KABAR failure

ScottK

ScottK

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Joined
May 25, 1999
Messages
2,088
We were camping this weekend and I was batoning my kabar through a small piece of oak to split it for kindling. During the second strike of the baton the knife suffered an epic failure. I'll be sending it in for replacement.
 
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Classic tang failure. The sharp angle of the blade/tang junction acts as a stress-riser.

It is important not to strike the tip of the knife when the handle is below the tip. Keep the knife level.

Yes, please read on.
LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
KA-BAR Knives, Inc. (the "Company") warrants, to the original purchaser of the knife only, that this knife will be free from defects in material and craftsmanship under normal use and maintenance for the lifetime of the original purchaser. This Limited Warranty does not apply to any failure of, defect in, or damage to the knife caused by normal wear and tear or by improper use, including batoning with or throwing the knife, using the blades as a can opener, chisel, pry bar, screwdriver, digging tool, or for any heavy work for which the knife was not designed.
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Yep, When they break, they always break there. How large was the oak log?

The kabar USMC is a great knife, with an excellent history. However, if you plan on doing lots of batoning, you may want to consider a full width/full length tang knife (Like the Becker line) for use in the future.

Good luck with the warranty work, I'm not quite sure what will happen with it, but good luck none-the-less :).
 
did that to gerber back a few years ago. they replaced the blade into my custom handle all polished up and no questions asked. I broke it, the fixed it. Quality sometimes is more than the steal and looks.
 
Live and learn, the 2 inch thick piece of oak won. I'll use my Becker the next time. KABAR warranty specifically does not cover batoning.
 
I have a USMC serrated and Big Brother from KaBar. These are very nice knives with solid sheaths.

I agree these knives are more slicers than all around woods knives.

Batoning is an emergency only thing for me and my KaBars. I use the USMC as a camp kitchen knife.

However, would it be that hard to beef up this knife design?

KaBar is great, but i also carry a small axe in the woods.
 
They could laser etch the name on instead of stamping...that's about all I can think of.

I had some one about to "Baton" a railroad spike with my D2 Ka-bar because I said the steel was tougher a bit than normal knife steel...I don't think my warranty would over that. It was my fault for leaving it out in the open when swimming at camp I guess, maybe I should of forgot it at home... A few more interesting things on that trip but glad I wasn't in his canoe. I don't baton wood with my D2 Ka-Bar (its to dang useful!), got other things for wood processing.
 
Roguer said:
They could laser etch the name on instead of stamping...that's about all I can think of.

I had some one about to "Baton" a railroad spike with my D2 Ka-bar because I said the steel was tougher a bit than normal knife steel...I don't think my warranty would over that. It was my fault for leaving it out in the open when swimming at camp I guess, maybe I should of forgot it at home... A few more interesting things on that trip but glad I wasn't in his canoe. I don't baton wood with my D2 Ka-Bar (its to dang useful!), got other things for wood processing.
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Putting a radius on the tang/blade junctions instead of the right angles from stamping out the blank would help.

D2 is less tough than the 1095 of the ordinary MK II. 1095 is used for plows and harrows and encounters rocks in the process.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Putting a radius on the tang/blade junctions instead of the right angles from stamping out the blank would help.

D2 is less tough than the 1095 of the ordinary MK II. 1095 is used for plows and harrows and encounters rocks in the process.
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Yup. It's a design flaw that never seems to get fixed. I know everybody loves the history behind the classic KABAR and all that jazz, but famous as it is it's hands down a poor design and one that I recommend staying far away from.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Yup. It's a design flaw that never seems to get fixed. I know everybody loves the history behind the classic KABAR and all that jazz, but famous as it is it's hands down a poor design and one that I recommend staying far away from.
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That's kinda like saying it's a design flaw that a Prius can't tow a 30' camp trailer. The knife works fine for what it was designed for. That said, I also recommend avoiding it if you want a blade to split and chop wood.
 
The way I see it.

The KA-Bar resembles a Patrol/Torpedo Boat. Nimble, light, fast, and specifically designed with an end purpose in mind. Much like the P/T Boats. It turns out the KA-BAR can punch way above its weight, just like those old P/Ts. So it gets used on missions that are way above its design criteria. Just like those P/T Boats, most of the time it is successful. Most of the time, not always.

Nimble, Light, Fast and Tough, yes. Indestructable?, no.


I see the Beckers more as Guided Missle Cruisers.
 
bigghoss said:
That's kinda like saying it's a design flaw that a Prius can't tow a 30' camp trailer. The knife works fine for what it was designed for. That said, I also recommend avoiding it if you want a blade to split and chop wood.
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I've watched an instructor snap one in half barehanded. Failure to radius the transition to the tang is poor design, as doing so would cost very little more and make the knife much stronger. Many people have been fine with the classic KABAR. It's still poorly designed, though.

Your analogy particularly falls apart because I've made no claims about what the blade should be able to do. I've just agreed with the obvious weak point that was mentioned above and reiterated that it was a design flaw, a particularly egregious one that's been known for many years.
 
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