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does the kabar usmc suck?
- Thread starter jimwalter
- Start date
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- Mar 13, 2009
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- 2,403
"Someone" is a certified Idiot. I carried an Armory issued KABAR for 20 years in the Corps. I always carried a supplement for other tasks but the KABAR was great for was it was intended. It is a very basic, large utility knife that could be used as a fighting weapon, cutting, piercing, chopping, whittling & even spreading rock hard Peanut Butter on a stale C-Rat cracker! It is what it is and while there may be "better" knives out there it was, is and will always be a serviceable knife & tool. Good steel, good handle and good sheath and most importantly PROVEN.
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- Nov 22, 2010
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Well Bigmo hit the nail right on the head. While it's true that for some tasks a Ka-Bar USMC might "suck" compared to other tools for that job (Ex. chopping with a Ka-Bar USMC as opposed to a Becker BK9 or ESEE Junglas), it really is a do it all versatile design and the 1095 CroVan they're made of is one of my favorite fixed blade steels so take that for what it's worth.
The USMC model is the same knife as any other of the same Kabar model.
And they are quite good for what they are intended to do.
I have a close friend who retired as a Sergeant Major from the US Army after 23 years in the Special Forces, and did 7 tours in Vietnam with MacVSog in the 3rd and 5th Groups.
He said that the knife he used the most was his Kabar.
And believe me, with him winning a Silver Star, 3 Bronze Star Clusters with V for Valor, Purple Heart, 3 Combat Air Medals, 2 Presidential Unit Citations, Vietnamese Legion of Merit, and his name on the Wall of Honor at the JFK Special Warfare Center, that knife got put to the use that it was made for.
If it was good enough for him in those combat conditions, it is good enough for anybody in combat conditions.
And they are quite good for what they are intended to do.
I have a close friend who retired as a Sergeant Major from the US Army after 23 years in the Special Forces, and did 7 tours in Vietnam with MacVSog in the 3rd and 5th Groups.
He said that the knife he used the most was his Kabar.
And believe me, with him winning a Silver Star, 3 Bronze Star Clusters with V for Valor, Purple Heart, 3 Combat Air Medals, 2 Presidential Unit Citations, Vietnamese Legion of Merit, and his name on the Wall of Honor at the JFK Special Warfare Center, that knife got put to the use that it was made for.
If it was good enough for him in those combat conditions, it is good enough for anybody in combat conditions.
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Did that person just say "They suck." without an explanation or justification?
If that's what they did....why would you listen to them?
I say they neither "suck" nor "rock." It was really designed as a fighter and I feel it has limited utility outside that context. That said, a lot of people use them and enjoy them, and you cannot argue with that.
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- Sep 17, 2007
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- 21,367
For sure.
I have a buddy who thinks digging latrines and rooting through rocks is a proper knife task...and his Ka-Bar is still going strong.
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- May 24, 2011
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- 490
No, the usmc does not suck. Bigmo pretty much said all that needs to be said.
Personally, the usmc feels incredible in hand, cuts and stabs very well and comes at an affordable price. For a knife that will last you a lifetime I would say thats pretty not sucky.
But as always...haters gonna hate
Personally, the usmc feels incredible in hand, cuts and stabs very well and comes at an affordable price. For a knife that will last you a lifetime I would say thats pretty not sucky.
But as always...haters gonna hate
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- Nov 11, 2011
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It doesnt suck, its a great all purpose knife.
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- Jun 6, 2008
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- 1,574
The MK II is a good military utility(whatever it takes) design.
KaBar makes good knives.
KaBar makes good knives.
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- Sep 3, 2003
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- 2,432
Point us to the thread! We'll give 'em what for.
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- Dec 25, 2009
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- 953
Go take a look at the Ka-Bar knives forum. We're all pretty sure it doesn't suck. 
Like I said earlier, to me its a fighter and it has limited applications for what I do. I think there are better "outdoors" knives. That's a legitimate issue and strictly one man's opinion.
That said, the "stick" handle is fine and "hammer" and "knife" really don't go together. The dude's a goof.
timberweasel
Platinum Member
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- Jan 5, 2011
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- 6,257
And a good hammer will suck for cutting tasks, imo...
