There has been a lot of discussion/praise/hype concerning the Kephart knife and it has piqued my interest. After over 60 years of camping, hiking and just general outdoor activity, I decided to get a Kephart. From what I have read, the Kabar Becker version is the most accurate reproduction of the Kephart available in a mass-produced knife so I thought I would give it a try.
As soon as I picked up the knife, I could see that the praises of the knife's design have not been exaggerated. It's hard for me to describe just how good this thing feels in the hand. It has perfect balance and feels much lighter than it actually is. It is hair popping sharp out of the box, but the grind is not what I would call perfect.
Disappointing but not a deal-breaker.
The biggest let-down for me are the scales. Nice Walnut but they would be a lot nicer if they were actually finished at the factory.
I mean really? This is a knife with a price tag approaching $200.00! I guess I'll have sand it and give it the Tru Oil treatment like my Condor and BPS knives. Actually my $30.00 BPS knife has better fit and finish. I'll also have to do some work on the screws that attach the scales - the ends of the screws are sharp and rough and catch on the flesh of my hands. I'll polish and re-blue the ends of the screws while I have the scales removed for finishing.
I do love the tapered tang. That's something I have only experienced on my Winkler knives.
I do appreciate that I can still purchase an American made version of the Kephart and I'm glad I bought it, but I'm afraid Kabar might be selling a knife that does not quite live up to their reputation or that of the Kephart name. Damn, if they would have just tried a little harder
As soon as I picked up the knife, I could see that the praises of the knife's design have not been exaggerated. It's hard for me to describe just how good this thing feels in the hand. It has perfect balance and feels much lighter than it actually is. It is hair popping sharp out of the box, but the grind is not what I would call perfect.
Disappointing but not a deal-breaker.
The biggest let-down for me are the scales. Nice Walnut but they would be a lot nicer if they were actually finished at the factory.
I mean really? This is a knife with a price tag approaching $200.00! I guess I'll have sand it and give it the Tru Oil treatment like my Condor and BPS knives. Actually my $30.00 BPS knife has better fit and finish. I'll also have to do some work on the screws that attach the scales - the ends of the screws are sharp and rough and catch on the flesh of my hands. I'll polish and re-blue the ends of the screws while I have the scales removed for finishing.
I do love the tapered tang. That's something I have only experienced on my Winkler knives.
I do appreciate that I can still purchase an American made version of the Kephart and I'm glad I bought it, but I'm afraid Kabar might be selling a knife that does not quite live up to their reputation or that of the Kephart name. Damn, if they would have just tried a little harder
.
