Ka-Bar ZK-War Sword Knife? Anyone have one?

L

Logan09

Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
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I just came across these. Thinking of using one as a small machete. Anyone have one? How does it perform? For $45, I figure what the hell.
 
No, but I believe Kabar has seen better days.

I would buy a condor or a CS machete instead. Even if it is just 45 bucks, there are a lot of great deals for 45 bucks out there
 
res1cue said:
No, but I believe Kabar has seen better days.

I would buy a condor or a CS machete instead. Even if it is just 45 bucks, there are a lot of great deals for 45 bucks out there
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Why ? I've heard nothing but good reviews about the War Sword !
 
It might make an ok camp knife but I think it'd be a poor substitute for a true machete.
 
Logan09 said:
I just came across these. Thinking of using one as a small machete. Anyone have one? How does it perform? For $45, I figure what the hell.
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I bought one as a Christmas present last year. It seemed like a pretty decent knife if you ignore the zombie stuff. But, I know from experience that a knife ain't a machete. So if you're looking for something to use to clear lots of brush, you probably want a machete. If you want something for chopping small to medium branches, some regular cutting chores, and maybe some minor brush clearing the Kabar should work out just fine.
 
GWashington1732 said:
If you want something for chopping small to medium branches, some regular cutting chores, and maybe some minor brush clearing the Kabar should work out just fine.
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This is pretty much what I want it for. I have an actual machete(Can't think of what it is now, but it's the best damn machete I've owned) and it's to large for what I use it for. I'm looking for something in-between. I also have a kukri that I use as a chopper but find it a little to "heavy" and thick for most things.
 
Logan09 said:
Thanks! I was looking for a review but didn't search back that far. That pretty much answered everything I was looking for.
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Glad that helped out :).

Also, they look pretty nice stripped, as it totally gets rid of the weird tacticool look. I'm working on mine right now, and will be making some new scales for it sometime this summer (bluejean micarta I think).
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/927447-Stripped-ZK-War-Sword

So yea, its a decent camp knife, the HT is spot on (on mine at least), and its actually pretty fast in the hand for such a large blade, but a true machete it is not.

Good luck with whatever you do :D.
 
res1cue said:
No, but I believe Kabar has seen better days.

I would buy a condor or a CS machete instead. Even if it is just 45 bucks, there are a lot of great deals for 45 bucks out there
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Explain the comment or be considered a troll.
WHY do you think KaBar no longer makes a good product.
WHICH knives have you owned that did not perform at the price point.
 
Logan09 said:
I just came across these. Thinking of using one as a small machete. Anyone have one? How does it perform? For $45, I figure what the hell.
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I have more than enough knives this size or bigger. But after seeing ocnLogan's review, that War Sword looks like a good deal for the price. If I ever parted with my Becker Brute, which I can't seem to do particularly now that I put micarta on it, I'd go for a War Sword. My old 1\4 inch Brute has noticeable weight and the War Sword looks to be a lighter carry, for a big knife.
 
Must not own any K-Bar products or he just doesn't like the fact that Kbar made such a knife
 
I like the war sword enough to have ordered a kydex sheath for it. It is quite light and I carry it in a deep front pocket with a G-clip. It seems like a good chopper although not up to the ability of my bigger and heavier Junglas which is only to be expected.
I'm amused by the complaint above that the war sword looks too 'tactical'. Hey it's called a "war sword" !
 
res1cue said:
No, but I believe Kabar has seen better days.

I would buy a condor or a CS machete instead. Even if it is just 45 bucks, there are a lot of great deals for 45 bucks out there
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I would like to hear more on the "better days" of which you speak. Mostly, because I know quite a bit about Kabar, and I think the better days, are still yet to come.


knarfeng said:
Explain the comment or be considered a troll.
WHY do you think KaBar no longer makes a good product.
WHICH knives have you owned that did not perform at the price point.
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:D Couldn't have said it better, 'Feng. But I'm still a little unclear as to what you were asking about. :D

MassMatt said:
This is awfully confrontational IMO.
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I see it as the shoe fits. If you want come and make a statement like one of our nations oldest and best knife maker has seen "better days" folks like me and a few hundred others are going to want to know why you think that.

Otherwise, the statement was made to bait folks into coming in here and starting trouble, which we don't want.

Some folks really enjoy the zombie genre, I for one enjoy zombie movies and shows, but alot of what people miss, is that the "zombie knife" was Kabar's creation.

The blades on those knives are "resurrected" blade shapes, of years gone by. They all come from history. Old blade shapes that were dead before most of us were born. They brought them back, and gave them new purpose, and a better, more modern make than they ever saw when they were in "style".

SK5 steel, heat treated to a 55-56Rc, great grinds, awesome fit and finish, perky new handles (based on the Johnson Adventure Blades), and some pretty damn good sheaths

The only thing that I don't care for much, is the Taiwan on the blade, but, perhaps that might change one day.

Knives are tools for use, and these ZK knives will do their job, to the fullest, don't believe me, try it out for yourself. You ain't gonna spend alot, and I promise someone will take them off your hands.

Moose
 
I gotta wonder if the people that talk smack about the ZK blades would say anything if they didn't have the green handle scales and didn't have the name Zombie attached. Cause if you stick the black handle scales on it (included for FREE) it just looks like another knife in the collection. Hell they could have called it the MK1 Combat Bolo or something and nobody would have said anything about it or started saying that "Ka-Bar is going down hill" (an actual quote from some firearms blog). You don't like the green change the handle scales and put black paracord on the sheath and enjoy a decent knife at a great price.
 
Haters are gonna hate !!! It's that simple. Sometimes, it is better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth & remove all doubt (i also have done that a time or 2). The shoe DOES fit in this case. Ka-Bar is, in fact, IMHO, doing some GREAT things right now. They make a quality product, & they make a lot of it right here in the good old US of A. Becker knives are the first example of a hard use knife that comes to my mind.
 
I'm a big KA-BAR fan and own 15+ of their knives, but I'm not surprised when people are turned off by the Zombie Knife thing. It smacks of taking advantage of a fad. KA-BAR doesn't exactly advertise the fact that these are cool old knife designs that have been resurrected, which to me is a really neat aspect.
 
I had a heavy bowie that they started getting made in china, it broke at the handle IN the sheath!!!!
i only go custom even if i like a production design.
 
zeuqramjj2002 said:
I had a heavy bowie that they started getting made in china, it broke at the handle IN the sheath!!!!
i only go custom even if i like a production design.
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Was it a real Kabar, or some knockoff?

The current Heavy Bowie is made in Taiwan, and while I have heard of a few breaks (3 maybe?) they were all covered under warranty and it still took significantly more than sitting in the sheath to break them. If you haven't yet I would try contacting them about it, as they're quick to take care of things like this. I would suggest either calling them up or stopping by the kabar forum and letting them know. Their CS is top notch.
 
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