Full tang USN MK 2?

[Mrknot]

Reading the thread about the 1117, and then reading the thread with the rant about stick tang vs. rat tail tang, made me wonder...
Why doesn't KaBar produce a version of the Mk2 with a full-profile skeletonized tang and then offer some scales that resemble the stacked leather/krayton handles on current production knives?
Or do they?
Seems like a win/win to me.
The only issues I see would be the guard and pommel, but I'm sure some clever engineer/designer could easily figure out that one.

 

[Charlie_K]

Cost would be one reason. Another reason is that they're sticking to a traditional design that's worked just fine for the better part of a century, so long as the person using it actually uses it for what it's intended to be used for. The included tang is just fine so long as people don't go abusing their knives, trying to make them do something they were never intended to do. If you want what's basically a sharpened pry bar, spend the extra $20 and get a Becker, but don't bemoan the KA-BAR. Use it as it was intended to be used, and respect it.

 

[Mrknot]

I have tremendous respect for the knife.
My first REAL knife was a '60's era Camillus that I still treasure to this day.
I'm just kind of surprised that no one has taken this tried and proven blade design "to the next level" so to speak...
My beloved Mk2:

I bought it used at a surplus store in 1988 for, like $15.
It came with the KaBar sheath...it wasn't until years later that I found out not all of these knives were made by KaBar and that the sheath was not original...

 

[zzyzzogeton]

I have tremendous respect for the knife.
My first REAL knife was a '60's era Camillus that I still treasure to this day.
I'm just kind of surprised that no one has taken this tried and proven blade design "to the next level" so to speak...

Kabar made updated versions, the 1221/1222 (440A Stainless) and the 1281/1282/1283 (out of D2). The price points were such that the 1221s weren't popular sellers. The 1221/1222 was discontinued in 2011. The 1281 is still available. They both have Kraton handles and Full/Hidden tangs, similar to the originals. The tang extends the full length of the handle and has an offset to be hidden. Some folks call the rat tangs and denigrate the strength of the tang, but that IMO is bogus. The knives will do what they are designed for.

The 1221 had a combo blade and the 1222 had the original plain edge and came with Kydez sheaths. The 1223 and 1224 were the same blade with a leather sheath.

The 1281/1282/1283 are all the 1281 and has a combo edge. The different designations are used to indicate the type of sheath (Kydex/Nylon/Leather) shipped with the knife.

 

[Chris Pierce]

I have tremendous respect for the knife.
My first REAL knife was a '60's era Camillus that I still treasure to this day.
I'm just kind of surprised that no one has taken this tried and proven blade design "to the next level" so to speak...

Check out the cold steel leather neck. It's been done.

 

[wildmanh]

Western did essentially that back in the 1930's. They used what was called a Double stick tang. Essentially it was a full tang with a slot cut out of the middle so that they could still do stacked leather handles. The Patent has probably expired by now, so I keep wondering why someone else hasn't done it yet.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

Western did essentially that back in the 1930's. They used what was called a Double stick tang. Essentially it was a full tang with a slot cut out of the middle so that they could still do stacked leather handles. The Patent has probably expired by now, so I keep wondering why someone else hasn't done it yet.

The patent expired back in the 50s. After Coleman bought Western from the Platts family in 1984, Coleman continued the construction method. Sometime after Camillus bought the Western name from Coleman in 1991, they dropped the method. Don't know the exact date, but it would probably coincide with the disposal of Western's Longmont, Colorado plant, which had all the machinery in place for the double-tang work.

The primary reason for not using the method would be cost. Two pommel pins instead of one. Two pommel holes to drill. Two tang holes to be drill. Different tooling for stamping out the "H" patterned washers and the guards. In the modern, bean-counter, bottom line is everything world, its too expensive to do.

 

[wildmanh]

zzy, thanks for the information.

I agree with what you said about machining and bean counters. A full width hidden or exposed Tang Ka-bar would be pretty cool and feasible. The BK17 has the right blade, just a shorter version. Hey, maybe a BK18, AKA 7" Bladed BK17. . . ?