the fit and finish on the short would be a bit better than camillus. Ka-bar will cut a little better out of box. (edge geometery + on the Ka-Bar)
OK now, that's what I was looking for. I have a Camillus Pilot's knife project going on... you have to remove a lot of steel to get one to cut decently.
Is the short Ka-Bar made of thick 3/16" stock like the pilot's knives? Or 1/8" or so like the regular Ka-Bars we all know and love? (Note, both measurements are on the generous side... I suspect they started at those stock sizes and were ground down from there.)
Does the guard come a bit loose after some use? I mean, some "play" or wobble. This has happened quickly with both pilot's knives I've owned... it's a minor thing and doesn't seem to get worse, but it annoys me. (Dang guard should have been soldered in place before the handle was fitted!)
Anyone here ever broken one of these knives? Where did it fail, and how hard did you have to beat on it? I broke nearly 1/4" off the tip of my first pilot's knife, but I assure you it was operator error. I never really get enough leverage out of this short of a knife to risk the tang snapping off by chopping with it. Batoning may be a different story.
How often do you guys use the clip point on your Ka-Bars or Pilot's knives? The thin clip on the Ka-Bar can take a razor edge and slash like a demon on the backstroke. This is an eye-opening technique for self-defense, try it, you'll be amazed how much better your Ka-Bar slashes backwards! But for a woods knife, I find myself thinking an unsharpened drop-point would be stronger without giving up much "stab-ability"... I've heard some folks like a sharpened clip point for draw-knife tasks, but I've never had any trouble draw-knifing with the "regular" edge; in fact I like doing it that way better, because I can grip on the spine.
For that matter, how often do you use the buttcap? Does it need to be that thick/heavy, or does it need to be there at all?
The "sawteeth" on the pilot's knife, though much-maligned, are a good option in my book. They work great for putting a notch in a pole for a fig.4 trap, tent stakes, and various other woodcrafty-type stuff. Has anyone actually tested them on sheet-metal or plex? I can say, they don't actually saw wood worth a damn.
I ask all these weird questions because I'm trying to develop a really handy-dandy woods/survival knife with a 4-5" blade. No gimmicks, just one as sharp, tough and usable as it can be. Seems to me, the Ka-bar variations and the pilot's knife are a good place to start stealing ideas.
