Ka-Bar Little Finn - any carbon steel substitutes?

stockman242

stockman242

Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
1,576
For celebrating my 100's post in this wonderful forum, I have a question for you.

I bought this just because I was curious how jackknifes Trapper Bill went by with such a little knife: A leather handle little finn. This one is made by ka-bar

Here a picture in the usual jeans environment:
2000586110614879847_rs.jpg

But I came to find out that this really is all you need. Now I carry it almost daily.
Now what I don't like about this knife, is that its made in Taiwan, and that the blade is stainless.

Now my question would be:
Were can I get one like it that is made in the US, and has a flat ground carbon steel blade?

Any other thoughts on this little knife are welcome too.

Thanks for your help.
Peter
 
Western made one like that for boy scouts and for regular sale. Mine is from the 60s. You can find them at gun shows and knife shows for about 15 - 25$ depending upon condition.
 
brownshoe said:
Western made one like that for boy scouts and for regular sale. Mine is from the 60s. You can find them at gun shows and knife shows for about 15 - 25$ depending upon condition.
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Thats the bad thing, I live in germany. A gun show, would have been the first place I would have looked, but they are kinda rare over here.

But thanks anyway, I will look at some western made ones in the bay.
 
You could try E-bay, they made millions of these knives so there should be some floating around. Also in the 1950's, the Stratigic Air Command (SAC) put a knife of this type made by Boker in the survival kits on the B-52's. So maybe there are some Boker knives of this description around as well.

Good hunting.:thumbup:
 
Curious as to the flat ground readily availiable replacement myself. Case makes a few that are similar, but not quite what you are looking for. I love those old leather handled knives. Very folksy.
 
BJE said:
Curious as to the flat ground readily availiable replacement myself. Case makes a few that are similar, but not quite what you are looking for. I love those old leather handled knives. Very folksy.
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Thats what I thought too.
the ones case makes look very good, are US made, and have the leather handle, BUT the are stainless and i think hollow grind too.
I guess I have to keep looking.

Thanks for your input so far.
 
I have the Little Finn and really like it. I've seem some older Westerns on EBAY but I think you(we) are out of luck looking to flat ground 1095. As for US made look at the Case Mini Finn.

I am happy with the steel in my knife, I carry it bird hunting and cleaned many birds with it.
 
I'll bet that most of the similar knives you'll find are hollow-ground, not flat. Barring that, good luck in your search.
 
I'm gonna try to get one of the old boy scout knives, thats floating around on e-bay.
I hope the old scouts here dont mind that, 'cause I never were no scout. :D

If somebody finds out about one thats in production right now, and that would fit the bill, please post it here.
 
The Case versions I felt in Bass Pro Shop didn't feel very solid, also the handle was too small.
 
BJE said:
The Case versions I felt in Bass Pro Shop didn't feel very solid, also the handle was too small.
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Thanks for the heads up, I'll try to find an old western.
The ka-bar I have is a little bigger than the case mini finn and most western I saw on e-bay were 'even' bigger than my ka-bar.
 
Thats what I thought too.
It is kinda odd, that they dont make a single sheath knife in CV.
Their CV peanuts are great, their CV sodbusters are great, their CV stockman is great .....
Why wouldn't they make a CV sheath knife, I'm sure it wouldn't be bad either.
 
I have a newer Case little finn and like it a lot. Mine feels pretty solid.
 
Take a look at Marble's knives, there are some pretty cool leather handled ones with carbon steel, convex ground blades. I don't think they make something exactly like the little finn, but they have some nice models. I've been carrying a Woodcraft lately and I'm thrilled with it.
 
Franciscomv said:
Take a look at Marble's knives, there are some pretty cool leather handled ones with carbon steel, convex ground blades. I don't think they make something exactly like the little finn, but they have some nice models. I've been carrying a Woodcraft lately and I'm thrilled with it.
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I cant believe actually forgot all about them, they do look pretty slick.
If I cant get the western one, Ill probably get one of them, maybe even both.

Thanks
Peter
 
Well I just bought a western Boy Scout sheath knife in the bay.
I hope it gets here soon.

I borrowed the pics from the e-bay auction.
2003085893754650846_rs.jpg


This here looks to me like a flat grind - oh and carbon steel too.
2003039077510010867_rs.jpg


I'll let you know once it gets here.

Thanks again to all of you. This is a great community.

Peter
 
There were Little Finn sized Westerns available new of domestic manufacture until recently. I have seen them available from retail dealers as recently as 2001, they were like $42 per then.

If you are willing to live with a slightly bigger knife, do not mind a stainless blade or non-stack leather handle, you might like the Buck 102 Woodsman.

I have found that the Little Finn has long been made in Asia. Before Taiwan, they were made in Japan. The Japanese Little Finns lacked the the high luster finish that the new, Taiwan, made ones do.
 
stockman242 said:
Well I just bought a western Boy Scout sheath knife in the bay.
I hope it gets here soon.

I borrowed the pics from the e-bay auction.
2003085893754650846_rs.jpg


This here looks to me like a flat grind - oh and carbon steel too.
2003039077510010867_rs.jpg


I'll let you know once it gets here.

Thanks again to all of you. This is a great community.

Peter
Click to expand...

Very nice buy, Peter. Looks very much like trapper Bill's little knife. If the leather washer handle is a bit dry when you get it, take some Snow Seal and smear it all over the leather and use a hair drier to warm the wax and it will melt and then you can rub it into the leather while its warm in liquid form. I did this on my 1967 issue Camillus MK2 and the leather is still good 41 years later.
 
mp510 said:
If you are willing to live with a slightly bigger knife, do not mind a stainless blade or non-stack leather handle, you might like the Buck 102 Woodsman.
Click to expand...
I have had the 119 for quite a while, and found that the steel was slightly better than other 420, so I might jus go ahead and by one of them too, maybe just to keep in my toolbox.
Thanks


jackknife said:
Very nice buy, Peter. Looks very much like trapper Bill's little knife. If the leather washer handle is a bit dry when you get it, take some Snow Seal and smear it all over the leather and use a hair drier to warm the wax and it will melt and then you can rub it into the leather while its warm in liquid form. I did this on my 1967 issue Camillus MK2 and the leather is still good 41 years later.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip jackknife, I didnt know about that.

Peter
 
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