Photos Knives & Guns

[The True North]

New toy this week, Mossberg Nightstick. I have a pile of Defender Tactical upgrades that I need to install (Aluminum follower, mini shell adapter, a stouter mag spring, a large brass bead, the metal “safety sight” and a picatinny rail for the end of the mag tube). I couldn’t help but get basically everything they sell, cool company.

No knife in the pic, but I have a Buck 110 on my belt while taking the pic, as always.

 

[madcap_magician]

What don’t you like about the sheath? Been looking at picking one of these up.

The knife doesn't fully seat in it - it sticks out for about a quarter inch of the ricasso. It is extremely tightly fit such that the first time I pulled the knife out was more like opening a particularly tight pickle jar than it was like pulling a knife out of a sheath. The retention is 'sticky' where the knife fights you as you draw it, rather than being a sort of 'click' retention as in kydex or the best leather sheaths. You pretty much are forced to hold the sheath with your offhand to get the knife out, and I don't know that it would be possible for me to draw it from my strong side given the awkward angle my left hand would have to take to get sufficient leverage on the sheath to pull the knife out. The knife was wedged into the sheath so tightly that immediately upon drawing it, substantial sheath insertion wear is visible on the PVD finish on the blade.

This could be improved with breaking in somewhat but I doubt it'll ever be particularly good. The sheath just looks cheap, as well. It looks like it was stitched together without any molding whatsoever, so it's two neatly flat pieces of leather simply stitched together and then the knife is jammed in between. The leather was cut very close around the blade profile and there's not a lot of extra room for flex. The edges aren't really dressed at all. The leather feels of fairly poor quality. I'd basically consider the sheath to be more of a long-term storage/blade protection device than a functional sheath.

I had wondered why the kydex sheath version is $50 more expensive, but the kydex sheath looks really usable right off the bat. The knife itself is great, but if you want it for a user, spring for the extra $50 and get the Kydex sheath, or resign yourself to having a custom sheath made. I will honestly probably never use it, I just love the design, so I cheaped out, but even for a knife that will sit in the cabinet for me, I kinda wish I spent the extra $50.

 

[The True North]

The knife doesn't fully seat in it - it sticks out for about a quarter inch of the ricasso. It is extremely tightly fit such that the first time I pulled the knife out was more like opening a particularly tight pickle jar than it was like pulling a knife out of a sheath. The retention is 'sticky' where the knife fights you as you draw it, rather than being a sort of 'click' retention as in kydex or the best leather sheaths. You pretty much are forced to hold the sheath with your offhand to get the knife out, and I don't know that it would be possible for me to draw it from my strong side given the awkward angle my left hand would have to take to get sufficient leverage on the sheath to pull the knife out. The knife was wedged into the sheath so tightly that immediately upon drawing it, substantial sheath insertion wear is visible on the PVD finish on the blade.

This could be improved with breaking in somewhat but I doubt it'll ever be particularly good. The sheath just looks cheap, as well. It looks like it was stitched together without any molding whatsoever, so it's two neatly flat pieces of leather simply stitched together and then the knife is jammed in between. The leather was cut very close around the blade profile and there's not a lot of extra room for flex. The edges aren't really dressed at all. The leather feels of fairly poor quality. I'd basically consider the sheath to be more of a long-term storage/blade protection device than a functional sheath.

I had wondered why the kydex sheath version is $50 more expensive, but the kydex sheath looks really usable right off the bat. I will honestly probably never use it, I just love the design. The knife itself is great, but if you want it for a user, spring for the extra $50 and get the Kydex sheath, or resign yourself to having a custom sheath made.

Thanks for the description. Unfortunately, I have found this to be the case with all of KA-BAR’s leather sheaths. The one on my Big Brother is particularly bad. It’s too bad, because I’m not a fan of kydex and plastic sheaths. I’ll have to go custom.

 

[crufflers]

What don’t you like about the sheath? Been looking at picking one of these up.

It looks similar to the old OKC Marine Combat 498 sheath... basic leather, tight and utilitarian... barely good enough. For $50 more the Kydex option looks good, but it would be nice if it was only $20 more.

 

[crufflers]

Thanks for the description. Unfortunately, I have found this to be the case with all of KA-BAR’s leather sheaths. The one on my Big Brother is particularly bad. It’s too bad, because I’m not a fan of kydex and plastic sheaths. I’ll have to go custom.

I had a Big Brother for about 2 minutes then wrapped it back up and returned it. That thing felt like it was gonna break off at the handle cutting cheese.

