Sheath for Ka BAR USMC Fighting Knife.

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Mar 19, 2007
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I have owned one since I was in the Marines and find it comes recommended as an inexpensive survival type knife. However, I see many dislike leather sheaths.

What would you all recommend for replacement on the KA BAR?

Do you recommend the Ka-Bar Eagle Sheath?

TF
 
Get a hold of Normark, just send him an e-mail, I think he can do one for ya.
 
First off OOH RA!!

I would look at specops' offerings. I really like theirs and plan on getting one shortly.
 
I made a leather one recently for my cousin.

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Spec-Ops and Blackhawk both make tactical survival type sheaths for the Marine Fighting Knife.
 
That is definately a gorgeous Ka-bar sheath, Fiddle! How much did it cost you in materials?
 
I just got a Camillus USMC replica in the mail today, dang what a beast!

Wonder if that Survival Systems sheath would fit it also?
 
I love the Eagle sheath.My D2 extreme calls it home.
I carry mine in a custom leather sheath.horizontal across my back.
 
That is definately a gorgeous Ka-bar sheath, Fiddle! How much did it cost you in materials?

Gracias gentlemen. I'd guess it cost me ~ten bucks in leather. This is because it is fully lined. I use 8-9 oz leather for the main parts, and glue 3 oz leather to it back to back, then fold the liner over the top edge at the mouth of the sheath. Thats the part at the top thats a different color. I'm all setup to do leatherworking, so its not a lot of cost. Its startup that'll cost you fifty or so bucks to get a basic set of tools. (Less if you go Po-Boy, which, as you all know is my favorite way to go.)
 
The Last Confederate, what makes your Camillus a "replica"?

Sorry, that was poor wording on my part, what I meant was mine is not an actual Military issue knife, but a brand new one made just like the issue ones.

EmsRescueGuy, Camillus ones are not replicas of Ka-Bars, both companies made them for the military, Camillus actually made the first ones a little before Ka-Bar.
 
EmsRescueGuy, See The Last Confederate's post above.

The KaBar brand was not issued to troops after WWII (or maybe Korea). Camillus held the contract for the Marines for years (through Vietnam) and Ontario has it now. Camillus made far more WWII USMC fighting/utilities than KaBar ever did. Don't know why the name "kabar" ever caught on when a Marine usually had "Camillus" stamped on his blade. Camillus and Ontario made milspec knives while KaBar did not, so I think KaBar makes the replicas. Camillus beat KaBar in putting knives in the hands of Marines in WWII.
 
I believe Union cutlery had the WWII contract first. They couldn't keep up with war time production so other company's stepped in. Union cutlery seams to have morphed in to the Ka-bar brand. There is a lot of conflicting history's available. I personally like the Killed-a-bear story www.usabando.com
I have one in my collection that is stamped Springfield armory on one side and Ka-Bar on the other side. I got this knife from a friend of my grandfathers who carried it in WWII.
 
To the OPs question: there's nothing wrong with leather. It has two potential drawbacks:

1) Leather is porous and retains water
If you plan to wear the sheath day in and day out in a rainy, wet or extremely humid climate then leather may not be the best choice. Yes, you can dry it after it gets wet but it takes awhile. Yes, you can try to water proof it but waterproofing can soften the leather and no matter what you do it will never have the water resistance of Kydex.

2) Leather is an animal skin product
There are apparently critters that like to eat leather. I have never had this problem but I have heard of others that have.

One major advantage of a kydex sheath is that you can safely store your knife in a Kydex sheath, assuming the Kydex is dry. Because leather is hydroscopic you don't want to store a knife in a leather sheath.

Having said all this, I prefer leather for all my knives. I don't store the knives in the sheath. My sheaths rarely get wet or exposed to very high humidity for extended periods of time. I think leather looks better and feels better on the belt.

Ultimately it's your call...for 90%+ of the folks on BF, it probably doesn't matter either way.
 
I have a USMC Fighting Knife that is stamped "Olean, NY". Does that mean it was made in NY. I noticed they are made in... gulp... Taiwan now?

TF
 
NY was the knife making capital of the country. At least two dozen brands of knives have come out of NY in the last hundred years, most of those overlapping or spinning off from each other.
It is kind of disappointing having Ka-bar made in Taiwan. I prefer to buy US made, but I bought a Ka-bar heavy bowie, made in Taiwan, and it's an impressive knife. Can't beat it for the price.
 
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