Modded KaBar

L

leghog

Joined
Aug 10, 2013
Messages
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KaBar from Camp Smith, HI NEX I modded in the early 90s when searching for MIAs/POWs across SE Asia (Vietnam War) and the Pacific (WW2). Made it into a clinometer with sights and plumb line notches and drilled a lanyard hole. This thing helped lay in more than one helicopter LZ.

Mods:

1. Notched the blade's spine.

2. Drilled a hole through the top of the guard.

3. While sighting through the handguard hole, using the clip point cut off as the front sight, I aimed at a point I placed on the wall to ensure my line of sight was LEVEL (level line of sight is crucial).

4. While maintaining that level line of sight, I placed nylon string in the blade spine notch I cut and let the string hang like a plumb bob (tied a nut to the end of the string).

5. While maintaining that level line of sight, and hanging the plumb bob, I pinched the string against the side of the blade and used a sharpie to mark where the string laid on the blade. This is angle zero/level.

6. Then I drew arches (open end up) on the blade with the zero/level line bisecting the arc, and marked increments on the arc toward the tip of the blade and toward the handguard.

7. I used a dremel tool to engrave the arc, the zero angle line and hacks along the arc.

8. Lastly I drilled the pommel for a lanyard.

This proved to be a very practical mod for me. After having done this I could use the knife with a string and anything acting as a plumb bob as a clinometer. Mostly I used it to determine the height of trees or other obstacles when laying out helicopter LZs and such.

USMC%2520KABAR%2520Cleaned%2520Up%2520With%2520Sheath.JPG

USMC%2520KABAR%2520Lanyard%2520Hole.JPG
 
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I saw the same mod in a book. Everyone's knife bible.
Always kind of wanted to try it.
 
LG&M said:
I saw the same mod in a book. Everyone's knife bible.
Always kind of wanted to try it.
Click to expand...
Was it published in the early 90s? That's when I did mine. I first saw the mod in the mid-80s on an SF soldier's knife.
 
The late Gun/Knife writer Chuck Karwan did an article where he modified a Ka-Bar , called it a Kar-Bar. John
 
To me anything that will aid you in the wilderness, that doesn't add any weight or need batteries, or fuel to work is a big benefit.

This setup makes great sense.

I read his stuff. Like you say some great, some a little over the top. At least for my current world.
 
John, I remember when Chuck wrote that article! I believe I still have it stashed somewhere. I modded a few like that for guys at Hurlburt Field, as well as having something of a "cottage industry" cutting down Ontario machetes to 12" blades! The shorter machetes were quite popular in Central America in those days! (I'm sure you remember our "Central American Playground" from the now long-ago '80's.)

I may just have to do one of those mods on a ka-bar for myself.

Regards,
Ron
 
rwc53, I have one that Chuck modified in my dresser drawer, and I do remember the "Playground"although I never got there myself. John
 
I played in that playground myself! Served as a grunt in the 82nd from the mid to late 80s. Carried a Kabar USMC on my LBE my whole enlistment. Carried it in Honduras twice, and once in Panama. I read the book back then but never modified my Kabar with the exception of the tip. The author mentioned that he recommended to round off the needle tip off a brand new Kabar as to make it less prone to snap, so I used my sharpening stone to tone the tip down a bit. Oh, how many fond memories has this thread brought back. Thanks for the flashback !!!
 
leghog,
Very nice mod; very cool! Are you allowed to go into any detail about your unit's POW search mission and the results? I read somewhere that Michael Janich from Spyderco also did the same kind of mission when he was MI in the Army.
Thank You,
Chris
7th ID and 82nd Airborne
 
bob7 said:
leghog,
Very nice mod; very cool! Are you allowed to go into any detail about your unit's POW search mission and the results? I read somewhere that Michael Janich from Spyderco also did the same kind of mission when he was MI in the Army.
Thank You,
Chris
7th ID and 82nd Airborne
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I was assigned to CILHI before it was combined with the JTF-FA to make up the JPAC. I arrived before JTF-FA was stood up (when it was JCRC). I was assigned as the Ops Officer and Search and Recovery Team Leader from 1990-1993.

A couple of years ago I discovered a book written in 2001 about one of my recovery operations in Cambodia in 1992. The author (Kurt Volkert) of Part 2 (the recovery operation) is a good man and was very kind to me in his book. He'd be nearly 80 years old now. I was fortunate enough to be able to join him for a meal again a couple of years ago. Kurt was an Army combat camera man in Vietnam, then a CBS combat cameraman in Vietnam and Cambodia. By the time of that Cambodia Search and Recovery, he was the CBS Rome Bureau Chief. It's was based upon his meticulous notes from 1970 and 1971 that the recovery was successful. We recovered the remains of four of the five journalist we were after. I'll always regret not being able to find the fifth.

http://www.amazon.com/Cambodian-Odyssey-The-Deaths-Journalists/dp/0595166067#reader_0595166067

If you ever choose to read the book, I'm Bill Hudson.

Last I knew 23 sets of remains from operations I lead were identified and returned to their next of kin. It was one of the two best assignments I had in 20+ years in the Army. Neck and neck with being a Rifle Platoon Leader in the 101st in the mid-80s.

As an aside, I'm only about 50 miles north of Richmond. Fredericksburg.
 
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leghog said:
I was assigned to CILHI before it was combined with the JTF-FA to make up the JPAC. I arrived before JTF-FA was stood up (when it was JCRC). I was assigned as the Ops Officer and Search and Recovery Team Leader from 1990-1993.

A couple of years ago I discovered a book written in 2001 about one of my recovery operations in Cambodia in 1992. The author (Kurt Volkert) of Part 2 (the recovery operation) is a good man and was very kind to me in his book. He'd be nearly 80 years old now. I was fortunate enough to be able to join him for a meal again a couple of years ago. Kurt was an Army combat camera man in Vietnam, then a CBS combat cameraman in Vietnam and Cambodia. By the time of that Cambodia Search and Recovery, he was the CBS Rome Bureau Chief. It's was based upon his meticulous notes from 1970 and 1971 that the recovery was successful. We recovered the remains of four of the five journalist we were after. I'll always regret not being able to find the fifth.

http://www.amazon.com/Cambodian-Odyssey-The-Deaths-Journalists/dp/0595166067#reader_0595166067

If you ever choose to read the book, I'm Bill Hudson.

Last I knew 23 sets of remains from operations I lead were identified and returned to their next of kin. It was one of then two best assignments I had in 20+ years in the Army. Neck and neck with being a Rifle Platoon Leader in the 101st in the mid-80s.

As an aside, I'm only about 50 miles north of Richmond. Fredericksburg.
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Wow buddy! That's a very interesting assignment in what looks like a very distinguished military career. Great job!!
 
leghog,
Thanks you for the detailed reply. I just ordered the book off of Amazon. Sounds like you had lot more interesting assignments in the Army than I did. When I get done reading the book, I'd love to talk to you about it over a cup of coffee, on me. I'll email you as not to clutter up the thread any further.
 
bob7 said:
leghog,
Thanks you for the detailed reply. I just ordered the book off of Amazon. Sounds like you had lot more interesting assignments in the Army than I did. When I get done reading the book, I'd love to talk to you about it over a cup of coffee, on me. I'll email you as not to clutter up the thread any further.
Click to expand...
We can meet at Kuba-Kuba just off the VCU campus. It's a favorite joint of mine.
 
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