Pommel Strength

D

dullone

Joined
Aug 27, 2002
Messages
860
I have a current production USN MK2 and was wondering about how strong the pommel is. I believe it's some type of powdered metal. Can one pound with it without it breaking or deforming?
 
dullone said:
I have a current production USN MK2 and was wondering about how strong the pommel is. I believe it's some type of powdered metal. Can one pound with it without it breaking or deforming?
Click to expand...


Only the next gen were powdered metal. Yours is steel.

Pound it hard, it can take it. Just don't stab yourself. :D

Moose
 
In my original post I incorrectly stated my knive was a Mark 2. Double checking Ka Ba'sr site I see I have the Kraton handled Mark I, model 2221. The specs listed for it show the butt cap/guard as being "powdered metal".

So if the specs are correct, back to my original question of how strong is it.
 
dullone said:
In my original post I incorrectly stated my knive was a Mark 2. Double checking Ka Ba'sr site I see I have the Kraton handled Mark I, model 2221. The specs listed for it show the butt cap/guard as being "powdered metal".

So if the specs are correct, back to my original question of how strong is it.
Click to expand...

Just as strong as the MK2. Same tang, same method of attachment, just a slightly different material used to make the pommel.

It ain't gonna replace the framing hammer,but for walnuts or tent stakes, even the occasional 16 penny you are good to go.

Moose
 
I would think that the weak point would be the shear strength of the pin holding the pommel to the tang.
 
sac troop said:
I would think that the weak point would be the shear strength of the pin holding the pommel to the tang.
Click to expand...

If its leather, the buttcap is pressed into the leather, then pinned. At the pressures they use to compress the rings,it supports the cap on impact, not the pin.

If its Kraton, there is a heavy plastic insert covered in Kraton. Acts the same way. I've never seen a pommel broken off of a Kabar MK2, only breaks at the tang reduction.

Pound it, it can take it. If it breaks, let me know. I'll get you a new one.

Moose
 
Moosez45 said:
If its leather, the buttcap is pressed into the leather, then pinned. At the pressures they use to compress the rings,it supports the cap on impact, not the pin.

If its Kraton, there is a heavy plastic insert covered in Kraton. Acts the same way. I've never seen a pommel broken off of a Kabar MK2, only breaks at the tang reduction.

Pound it, it can take it. If it breaks, let me know. I'll get you a new one.

Moose
Click to expand...

Moose, you make a good point about the tang reduction. Don’t know why I failed to picture that when I was thinking about the problem. That shoulder created on the tang is going to provide the major support for the pommel when it takes a blow in that direction.
 
All,

All of the KA-BAR Pommels are powdered metal (PM). When we switched over to PM pommels in the 1980s (I think), the PM parts were 45% of the strength of the wrought steel pommels. Now they are 75-80% of wrought steel. I have seen PM parts that are 100%, basically the same as wrought steel. We are not there yet but will hopefully be there in the future. We changed the pin from carbon steel to stainless steel in the mid 1990s so the pin is much stronger than it used to be.
Our tests show that the leather washer handles are actually stronger than the Kraton handles as far as handle bending. Compacted leather is a tremendously strong material.
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
I knew about the pin change, but did not know about the PM buttcaps. I knew the Next Generation knives were PM, but not the classic.

Good to know and glad to have you back, Sifu.

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