Ka-Bar D2 Extreme vs. Regular Ka-Bar - Thickness Question

G

gambilonia

Joined
Aug 22, 2020
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Hello everyone,

I'm considering purchasing a Ka-Bar knife, and I've noticed that the catalog states the Ka-Bar D2 Extreme is 0.175" thick, while the regular Ka-Bar is listed as 0.165" thick. Can anyone who owns or has experience with both of these knives confirm if there's a noticeable thickness difference in practical use? Your insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
The early Next Gens knives all had slightly wider (by 1/8 of an inch) rubber handles than the current version.
(I think the change was about 2012?)
The now discontinued Tan handle (with high grind) uses the wider handle as on the first Next Gens though.

The D2 will feel heavier in the hand due to the thicker guard and more metal in the pommel.
Also the tang on the D2 ,see pic, is substantially wider than the 1217.
r15nBMeh.jpg
 
Oh wow, that is a sturdy looking tang!
I also see a curved transition from blade to tang, which I think is better than a straight 90 degree transition.
 
Yes it is, but just remember that these are NOT differentially heat treated!
The tang is as hard as the blade.
Snapping the pommel off is an issue if you chose to hammer with it.
Also the D2 will tend to chip rather than roll the edge.
The edge holding of D2 is superior to that of 1095CV, but for me there is too many tradeoffs, stick with 1095CV.
 
gambilonia said:
Oh wow, that is a sturdy looking tang!
I also see a curved transition from blade to tang, which I think is better than a straight 90 degree transition.
Click to expand...
There is no 90 degree transition on the standard knives.
The radius in the corners is small,1/32 I think from memory, but it is there.
Breakage occurs from pushing the blade-tang interface beyond its design limits.
It's a Ka-Bar, not a Crow-Bar.
 
Yes, I noticed a small radius on the corners of the regular Ka-Bars, but on the D2, the curvature seems to be even better.

In this video, we can clearly see that it's not a 90-degree angle. We can also observe the differential heat treatment in the regular Ka-Bars' tang and appreciate how sturdy it is.


Nonetheless, a blade should not be used as an axe unless it's a dire need.

So far, I'm absolutely in love with the D2 Extreme.

The only remaining doubt I have is why it is listed as 0.175 inches thick, but 1066vik measured his as slimmer than the regular one. Is it also like this with yours? The extra thickness is a plus for me.
 
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Hello again, my fellow knife enthusiasts,

I am now a very proud owner of a Ka-Bar 1292, and let me tell you, I love it even more than I thought I would. I have been wanting one since 2021.

I bought it from a reputable European store, but when I measured its thickness, it measured exactly 4.0mm thick, whereas Ka-Bar's catalog stated 0.175".

I don't mind it at all because I like how slicey it is, but I'm wondering if my beloved Ka-Bar is legitimate or possibly a fake.

Take care!
 
Got d2 and standard kabars and there's no real plus from the barely thicker stock but the d2 is a bit heavier because of the pommel and the fuller design is a bit different adding a slight bit more weight. I love my d2 except for the serrations which I removed. Also sharpening the d2 model is not as easy versus 1095.
 
G gambilonia Welcome to the forum. Pull up a stump. You came to the right place. A whole lot of knowledge and experience right at your finger tips.
 
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