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It seems to me the title leans to guards in general, no specific Knife in question, although the OP discusses their experience with a specific Knife, the topic IMO is guards on any Ka-Bar.
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Ka-bar crossguard: does it affect normal utility work?
- Thread starter KingMC
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It seems to me the title leans to guards in general, no specific Knife in question, although the OP discusses their experience with a specific Knife, the topic IMO is guards on any Ka-Bar.
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- Feb 17, 2013
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I don't have any problems with full guards. They can get in the way for SOME tasks, but I have always been able to work around them.
The purposes of a full guard as I see them is to ::
1) help protect the hand in in a knife fight (whoopee, like that's a real modern requirement. HA!!)
2) IMO, full guards are easier to "affix" to a blade than a half guard, unless using the Western dual tang mounting arrangement. Even that method requires 2 sets of cuts on the guard.
3) provides an opposing point for hanging the knife up in a tree branch crotch.
4) provide for an second anchor point if one needs to lash the knife to a pole for use as a spear.
5) they look really good when done right.
The only one of the 5 points that really makes a difference is 5), making the knife look good.
All that said, if I had to choose between a no guard knife and a full guard knife, the full guard will win out for me every time. Between a full guard and a half guard? It will depend on the knife and how it works FOR ME.
The purposes of a full guard as I see them is to ::
1) help protect the hand in in a knife fight (whoopee, like that's a real modern requirement. HA!!)
2) IMO, full guards are easier to "affix" to a blade than a half guard, unless using the Western dual tang mounting arrangement. Even that method requires 2 sets of cuts on the guard.
3) provides an opposing point for hanging the knife up in a tree branch crotch.
4) provide for an second anchor point if one needs to lash the knife to a pole for use as a spear.
5) they look really good when done right.
The only one of the 5 points that really makes a difference is 5), making the knife look good.
All that said, if I had to choose between a no guard knife and a full guard knife, the full guard will win out for me every time. Between a full guard and a half guard? It will depend on the knife and how it works FOR ME.
KingMC
The Pun-isher
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- Jul 25, 2014
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- 11,600
Yes, I was asking about guards in general, specifically the classic double-sided guard on the iconic Ka-bar but also including the half-guards from the MK1, Dog's Head, and other newer Ka-bars. More curious if the top guard gets in the way (seems like it does) and if the bottom guard is an inconvenience too (seems like it isn't).
I'm considering the Dog's Head after reading the review thread floating about in this subforum, it's a good-looking utility knife.
I know that with certain types of knives, lower guards don't exist (Puuko's primarily). The argument is that they get in the way for required carving tasks, etc. In fact, in Scandinavian cultures, lower guards are only present on childrens knives.
Myself, I wouldn't ever consider a knife that DIDN'T have a lower guard of some sort (whether it is built into the handle design like Beckers/etc or if its a full "real" lower guard). While I have a fair amount of comfort/confidence in my ability to control a knife safely, there exists situations where I may be less dexterous (cold, injured, or just plain not paying attention). So for a main knife for me, I won't consider a knife without one of some sort. I've just read too many stories about people that accidentally severed all of their fingers/tendons/etc due to their fingers slipping up past the edge of the knife when they didn't expect it (whole hand inside the gut cavity of an animal and the blade slips, or all manner of other things). Just no need to risk it IMO.
Anyway, like you said, I don't find the lower guards to get in the way much, and even if they did, I'd still want them for "most" tasks just because I like my fingers. But I don't expect everyone else to agree with my opinion, which I'm fine with.
And the dogs head is a good knife. I personally like the look of the modded 1217's better (mostly the pommel area), but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a dogs head for someone.
The MK1 is a great knife as well. And the leather one is QUITE the looker.