I'm wanting a marine Kabar style knife for the collection. I've seen at least three manufacturers that make a version of the same blade. The Cold Steel Leatherneck, Ontario makes a marine fighting knife that's very similar. And of course Kabar. My question is which one would you recommend based on first the quality of the steel. Then of course build quality, grind, etc. I'd like one for my collection but also my knives are tools. So it will get to go camping etc. I understand the CS Leatherneck was the top choice but it seems they changed to a lesser quality steel? Opinions? Oh and no serrated blades. I'm not buying a bread knife. 😜
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Kabar brand options
- Thread starter Bently71
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Out of the three I only own the Kabar version, so of course that's the one I'm going to recommend haha. After all, the Kabar is the original. The grind on mine was a little rough but very sharp, and the overall build quality is very good.
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KaBar
From a design aspect all three are very similar. Not a huge difference, not enough IMO to sway one over another regarding performance.
All are reputable enough companies in their own rights regarding overall build quality and heat treatments.
From a steel aspect; all 3 will take a razor sharp edge; cold steel uses 4116, which will give you a stainless steel, so less maintenance needed in that regard, and the much higher chromium and moly levels with a small bit of vanadium added will help to keep a dulling edge toothy enough to still cut, plus it's tough, but with the much lower carbon levels (half that of cro-van), expect any time saved due to rust resistance to be made up for with a more frequent need for resharpening...
1095 cro-van then is a juiced up 1095, exactly what the makers intended when they designed it, and a large part to the kabar reputation; small amounts of chromium, moly, vanadium, and nickel added make an even better edge holding, toothier, better working edge when dulling, slightly stronger and tougher version of the original, that is also ever so slightly more resistant to rust, (though hardly stainless, just wont rust quite as quick)...
4116 might be less prone to chip with it's lower carbon as it's been used as a decent steel for stainless axe heads, but 1095 (let alone cro-van) is hardly a steel known for chipping much...
From a design aspect all three are very similar. Not a huge difference, not enough IMO to sway one over another regarding performance.
All are reputable enough companies in their own rights regarding overall build quality and heat treatments.
From a steel aspect; all 3 will take a razor sharp edge; cold steel uses 4116, which will give you a stainless steel, so less maintenance needed in that regard, and the much higher chromium and moly levels with a small bit of vanadium added will help to keep a dulling edge toothy enough to still cut, plus it's tough, but with the much lower carbon levels (half that of cro-van), expect any time saved due to rust resistance to be made up for with a more frequent need for resharpening...
1095 cro-van then is a juiced up 1095, exactly what the makers intended when they designed it, and a large part to the kabar reputation; small amounts of chromium, moly, vanadium, and nickel added make an even better edge holding, toothier, better working edge when dulling, slightly stronger and tougher version of the original, that is also ever so slightly more resistant to rust, (though hardly stainless, just wont rust quite as quick)...
4116 might be less prone to chip with it's lower carbon as it's been used as a decent steel for stainless axe heads, but 1095 (let alone cro-van) is hardly a steel known for chipping much...
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Nope. Camillus made the first. And made more during WWII.
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No problem. Yeah, that German 4116 is nearly identical to chinese 5cr15mov; very common in standard kitchen Cutlery, where it's quite adequate and it's stainless properties shine when cutting apples and potatoes and meats and such. Rinse, wash, maybe leave sit wet, but I wouldn't consider it ideal for hard use field Knives... Even hardened a bit harder then where they leave them typically for kitchen Knives. While it may be "tough" it would seem to me that you would want more of a balance with strength and edge holding as well as toughness in a field knife where cutting wood and such issa reality, not just ripe tomatos.