KA-BAR Tech Talk

TwinStick said:
It is listed as a Kukri Machete. As such, machetes are designed to be light/er & faster in hand, for cutting stuff that machetes usually cut, which is primarily vegitation. If making a path through such vegetation, swinging it for a good long time (all day) will quickly take its toll on your arm/hand, if you had say a 1/4" or 3/8" spine vs the thin & fast (which is what is required for vegetation).

On a side note, I have an 18" & a 12" Ontario machete. I would not trade either one for nothing. In fact, my modified (by me) 12" machete out chopped someone with a $300+ custom knife once. He was upset that my $21 machete beat out his custom by more than 20 chops. There is something to be said for fast & light sometimes. Try it yourself & do your own un-scientific experiments. You will see what i mean.

Machete's are not really meant to be batoned, yet i have batoned my 12" with no ill effects.

Hope this helps.
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The Kukri Machete was a Toooj design. Unfortunately I can't shed any light on to the thinking behind the design of that particular item. Kukri's are traditionally made to be fighter's, but as you stated the word "machete" added to the equation lends itself to more robust tasks.

-OKB
 
Tdhurl1103 said:
Hey OKB,

I was in a knife store today and I saw some folders with the manufacturer name "Tidioute Cutlery." I was taken aback a bit, because I had thought this company was KA-BAR.

What gives? Does Cutco or KA-BAR own this company as an off-shoot? Or, did a new company purchase/lease the name for a totally separate company? What am I missing here? Did I mis-see what I thought I saw?
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The Tidioute Cutlery you saw has no ties to KA-BAR. The town of Tidioute was a hot spot for cutlery makers and over the years several knife makers have used the name. KA-BAR has not used it in many decades, save for traditional or anniversary models. If KA-BAR was to use the name the blade would most likely have KA-BAR on it as well.

-OKB
 
Alright there's something I don't understand. I've read a lot about the history of what's known as the KA-BAR knife that the military ordered and used for so long, how the design was an improvement over the M3 trench knife for greater utility purposes, like prying open crates, opening cans, digging holes, cutting roots, cutting wires, etc. But on the website such activities are said to void the warranty.

Is this because the military ordered millions of them in a government contract, and would simply issue a new one to any soldier who broke their when using their knife as a prybar when they weren't intended for such purposes?
 
Charlie_K said:
Alright there's something I don't understand. I've read a lot about the history of what's known as the KA-BAR knife that the military ordered and used for so long, how the design was an improvement over the M3 trench knife for greater utility purposes, like prying open crates, opening cans, digging holes, cutting roots, cutting wires, etc. But on the website such activities are said to void the warranty.

Is this because the military ordered millions of them in a government contract, and would simply issue a new one to any soldier who broke their when using their knife as a prybar when they weren't intended for such purposes?
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It wasn't necessarily an improvement, it was merely for a different type of job. During WWII orders for all knives, not just the KA-BAR style, often came in faster than they could be produced. This is why so many different companies made the KA-BAR-style knife. There wasn't a warranty back then; if you destroyed your knife in the Pacific, you didn't have a knife for awhile. It was up to each man to take care of his equipment.

We are strong advocates of right tool for the right job. If I wanted to cut a tree down I'd use a chainsaw. If I needed to cut down a tree and all I had was a knife I'd use the knife. Though the warranty, which is only for manufacturer's defects, doesn't cover these activities that is not saying many of our items can't handle it. In fact, as is often seen on this forum, many of them do quite well in this regard. The usage that would void the warranty are guidelines for tasks in which the knives are not designed for, and therefore, cannot be guaranteed they will come through undamaged.

-OKB
 
Hi All,
Anyone know or have any information on why there are ka-bar utility knives (full size) in the 1211 series that have serrations on either the left side or the right side of the blade? Is there a diffrence in use ability or a benefit to having the serrations on one side or the other? Gurus plz help

347th02.jpg


Ive mostly seen knives like this with serrations on the left I dont think ive ever seen a knife with serrations on the right...And when I say left I mean if I was looking at the spine of the blade.

9jiz2a.jpg


All though I am left handed but use tools and such like knives in my right hand, its weird, and ive read that most right handed users would prefer the serations on the right for ease of use.
 
Tier1Operations said:
Hi All,
Anyone know or have any information on why there are ka-bar utility knives (full size) in the 1211 series that have serrations on either the left side or the right side of the blade? Is there a diffrence in use ability or a benefit to having the serrations on one side or the other? Gurus plz help

347th02.jpg


Ive mostly seen knives like this with serrations on the left I dont think ive ever seen a knife with serrations on the right...And when I say left I mean if I was looking at the spine of the blade.