The USMC Ka-Bar has proven itself a bazillion times over.
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2011
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- 924
While the standard Kabar has never been my cup of tea, if it "sucked"(so decriptive), it would not have been around for such a long time in several different fields of operation. I pesonally don't care for the short(very short) bevel and overly up-swept clip. But Kabar uses good steel, good heat treat, and is a fairly functional design with no-frills.
It's an economical, all purpose, heavy duty knife. Yes, there are cheaper knives, and knives that are better slicers, choppers, piercers, prybars, and fighters. But, as a compromise of all these functions at it's price, you could do a lot worse. The only really big design flaw I can see with these knives is the sharp corner where the blade attaches to the tang.
Now, if you wanted to fork out $$$ for a Busse...
EDIT: I believe one of the deployed soldiers crafted a hickory longbow with one.
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- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
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- 20,207
It was designed as a fighting and utility knife by someone(s) who thought they understood why the Marble's Ideal had a fuller.
It was designed to be inexpensive to produce.
The steel selected was developed originally for farm implements -- plows harrows -- that have to be tough (There are rocks down there.).
The only significant issue is that the original design has a square shoulder between the tang and blade -- a stress-riser (Has that been corrected?)
Many, many people, have gotten good service out of the knife. Many "modified" it by bending the top guard forward. Some have a basis for comparison with other knives. Many have an emotional attachment to the knife due to the circumstances under which they used it.
It is an icon.
It was designed to be inexpensive to produce.
The steel selected was developed originally for farm implements -- plows harrows -- that have to be tough (There are rocks down there.).
The only significant issue is that the original design has a square shoulder between the tang and blade -- a stress-riser (Has that been corrected?)
Many, many people, have gotten good service out of the knife. Many "modified" it by bending the top guard forward. Some have a basis for comparison with other knives. Many have an emotional attachment to the knife due to the circumstances under which they used it.
It is an icon.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2010
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- 15,417
Thank you Bigmo. For your service and your post.
The only thing I have to say when folks ask me is a Kabar any good?
A million Marines can't be wrong.
Come see us over in the Kabar forum, we'd love to have you around.
Moose
The only thing I have to say when folks ask me is a Kabar any good?
A million Marines can't be wrong.
Come see us over in the Kabar forum, we'd love to have you around.
Moose
Its been said well already, but I'll say it again (gotta feel like I contributed somehow 
).
It might not be the best knife for every purpose (for instance, its not the greatest chopper), but it does many things well, and has been proven by MANY very qualified people out in the field. yes they can be broken, and the sheath could be better. For the money, I would say it is one of the knifes I know I could recommend to anyone and still have confidence that it would do the job.
Now, that said, if someone asked me about a knife for a specific purpose, I doubt that I would normally chose the USMC. Thats not because of anything "Wrong" with it, but simply because there are many great knives on the market for many different use cases.
Also, the handle is quite comfy and well shaped.
).It might not be the best knife for every purpose (for instance, its not the greatest chopper), but it does many things well, and has been proven by MANY very qualified people out in the field. yes they can be broken, and the sheath could be better. For the money, I would say it is one of the knifes I know I could recommend to anyone and still have confidence that it would do the job.
Now, that said, if someone asked me about a knife for a specific purpose, I doubt that I would normally chose the USMC. Thats not because of anything "Wrong" with it, but simply because there are many great knives on the market for many different use cases.
Also, the handle is quite comfy and well shaped
.- Joined
- Jun 19, 2010
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- 10
Carried one for more than 20 years. It was like using a piece of history.
Later, when I had some disposable income, I bought a Randle # 14 and a # 15. The 14 was stolen, and I gave my 15 to my son when he shipped out to Iraq. That left me with two Kabars (regular and smaller-sized), and I don't feel under-equipped. That Kabar and a 1911 .45 ACP have been my best friends forever.
Semper Fidelis
Later, when I had some disposable income, I bought a Randle # 14 and a # 15. The 14 was stolen, and I gave my 15 to my son when he shipped out to Iraq. That left me with two Kabars (regular and smaller-sized), and I don't feel under-equipped. That Kabar and a 1911 .45 ACP have been my best friends forever.
Semper Fidelis