Which would you choose? KABAR USMC, CS Leatherneck, or KABAR EK BOWIE

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Sharp Steel

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These blades are roughly the same design, and I like the looks of them all. If you had to take one of them to combat, which would you pick, and why? Thought it may make an interesting discussion, based on price/steel/sheath/reputation. ;)

EDIT: Can't say that I have decided on a favorite yet.
 
USMC, when something works, stick with it. The EK looks good, but without a pommel, I worry that your hand could slip off in a withdrawal of a stab motion. That's just my 2¢
 
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For myself, I'd get that EK Bowie.

I've had many USMC selections. Favorite was actually made by Camillus back in the day.

I'm not a big Cold Steel fan at all.

So the EK it would be of those 3 for me.
 
If they were still making the Leatherneck out of SK-5 or even 4116, I'd say they'd all be roughly equal for most people. Now that they've moved to D2, I'm not so sure. D2 isn't exactly known for it's stellar toughness (prying open ammo crates and other assorted uses you hear about troops putting knives to comes to mind). [/armchair metallurgist] :D
 
I would go with the USMC MKII but in reality if I am buying a knife for killing people I would go with the Boker US M3 Trench Knife. My son has one and it is very nice and at a good price. Cheaper then the KA-BAR USMC MKII.



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EK is a more specialized knife more suited for tactical finesse use.

Fighting Knife (USMC) is a better all rounder which is better in general and hard use. You don't really want to pound on the EK, where the fighting just tempts you when you need to pound and it's there. Fighting knife also offers more hand protection.

I have the Fighting Knife, D2 and used to have the EK4. There's also the MK line, MK4, that's like mix of the standard and EK.

The original is still the best and my favorite. It does everything. Probably my favorite knife. I'd say go with that one first for Kabar. It's the original Kabar still going strong.
 
The EK is more combat than utility. I like the EK Bowie and it was one of my very first "survival knives" that I acquired years ago. There was definitely a Rambo influence going on at the time. Been considering getting the Kabar version for the fun of it.
 
Sharp Steel said:
These blades are roughly the same design, and I like the looks of them all. If you had to take one of them to combat, which would you pick, and why? Thought it may make an interesting discussion, based on price/steel/sheath/reputation. ;)

EDIT: Can't say that I have decided on a favorite yet.
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For what purpose? Reality combat where one uses their knife primarily for opening MREs and crates and stuff, or fantasy combat where one engages in hand to hand trench knife fights with zombie terrorist sentries?
 
marcinek said:
For what purpose? Reality combat where one uses their knife primarily for opening MREs and crates and stuff, or fantasy combat where one engages in hand to hand trench knife fights with zombie terrorist sentries?
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I don't think that anyone considers zombies when having a discussion of the knife quality, but I could be wrong. :D
 
G. Scott H. said:
If they were still making the Leatherneck out of SK-5 or even 4116, I'd say they'd all be roughly equal for most people. Now that they've moved to D2, I'm not so sure. D2 isn't exactly known for it's stellar toughness (prying open ammo crates and other assorted uses you hear about troops putting knives to comes to mind). [/armchair metallurgist] :D
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Agree with you on the Leatherneck. I always wished the original KABAR version had a straighter point like the Leatherneck. The Camillus version was a little straighter, but I don't think they make it any longer.
 
EK if the primary concern is sticking it into fleshy bits with use as a general tool a secondary thought...

If general tool first and sticking into fleshy bits is secondary, then I'd skip the Kabar but stay with the company and get the Becker BK7
 
There's actually people out there that have picked up knives just in case a zombie attacks.

Knife manufacturers have been banking off of this trend with the zombie goo green line. Apparently, it works.

I'm kind of beginning to like that goo green color though and will probably become one of the zombies soon.
 
I tend to think of that toxic green color as the new orange.... its almost impossible to miss in any natural setting making it easy to locate a knife if it goes missing.....orange still better for sure, but not by much IMHO...
 
Sharp Steel said:
I don't think that anyone considers zombies when having a discussion of the knife quality, but I could be wrong. :D
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We do when we are discussing the context that a knife will be used in, and what it will do in it. I mean "What knife would you take into combat?" means entirely different things in one has enlisted, or if one is choosing a knife for some fantasy knife battle.

What knife would I take into battle if I served? I wouldn't take any knife into battle, I would take a gun. What knife would I want to carry if I served? From what I have heard, most of the people who have say a multitool is very handy, or a Gerber from the PX/BX/NEX/MCX (did I cover everybody? :)) that they wouldn't mind it if it were lost or stolen.
 
Hawgsnawt said:
I tend to think of that toxic green color as the new orange.... its almost impossible to miss in any natural setting making it easy to locate a knife if it goes missing.....orange still better for sure, but not by much IMHO...
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But making the person holding the knife almost impossible to miss also. My ops are purely covert, so I'm all about light discipline.
 
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