Kabar USMC fighting knife- still a great knife?

Corton93 said:
As shane45-1911 shane45-1911 mentioned, they are ok knives, but im not a fan of the rat tail tang. For his purposes it would probably be alright. I know it is not a common occurrence, but my Kabar broke while batoning wood with it.

It was probably 5 or 6 years ago now, but it got bound up in a bad knot to where the blade started to bend. Flipped the wood and started to try to knock it back out, hitting the blade and handle... handle took 4 or 5 hits then completely snapped off.

I hate their marketing lmao, but I'd honestly take a look at TOPS. A quick search on their website shows 12 pages, or 224 total different fixed blades 😵‍💫. I'm sure many of those have been discontinued, but you get my point.
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I had to look up batoning to work out what that was. Why do fellas use a knife to split wood that has already been logged and shortened with an axe/saw?

Honest question, I am in the tropics.
 
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MolokaiRider said:
Here is a picture of my youngest daughter's waist pack. She also carries a backpack with more kit to include water, first aid, GPS collar responder, etc.

This kit is for taking out hogs, cleaning them, and for stitching up dogs. This is her second Ka-Bar DH, as she also lost her first one.

This kit has been through about 20 pigs.

View attachment 1911723
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Nice kit there fella, thanks for sharing!
 
mickb said:
I had to look up batoning to work out what that was. Why do fellas use a knife to split wood that has already been logged and shortened with an axe?

Honest question, I am in the tropics.
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For some reason, it comes from a last ditch technique to a requirement for some campers and workers. Some people go on to use that feature to differentiate the survival/camp knives and hunting/fighting knives.
Well, smaller log does make better fire, or perhaps some people want to save weight by using one knife instead of a knife and an axe. Therefore, the knife have to be more over build to withstand the technique. Anyhow, many fighting and hunting knives, especially the more old time patterns, are not made for such usage, they made to cut, not to chop or pry.

The thinking of "fighting knife must be more dependable" in the video is not even true. Not even in the medieval time that people used knives for these tasks, and in modern combat, you are already long gone by the time you need to use knife to fight.

Some says that full length and width tang is for balance, while disregarding the fact the length of the blade also shift the balance. This is not even sarcasm, some of those, even 3 inches blade or 10 inches blade have the same balance if they have full length and width tang.

Since this topic appear from time to time around Internet, I know that many people here and from other forums can attest that there is nothing wrong with long half width stick tang if built correctly. The Kabar is a fine knife among a sea of fine knife, it was made after a required parameter, batoning is not among it, general hunting is, same with other recommendations here.

By the way, I want to know more what you mean by a more "serious" of a knife. I have some extra recommendation that not yet mentioned:
Vangedal Slire Danish scout knife, not as long as the as the Kabar, but it is good and inexpensive.
Terävä, less well known Finnish brand, but some Finnish folks recommended it. They have knife and light chopper (for batoning lover). They doesn't have guard, but the shape of the handle would stop your hand from sliding. (Edit: I didn't see that they use one from this brand to test in that video)
Fallkniven is a known expensive Sweden brand, they are quite "serious".

I have this one semi-custom made by a Russian smith seeking refuge in Canada. He makes bigger knives as well, but I can't not show info here since he is it affiliated with the forums.
IMG_20220802_191905.jpg
 
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Deino said:
For some reason, it comes from a last ditch technique to a requirement for some campers and workers. Some people go on to use that feature to differentiate the survival/camp knives and hunting/fighting knives.
Well, smaller log does make better fire, or perhaps some people want to save weight by using one knife instead of a knife and an axe. Therefore, the knife have to be more over build to withstand the technique. Anyhow, many fighting and hunting knives, especially the more old time patterns, are not made for such usage, they made to cut, not to chop or pry.

The thinking of "fighting knife must be more dependable" in the video is not even true. Not even in the medieval time that people used knives for these tasks, and in modern combat, you are already long gone by the time you need to use knife to fight.

Some says that full length and width tang is for balance, while disregarding the fact the length of the blade also shift the balance. This is not even sarcasm, some of those, even 3 inches blade or 10 inches blade have the same balance if they have full length and width tang.

Since this topic appear from time to time around Internet, I know that many people here and from other forums can attest that there is nothing wrong with long half width stick tang if built correctly. The Kabar is a fine knife among a sea of fine knife, it was made after a required parameter, batoning is not among it, general hunting is, same with other recommendations here.

By the way, I want to know more what you mean by a more "serious" of a knife. I have some extra recommendation that not yet mentioned:
Vangedal Slire Danish scout knife, not as long as the as the Kabar, but it is good and inexpensive.
Terävä, less well known Finnish brand, but some Finnish folks recommended it. They have knife and light chopper (for batoning lover). They doesn't have guard, but the shape of the handle would stop your hand from sliding. (Edit: I didn't see that they use one from this brand to test in that video)
Fallkniven is a known expensive Sweden brand, they are quite "serious".

I have this one semi-custom made by a Russian smith seeking refuge in Canada. He makes bigger knives as well, but I can't not show info here since he is it affiliated with the forums.
IMG_20220802_191905.jpg
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Batoning is often used to make fire after it was raining recently, bigger logs are often still dry inside, but you need to split them to come to that dry wood...

That's at least what I heard... I never needed to baton though.
 
mickb said:
I had to look up batoning to work out what that was. Why do fellas use a knife to split wood that has already been logged and shortened with an axe/saw?

