Kabar's combat kukri knife

C

Charlie_K

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Jul 16, 2012
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Can anybody sell me on this short little curved blade? Maybe detail the pros and cons of the design? I don't really see how it could be a great hacker like the full sized kukri due to the small size, stick tang and rockwell hardness making it closer to brittle than its larger counterpart.

I could see it having a lot of the same potential as a hawkbill knife like electricians use for stripping wire or cutting through carpet where the downward angle is a big advantage. But other than that I'm not seeing much point to it.
 
I was wondering about this one too. With the shorter bade, it is close to the Becker BK4 which most like. I'd love to see the full size kukri along side of the combat and a BK4.
 
It is a really cool blade, although I do not own one, I got to spend some time using one. The whole concept behind this knife is taking the standard fighting utility platform and placing a Kukri blade on it. So essentially it is just another design in the KA-BAR F/U line like we have seen before with spear point KA-BARs, Fighting Point KA-BARs, and Tanto points all with the same F/U handle. Its a smaller kuk, but I can see that it would excel in normal slash cutting, chopping, carving and draw cutting, with a lesser focus on piercing. It will out chop the standard 1211 and would probably be better suited for wilderness use, with the same limitations as the standard KA-BAR F/U. Would it be more advantageous than a full size kukri? No, but it is basically a compact kukri with its own advantages. When you say you dont see a point to it, it has the same potential as any modernized smaller kukri design. It is a decent chopper on a familiar platform. KA-BAR always puts out variants on their normal fighting utility to offer anyone variety. Quite awesome.

and how do we kill this misunderstanding that KA-BAR FU's have a stick/rat tail tang??? It is called a full length tang, and it is the same design that is on a heap of other fixed blades including some full size kukri.
 
iwouldhurtafly said:
It is a really cool blade, although I do not own one, I got to spend some time using one. The whole concept behind this knife is taking the standard fighting utility platform and placing a Kukri blade on it. So essentially it is just another design in the KA-BAR F/U line like we have seen before with spear point KA-BARs, Fighting Point KA-BARs, and Tanto points all with the same F/U handle. Its a smaller kuk, but I can see that it would excel in normal slash cutting, chopping, carving and draw cutting, with a lesser focus on piercing. It will out chop the standard 1211 and would probably be better suited for wilderness use, with the same limitations as the standard KA-BAR F/U. Would it be more advantageous than a full size kukri? No, but it is basically a compact kukri with its own advantages. When you say you dont see a point to it, it has the same potential as any modernized smaller kukri design. It is a decent chopper on a familiar platform. KA-BAR always puts out variants on their normal fighting utility to offer anyone variety. Quite awesome.
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One problem though is that it's harder to stab with, and I still consider the stab to be a vital move.

and how do we kill this misunderstanding that KA-BAR FU's have a stick/rat tail tang??? It is called a full length tang, and it is the same design that is on a heap of other fixed blades including some full size kukri.
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Yes it's full length, but I've seen the size of the tang on today's KA-BAR blades, both in leather and synthetic handled variants, and the tang is at most half as wide as the blade. Technically it's a stick tank with sharp shoulders for a prime breaking point.
 
Charlie_K said:
One problem though is that it's harder to stab with, and I still consider the stab to be a vital move.



Yes it's full length, but I've seen the size of the tang on today's KA-BAR blades, both in leather and synthetic handled variants, and the tang is at most half as wide as the blade. Technically it's a stick tank with sharp shoulders for a prime breaking point.
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I am saying harder next to a standard KA-BAR like the 1211... Nonetheless its a very nice blade.


And as far as the stick tang thing goes, I am going to side with KA-BAR on this one. Its just annoying to hear everyone talk about how "weak" the design is....
 
I had the machete years ago and that made sense with its size\weight. This one looks to me like some type of weird hybrid with no real focus.
 
upnorth said:
I had the machete years ago and that made sense with its size\weight. This one looks to me like some type of weird hybrid with no real focus.
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Its basically a more compact version of the KA-BAR machete, still a very viable knife for lopping off tree limbs, hacking, and chopping. Its a compact Kukri made as such to be portable and easily used? Can you be more specific on why you dont see a focus? Just curious.
 
heavyfoldersarebest said:
I'd get one if the tang were better.
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In all honesty the tang on KA-BARs FU's gets a lot of undue flak. Sure its not as "strong" as a full tang but through normal use its no real issue. Anything can break from a $700 full tang custom, to a $5 flea market special. Its all about reasonable expectations. If this one doesnt trip your trigger then there is always the BK4, a Kukri esque design with a full tang just a little larger and beefier.
 
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iwouldhurtafly said:
In all honesty the tang on KA-BARs FU's gets a lot of undue flak. Sure its not as "strong" as a full tang but through normal use its no real issue. Anything can break from a $700 full tang custom, to a $5 flea market special. Its all about reasonable expectations. If this one doesnt trip your trigger then there is always the BK4, a Kukri esque design with a full tang just a little larger and beefier.
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Actually I do have a BK4 and you made a valid point.
 
iwouldhurtafly said:
Its basically a more compact version of the KA-BAR machete, still a very viable knife for lopping off tree limbs, hacking, and chopping. Its a compact Kukri made as such to be portable and easily used? Can you be more specific on why you dont see a focus? Just curious.
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It doesn't appear to have either the length or mass to be an effective chopper, without wrist fatigue. It may well be ideal for it's advertised use, combat. But I have zero desire to chop people up and would not find it particulary useful as a wood processing tool.
 
upnorth said:
It doesn't appear to have either the length or mass to be an effective chopper, without wrist fatigue. It may well be ideal for it's advertised use, combat. But I have zero desire to chop people up and would not find it particulary useful as a wood processing tool.
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In my use it actually worked pretty well. Its no BK9 or BK4 mind you, but it has a fairly decent sweet spot. Albeit there is a focus on "combat" due to its size and nature. If you like kukris, KA-BAR handles FU, and just generally like blades I still say its purty cool... To each his own of course! ;) :thumbup:
 
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I respect your views on the combat kukri I wouldhurtafly. Ive put my kabar fighting utility through some pretty heavy tasks including batoning as well as many others here(moose) with no issues to the tang.I too own a bk4 but still like the thought of a f/u handle on a kukri is just down right cool. I plan on grabbing one too for some bush wackin'.
 
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