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Ka-Bar's New look, what do you think?
- Thread starter Fonly
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2007
- Messages
- 625
Taiwan Ka-bar? When did this happen?
been like that for a while, they make quite a few over there now.
savagesicslayer
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2005
- Messages
- 3,350
I like em.
savagesicslayer
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2005
- Messages
- 3,350
I can't seem to find them on Ka-bar's site.Are you shure they're actual Ka-bar's?
I bought the 4" version of the Marine hunter last month from cheaperthendirt.com for like $29.
I like it, it's nothing to brag about, but hopefully it'll serve me well on fishing trips.
The blade is mirror polished, but had scratchs in the blade from the factory [tooling marks is the term I think?]. I wouldn't trust it w/ my life also.
Handle is nice, shi^^y sheath.
I think mine was made in Japan however and not Taiwan.
It sorta reminds me of an old knife my dad once had.
I like it, it's nothing to brag about, but hopefully it'll serve me well on fishing trips.
The blade is mirror polished, but had scratchs in the blade from the factory [tooling marks is the term I think?]. I wouldn't trust it w/ my life also.
Handle is nice, shi^^y sheath.
I think mine was made in Japan however and not Taiwan.
It sorta reminds me of an old knife my dad once had.
1999, I think, for fixed blades. I'm not sure about folders. Kabar doesn't actually manufacture folders and buys them all from OEM makers. All the current folders are Taiwanese and have been for the last decade or so.
Note that many of the Taiwanese manufacturers are now OEM'ing products from mainland China. So seeing the Taiwan stamp on a knife may not be the whole story. It may have been assembled in Taiwan from Chinese parts, as an example. Also note that many knives made in the U.S.A. are made with Chinese-manufactured parts. Just as the Chinese dominate the computer industry so will they dominate the knife industry, if they don't already.
Their Mk IIs/"Marine" type and their other carbon steel blades are still made in the US, but I'm not sure about the stainless- I know some are imports, but not I don't know if they all are.
All that being said, I've seen some good steel coming out of the Pacific Rim, amongst the flood of junk. I've been very impressed with the Ka-Bar Mule, I wouldn't write off their other imports so quickly. I'd rather buy a blade that was made in the States, but a quality, reasonably priced knife can be from anywhere. Just like some hillybilly in the US can melt down whatever steel is laying about and make a knife that is just scary junk.