Is the Kabar heavy bowie worth it?

S

Stoogemeister

Joined
Nov 3, 2009
Messages
7
Hey,

Ok I am narrowing down my search for the perfect survival blade that will NOT fail on me and I can bring into the depths of the Rocky Mountains with no worries.

I am limited on cash, so im not going to go all out on a Busse Bushwacker Battle Mistress or something like that.

I have only heard good things about the Cold Steel Trailmaster, and it seems like a very thick, reliable knife which wont chip in cold weather or under heavy stress, the only problem is that the san mai version is very expensive and the leather sheath can retain water

I am also looking at the Kabar Heavy Bowie, i like how cheap it is, only about 50 dollars and with good reach and thick too, good for processing wood and such. However, i have heard some reviews from people where the blade has failed and chipped.

What do you guys think? Im trying to save as much money as possible while still getting an extremely reliable knife i can depend on and can process large logs in the dead of winter
 
Many knives will work for the many troubling circumstances that most will never encounter except in their minds. You will have to decide if the knife is worth paying for.
 
Stoogemeister said:
Hey,

Ok I am narrowing down my search for the perfect survival blade that will NOT fail on me and I can bring into the depths of the Rocky Mountains with no worries.

I am limited on cash, so im not going to go all out on a Busse Bushwacker Battle Mistress or something like that.
Click to expand...

In your other thread you had the right idea, CS Recon Scout or TM.

I really wouldn't worry about the leather sheath all that much as I have used leather sheaths for over 25 years in the field and never had any problems.
 
I had one & probably should've kept it. I traded it for a couple machetes, I believe (An Ontario & a Tremontina).

For the $, I thought it was/is a very good lg. knife. Would it equal a Bark River, Busse, or some other more expensive FB? No, it would not, but if you need a decent lg. blade with decent steel (1095 has definitely stood the test of time), it's good one to "have" around, especially if you want something that you don't have to "worry" about (Like storing it in the garage or something).

So, I guess to answer the OP's question, IMHO, yes, it's worth it, but not necessarily a replacement for a nicer, higher end FB.
 
I've seen a couple of your post looking for the perfect survival knife. I think you may be headed down the wrong path with a large bowie or even a Busse BM. I've spent a lot of time in the woods and usually carry 3-4 knives. the knife that I end up using for most of the time is my $10 Mora. I hike a lot and have never had to chop or baton wood even in heavily picked over areas. When I hunt, I carry $200+ knives from BRKT, Busse, Falkniven, Benchmade, etc. yet I find myself processing deer with Mora knives because they are so sharp and designed for cutting. I wouldn't even dream about filleting a fish with a bowie, but (you guessed it) a More would work great.

My point is that you may envision a survival situation where you are chopping wood etc., but these activities are energy inefficient and are likely to cause you to sweat in the winter or cause you to hurt yoursef when you cannot get help. Firewood and shelter material can more easily be found, green wood doesn't burn well anyway. What you are more likely to use a knife for is filleting fish or processing game, making snares, turning clothing into rope, sliver removal, toenail trimming, haircuts (in the case of very long term survival), etc. All of these tasks require a sharp fairly short and thin knife.

My recommendation is 2 carbon steel Mora knives. search Ben's Backwoods on eBay to see what is offered. Moras stay sharp as long as most of my premium fixed blades and cut better than all of them.

If you want a beefier knife to compliment the Mora, I'd recommend a Falkniven S1. You can find them on the exchange about once a month for under $100. I carry one while I hike and have been using it for food processing around the campfire. I also use it for some wood work and have been extremely impressed with it.

The best tool for survival is knowledge, and there is no replacement for expirience. In my book fire and water come above a knife (even though I own about 20 knives for woods use). Everyone puts great emphisis on a survival knife, but honestly I could get along just fine with a sharp rock! If I had to spend a week in the woods, I'd take a Bic or a blanket before a knife.
 