 

[NWFRS]

.

 

[Hammer67]

 

[The True North]

I had a Big Brother for about 2 minutes then wrapped it back up and returned it.

What weren’t you a fan of, if you don’t mind my asking?

I love the blade itself, I think the blade shape and size is excellent, it handles wonderfully in my opinion, and I don’t buy into the weak tang argument for most use-cases. Of course, I’d never baton with one but for what it is I think it makes an excellent older sibling to the 1217. Curious to hear your thoughts!

 

[Ellis Wyatt]

View attachment 2295667

 

[crufflers]

What weren’t you a fan of, if you don’t mind my asking?

I love the blade itself, I think the blade shape and size is excellent, it handles wonderfully in my opinion, and I don’t buy into the weak tang argument for most use-cases. Of course, I’d never baton with one but for what it is I think it makes an excellent older sibling to the 1217. Curious to hear your thoughts!

Felt fragile. Thin stock, cheap paint, crappy build quality, flimsy at the blade/guard transition... the crappy sheath was the least of it. Definitely put me off any Kabar except maybe some Beckers. Any OKC I ever had was much better. Any $30 Cold Steel machete is tougher. For $100 or whatever it was, the cheaper RAT7 is a real knife in a whole other galaxy compared to that Big Brother... but admittedly I am used to Scrap Yards and BUSSE Team Gemini's. To me that Big Bro felt like I could literally snap it in two on my knee and definitely chop through it with any SYKCO. Just my opinion, but I can't think of a more disappointing fixed blade unboxing ever at any price. Something like a OKC Chimera is 5x the blade in my opinion. Yeah, safe to say, I didn't like it.

 

[The True North]

Felt fragile. Thin stock, cheap paint, crappy build quality, flimsy at the blade/guard transition... the crappy sheath was the least of it. Definitely put me off any Kabar except maybe some Beckers. Any OKC I ever had was much better. Any $30 Cold Steel machete is tougher. For $100 or whatever it was, the cheaper BK7 is a real knife in a whole other galaxy compared to that Big Brother... but admittedly I am used to Scrap Yards and BUSSE Team Gemini's. To me that Big Bro felt like I could literally snap it in two on my knee and definitely chop through it with any SYKCO. Just my opinion, but I can't think of a more disappointing fixed blade unboxing ever at any price. Something like a OKC Chimera is 5x the blade in my opinion. Yeah, safe to say, I didn't like it.

All very fair points. I think though, as a fighting specific knife, the geometry and handling are great. Definitely agree on the black finish. It’s not good.

 

[crufflers]

All very fair points. I think though, as a fighting specific knife, the geometry and handling are great. Definitely agree on the black finish. It’s not good.

I really wanted a stacked leather knife and wanted to like it. I think all things considered if the blade stock was twice as thick, I would have kept it. It just didn't measure up to what I thought Kabar was. Another example of a knife that is no-frills and has a few cons in my opinion and ugly construction, is the mentioned OKC Marine Combat 498. That knife seems tough though and I kept it without a second thought - was also half the price of the Big Brother. I just think the Kabar looks great in pics and when I got a hold of it in person, it was a lot different. I wish I had a spine shot. I actually like rat tails or non-full tang just fine as my favorites are the Regulators.

 

[Retired UPS Driver]

Last pic before the 1006 goes to a new home

Got my first 1006 in 1994, loved it (other than the trigger pull), but it sure was heavy compared to others of its time.

Hung on to it for 25 years, a real piece of history.

Got a bulk pac of 5906 and they were short 1, so they threw in the 1006 to make the order even, same price too $400.
All steel version and built like a tank.

Hope it’s new home will appreciate it.

 

[The True North]

Wood, steel, and leather.

 

[madcap_magician]

Any $30 Cold Steel machete is tougher.

I had a $30 Cold Steel machete, and while the blade was certainly tough, it looked like it had been sharpened with a lawnmower. There were literal shreds of steel hanging off the edge.

 

[Gress]

 

[crufflers]

I had a $30 Cold Steel machete, and while the blade was certainly tough, it looked like it had been sharpened with a lawnmower. There were literal shreds of steel hanging off the edge.

Yeah I have.a South African one - the larger Royal Kukri. It needed some sharpening on the worksharp belts but it is tough… thicker than a average machete. For $60 you can get a solid piece of 52100 drop forged ball bearing steel in a Survivalist bowie with refined edge if you prefer. That one is probably as tough as a regulator. CS definitely has some bargains.

 

[Gress]

 

[Gress]

 

[alaskantinbender]