Ka-bar Replacement?

[Boattale]

Eat my shorts as Bart might say.

 

[craytab]

Too brittle.

How so? Elaborate please.

 

[Ruari]

Needs a guard to be a fighting knife.

Fine, I would say that the Cold Steel Recon Scout is your Huckleberry then.

 

[Deino]

I am curious how much use the wire cutter function of bayonets is used in real life. Seems like real wire cutters would be more useful. The Marine OKC-3S bayonet does not have the hole for one, so they must use a separate tool?

It doesn't work very well. I tried a few different issued bayonet, none of them are as practical as pair of pliers.
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Like my previous post here, there is no incentive on improving the knife and bayonet across the world. I know guys who buy Ka-Bar or short Ka-Bar with their own to use (RCIC), despite its reputation of being easy to break on Youtube and Camping forums. In my opinion, Ka-bar is not "heavy duty", but it is the right tool for the right job. There are other things on the back that needed to be heavy duty, and so is the M9 bayonet and many others.

I have the Jakaari 140, very durable, but a little too heavy for my taste. I was looking for something like the OKC SP-17 Quartermaster, it is discontinued like 10 years ago, it is like the OKC SP1/Ka-Bar, but 6 inches instead. It was very popular.

 

[Boattale]

How so? Elaborate please.

Brittle is probably the wrong word. Less toughness than the 1095 in the classic Kabar.

 

[jux t]

Brittle is probably the wrong word. Less toughness than the 1095 in the classic Kabar.

According to KnifeSteelNerds, Magnacut is tougher than 1095. 7/10 toughness vs 4.5/10

 

[J. Doyle]

Needs a guard to be a fighting knife.

Jim Bowie might disagree.

So might the majority of wielders of knives used in murders, which I believe are of the kitchen variety.

I am curious, what do you call a "fighting knife" and why would it need more of a "guard" than that Corothers field knife pictured?

 

[Wasty]

Strictly answering the question from OP:

The Kabar MK2 is a amazingly well designed knife, great balance, amazing blade shape and the round grip is a true one size fits all solution.
However, I would like to have a wider, tapered tang, so that the overall construction will be less prone to break at the transition from blade to tang.

Today you can choose between so many different great knives, all less than $250: (The list below is my preference, but there are so many good ones available, its so hard to choose)

BK7
Condor Plan A
Tops Tex Creek XL
Esee 6 HM
Jääkäripuukko 140
and so on...

But keep in mind that the governments' procurement agency is tax funded and will try not to waste the taxes you paid and therefore require the knife to be made as cost efficient as possible.

 

[Boattale]

Jim Bowie might disagree.

So might the majority of wielders of knives used in murders, which I believe are of the kitchen variety.

I am curious, what do you call a "fighting knife" and why would it need more of a "guard" than that Corothers field knife pictured?

I posted a photo earlier in this thread.

 

[J. Doyle]

I posted a photo earlier in this thread.

Uhhh.....OK.

I don't see any specific features that make that the be all, end all combat knife.

And it didn't really answer my question but I'm happy to add you to the growing list of people on this site that talk just to talk and can't/won't elucidate any sort of coherent point/position.

 

[Boattale]

Uhhh.....OK.

I don't see any specific features that make that the be all, end all combat knife.

And it didn't really answer my question but I'm happy to add you to the growing list of people on this site that talk just to talk and can't/won't elucidate any sort of coherent point/position.

ok. I don't think I owe you anything but with respect to the USMC fighting knife, I like the size, shape, materials and it's well known history. That and the fact that I carried one in the early 1970's and it did everything that was needed. Happy now?

 

[Ruari]

Often is not the measure. Once is. That said, I'd still be happy with this and most I know would be as well.

View attachment 2449142

Were those grinds done by Skilcraft?

 

[Boattale]

Jim Bowie might disagree.

So might the majority of wielders of knives used in murders, which I believe are of the kitchen variety.

