 7. Not that the kabar has disappointed me in anyway whatsoever. I haven't used it much but Im satisfied for what I have used it for. Moderate camp chores and batoning for one large all night bonfire (was a spur of the moment thing and was the largest blade in the group). I do enjoy the slimness of it for throwing into the backpack. Originally chose it because it was "The WW2 knife" and my dad is from Olean :D Takes a surprisingly sharp edge.

 
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It's a knife, not an axe. If you need something for chopping, get something MADE for chopping. Batoning a Kabar isn't a great idea, nor is throwing it. Not that you can't, or that it won't work, it just wasn't made for that. It's a cutting tool. Use it for cutting, and you'll be just fine. Not to sound like an ass, but people who expect any knife to be a one-piece-wonder-tool-kit are likely to be sorely disappointed when their piece breaks or is not ideal for the job. A Kabar isn't an axe. It's not a throwing knife. It's not a really good hammer, tho it will work for that. It was designed as a tool, and a weapon of last resort.

Personally, I'd pair a Kabar with a tomahawk and have all the bases covered. BUT, if you still want a Kabar to do that kind of work, maybe get some training in how to properly handle it to reduce the stresses that can cause it to fail. And good luck.
 
I was never enamored with them. Get yourself something like an ESEE 6 or Kabar Becker BK-7.
 
Purpose-built throwing knives are heat-treated to be softer than cutting knives. If the Ka-Bar is suitable for throwing it's badly heat-treated.
 
One of the big assets of the USMC Ka-Bar is cost and ease of replacement. It's a good knife, at a good price, with a good pedigree. There are bigger, better, knives but they generally cost more, often a lot more.
 
The basic Kabar utility knife isn't a bad knife. I don't think it's a great knife even for the money. There are so many better in my opinion. Keep in mind that a knife the size of the Kabar USMC is not large enough to chop with practically. You can baton through limbs and so forth with it. Generally choppers have greater than 7" blades, usually 9" or larger. If chopping with a knife is important to you go with a larger knife. Or, go with the average 5-6" bladed knife and keep a short machete around camp assuming your close to your vehicle. I very much like the Condor short machetes with their most excellent leather sheaths. Something that is in-between in the Condor line might be the Hudson Bay (at 8.5") or Moonshiner (at 9"). The Kumunga isn't a bad chopper and it's 10" and knife-like (straddles the design zone between knife and short machete). These are all priced in the same ball park as the Kabar USMC or less. A large knife and a folder for detailed stuff is all you need if you are willing to carry the big knife. I seldom am willing to carry one, but I own them.

Only throwing knives are designed for throwing. You can easily break a regular knife tossing it at stuff an trying to stick it.
 
It's a design with a lot of history and I respect that, however my experience with them has convinced me its of little use.

It's edge geometry is not great for carving wood, it's handle strength is questionable, and it wouldn't even be my third choice for a fighter.

I'd take a Mora Companion in the woods all day long over the old USMC.


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Had mine for 30 years. Gifted it to my nephew when my wife bought me an RC6. The Kabar was a great knife, did everything with it. Opened paint cans, dug holes and dressed a lot of game, from deer to squirrels. Held a really good edge. With all that said, I like my RC6 way better.
 
Alberta Ed said:
A Swiss Army Knife and an ax will serve you better.
Click to expand...

This is an interesting statement. Obviously you can do a lot with these two tools. I am very much a SAK guy. Carry one all the time. I have found I don't want to carry an axe in the woods, but I would bring one along car camping. But I bring a lot of stuff car camping. If I were carrying stuff on a hike and knowing how much I actually use a big blade in the woods, I would be more interested in a small hatchet versus axe. The hatchet would provide much the same utility chopping as the big knife. Some of the tomahawks might do, but most are designed for fighting. Then there is the folding saws which I find very useful and would carry one of these over a hatchet.... my usual hiking complement (mostly day hikes but sometimes fairly long); 5-6" fixed blade, SAK, and folding saw. We each choose the tool set that we have learned to use and trust. On short hikes, I do not carry a folding saw.
 
Agreed with others here. The kabar is a decent knife for what it is, and it is awesome to see that a knife with that much history is still in production. It just doesn't happen to be a very good "outdoors" knife, when you're saying your main uses will be chopping, battoning, etc.

I've seen plenty of USMC's that have broken after lots of battoning. They're just not designed for it. However, that's not to say they'd snap the first attempt. I know someone that used it to split kindling for wood stove (heated their home with wood) for 3 years before it broke.

