What exactly is "Proper use" and "improper use"

J

jayson201

Joined
Feb 27, 2014
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Ka-Bar is supposed to make the ultimate beater blades with a wont-ever-break guarantee (As my friend tells me)
Their warranty states that breakage or damage due to "improper use" such as batoning or throwing the blade, voids the warranty.

Although, I'd like to be more specific as to what proper and improper use are.
So far I know I shouldn't throw or split wood with my kabar,

but how about chopping through small limbs of trees? Bushcraft type stuff? if I accidentally strike a rock or drop the blade on a hard surface, is that covered on the warranty?
I hate vagueness could somebody please be as specific as possible?
 
If I break something and it is my fault I own up to it and don't expect x-company to reimburse me.
If something breaks due to a flaw in the manufacturing I would seek out a replacement.
here is a copy/paste

KA-BAR Knives, Inc. (the "Company") warrants, to the original purchaser of the knife only, that this knife will be free from defects in material and craftsmanship under normal use and maintenance for the lifetime of the original purchaser. This Limited Warranty does not apply to any failure of, defect in, or damage to the knife caused by normal wear and tear or by improper use, including batoning with or throwing the knife, using the blades as a can opener, chisel, pry bar, screwdriver, digging tool, or for any heavy work for which the knife was not designed.

If the knife fails to satisfy this Limited Warranty, the Company will repair or replace the knife or substitute a knife of comparable value, at the Company's option, and such repair, replacement or substitution shall constitute the sole remedy for any failure of the knife to satisfy this Limited Warranty or any implied warranty (ies) of the Company. In order to have a Limited Warranty claim evaluated by the Company, you must return the knife, at your own expense and risk, to KA-BAR Knives, Inc., at 200 Homer Street, Olean, NY 14760, attention Customer Service Department. Please include with the returned knife a brief written description of any claimed defect(s) in or failure(s) of the knife. Any returned knife determined by the Company to not be eligible for repair, replacement or substitution under the terms of the Limited Warranty will be returned to the Owner.

THE COMPANY MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WHATSOEVER OF OR WITH RESPECT TO THE KNIFE OTHER THAN THE FOREGOING LIMITED WARRANTY, AND ALL SUCH OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTIES ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY. THE COMPANY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, AND ALL SUCH DAMAGES ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED.

Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, or exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusion may not apply to you.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
 
It sounds more like the Becker warranty than the kabar warranty. Beckers can be used for splitting wood, Kabars cannot. Kabar is the company that makes Becker knives currently.
 
Thing is I'm not trying to be reimbursed for something thats my fault. I want to know exactly what THEY consider normal use, so i can know how not to void my warranty.
They say it's covered under "normal use"
No digging, no can opening, no screwing, no throwing, no using it to split wood, but those are like the only ones they actually list.
Considering my D2 is a Fighter/ Utility knife, does that mean i should not be using it to chop limbs off of trees (Small limbs not chunky limbs. i've got other tools for big stuff)
Say I swing into a small tree, bush, branch, for the purpose of cutting off a limb or chopping the entire tree down (Usually nothing over an inch and a half) and my D2 Fighter chips,
Is that covered under warranty or should i get another blade for that?
I'm just trying to be absolutely certain because I don't want to try and get it replaced when I was unaware the a specific action wasn't covered.
(If i'm opening a can I certainly won't be using a large utility blade haha. that's what my folder is for)

basically, are chips covered or am i grinding those out myself ? haha

another question, D2 steel tends to chip rather easily. (I haven't taken my new kabar out yet. this is why i'm being as sure as i can) would putting a convex edge on the blade prevent chipping or no?

I want it to be a chopper but if it can't perform as one then I'm not going to use it as such haha
 
As to those who sell directly to you:

1. If the limitation of warranty language quoted above is disclosed to you BEFORE PURCHASE and expressly relied upon by the seller, you have the mystery of what it means.

2. If the language is disclosed after the purchase, it has no legal effect. However, you then have the mystery of what THIS means: The goods "must reasonably conform to an ordinary buyer's expectations." AND the quality of the goods must meet the quality such "as passes ordinarily in the trade". Juries decide what this means.
(In Massachusetts consumer protection law, it is illegal at any time or in any fashion to disclaim this warranty on household goods sold to consumers.)

Funnilly, when I was taught to "split wood with a knife" by a Marine MGS in 1962, he used a "Ka-Bar," just not one made by Ka-Bar.

I am not sure quality has declined as opposed in the confidence of makers in the "common sense" of users. Everyone see the pic of someone whaling away with a small tree for a "baton"? :eek:
 
I remember reading that during wartime, KaBar actually contracted lots of different manufacturers to make their knives because of the high military demand and that could be why it was a non kabar kabar.
Although that was a story about WW2 kabars im not sure about between then and '62
 
jayson201 said:
I remember reading that during wartime, KaBar actually contracted lots of different manufacturers to make their knives because of the high military demand and that could be why it was a non kabar kabar.
Although that was a story about WW2 kabars im not sure about between then and '62
Click to expand...

The Government contracted directly with a number of makers, such as PAL, Camillus and Robeson, to make MK 2's (AKA "Model 1219C2") for the Armed Forces. Although Ka-Bar was not the first maker or maker of most of the MK 2's, servicemen tended to call all of them "Ka-Bar's"
 
Thomas Linton said:
The Government contracted directly with a number of makers, such as PAL, Camillus and Robeson, to make MK 2's (AKA "Model 1219C2") for the Armed Forces. Although Ka-Bar was not the first maker or maker of most of the MK 2's, servicemen tended to call all of them "Ka-Bar's"
Click to expand...

haha this is why i remind people not to quote me directly i was half right though c:
 
Slightly off topic here, but it seems KA-BAR became, and still is known as a generic term to describe any clip pointed fighting knife.....say like Q-tip or Kleenex.
 
Ka-Bar what exactly? Ka-Bar is the name of the company that makes many different knives. If we're talking about a BK9 then you certainly can chop and baton with it. If it's a fighting/utility knife then I'd say stick to typical slicing/cutting tasks.
 
I stated that I own the D2 fighter and also not noted was the fact that I'm borrowing my friends KABAR which I don't know the model name of pretty sure the kabar website just lists it as a straight black kabar or something of the sorts.
 
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