KA BAR Inspired Design - Your Input

H

Heli00

Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
340
Hi,

Here is a design that copies the so iconic KA BAR.

The blade measurements are taken from the original KA BAR. As you can see, I’ve made some changes to the choil, guard, a threaded and beefed up tang, all hopefully an improvement, but I leave that to you to comment on.

I have drawn different blade tips and would like to invite you to comment and chose a favourite for the task.

1. As for steel, I could go O1, A2, AEB-L or 440C.

2. What blade shape, steel, would you pick and at what HRC?

I don’t have experience with other steels, so it should be one mentioned above.

3. Also, haven't made my mind yet on the handle material, but thinking either stacked leather or a nice wood, what do you think?

This image shows the measurements and overall look that will be common, regardless of the blade choice.

IMG-2173.jpg




A. This is the original clip point style blade.

IMG-2174.jpg




B. Still a clip point without curvature, just straight, but brings the tip more inline with the handle/thrust axis.

IMG-2175.jpg


UPDATE START*****************************************************

Based on your feedback, here are two more blade shapes added:

B.1. No fuller, in the interest of strong piercing and keeping the tip thicker, it doesn't sport a FFG. It also allows for a sharp, functional swedge.

IMG-2181.jpg



B.2. This again, no fuller and it's a FFG. The swedge in this case goes away since I don't see how a properly sharp swedge edge could be obtained. Starting to look like a drop point.

IMG-2180.jpg


UPDATE END*************************************************

C. This spear point puts the tip inline with the handle/thrust axis.

IMG-2176.jpg


Thanks in advance,
Constantin
 
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I like it. I'm personally not a fan of how high the tip is on A, but I think both B and C would make a great knife. I don't have any experience in fighting or in combat, but with regard to style and overall looks, B and C look good to go in my opinion. You could also drop the tip a bit and still have a curved clip which could also look nice as long as the proportions are "right".

The tang looks good to me as well. I think if you're using synthetic material for the handle to keep is as is, but if you use something like wood you could also slight step down the tang shoulders (w/ a radius) again right where is exits the guard to give the handle material more strength while keeping all or most of the strength at the blade/tang shoulders, although I normally see it done on guards that are thicker than this, so maybe starting with a slightly steeper angle down from the blade/tang shoulders then straiten them out as the come out of the back of the guard could work. You can gain a couple of millimeters on the top and bottom of the handle material if you were to do that, as the top side looks like it's cutting it a bit close. Just my two cents, looks good though.

(edited: got the letter designations mixed up)

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Some older vids of some of the older knives I made)
 
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I like B or C, but I'm probably leaning towards B. I like the stacked micarta idea mentioned above, though you can't go wrong with the traditional leather, or a combo of the two.
 
12345678910 said:
C, no fuller, lose that weight with full height flat grind and have a better cutter
Click to expand...
This! ^^^The original Ka-Bar was designed by a committee to be a multi purpose knife. IMHO, Like most things that are made to do several different things they don’t do any of them that well....A pry bar, opening crates. Digging holes, and a fighter & cutter. What do you want this to-really do? If you want it to cut & slice. Lose the fuller & make it a FFG..
 
Not a Big Fan of the Fuller on Ka-Bar's, however I am a BIG Fan of the Randall#1's:cool:...Blade shape of "B" without the Fuller looks like the Randall.
Stacked Micarta or Leather handle:thumbsup:
 
Great, thank you for your valuable feedback, keep it coming!

What about the steel choice and final hardness, see questions 1 and 2 for options.

Thanks again,
Constantin
 
I'd go for the updated B1 but have the belly a bit longer.(start it a bit more towards the ricasso)
Also a stacked handle either real leather or micarta
 
Heli00 said:
Great, thank you for your valuable feedback, keep it coming!

What about the steel choice and final hardness, see questions 1 and 2 for options.

Thanks again,
Constantin
Click to expand...

I haven't used it, but from everything I've read, out of those choices I'd think A2 would be great for this type of knife.

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Some older vids of some of the older knives I made)
 
I’d vote for B1 or possibly C.
Initially I thought O1 but by many accounts A2 may be a better choice. Both would do fine coming in right around 60.

If you want to give a nod to the KaBar stacked handle you could give something like this a try. It’s leather stacked between ebony, I think the leather & micarta could be cool.

8E59014A-584A-4C2E-BABB-DD30EC473ED7.jpeg
 
3fifty7 said:
I’d vote for B1 or possibly C.
Initially I thought O1 but by many accounts A2 may be a better choice. Both would do fine coming in right around 60.

If you want to give a nod to the KaBar stacked handle you could give something like this a try. It’s leather stacked between ebony, I think the leather & micarta could be cool.

View attachment 1231767
Click to expand...

Excellent, thanks! Interesting mixing leather and wood.

Why did you pick A2 over O1?
 
Honestly I’ve used a few O1 knives and I do think it’s a very good tough steel. Based on others accounts A2 (I have no experience with A2) should be tougher. That is all.
 
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