KABAR Specs and Questions

[Beowulf]

I have a few questions that I cannot find answers to on the KABAR fixed blades.

How thick is the the Standard USMC and the Next Gen knives?

What is better to have 1095 Carbon or 440A?

Anyone have experience with their Glass Filled Nylon Sheath?

How thick is the hilt guard? Does it seem sturdy?

If you would like to share:

What do you like about the knife? What do you dislike?

 

[Redguy]

How thick is the the Standard USMC and the Next Gen knives?

The standard USMC is about 4 millimeters, the next gens are probably the same, ar maybe around 4.5.

What is better to have 1095 Carbon or 440A?

Depends. 440A is stainless, 1095 is carbon. Totally diffrent animals. 1095 may hold an edge longer and is is tougher, but it will corrode if you look at it wrong. 1095 is easy to sharpen. I don't have any personal experience with 440A, but I think you may have a serious problem with burr especially if the steel is soft. I would chose 12C27 steel, which is used in some of the Next Gen models, but it also has it's drawbacks and I don't have any idea about Ka-Bars heat treating.

Anyone have experience with their Glass Filled Nylon Sheath?

They are servicable I presume.

How thick is the hilt guard? Does it seem sturdy?

Around a millimeter and a half. The one on the top is totally unnecessary, the other half is quite nice. It is made from some very soft steel, so if you abuse it, it will bend. If it happens, you can bend it back.

If you would like to share:

What do you like about the knife? What do you dislike?

I had one in 1095 with leather sheath, but I sold it, so no idea about the stainless ones.

+ Price
+ Looks.
+ Very comfortable handles.
+ Easy to sharpen.
+ Balance.

- Stick tang.
- Soft steel.
- It rusts like crazy, even for carbon steel.
- Hollow gound blade.
- Upper part of the hilt.

 

[ehhh]

The standard Ka-Bar blade is ~5/32" (~4mm) thick.

Their 1095 steel is decently tough and has good edge retention in my experience. I have no experience with their 440A, but my experience with other 440A is that it isn't as wear resistant. 440A is obviously more corrosion resistant, so if that is one of your major concerns you may want to consider it.

I have no experience with their nylon sheath.

I'll assume by "hilt guard" you mean finger guard, and would visually estimate the finger guard at about 1-2mm thick. It seems sturdy enough to me. If you were asking about the butt cap, then I don't really know, but I would guess it is also about the same thickness and sturdy enough to hammer with.

Personally, I like the knife because it's cheap, works and has that classic look to it.