Short Kabar's, thoughts and questions

wildmanh

wildmanh

Part time Leather Bender/Sheath maker
Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Messages
7,764
One of the first Fixed blades that I ever bought my self was a Kabar #1250 Short USMC knife with leather sheath. Carried that knife everywhere for a few years till it was replaced in the rotation with something else. Since it wasn't being used I traded it to a friend who keeps it in his car as his "Just in Case" knife. Over the years I've noticed that a gravitate more towards knives with a 4" to 6" blade, was fond of the 1250 but can't get my friend to trade it back so I'm saving up to buy another one. . . If I can't find a leather handled one with the plastic sheath I'll either buy the plastic sheath to go with it, or just buy a #1258 (Black handle with plastic sheath).

Who else likes the 3/4 sized Kabars and uses them?

What handle and sheath configuration do you like the best?

Got pics that you'd like to share?

Thanks!!
 
The Short Beckers come with Nylon sheaths, does anyone know if they will fit the 3/4 F/U's and if those sheaths will be available separately??
 
wildmanh said:
The Short Beckers come with Nylon sheaths, does anyone know if they will fit the 3/4 F/U's and if those sheaths will be available separately??
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They will fit, I tried them at the SHOT show. T

I like the stacked leather model. I never really used mine that much. They just dont' fit my hand as well as others in that size. Since I broke my hand, what I've noticed is that the pisspoor set job the doc did, now causes my pinky to turn inward, so, it winds up under my ring finger. On smaller handles, I feel like I don't have enough room.

For its size, its a solid knife, and does a great job on game, lemme tell ya. I've helped a few squirrels and rabbits out of their dinner jackets before, and its a pleasure.

Moose
 
Moosez45 said:
They will fit, I tried them at the SHOT show. T

I like the stacked leather model. I never really used mine that much. They just dont' fit my hand as well as others in that size. Since I broke my hand, what I've noticed is that the pisspoor set job the doc did, now causes my pinky to turn inward, so, it winds up under my ring finger. On smaller handles, I feel like I don't have enough room.

For its size, its a solid knife, and does a great job on game, lemme tell ya. I've helped a few squirrels and rabbits out of their dinner jackets before, and its a pleasure.

Moose
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Moose, Thanks for weighing in. I'd forgotten how much smaller the handle was compaired to the full sized F/U.... The 1250 that I had was my main camp knife from the spring of 2000 till Spring 2002 when I replaced it with a SOG Government. A few years later I traded it and got a full sized Kabar. The 1250 Dug cat holes, cut up tarps, webbing, rope, cardboard, carpet, punched holes in corigated roofing and all manor of things in the 2 years I used it hard. I even cut up fruit like Water Mellons and Cantelope with it one a few trips.

Dag Nabit, you have be thinking; The handle might be thinner then I want. Now I'm considering a Mark I with the plastic or nylon sheath... Or get both, the 1250 for the collection and the Mark I to use.......
 
wildmanh said:
Moose, Thanks for weighing in. I'd forgotten how much smaller the handle was compaired to the full sized F/U.... The 1250 that I had was my main camp knife from the spring of 2000 till Spring 2002 when I replaced it with a SOG Government. A few years later I traded it and got a full sized Kabar. The 1250 Dug cat holes, cut up tarps, webbing, rope, cardboard, carpet, punched holes in corigated roofing and all manor of things in the 2 years I used it hard. I even cut up fruit like Water Mellons and Cantelope with it one a few trips.

Dag Nabit, you have be thinking; The handle might be thinner then I want. Now I'm considering a Mark I with the plastic or nylon sheath... Or get both, the 1250 for the collection and the Mark I to use.......
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Really, you won't go wrong with either. The MKI handles is far superior to the 3/4 handles, mostly, because the are just larger diameter, more hand filling, and causes less fatigue when you are using it for a period of time. But, the 3/4 is going to have a more versitile blade shape, I really like that Classic F/U blade shape, and really love the BK17 because of it.

