Which to choose? Kbar or SOG Seal team elite.

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dberry

Joined
Oct 16, 2007
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I am deliberating between a Kbar fighter model and a SOG seal team elite for a heavy field use knife. Naturally I am wanting the best chopper, pryer and withstand whatever may come my way. Please comment on these two knives only since they are within my budget. Which one would be better suited? your experience? Thanks
 
dberry said:
I am deliberating between a Kbar fighter model and a SOG seal team elite for a heavy field use knife. Naturally I am wanting the best chopper, pryer and withstand whatever may come my way. Please comment on these two knives only since they are within my budget. Which one would be better suited? your experience? Thanks
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They are both good knives, but the Ka-Bar is made of 1095 cro-van carbon steel, and the SOG is made of AUS 8 stainless. Since you stated you wanted a "chopper" and "pryer", I would recommend the Ka-Bar. The 1095 should stand up to a little more abuse than the AUS 8. Carbon tool steels usually can handle more abuse than stainless steels.

I do not own any SOG fixed blades (I do enjoy the SOG Spec-Elite II folder I have), but I have a Ka-Bar KBD1 (which is most likely ground too thin to meet your requirments for toughness) and a Short Ka-Bar Fighting/Utility Knife. I like both of them very much, and I feel they are a good value for what they cost.

You should also be able to get the Ka-Bar a bit cheaper than the SOG.

I noticed that both the knives you mentioned have partial serrations, so I guess you want that feature, but from my experience, serrations make a big knife a weaker chopper and pryer because the serrations create easy breaking zones for stress on the blade to snap it. If you plan to do a lot of chopping, prying, or batoning you might want to consider going with a straight edge.

You might want to take a look at the Becker Knives that Ka-Bar is producing now because they have thicker blades of 1095 and tougher full tang handles as opposed to the (most likely) weaker, slimmer tang of the Fighter model.
I own an original Camilus made Becker Crewman, and if Ethan Becker is still making knives to his standards with Ka-Bar (and I'm pretty sure he is), then a Ka-Bar made Becker would fit your needs well.
 
Sounds like you are looking for an all around tool rather than a knife, have you looked at the CRKT McGowen M.A.K.-1 or Razel series? They would do what you are asking for.
 
melt said:
They are both good knives, but the Ka-Bar is made of 1095 cro-van carbon steel, and the SOG is made of AUS 8 stainless. Since you stated you wanted a "chopper" and "pryer", I would recommend the Ka-Bar. The 1095 should stand up to a little more abuse than the AUS 8. Carbon tool steels usually can handle more abuse than stainless steels.

I do not own any SOG fixed blades (I do enjoy the SOG Spec-Elite II folder I have), but I have a Ka-Bar KBD1 (which is most likely ground too thin to meet your requirments for toughness) and a Short Ka-Bar Fighting/Utility Knife. I like both of them very much, and I feel they are a good value for what they cost.

You should also be able to get the Ka-Bar a bit cheaper than the SOG.

I noticed that both the knives you mentioned have partial serrations, so I guess you want that feature, but from my experience, serrations make a big knife a weaker chopper and pryer because the serrations create easy breaking zones for stress on the blade to snap it. If you plan to do a lot of chopping, prying, or batoning you might want to consider going with a straight edge.

You might want to take a look at the Becker Knives that Ka-Bar is producing now because they have thicker blades of 1095 and tougher full tang handles as opposed to the (most likely) weaker, slimmer tang of the Fighter model.
I own an original Camilus made Becker Crewman, and if Ethan Becker is still making knives to his standards with Ka-Bar (and I'm pretty sure he is), then a Ka-Bar made Becker would fit your needs well.
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+1 :thumbup: Couldn't have said it better myself.
 
Masteroffajitas said:
Doesn't SOG use aus 8 for almost all there knives? Go with KBAR.
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sometimes. More common now. The old SEAL knives were made with aus6 which was always beyond me. Other than the fact that it wouldnt rust as quickly, I know of no reason why an actual seal unit would want a knife with such crappy edge retention.

Go KABAR.... every time. Check out the KABAR Becker BK7 while you're at it.
 
Jake Bauer said:
Go KABAR.... every time. Check out the KABAR Becker BK7 while you're at it.
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+1. Great bangs for the buck. Sturdy as hell. The new Beckers look very nice as well. Check out the Kabar Heavy bowie too. SOGs are a little overpriced for what ya get imo.
 
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