9jiz2a.jpg


All though I am left handed but use tools and such like knives in my right hand, its weird, and ive read that most right handed users would prefer the serations on the right for ease of use.
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The information your looking for can be found in this very thread. I do hope that someone will dig it up for you
 
I post this thought on whim, having done exactly zero research on the matter. I would really like to see a video from the KA-BAR factory which highlights the process and materials used in the coatings; specifically the Becker blades...or heck, any KA-BAR blades. The reason I ask is because I want to strip the newest coating off my Beckers and reapply the old coating. I was looking at my old 14 the other day and I realized some of the reasons I really like it. It had the old coating which has been stripped and is stamped.

Don't get me wrong, I like the new coating, and the laser etch is a great improvement, its just that I wish, sometimes, KA-BAR would offer options (if it was feasible/cost effective) even if the old process and materials are outdated or less strong.
 
Tdhurl1103 said:
I post this thought on whim, having done exactly zero research on the matter. I would really like to see a video from the KA-BAR factory which highlights the process and materials used in the coatings; specifically the Becker blades...or heck, any KA-BAR blades. The reason I ask is because I want to strip the newest coating off my Beckers and reapply the old coating. I was looking at my old 14 the other day and I realized some of the reasons I really like it. It had the old coating which has been stripped and is stamped.

Don't get me wrong, I like the new coating, and the laser etch is a great improvement, its just that I wish, sometimes, KA-BAR would offer options (if it was feasible/cost effective) even if the old process and materials are outdated or less strong.
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Ethan posted a cool video on his visit there regarding the 1217. It probably doesn't cover all that you'd want to see, but should be of some interest.
 
hey guys, just wondering if Kabar has changed their mind about not centering the offset blade and handle of the full-sized USMC after all these years. I have no problem using it, but it would look so much better if the blade wasn't so one-sided. the design looks deformed the way it is now, so maybe another reconsideration to make it straight, pretty please? :p
 
nameless9 said:
hey guys, just wondering if Kabar has changed their mind about not centering the offset blade and handle of the full-sized USMC after all these years. I have no problem using it, but it would look so much better if the blade wasn't so one-sided. the design looks deformed the way it is now, so maybe another reconsideration to make it straight, pretty please? :p
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I would much prefer if they did that too, but I don't think they have any plans to do it.
 
Time for a quick steel question. Most KA-BAR knives are made from 1095 CV steel. The kukri machete is made from 1085 carbon steel. In a side by side comparison of edge retention, where two comparable models are stacked up against each other, and tested against comparable mediums, how much faster will the 1085 be in need of resharpening compared to the 1095 CV?
 
nameless9 said:
hey guys, just wondering if Kabar has changed their mind about not centering the offset blade and handle of the full-sized USMC after all these years. I have no problem using it, but it would look so much better if the blade wasn't so one-sided. the design looks deformed the way it is now, so maybe another reconsideration to make it straight, pretty please? :p
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We do not currently have any plans to center. The original 1219C2 (what we know today as the 1217 USMC Fighting/Utility Knife) was offset and we decided to keep that feature as it does not impact performance and changing would not be an improvement. The only changes to the fighting/utility knives are due to clear performance improvements.

-OKB
 
Charlie_K said:
Time for a quick steel question. Most KA-BAR knives are made from 1095 CV steel. The kukri machete is made from 1085 carbon steel. In a side by side comparison of edge retention, where two comparable models are stacked up against each other, and tested against comparable mediums, how much faster will the 1085 be in need of resharpening compared to the 1095 CV?
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Hello Charlie, the man difference in the two is the hardness. Our knives made of 1085 come in at a slightly lower Rockwell because of the tasks they are used for; which are more blunt force than a fighting/utility knife. Edge retention is comparable, but a large chopper doesn't generally require as sharp of an edge as a fighting knife. Both 1095 and 1085 are extremely easy to sharpen.

-OKB
 
I don't know if this is the right thread for this question or not. The sheath on my BK9 is wearing out and becoming threadbare in some areas with all the use it's been put through. The KA-BAR website doesn't advertise them being for sale, and the only options I know of are to advertise that I'm looking to buy a factory sheath, or check sites like ebay. Is there any way of ordering a replacement sheath from the KA-BAR website that I'm simply unaware of?
 
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