which is the best K-bar?

psy-ops

psy-ops

Joined
Sep 27, 1999
Messages
3,164
camilus

K-bar

or ontario spec plus




I love the originals they are awesome. I haven't had much experience with these...has anyone had a bad one?


thanks
 
The D2 steel model from Ka Bar.

I own that and the Ka Bar 1095 MArine model and the Ontario Marine model in 1095. The Ontario is dissapointing.

I aim to get a Camillius 1095 model soon.:)
 
I have the Camillus and the K-Bar Company's in D-2.
As far as the old fashioned ones go, I like the Camillus better. It has a higher grind which gives it a more useful edge IMO.
The K-Bar company's k-bar has a grind line is still low on the D-2 version but it, like the old fashioned one in 1095, is still useful.
It's just a matter of personal preference I suppose. I like a thinner edge and the Camillus has a little thinner edge than the original.
 
I heard the tangs were really thin and broke easliy while prying.

anyone confirm this?



thanks
chris
 
The tangs are thin, and the shoulders (where the tang meets the ricasso) are square. Great knives, like great women, are curvy. Curves tang shoulders can take more stress.
 
While it is conventional to call these k-bars, I believe that Camilus produced more of them than any of the other manufacturers. As a generic name you might call these Mk-II combat knives. I like the Camilus design and workmanship. I also really like my resin-handled Vietnam era Kabar.

I also think Kabar's smaller model with the 5" blade is a very practical hunting and camp knife. The full size Mk-II's have rather bulky handles.
 
I've owned dozens of the MKII's, and used them hard.

For fit and finish, get a Ka-Bar. For great customer service, and to own a "real deal", get a Camillus.

Great prices on Ka-Bars at www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

Regards,
Clayton
 
Misque,

FYI, The Camillus USMC Fighting /Utility is made exactly to the same mil spec that they were since WWII, including grind, and parkerizing.

THey also rock'n'roll on their heat treat -- great blades. They hold up way better than the Kabars, which is not made to original specs.
 
Great info Brian. Camillus actually designed the MKII "Kabar" as it is seen today, and they also manufactured the first MKII during WWII, and made the last. They shipped more MKII's to the U.S. military than all other contractors combined. Union(Kabar) made 110,000 MKII's in all between 1942 and the end of the war, while Camillus made 656,600. They are still a secondary source contractor, although the current contract belongs to Ontario Knife Co.
 
Cool! Keep in mind, General, that I'm talking about the traditional USMC design. I haven't played with the Next Gen Kabars in D2 at all...
 
Well I love my D2 Next Gen Ka Bar, the 1095 USMC model I also own is good and the Ontairo model I own I am less than pleased with. This model came with uneven grinds, very poor edge geometry and a tip that was way out of alignement! It took hours with a course DMT stone to get a 20 per side angle.

On thing it did show me is that good old 1095 is a very usable steel and it takes a VERY sharp edge indeed...

The D2 Ka Bar is very comfortable, has much better edge holding, has never chipped out on me and is very well made. The Eagle Systems sheath is also first rate. I like the fact that the top guard has been removed as I use this knife as a camper and not a fighter. Thus a top guard would get in the way if it was more than a toke guard in my experience. In honesty we really need a basket guard to protect fingers if we are serious about protection...:rolleyes:

The D2 steel on the Ka Bar takes a scary edge and holds it a long time.

I want the Camillus model as I have heard from others that the heat treat is first rate and I admire the general MK II model design, even if it does not have a full tang...:(

I guess I am just looking for another excuse to get a MK II pattern knife.
 
Brian Jones wrote :
FYI, The Camillus USMC Fighting /Utility is made exactly to the same mil spec that they were since WWII, including grind, and parkerizing.
Click to expand...

I have a KA-BAR MK II here and the Camillus version of the MK II.
The grind line on the Camillus MK II is 9/16" up from the edge. The KA-BAR is 7/16" up from the edge.

The Camillus MK II I am holding is nearly the same as the last Camillus MK II I owned. So, I can only assume this is the way Camillus is making these knives. My apologies for not being able to post a pic of them.:(

Your correct about the Camillus. They ROCK!
 
CH wrote :
Camillus actually designed the MKII "Kabar" as it is seen today, and they also manufactured the first MKII during WWII, and made the last. They shipped more MKII's to the U.S. military than all other contractors combined. Union(Kabar) made 110,000 MKII's in all between 1942 and the end of the war, while Camillus made 656,600. They are still a secondary source contractor, although the current contract belongs to Ontario Knife Co.
Click to expand...

This is one of the things I love about this place.:D I never knew that and never even thought to look it up. Thanks for that info CH.
 
A big hearty thanks to the guys at Camillus for providing me the info last year. I now have copies of the actual blueprints as well as the military contracts and design changes.

The reason "Ka-Bar" became the handle for the knife was, and is pure marketing b.s. While they were busy spreading the name, Camillus was busy making gear for troops. It's a damn shame that Camillus never got credit for the Marine Fighting Utility Knife aka Navy MKII.

As to the current issue Ontario MKII, can you say lowest bidder :D ? The military has always been hell-bent on doing away with the best stuff in order to save a quarter. From the current issue CLP to the M9, as well 99% of the latest and greatest field gear they're wasting money on.

There I go rambling again :) .

Back on topic, Camillus customer service has always been good. You don't become the oldest knifemaker in the U.S. by screwing people over.

Also, as some of you guys have noticed, all three of the currently produced MKII's are really quite different from each other, with only basic dimensions and materials being the same.

Cheers,
Clayton
 
Okay, here's more:

The USMC designed the original fighting utility knife. The design specs were sent to Camillus, and the Corps ordered thousands. Engineers at Camillus protested the design specs from the beginning, but nonetheless they delivered 18,000 of the knives before the Corps noticed how fragile the things were, due to a threaded nut holding the blade on, ala Marble's Ideal, supposidly the model for the Corp's design.

Camillus recalled all the knives and began producing it's own design.

This knife, now designed by Camillus, was also made by Boker(50,000), Pal(75,000), Robeson(190,000), Union/Kabar(110,000), Geneva Forge(unknown), Colonial(unknown), Imperial(unknown), and Ulster(unknown).

Camillus has produced more knives than any other maker for the U.S. military.

During WWII alone Camillus made:

1,955,024 fighting/utility knives
247,380 fishing knives for survival kits
698,020 sailor knives for the Merchant Marine
1,711,012 utility pocketknives for the Army and Navy
2,564,220 pocketknives for the Navy and Coast Guard
38,146 marlin spike pocketknives for the Navy
3,282,988 pocketknives for the Combat Engineers
2,183,136 electrician knives for all forces
1,042,040 utility pocketknives for the Army Air Corps
855,472 kitchen knives and tools for Quartermasters

Even with these amounts, Camillus never lowered quality control, and never failed to meet a contract's specifications.

For their efforts during the war, Camillus recieved the civilian Distinguished Service Cross, the first company ever to do so. They were also the first, and to my knowledge the only company to recieve an Excellent rating by the Army and Navy, not once but three more times before the war's end.

Will wins wars.
 
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