kabar heavy short bowie review

[WEB2]

here are some spec, all in inches:
blade:
length to handle - 7.23
width - 1.817
thickness - .240
handle:
length - 5.53
height - 1.37
thickness - 1.23
handle thickness/height is larger than kabar marine combat
for what it is worth:
my right hand across palm - 4.00
wrist to finger tips - 7.00
length of idex finger - 3.2
open hand tip of pincky to tip of thumb - 9.3

this knife handle fits me great, i like it a lot

shaving sharp from the box, not scary, but still good

chopping - pine 2x4 - all the way through, still shaving sharp on belly where is was chopping

batoning - 12" 2x4 split 5 times, still shaving sharp on the straight edge

slicing with with cutting edge up on carboard was slightly difficult do to the bird beak pommel, but not undoable

i think this knife would do great in the kitchen as well

sheath is ok, the snaps are hard to do while on the belt

the pommel seams sturdy enough to hammer on

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Where does it balance, and where was the sweet spot when chopping? How was the feedback when batoning?

-Cliff

 

[skammer]

I have seen a KBar nearly fold in half (bent) under prying pressure so I stay away form them. It wasn't your model however but the potential might be there. FYI

Skam

 

[Cliff Stamp]

When you start to go really low end the consistency can bottom out. I have seen Ontario bowies of significant thickness bend trivially, even through the handle, others crack with no flex, geometry all over the place in regards to primary and edge grinds. The basic patterns are often solid, but unless I was buying from a local store forget it. The shipping on returns would be prohibitive and the defect rate I have seen is insanely high, even a replacement was defective. I like the general machete style though prefer the execution of Barteaux/Martindale.

-Cliff

 

[WEB2]

the balance is right on the junction of handle and blade.
the chopping sweet spot is just behind the belly and slightly into it.
i had no vibrations in the batoning that i did, the handle did not feel loose at all either.

 

[deserthawk]

I have seen a KBar nearly fold in half (bent) under prying pressure so I stay away form them. It wasn't your model however but the potential might be there. FYI

Skam

just curious, was there a real reason why it was being used as a prybar? i've used my Ka-Bars hard for cutting and chopping (batoning) and never had a failure. i use other tools for prying.

dhawk

 

[Planterz]

I have seen a KBar nearly fold in half (bent) under prying pressure so I stay away form them. It wasn't your model however but the potential might be there. FYI

Skam

Would you prefer that the knife simply broke?

 

[Cobalt]

Would you prefer that the knife simply broke?

there is a fine line here.
If the knife is to so if it bends with little pressure, if i is really hard it appears to be more resistant and then snaps without warning. I like it somewhere in between. But for prying you have to know that your knife can take it. I don't believe the thinner Kbars were ever meant for that. A CS SRK is, any Saber Ground 0.2 inch thick 5-6 inch blade will be. 1/4 inch thick blades should be ok if they are saber ground and if flat ground should be of excellent steel.

But ultimately it you need tocdecide what the purpose is. If you wanna pry, get an Ontario Marine Raider bowie. Or a Becker Brute.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Would you prefer that the knife simply broke?

Assuming it was one of the thicker ones, he would probably prefer it did neither just like a properly hardened and tempered piece of tool steel will do.

-Cliff

 

[CATFISH57]

if ya catch this please try to respond 2 my question on cs san mai t--master-reviews available and should i purchase--please dont be offended--not trying to jak the thread here--i really was interested in how this kbar knife performed --i dare say not as well as old standby:jerkit: