Short KA-BAR USMC

This is very interesting to me, as I've been thinking about getting a full size KA-BAR.
Perhaps someone with lots of KA-BAR experience will chip in.
Would the "can't chop, can't cut" have to do with the edge geometry maybe?
Would a better purchase, be a KA-BAR heavy bowie (in either size)?
 
filgate, the chopping is largely a factor of the weight and shape of the blade, but the cutting is largely a factor of the edge geometry.

if you didn't like the 7" bladed version, you might not like the 5" bladed version either, since it will still not chop well and it is a bit large for a general bushcraft knife. you might like though... tough to say.

if you tell us exactly what you are looking for in a knife we can give you a better suggestion...
 
d_filgate - the edge geometry is awful for anything except prying and batonning :D
Maube a convex bevel should fix it?

Wabajack - I have 3 moras and 2 hultafors' are coming herenext week.Got to get me a Fiskars Hatchet.Too bad that they are quite expensive here... :(

I wanted something more robust than a Mora and lighter than a machete or hatchet.
Got to save some cash for M95 Peltonen :D
 
d_filgate is right. It's all about the geometry. Kabars are military knives and as such have a fairly "obtuse" edge angle and a low grind.
 
If you reprofile the edge more acute or put a nice convex edge on it, the cutting performance should certainly improve. It won't be like a mora though unless you bring the convex edge up real high which you might consider a lot of work. It still won't be much of a chopper, it's just too light.

I like traditional military knives regardless!
 
I will agree that the factory edge on most KaBars is crap, but that's very easy to change and it you also remove the rear guard, it actually makes a pretty good knife.
 
I put a scandi edge on my Ka-Bar and now it cuts great. Otherwise the edge geometry sucks.

Those small Ka-Bar's are smaller in every dimension not in the blade length only, the handle is smaller as well.
 
ZOM--Be aware that the SHORT KA-BAR's are proportionally smaller than the standard.
Blade height 15/16th vs 1.25" and balde thickness (close to) 1/8th vs 3/16". They are nice SMALLER KNIVES and a couple steps more robust than the two Moras's I have, but no where near as sharp.
They are not just SHORT KA-BAR's which is too bad!
--ho
 
Hmmm. I love my full size Kabar. I also own the smaller one. It is a very good knife for the money imo, but the handle is on the short side. I don't know the handle length for short heavy bowie, but if you have larger hands, I'd probably look at something else other then the short Kabar. Again, the only knock for me is the short handle.

ps I have large hands, can palm a basketball.
 
Dylside said:
I will agree that the factory edge on most KaBars is crap, but that's very easy to change and it you also remove the rear guard, it actually makes a pretty good knife.
Click to expand...

+1 With a little work the small ka-bar would be a decent knife. I own one, but it's been boxed almost since I got it. Haven't put the effort into modifying it. Plus, the sheath hangs on the wrong side for me.
 
ZombaiO said:
I own the larger model and it is no good...It can't chop,can't cut,can't do anything a knife is suposed to do.
Is the short version better ?
Click to expand...

Cant say I agree, though its not as good as a larger knife, id does work.
With a proper edge, and a little extra time with it you learn its ins and outs, and it does cut,chop and things a knife is supposed too, sorry man.:o

pb010115ei5.jpg


This was the begging of a shelter made with the USMC model.
pb140055re3.jpg


Another one built here with a 8" tanto version.
pa140055ae5.jpg


This debris hut was made with a 8" tanto version aswell.
pb040023dd3.jpg


Sorry for the pics, these are old one guys.
 
siguy said:
filgate, the chopping is largely a factor of the weight and shape of the blade, but the cutting is largely a factor of the edge geometry....if you tell us exactly what you are looking for in a knife we can give you a better suggestion...
Click to expand...

Hi Siguy,

My brother has asked me what kind of knife I would want for a Christmas
present :) no surprise this year.... :D
I've got a Scrapyard SOD, a NWA Campknife, and a Koster Bushmaster
coming my way, so I wasn't really looking for anything until he asked me.

As his budget won't allow for a Bussekin knife, and as I have a few already,
among others...:) , I'm trying to find something that he can afford, yet
still get something that I wouldn't mind having.

I've liked the heavy bowie since I saw Noss's tests on it (did better than
my Becker BK9), and it's fairly reasonably priced, so I was going to suggest
that, or perhaps a USMC full sized KA-BAR, which is why I'm interested in
the comments on this thread.

Don't want to hurt his feelings, yet I don't want him to buy something that
I'm not going to ever use.
I think that I could get a lot of good use out of a heavy bowie, but then it
would be competing with my Ratweiler and BK9 :)
Hmmm...perhaps the USMC would be a better gift....

Cheers
 
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