Thinking about a 1235

LostViking

LostViking

Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
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Or maybe a 1236,

I love stacked leather handles. Looking for sort of a KA-BAR Lite. Only prettier.

Like the looks of the Marine Hunting Knife. But searched and didn't find much info out there. Just looking for a basic camp/hunt/utility type knife. That wouldn't leave me lacking if I needed a bit more out of it.

I have a draw full of Beckers, and several KA-BARs, but looking for something slightly more pretty. Also looking at Buck 119, and the Case version. But I likes my KA-BARs. So thought I would ask.

Pictures are always nice, field experience/user feedback is what I am after.


Thanks in Advance,
LV,
 
I have both and they work very well for hunting/camping tasks. For 40 years, these 2, along with some old Western knives of similar size and constriction (L46-5, L46-6, L46-8), were my primary camping knives. They're not really constructed for batonning the way the BKs are, but then I used a hatchet during that time frame. The BKs have replaced my hatchet but I still use my "old reliables" for cutting, cleaning, etc.....
 
Z,

Thanks for the feedback. 40 years is a great testament in my mind. Better than great actually.

Funny you mention about the axe/hatchet vs the BK/big chopper. As I evolve my tastes continue to change. Years ago, like you, I would have never dreamed of beating a knife through a piece of wood. Unless my life depended on it. Then I gravitated towards the Becker type knife and batoning. It offers many advantages over the axe/hatchet method. But of late, I have been gravitating back to a knife/hatchet or knife/axe combo. Which itself, offers advantages over the other.

As I switch back and forth, I see value to having all three. Each one excells at specific tasks that the others do not. So much fun and learning to be had in the woods. It never ends. My Silky saws add yet another piece to this intricate puzzle.

I always love when someone professes that a certain way is the only correct way to do something. When in fact there are many ways to accomplish any given task. Some region specific, some personal choice.

If you have any pictures i would love to see the history that a 40 year old knife wears. But don't make a special effort.

Thanks Again,
LV
 
After I get a new camera (one that works properly :D ) I'll post a few. One "tell" about how well a production knife is liked by the end-users...

Look at fleabay for how many used ones of any particular brand/model are available. A lot of high end knives end up for resale. When someone buys a $100+ knife and they don't like it, they try to recoop their money.

Not very many of the current production 123x series of knives are for sale (or even show up in pawn shops very often). This may be a result of retail prices - all are in the $30 - $45 range, new from some online sellers. So maybe people who don't like them just don't try to resell them. But that doesn't hold true on a lot of other inexpensive brands. Those brands pop up on fleabay all the time.

Since the knives are still in production, and Kabar is selling a ton of them and they don't show up for resale very often, either on fleabay or in pawn shops, my uneducated opinion is that they are good knives that people like and have liked since the 1930s.
 
Thanks again, look forward to the pictures. not too far behind you my camera is on its last legs.

I agree, I do the same with bikes, if there aren't many for sale they are usually good ones.
I had skimmed the bay for users and you're right not many being let go.
 
You might also consider looking into the used knife marked. The older KA-BAR 1207 isn't very hard to come by and more often today than say a few years ago the winning prices can be IMHO very reasonable. The 1207 and 1209 models were very popular personal purchase knives in the PX's during the Vietnam era. Very serviceable knives with a little history connection, if such appeals to you.
 
The 1207 is leather stacked and the 1208/1209 have wood handles, 6 inch blades. 1208s are rarer beasts. really nice workhorses.
 
Thanks guys,

i had seen the older variations, and some discussion of them on here. I kind of liked the brass. I just like brass.

I have not had much luck with the large body of protected water.
But I may cruise around and see what looks interesting. I am in not really in a rush,

Thanks again.
LV,
 
A buddy of me has a Ka-bar 1236 Bowie. Not really my cup of tea but Its a nice looking blade. The hollow grind gives it a very thin razor sharp edge and slim (fragile) tip. Once he stabbed the blade in a wooden table and the tip bended. Compared to BK's and regular Ka-bar's the handle is slim, especially near the pinky.

The 1235 looks more like a Ka-bar lite. Also have a look at the Ontario US Army Quartermaster. Same principle: stainless high polished blade, brass and stacked leather.
 
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