The choice is yours, and really, if you decided to get both, you're still looking at less than $100 for both, so, the choice is yours.

For an all around belt knife, I would pick the MKI.

Moose
 
Moosez45 said:
Really, you won't go wrong with either. The MKI handles is far superior to the 3/4 handles, mostly, because the are just larger diameter, more hand filling, and causes less fatigue when you are using it for a period of time. But, the 3/4 is going to have a more versitile blade shape, I really like that Classic F/U blade shape, and really love the BK17 because of it.

The choice is yours, and really, if you decided to get both, you're still looking at less than $100 for both, so, the choice is yours.

For an all around belt knife, I would pick the MKI.

Moose
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Moose, thanks for chiming in both times! :) Nice to hear from some one thats actually handled and used the knives in question. I like the F/U blade shape also. It will be a few months before I pull the trigger on a new Kabar, but I'm sure that you guys will be amoung the first to know what I get. ;)
 
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Here it is when new. I don't have recent pics.
 
Nice pictures!! :) Thanks. All the talk of leather and nylon with out pics was really bumming me out. LOL!!
 
stabman said:
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Here it is when new. I don't have recent pics.
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Where'd you get that thing from? :D

Also, Hub, one thing that I did to one of my 3/4's was to bend the top quillion forward, Pappy Boyington Style, and made a big difference when you hold it for some reason.

Moose
 
Moosez45 said:
Where'd you get that thing from? :D

Also, Hub, one thing that I did to one of my 3/4's was to bend the top quillion forward, Pappy Boyington Style, and made a big difference when you hold it for some reason.

Moose
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Good idea. On which ever knife I get I'll either bend the top guard forward or cut it off. Did that with a Camillus Mark II that I got a few years ago. Makes using the knife in the kitchen easier.
 
I have a short Ka-Bar fighter, and let me tell you that I personally feel the handle is *tiny* with a lower-case "t." And I have small men's hands (wear a glove between small and medium).

Here's my knife. I had a "kar-bar" job done by John H Davis, so that's why the back guard is gone and the jimping on the spine is present.

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Thank you for the pictures!! Thats one Sweet Kabar!! :D
 
Wow Mag! I really like that short with the jimping and top gaurd gone. I just stripped mine and gave it a vinegar patina. I'll post pics shortly. Now I think I'll zip that top gaurd too. The handle does feel small, but I think removing that will help alot. Thanks for the nice pics! I do really like the short F/U, great knife!
 
Moosez45 said:
Sure is, and you wont' have to bend or cut off the top guard ont he MKI, it doesn't have one.

Moose
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You make a good point. :)

Jonny1280 said:
Wow Mag! I really like that short with the jimping and top gaurd gone. I just stripped mine and gave it a vinegar patina. I'll post pics shortly. Now I think I'll zip that top gaurd too. The handle does feel small, but I think removing that will help alot. Thanks for the nice pics! I do really like the short F/U, great knife!
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Feel free to post the pictures in this thread when you have it done. I'd love to see your knife.
 
Feel free to post the pictures in this thread when you have it done. I'd love to see your knife.
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I'll post them tomarrow afternoon. I'm working a night shift right now.
 
wildmanh said:
One of the first Fixed blades that I ever bought my self was a Kabar #1250 Short USMC knife with leather sheath. Carried that knife everywhere for a few years till it was replaced in the rotation with something else. Since it wasn't being used I traded it to a friend who keeps it in his car as his "Just in Case" knife. Over the years I've noticed that a gravitate more towards knives with a 4" to 6" blade, was fond of the 1250 but can't get my friend to trade it back so I'm saving up to buy another one. . . If I can't find a leather handled one with the plastic sheath I'll either buy the plastic sheath to go with it, or just buy a #1258 (Black handle with plastic sheath).

Who else likes the 3/4 sized Kabars and uses them?

What handle and sheath configuration do you like the best?

Got pics that you'd like to share?

Thanks!!
Click to expand...



 
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