Honest question, I am in the tropics.
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Out of need lol. Was on a solo weekend camping trip and the handle on my old trusty Gransfors small forest axe had split...

Broke two tools that weekend lol. Luckily I had also brought my ESEE 6. I should have used the ESEE to start with when the axe split, the KaBar was just already in hand.. 🤦‍♂️
 
LostCause said:
Batoning is often used to make fire after it was raining recently, bigger logs are often still dry inside, but you need to split them to come to that dry wood...

That's at least what I heard... I never needed to baton though.
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I understand splitting wood, just couldnt figure out the requirement to do it with a knife. back up for an axe, new one for me.
 
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Dav1 said:
In that style with a full tang you've got the TOPS desert nomad, 440c but I'm sure it's well heat treated. I'd guess it would be a superior Knife to the Kabar but haven't handled one.
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I don't know anything about pig sticking, but I've got one. The handle is a bit slim, so I put a ranger band on it. It came nice and sharp with a good edge. I really like it.
 
I prefer a 7" blade minimum but I know guys who do go slightly shorter. Price though is an eye opener. Id be too scared of losing a nice knife like that. :)
 
awesome14 said:
I wish I still had my Kabar! I was in the dorm my first year of college. A girl I had dated when I was 14 came to visit me with her little brother. I said to the kid, "You want to see something really cool?" So I pulled out the Kabar.

He was mesmerized! He said, "Can I have it?"

I said, "No, but if you save your money you can buy one."

Somehow that kid made off with my Kabar. I'd had it since Boy Scouts, which wasn't that long before. I was so pissed! But, they lived in a different town, and I didn't have a car then. So, I had to let it go. Strange how you never forget those things.
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This story made me angry. Let’s go find him.
 
I also had never heard of batoning until I came to Bladeforums and had the same thought. I grew up on some property in the Pacific Northwest out in the country and spent my whole childhood processing firewood because that's how we heated our house. I'd never heard of anyone batoning. However someone above made a good point of it being a good backup if your your hatchet/axe were to break. Another thing I could see is batoning kindling inside your house when there's a storm outside. Instead of swinging a hatchet indoors and having it hit a backstop on the floor, you could baton. You'd still need a backstop, but that's a possible good use I could see. Nevertheless, since joining Bladeforums, I have batoned my share of wood just for the sheer joy of doing it.
 
I used to do "batoning" with an ax and maul.

An effective substitute for the ax is a entrenching tool sharpened with a file on one long side.

A "nice" knife? If you use a Randall of any model in that way, it will invalidate their warranty.

I'd do it with a CRK Green Beret though. When I bought one twenty years ago, they advertised that they would refinish a blade used in the field. With the newer alloys they may be even tougher now.
 
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Deino said:
Since this topic appear from time to time around Internet, I know that many people here and from other forums can attest that there is nothing wrong with long half width stick tang if built correctly.
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Please define "built correctly".

For all intents and purposes, I think we can safely say that the term "combat knife" is synonymous with "survival knife" in today's world. And for a "survival" knife, a stick tang is the last thing I want on a knife that may see use well beyond whittling some feather sticks. A survival knife should be able to pry, chop, and yes - even baton, if required.

All other things being equal, a tang that is half as wide, is also half as strong. Why would you want a half-strong knife when there are so many other good full width tang "survival" knives available today? (Unless of course, your only intention is making the aforementioned feather sticks.)

The Kabar - while a good knife - could be a great knife, if they finally decide to upgrade their 1940's tooling and produce a knife with a full width tang.
 
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shane45-1911 said:
I think we can safely say that the term "combat knife" is synonymous with "survival knife" in today's world.
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I'm not sure I agree. The K-Bar served as a reasonable survival knife before there were so many options.

But I'm pretty sure 99.99% of the people who buy survival knives (or combat knives) don't need them for their stated purpose, unless they decide to not take a better tool for the job.

If you want to pry, chop and baton, go for it, but buy a knife that was meant for that. As far as the OP's question. There are probably a lot of knives that are better for the price, and a survival knife probably makes sense.
 
Another option to consider is the Magnum Boar Hunter by KoA, designed as a pig sticker...
Sure-Grip handle helps with control while wet and bloody. Nice molded leather sheath. Not a great choice for "batoning" wood perse, could probably get away with some light stuff though, but definitely a solid choice for pig sticking that is a good slicer for food prep and other cutting/carving tasks...
 
gentleman_edc said:
I'm not sure I agree. The K-Bar served as a reasonable survival knife before there were so many options.
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Exactly my point. But there ARE many other (better) options today.

Currently, Kabar is selling knives based on the legacy of their name and their longevity, and not much more. They were good knives when there was not much to compare them against.

Fast forward to today, and Kabar is outclassed by every major current production manufacturer (Tops, Becker, ESEE, etc.) who cater to the same "survival/combat" knife demographic.
 
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Steely_Gunz said:
Kabars are just fine on a budget. Personally, I like the 8" fighter model better. If they ever offer it without serrations, I'll buy 2.

I would also suggest he look at the Becker line, and there are several TOPS knives thst would easily fit the bill. However both the Beckers and the Tops are going to be heavier and more costly.

Honestly, anything upgraded from a boning knife is going to be an improvement.
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Kabar just released an 8” a month or two ago
Eta: just saw this information was already provided!
 
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