Ka bar " Next gen figther " review

FortyTwoBlades said:
I'm just surprised that they gave it a flat pommel in the first place if it wasn't intended as a makeshift hammer...and further surprised that they haven't modified the tang so that it can be. I know it's a classic, but seeing as how they've come out with a tanto version and all you'd think they could at least make that mod.

That being said the pattern doesn't do anything for me anyway, in spite of its iconic nature, so never mind me. :)
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I have always wondered why it wasn't thicker- more like that on the aircrew survival knife or the Cattaraugus- so that the stress destined to be applied at some point was spread over more than just the last quarter inch of tang weakend by the recesses and a hole drilled through the middle for the retainer pin. I've never thought that made sense for a "combat/survival" knife.
 
That being said the pattern doesn't do anything for me anyway, in spite of its iconic nature, so never mind me.
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I Like the Knife, I have had many During the years, It's a Good Utility Knife But I feel the same way. It Just Doesn't Do anything for me. there are a Number of fixed blade knives in the same price range that ae a lot better. I Wonder How easily the D2 Next generation would break similarly?. The Complete design of the knife just reminds me of generic combat/hunting knife from movies, same with Buck "Special". Like you said, Despite its Iconic nature.

Why Use 440 Anything anyway? I'm Not a Knife maker, But Is Not The Tougher, Sometimes 10X tougher 1090 or 1095 Carbon steel way cheaper in Bulk Bar stock then stainless steel?

I have always wondered why it wasn't thicker- more like that on the aircrew survival knife or the Cattaraugus- so that the stress destined to be applied at some point was spread over more than just the last quarter inch of tang weakend by the recesses and a hole drilled through the middle for the retainer pin. I've never thought that made sense for a "combat/survival" knife.
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I have also wondered the same thing, Why Not Kbar make the pommel like (I think Case XX or Camillus maked it) "Piolet Survival knife"
I think that knife might be one of the strongest knives ever made.

I would Like to see crazy ski masked Man Try to Break That Knife:-) I think he would have trouble and it get lots of "swords"
 
I think the biggest reason why the military picked it up in the first place was that it provided a reasonable degree of function for very low cost, and they're relatively quick to make. Thus a metric crap ton can be quickly made and distributed to troops and they'll "get the job done" even though they'll sometimes be consumed in the process. The straight tang with the second reduced shoulder is (to my mind at least) an obvious cost-cutting measure to make the fabrication of the leather handle easier. If they all had to be sized to fit a more typical tapered hidden tang that was peened on the underside of the pommel, then you can imagine how much more time consuming the process would become.
 
Everything what you say is true, but tip isn't broke of on pin hole, and knife is full tang design. It seem's that reason is quality of steel, actually, too much carbon for stainless steel and unpropriate design.
 
Next Generation was designed by special team and they choosed Sandvic 12C27 as a steel initially. Then it was switched to 440A, and epoxy coating instead of bead blast finish... to make it cheap - in reasult we have cheap knife.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
cabala said:
Everything what you say is true, but tip isn't broke of on pin hole, and knife is full tang design. It seem's that reason is quality of steel, actually, too much carbon for stainless steel and unpropriate design.
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Um...no the knife is a "stick" tang design. The only full tang I've persoanlly seen that had a flat metal cap pommel suitable for hammering is the Skookum Bush Tool.

http://www.skookumbushtool.com/

I'd love to have one with, especially one with a longer blade, but the last time I checked they were back logged pretty bad.
 
I don't know that I've ever liked KA-BAR's fighting knife. If I buy a KA-BAR it's going to be one of their Heavy Bowies or one from the Becker line.

I do have to ask though, and I'm trying to not sound like a smart ass, but....why would you use a knife as a hammer?
 
If you don't have a real one and there aren't and big rocks or batons available.
 
A more urban environment. When you're away from a tool box, of course. ;)
 
That looks like a defect to me. If it was my knife I would contact Ka-bar about a Warenty replacement. I have a SOG Goverment in 440A steel that has the same type of handle (thinner steel) as your Kabar and I've used the butt as a hammer many a time on campouts. I got it used and the previous owner also used it as a hammer. If my SOG with it's thinner handle can take being used as an improvised hammer, the Kabar should be able to also.

Edited to add: My Carbon steel Kabars have also been used as improvised hammers and they are holding up fine. Wood plastic and metal tent pegs are mostly what I've pounded with my SOG and Kabars.

Heber
 
A rock or a peice of wood is no substitute for a metal hammering option. It's more precise because it's a flat surface and reliable as you have muscle instinct that remembers how the pommel hammers, how it feels and what is the mass; the blows are much better directed and controlled.That's one of the reasons why i got an NG. I hammered the snot out of it just now on a pine 4X4, heavy blows and no problems. later on I will pound into some metal as this thread has me curious now what's inside 'the envelope'.
 
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wildmanh said:
That looks like a defect to me. If it was my knife I would contact Ka-bar about a Warenty replacement. I have a SOG Goverment in 440A steel that has the same type of handle (thinner steel) as your Kabar and I've used the butt as a hammer many a time on campouts. I got it used and the previous owner also used it as a hammer. If my SOG with it's thinner handle can take being used as an improvised hammer, the Kabar should be able to also.

Edited to add: My Carbon steel Kabars have also been used as improvised hammers and they are holding up fine. Wood plastic and metal tent pegs are mostly what I've pounded with my SOG and Kabars.

Heber
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True, I had also SOG Goverment last few years during war in my country and just because SOG don't produces Goverment I was thinking that is better having original design instead of something " like a Ka bar ", but that design need to be improved. I don't expect any problem with guarantee replacement.
 
Can I ask, how did you hammer with it? Straight down on the pommel? Or holding the blade and using in an actual hammer fashion.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I'm just surprised that they gave it a flat pommel in the first place if it wasn't intended as a makeshift hammer...and further surprised that they haven't modified the tang so that it can be. I know it's a classic, but seeing as how they've come out with a tanto version and all you'd think they could at least make that mod.

That being said the pattern doesn't do anything for me anyway, in spite of its iconic nature, so never mind me. :)
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I think it was more intended for hammering on human heads than nail heads :)
 
This is about the third or fourth KaBar next gen style pommel I've seen broken off in the last two years on forums. They all had pictures showing the same failure mode. knifetests.com tested the KaBar D2 version and broke the pommel the same way. One person commented that hitting the pommel out on the edge of that lanyard hole might give a little extra leverage to pop that weak spot on the tang. I wish they used the old round pommel on these knives.
 
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