I own the Heavy Bowie, and it's a good knife... for the money. It does not compare to to a Cold Steel Trail Master, even in SK-5, but it's also half the price.
You want the 'perfect survival blade that will NOT fail on me and I can bring into the depths of the Rocky Mountains with no worries.'? Spend more, get an FBM. Wanna spend $50 max? Get this knife. Unless you do something fairly outrageous, it will serve you well. It's comfortable, sharp, has nice weight distribution, not too heavy. Good value for money.
 
Stoogemeister said:
Hey,

Ok I am narrowing down my search for the perfect survival blade that will NOT fail on me and I can bring into the depths of the Rocky Mountains with no worries.

I am limited on cash, so im not going to go all out on a Busse Bushwacker Battle Mistress or something like that.

I have only heard good things about the Cold Steel Trailmaster, and it seems like a very thick, reliable knife which wont chip in cold weather or under heavy stress, the only problem is that the san mai version is very expensive and the leather sheath can retain water

I am also looking at the Kabar Heavy Bowie, i like how cheap it is, only about 50 dollars and with good reach and thick too, good for processing wood and such. However, i have heard some reviews from people where the blade has failed and chipped.

What do you guys think? Im trying to save as much money as possible while still getting an extremely reliable knife i can depend on and can process large logs in the dead of winter
Click to expand...

Get a Ka-bar in D2. You can get them for around $100 online. Noss4 did a destruction test on one in which he used it to chop through 2x4s and concrete and afterwords the blade was still very sharp. It actually outperformed many other fixed blades that were up to three times the price. The D2 Ka-bar only failed when Noss4 clamped the blade part in a press and then stood on the handle and started bouncing up and down, causing it to snap. Noss4 is a big guy and I don't think any D2 knife would have been able to withstand that.
 
michaelmcgo said:
I've seen a couple of your post looking for the perfect survival knife. I think you may be headed down the wrong path with a large bowie or even a Busse BM. I've spent a lot of time in the woods and usually carry 3-4 knives. the knife that I end up using for most of the time is my $10 Mora. I hike a lot and have never had to chop or baton wood even in heavily picked over areas. When I hunt, I carry $200+ knives from BRKT, Busse, Falkniven, Benchmade, etc. yet I find myself processing deer with Mora knives because they are so sharp and designed for cutting. I wouldn't even dream about filleting a fish with a bowie, but (you guessed it) a More would work great.

My point is that you may envision a survival situation where you are chopping wood etc., but these activities are energy inefficient and are likely to cause you to sweat in the winter or cause you to hurt yoursef when you cannot get help. Firewood and shelter material can more easily be found, green wood doesn't burn well anyway. What you are more likely to use a knife for is filleting fish or processing game, making snares, turning clothing into rope, sliver removal, toenail trimming, haircuts (in the case of very long term survival), etc. All of these tasks require a sharp fairly short and thin knife.

My recommendation is 2 carbon steel Mora knives. search Ben's Backwoods on eBay to see what is offered. Moras stay sharp as long as most of my premium fixed blades and cut better than all of them.

If you want a beefier knife to compliment the Mora, I'd recommend a Falkniven S1. You can find them on the exchange about once a month for under $100. I carry one while I hike and have been using it for food processing around the campfire. I also use it for some wood work and have been extremely impressed with it.

The best tool for survival is knowledge, and there is no replacement for expirience. In my book fire and water come above a knife (even though I own about 20 knives for woods use). Everyone puts great emphisis on a survival knife, but honestly I could get along just fine with a sharp rock! If I had to spend a week in the woods, I'd take a Bic or a blanket before a knife.
Click to expand...

Listen to this man.

The best survival tool is between your ears. The second best survival tool is a high level of physcial fitness.

I can't tell you how many "survival" meetings i have been to where the average "survivalist" is 50 pounds over weight, and swings around a big knife while holding a Keystone light in the other hand. :barf:

Get a decent sized light knife. I like the SOG Seal Pup Elite as a good starting blade. Its cheap enough that you will actually use it and light enough that you will actually carry it. Get some knowledge and practice, practice, practice, practice.

You will wear out before the knife will.

Ret
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top