Handles on the Short Kabar knives?

C

collecter

Joined
Aug 21, 2002
Messages
1,083
Hi guys, I was going thru my knives and found my old Kabar and remembered how much I like it so I'm thinking about getting another one but the smaller "short" version.

Can anyone tell me if the leather handle and a short USMC knife is the same width or thickness as the rubber handle version? In the pictures the leather handle looks thinner than the rubber handle version.

Thanks,
 
im pretty sure theyre the same, I love ka bars to, I just replaced my broken one with a new D2 extreme, I love it except for the serrations
 
Don't know about the leather ones, but the as for the synthetic versions, the handle in the short one is indeed smaller and a little slimmer.
 
Thanks guys, I know the handle on the "short" kabar is smaller than the handle on the regular size Kabar.

My question is specifically comparing the rubber handled and leather handled "short" knives.

For you fans of the regular size USMC knife, the newer leather handles are made thinner than on the older knives.

Thanks,
 
Thinner?? They getting cheaper these days... Ka-bar USMC knife was the first knife I owned I think I was 12 or 13 at the time. I worked all summer logging to buy that knife. Carried it with me on all my boyscout trips. I still have the knife but the leather has shrunk a bit and I dont know how to fix it.
 
This is not a topic for W&SS. It is a general knife question and therefore belongs in the General Discussion Forum.
 
Collecter,

The handles (both leather and Kraton) on the "Short" KA-BARs are smaller than the full size F/U knife. Approx 3/4 scale.
The newer F/U Handles are thinner but wider than the old, rounder handles from WWII.
Cheaper? No. More ergonomoic? Yes.

Crackerjax,
Soak the leather handle in a mixture of heated Neatsfoot oil and beeswax (low heat and observe safety proceedures). The oil will swell and tighten the leather. The beeswax will help hold the washers together when it solidifies at room temp. This should help your loose washer problem.

Hope all of this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
Toooj said:
Collecter,

The handles (both leather and Kraton) on the "Short" KA-BARs are smaller than the full size F/U knife. Approx 3/4 scale.
The newer F/U Handles are thinner but wider than the old, rounder handles from WWII.
Cheaper? No. More ergonomoic? Yes.

Crackerjax,
Soak the leather handle in a mixture of heated Neatsfoot oil and beeswax (low heat and observe safety proceedures). The oil will swell and tighten the leather. The beeswax will help hold the washers together when it solidifies at room temp. This should help your loose washer problem.

Hope all of this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul for the reply. I have a USMC Kabar that I bought around 1990 and I have a USMC Kabar that I bought within the last year and the newer knife has a thinner handle. It's not a big difference but it is thinner. I like the thickness of the handle on my older one.

I'm also sending you a pm on a different topic so please check your pm's.

Thanks,
 
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