Anybody try a SHORTY KA BAR???

ivan51

ivan51

Joined
Dec 9, 2003
Messages
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was thinking it might make a good small camper/trout knife if i removed the top guard. any input would be great.
 
Kabar actually had one on the market decades ago - about a 5 1/2 inch blade, wood grips. I used it to dress a deer and it seemed pretty good for a GP design in that role, although obviously some cuts were a little awkward for my limited experience. Yes, the top guard was in the way, the steel was too soft, but it would chop through bone without damage.
 
The knife is too thick for fishing IMO. And the edge in particular is very thick. It would be fine for a small utility knife though.
 
I own a short Ka-Bar tanto, and I'm not too pleased with the edge on mine. It doesn't hold an edge as well as I'd like, nor can it get as sharp as I'd like.
 
I wouldn't go so far as to say they really suck. I have a short KA-BAR (forget model) with a 4 or 5 inch blade. Came with a nice sheath. I use my KA-BAR as a backup in the field in case my BMade isn't with me.

I will say I wasn't thrilled with the edge on mine out of the box. I spent 30 minutes on the sharpmaker and got it so-so. The edge out of the box felt rough, and none too sharp. Having said that, I must admit I was impressed with the handle: round, full handle that fit my hand nicely. Probably not the best choice for a trout knife, but O.K. knife for the money.

Andy
 
Got one, like the fullsized model MUCH better as the 5in is too thick for the width of the blade making it a terrible slicer. I prefer the Becker C/U 7 most of all for this type of knife bc of it being a much better slicer.
 
The handle on the short Ka-Bar is quite nice, though otherwise, it's far from being a favorite knife hehe.
 
ivan51 said:
was thinking it might make a good small camper/trout knife if i removed the top guard. any input would be great.
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I haven't really hard used mine yet, but the handle is definitely too small for me. I still keep it as my truck fb. If you can get one at a good price, I'd go for it, keep it as a beater. For fishing, I would go with a Mora, they are easy to sharpen, are cheap and take a beating pretty well. As for a camper, I can't really say if the short Kabar would fit the bill.
 
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