I am curious, what do you call a "fighting knife" and why would it need more of a "guard" than that Corothers field knife pictured?

A guard on a fighting knife primarily serves to keep your hand off the blade. Wet slick hands and heavy use make it even more so

 

[J. Doyle]

ok. I don't think I owe you anything but with respect to the USMC fighting knife, I like the size, shape, materials and it's well known history. That and the fact that I carried one in the early 1970's and it did everything that was needed. Happy now?

It helps, thanks. Though you are correct in saying you don't owe me anything. I asked because you made a few pretty dogmatic statements with not much else for support.

I'm not sure I agree with you saying it has to have a guard to be a fighting knife. I would think a fighting knife would be any knife one chose to employ in a fight, whether the aggressor or the defender.

But I've never been in a knife fight, don't plan to be in a knife fight or even consider knife fighting in my knife choices/preferences. I don't carry a knife for self defense.

My best bet would be that 99.9% of people who carry a knife with the idea of possibly needing it a knife fight, would be terribly surprised to find out it went nothing like they envisioned or planned and that the knife type/features didn't make a damn bit of difference in the final outcome.

 

[Slice-and-dice]

Hey I saw folks try to replicate this knife on an episode of Forged in Fire! Weird shape, but interesting...

 

[Boattale]

I thought the discussion was about a knife designed for fighting. Of course almost every kind of knife out there has been used for fighting at one time or another.

 

[Aaron880]

Finns fought Russians, not Germans. That started before WW-II but for during most of that war the Finns were on the German side. No one else was offering to save them from the Russian animals. Churchill and the others were willing to throw Finland under the bus to stay on the good side of the commies.

You are correct about Finns fighting Russians v. Germans. I knew that. Somehow I forgot. Thanx for the correction.

I am curious how much use the wire cutter function of bayonets is used in real life. Seems like real wire cutters would be more useful. The Marine OKC-3S bayonet does not have the hole for one, so they must use a separate tool?

i have a Romainian copy of the AK-47 bayonet , with the Wirecutter arrangement. I’ve played around with it on scrap cyclone fencing, barbed wire, commercial wire and even a piece of razor wire. It is clearly not the best tool for the job. However, it works, haltingly , but it works. I don’t think the Army and Marines are going to equip every grunt with a quality wire cutter as standard equipment. And even the 8” cutters are heavy for the amount of use they get. Having a lightweight , albeit less than optimal piece of gear, universally available,is, IMO, a good idea. YMMV. In a set piece assault, dedicated wirecutters would stillbe issued.

 

[Boattale]

Were those grinds done by Skilcraft?

Is this an attempted insult? That knife is shaving sharp.

 

[Ruari]

I thought the discussion was about a knife designed for fighting. Of course almost every kind of knife out there has been used for fighting at one time or another.

Not entirely, more a military utility knife that can be used for close combat.

"If military doctrine came full circle and you were tasked with outfitting modern soldiers with a knife that could complete ordinary tasks, and also prove its mettle as a close quarters weapon - what knife (or knives) would be at the top of your report, and why would they be there?

The retail price should be $85-$250."

 

[Ruari]

You are correct about Finns fighting Russians v. Germans. I knew that. Somehow I forgot. Thanx for the correction.

i have a Romainian copy of the AK-47 bayonet , with the Wirecutter arrangement. I’ve played around with it on scrap cyclone fencing, barbed wire, commercial wire and even a piece of razor wire. It is clearly not the best tool for the job. However, it works, haltingly , but it works. I don’t think the Army and Marines are going to equip every grunt with a quality wire cutter as standard equipment. And even the 8” cutters are heavy for the amount of use they get. Having a lightweight , albeit less than optimal piece of gear, universally available,is, IMO, a good idea. YMMV. In a set piece assault, dedicated wirecutters would stillbe issued.

One of the big issues with the wire cutter bayonets is that the scabbard is usually attached to the belt or belt kit of the soldier, so it's difficult if not impossible to use without removing from the frog or belt.