I'd look at a lot of the Becker, ESEE, Condor, and Ontario lineups to find a rugged outdoors blade that you like, and go from there. Its hard to go wrong with any of those brands, and there are offerings from ~$30 - 150 available, so no matter your budget you should be able to find something.

Good luck :).
 
Petar said:
Is it possible to practice trowing with it,or will it break?
Also,if i stab tree as much as i can with full power,will it go into tree,or will it break and slice my fingers?

And lastly,if i use it for ALL above,will it be good,and last for years,or will it break?

PS
you can see I'm very worried it will break,because that's the last thing i want from knife.

Every comment is welcome
Click to expand...

This gave me a headache.

I don't think the USMC is for you. I'd look for a custom made knife. A large chopper made from spring steel, full tang with a synthetic handle. Linen or canvas micarta ideally.

Remember, it was first and foremost a combat knife that was used for other tasks. You want a knife made for those other tasks.
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
This gave me a headache.

I don't think the USMC is for you. I'd look for a custom made knife. A large chopper made from spring steel, full tang with a synthetic handle. Linen or canvas micarta ideally.

Remember, it was first and foremost a combat knife that was used for other tasks. You want a knife made for those other tasks.
Click to expand...

Agree. Especially with the headache part. Can't figure out why it is important to be able to stab a tree as hard as you can.

Although, rather than the custom, I'd suggest buying a Becker. Made by the same folks from the same alloy. But, shaped for the rougher work the OP seems to think is important.
 
Also got kind of a headache... It sounds like you are in the same journey most of us are on, but in a different stage. I think you are trying to find a "perfect" knife for you. At the "stabbing into tree" stage, I think you should get a full exposed tang knife. A kabar becker as mentioned above would fit the bill. If you are like me you will soon stop trying to stab trees, buy a smaller knife, and start the journey all over again with axes/hatchets. Wherever the journey takes you, have fun! Please don't slice your fingers off though.

I bought a kabar in Afghanistan, never really "used" it, it was designed to be a combat knife and I'm glad I didn't have to use it for that purpose. I have since tried to take it camping but found it to be ergonomically incorrect for those kind of tasks. It COULD perform them, but if you are looking to buy a new knife right now, why start off with the wrong one?
 
+1 to the Ontario.

Both the Kabar's and Ontario's are 1095 carbon steel (very proficient with what you want), and made in Upstate NY (shoutout). They are similar in price (though you can generally get the Ontario for a bit less). Both are high quality, especially for the price, but there are differences that may point to the Ontario being a better fit for you.

First off, the USMC fighting knife is..... you guessed it, a fighting knife. Meant to be weilded in battle, and it excells at that. But that is not what you want out of it. It's not long enough to baton particularly well and not heavy enough or shaped for chopping.

The Ontario, specifically the SP10, SP5, or SP53 are big ass chunks of steel made for chopping, batoning, etc. They are much larger than the Kabars, have the balance out front for chopping, and have big bellies. In comparison to the fighting knife they are tanks, I cant imagine ever breaking the near 1/4 thick 1095 beast. And with a choice between the SP10 (bowie blade), SP10 (more machete shaped), and the SP53 (kukhri style belly) gives you the ability to pick the blade style that fits your needs best. Though they are best at cutting/stabbing, batoning, and chopping respectively; any of them will do all you ask of it.

The only downfall for you would be that the Ontarios are obviously much heavier. I carry the SP10 quite often in the woods with no problems at all, I barely notice it; but I am 300 pounds so maybe that's why. Either way it's something to think about.

I'm not one to tell other what to do, so I won't even ask why you would need to stab trees. But those suckers will let you stab the **** out of anything you want. Rest assured.
 
Agree with all of the above.

Mine (USN Mk 2) is 73 years old and has taken all kinds of abuse in its time (more from its previous owner, my grandfather to whom it was issued, than from me). Still takes a screaming edge and holds it fine, cuts marvelously well and makes excellent feathersticks, and has been my primary heavy camp knife since I inherited it years ago. I honestly can't imagine what I'd have to do to it to get it to break, but regardless it would be way, way outside the parameters of what I do with a knife.

That said, the guard gets in the way for almost all uses and the handle is really pretty uncomfortable for prolonged use. It weighs a ton on a belt and is too long to be very nimble in use. It is what it was designed to be: a knife that could tear some guy's liver in half with one stab, while also being able to dig mud out of tank sprockets, pry open crates and cut wood or rope. I thankfully only do the last of these tasks with much regularity while camping. I use a Mora or folder in preference to it at least 75% of the time, and, if it weren't for the sentimental attachment to mine, there's no way I'd carry one, let alone buy one.
 
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