Anybody use a Ka-bar or Camillus USMC as their standard survival knife?

R

ranger88

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Feb 15, 2006
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I recently lucked out and picked up an old used and abused Camillus USMC fighter Off a guy for $10. The blade is pitted, and the edge needs a lot of TLC, but even so, it is still one tough piece of steel. I think once I get a good edge on it, and get it cleaned up, I just might make it my new favorite. I'm just wondering how they shape up as survival knife. And who might be using one for that purpose.
 
I used a Case XX USMC knife for a couple years and then about 5 years ago I gave it to a guy that uses it exclusively on his ranch and it's still going strong.

The Camillus should do just fine as a survival knife and if you break it, they can be had on ebay for some very good prices.
 
I carried a USMC Ka-bar as my only knife for years. I never had a complaint about it. I used it for clearing brush, making bough beds, killed a pig, cleaned my nails, cut food, gut deer, etc. They are a great all-around combat/utility knife.

The tips can be a bit fragile and the leather sheath leaves alot to be desired. The false edge tears up a baton pretty well. In it's class/pricerange the BK-7 is more durable IMO. Mac
 
Not quite a Ka-Bar, but I have had a Camillus USAF survival knife for nearly 30 years. It is a beater, and has had a very hard life, and shows it, but it is still as good a knife as the day it was made.

Not fancy, and not pretty, and the original sheath has long since died, but it keeps on keeping on, and is always on hand away from home.
 
For the last 10 years the USMC Ka-Bar has almost always been my outdoors companion. They are tough as nails, take a good edge, easy to sharpen, and very light for their size and strength. I've been trying to upgrade to a nicer/better quality same size knife for the last couple of years, but as an all around package these knives are hard to beat. Good find, I'm sure you will enjoy yours:thumbup:
 
Just last week I happened to be at a friend's and was checking out his Army issue KaBar,he brought it back from Viet Nam in '73,that makes it 33 years old.
Well used,still used and that 1095 takes a razor edge.:thumbup: :cool:
 
I've had my Camillus USMC knife for almost thirty years now, during which time it has seen hard use. Aside from have used it afield, it is used frequently around my home and property for every thing from light brush clearing to splitting small kindling. It has been, and continues to be, a very robust and reliable tool.
 
pict said:
I carried a USMC Ka-bar as my only knife for years. I never had a complaint about it. I used it for clearing brush, making bough beds, killed a pig, cleaned my nails, cut food, gut deer, etc. They are a great all-around combat/utility knife.

The tips can be a bit fragile and the leather sheath leaves alot to be desired. The false edge tears up a baton pretty well. In it's class/pricerange the BK-7 is more durable IMO. Mac
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I don't have the original sheath, just one I made for it. I plan to get one of the newer Kydex sheaths just as soon as I can find one that's not over-priced like most I see around the net.

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who loves a good Ka-bar or camillus knife. or Ontario, or Case too.
 
I use an Ontario Spec Plus line knife for my larger knife. Works great for chopping due to the handle design. Fairly compact, came with a great sheath for a stock sheath. I don't carry it too often because I generally don't need something that big, but it's useful when I do carry it. I've dug holes with it, chopped stuff down, split wood etc. Good knife, it's taken a beating so far and hasn't backed down yet :)
 
I wouldn't call it my survival knife, but I got a Kabar USMC with the brown handle in a trade recently, and after getting a kydex sheath for it, its now my truck FB.
 
A Union Cutlery Co. KA-BAR was my No. 1 outdoors fixed blade from 1962-1999. It's been somewhat retired now, but I never felt it was inadequate for what I was doing. The sheath, being covered by para cord for most of those years, held up pretty well - except that the end is a bit tattered.
 
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