KaBar tang shape query

scruffuk

scruffuk

Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
2,679
Hi folks,

I've just been reading some of the comments on Stabman's nice wee KaBar MkI review http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...K1-(Bushcraft)-review?p=10025147#post10025147

There are two comments about the tang shape of the KaBar as opposed to the 'usual' rat tail stick tang common in puukko/scandi's.

Maybe I'm just being a bit of a numpty, but it lost me a little and was wondering if anyone could expand or direct me towards a 'naked' KaBar tang picture to help me understand.

I tried a search but 'KaBar tang' returns a lot of results.
(Interestingly though, Google imaging 'KaBar stick tang' does return one of my creations on page five though, which is cool....if random!!).

Thanks for your patience and advice.

Scruff
 
Here is a link to a copy of the original manufacturing drawing of the Ka-Bar blade. When I bought my 1217 a few years ago it included a copy of this same drawing. I believe they still build them essentially the same way.

Blade drawing
 
Cheers, mate! And welcome to the Kabar forum. This is the best pic I got. :D

100_1353.jpg


Moose
 
lol... Moose happened. Thats what.

No really though. Moose uses a wood burning stove, and uses knives to split the wood for the stove. He used that particular blade for three seasons batoning wood for the stove until it broke.

And kinda back on topic. Does anyone know what the tang of the heavy bowie, cutlass machete, and kurki look like? Are they the same as the 1217 or do they look different. I'm just wondering, because I've heard about the 1217 breaking right where it did in the photo above, but never heard about the tang on anything like the heavy bowie breaking. Are the different?
 
^ i did that to my usmc kabar while i was waiting on my esee 6 to come in the mail.... ya usmc kabar= not the best at batoning... wonder why
 
Thanks for the welcome and the responses gents :thumbup:

Blue Sky - Who can fail to love a tech drawing?!
Much appreciated sir.

Ouch! On the knife Moose.

All is now clear though.
It looks like there's not very much of a radius on the blade-tang transition, but I have seen plenty of puukko like this, and certainly a fair few that are straight not tapered.

I wonder if it's just a combination of tough love and unfortunate circumstances that led to it's demise though, rather than a design flaw in such a tried and tested construction method.

I would say though, that with all through tangs, I do seem to notice shock vibrations traveling through to the butt or pommel, more so than in a 'hidden' tang.
This is one of several reasons I chose not to do it, but again, it's been a tried and tested construction for quite a while....so maybe I should just admit I just hate peining!! ;)

Thanks again folks.
I've certainly not been put off by this, and shall be looking for a MkI purchase next week!
(They are on general sale now I hope?!)
 
ocnLogan said:
Does anyone know what the tang of the heavy bowie, cutlass machete, and kurki look like?
Click to expand...

I'm 87.4% sure those tangs (and anything with the Tooj handle, so grass machete too) are like the Warthog's, i.e. stick tang. Maybe slightly wider at the guard end. Differentially heat treated to theoretically bend, not break.
 
87.4% sounds about as exact as I was thinking. I appreciate the info :).

So is it the differential heat treat what makes it so the stick tangs on the kurki, heavy bowie, and cutlass aren't seemingly prone to breakage like the ones on the MK1 and the USMC? I've just never heard of one of those tangs breaking, and they are hard use knives.
 
I'd be interested in the returns KA-BAR sees on the different knife types. I cant imagine the Toooj-handle stick tangs don't break the same amount as the others, us users are abusive and none too smart, but maybe.
 
scruffuk said:
Thanks for the welcome and the responses gents :thumbup:

Blue Sky - Who can fail to love a tech drawing?!
Much appreciated sir.

Ouch! On the knife Moose.

All is now clear though.
It looks like there's not very much of a radius on the blade-tang transition, but I have seen plenty of puukko like this, and certainly a fair few that are straight not tapered.

I wonder if it's just a combination of tough love and unfortunate circumstances that led to it's demise though, rather than a design flaw in such a tried and tested construction method.

I would say though, that with all through tangs, I do seem to notice shock vibrations traveling through to the butt or pommel, more so than in a 'hidden' tang.
This is one of several reasons I chose not to do it, but again, it's been a tried and tested construction for quite a while....so maybe I should just admit I just hate peining!! ;)

Thanks again folks.
I've certainly not been put off by this, and shall be looking for a MkI purchase next week!
(They are on general sale now I hope?!)
Click to expand...

Years of abuse led to that knife being broke. As there have been others that lasted a long time as well. I'm hard on knives. Period.

I tell most folks, not to look at the broken tang, but the fact that that blade shiny. It didn't get stripped, that happened naturally. :D

I did sand out the fuller though, it just looked goofy with that little bit of black in the middle of the blade.

Moose
 
They're a tool at the end of the day, they need to be put to work!!

I always get a little dismayed when someone tells me they've not used a knife yet, whether custom or factory made.

Hadn't realized that was worn not stripped.
It really does say a lot.

Sadly I'm struggling to find a KaBar MkI here in Blighty.
I have found a Boker made MkI though, who I read were also one of the contracted manufacturers.
Gotta keep searching!!

Thanks again

scruff
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top