119 vs Kabar vs Camillus

M

mdrd44

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Dec 30, 2003
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Which of these would you pick if you were stuck on an island, a Buck 119, Kabar, or Camillus? I know BK7 and Camp Tramp would be great choices but for now I would like to limit it to the above 3 knives.

The 119 will hold an advantage on rust, but will the finish on the Kabar last longer than the Camillus? Which one would be tougher and hardest to break?
 
It's been many years since I handled the 119. It is a beautiful knife, with the most comfortable grip of the three, but very smooth, so less secure. I like the thicker, rounded guard and the slight choil, it also seems to have the best sheath of the three.

Of the two USMC knives, I only own a Ka Bar. THe handle of the kabar seems a bit nicer than the camillus and I think the kabar sheath is better. I think the blades are about the same thickness as the Buck, however the extra inch would add some chopping power, although all are a bit light to be considered choppers. Also, the USMC knives have thicker tip profiles, stronger, but less refined - its a trade off. The pommel of the USMC types is probably a bit easier to hammer with.

I don't have any experience with the Buck 420HC steel, however, I doubt its better than kabar's 1095, which is great. the usmc knives are stamped from sheet steel, which could make them weaker than the Buck (if its made by stock removal- but I'm not sure) and the buck seems to have a higher grind and more elgant cutting profile. I've never broken either, and I think on balance they'd be pretty close. How are you planning on breaking them?

The USMC knives have a full length hidden tang, meaning that if the handle broke or rotted off, you could improvise one reasonably easily (not as easy as a full tang), but I'm not sure about the construction of the Buck.

None have a lanyard hole, which is a drawback.

I don't think corrosion resistance is much of an issue in terms of keeping you alive. If you want the knife that will get the most money on ebay when you get rescued, the Buck is probably it. But a regularly used and maintained knife of carbon steel, will work fine for a lifetime, even in a saltwater environment - it might look ugly tough.

If you droped me in the pacific tomorrow and told me to pick one of the three, I'd take the kabar. If I had the chance I'd dremel off the top part of the guard and drill the bottom for a lanyard. Don't forget the next gen kabars, they have some nice options, although for theprice of the D2 one you'd be better off with a camp tramp.
 
Another vote for Kabar. Would pick the 119 if it has a more secure handle finish.
 
I'd take the Camillus. I know it's leather handle has been impregnated with an antifungal to prevent microbial rot. I did drill a lanyard hole in the buttcap of my Camillus and it was "very hard!" I almost wore out a drill bit doing it.

Bruce
 
The 119 was used quite extensively in Vietnam by many fairly knowledgable folks. The blade is full tang and the 420 is pretty sturdy for a cutter. What I have done with a few of mine is throw um into the glass beader and have a go. After you are finished, you have a non-glare and quite grippy field knife.

One word of advice (opinion rather) is get the newer model. They seem to be grinding the blades with a less pronounced clip.

Feelings on the kabars - the KaBar "kabar" feels better in the hand but the Camillus allows you to take the handle apart if you so choose. The pin goes all the way through the pommel. I took a Camillus 1217 apart and soldered the guard to the blade. Superglued all the leather washers together and put it back together. Shazam - an uber kabar :) To me they are almost like models I built as a kid. Cheap to buy and modify to your needs. If you lose it, easy to replace. Just get a Randall Mod 14 and be done with it ;)

Dan
 
I have had a Kabar and Camillus for years and like both. About a month ago I bought a 119, and I was impressed. That's when I statted to wonder which one I would pick if I could only have one.

Anyone know which one would be stronger when prying?
 
mdrd44 said:
Anyone know which one would be stronger when prying?
Click to expand...

might depend on how you pry, if using the edge I'd expect the 1095 to be better, if using the tip, the kabars give you an extra inch of leverage, good for prying, but easier to damage the blade. I think the differences would be minimal so I would just go with my preference. I like the Idea of bead blasting the 119, but would still go for the kabar
 
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