Need A Review: Ka-Bar USMC

BurnBurn Regular
edited October 2011 in Man Cave
Basically, I'm sick of buying shit knives. Looking to spend a bit more on something decent.

The Ka-Bar USMC obviously has decades of use behind it (for those that don't know, it was issued during WWII to US troops, and apparently is still the same design.)

Anyone own/used one of these?

Comments

  • easy-eeasy-e Acolyte
    edited August 2011
    I am disappointed that fang hasn't tried to reply to this thread yet. He is the one who knows most about knives on this site.
    You guys ran him off. He moderates the weapons and combat section on Totse2...try asking over there. /shameless advertisement
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2011
    easy-e wrote: »
    You guys ran him off. He moderates the weapons and combat section on Totse2...try asking over there. /shameless advertisement

    He ran himself off and if he acted like half the ass there that he did here you would have ran him off in a New York minute. So take your e-drama back to your house.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited August 2011
    And lets end the offtopicness here.

    That is what I just said when I told him to take his e-drama home. Of course you kind of started it when you look at this bud.
  • savages_vipersavages_viper Acolyte
    edited August 2011
    i have a navy issue ka bar my grandfather brought back from the pacific its one of the sharper knives i own if you dont treat it as anything but a knife ie a prybar or screwdriver it will serve you well otherwise they have been known to snap
  • BurnBurn Regular
    edited August 2011
    Thanks. Might research a bit more til I make a decision.
  • edited August 2011
    I have this but the full length version with https://www.kabar.com/images/5016S.jpg sheath. Yeah, they're pretty expensive but it's awsome and I've never looked back.
  • BurnBurn Regular
    edited September 2011
    Yeah, I was tossing up between the short and the full length, but I have a folder already that I can use for similar tasks, so a full length will be more appropriate.

    I personally don't like hard plastics sheaths, and will probably get one with a leather one. I just need something decent and I'm sick of buying shit quality knives.
  • edited September 2011
    Don't go for the serrated ones though. When it gets worn it's a bitch to resharpen.
  • BurnBurn Regular
    edited September 2011
    Yeah, I don't use knives with serrations anyway. They get in the way, and are really only good for cutting synthetics.
  • fagfag Regular
    edited September 2011
    I have a Ka-Bar, it's the 8" Tanto point version w/ partial serration. Ran me about $50. It's very wieldy. To such an extent that it makes most other knives feel like toys. It's HUGE, but still concealable if you carry it horizontally.

    Amazon has em for ~$50/free shipping..That really isn't that expensive for a kickass knife.

    http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-2-1245-1-Black-Tanto-Knife/dp/B000BT1G6W

    http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Fighting-Knife-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=pd_sim_sg_3
  • PsychlonicPsychlonic Regular
    edited October 2011
    If you're still thinking about getting one of these, for what it's worth I own both a Ka-Bar and older Camillus made USMC knife. They're good sturdy knives but they're not the ultimate blade either as some seem to think. From there it's hard to weigh in on what's right for you because it all depends on what you'll be doing. I personally don't use mine too often because I do a lot of wood carving and survival scenarios and like a knife with a saw back but still enough beef on the back before the drop point that lets me mallet the blade into poles when needed. Serrated front edges just piss me off because that space is more useful to me being smooth and I like long blade strokes with skinning branches. I can always grab the middle of the blade for finer work where I need better control.

    So that said, if I HAD to employ the USMC knife I'd say the original long blade with smooth edge and drop point is the way to go. Synthetic sheaths are all the rage but I like the smoothness and quietness of leather. The shorter blade could be good too, it just really depends on what you plan to do with it. For me, more edge means easier work in what I do.

    You get a lot of guys that say huge blades are for Rambo wannabes and then you get people who insist that large blades are the only real way to go because of their strength and blah blah, well that's all a bunch of shit. In the end it's a matter of preference so nobody can really give you advice on what STYLE of knife you should get, that's all up to you and what you're going to do with it. However, as far as material goes, Ka-Bar makes a good knife you won't be afraid to beat the shit out of. I personally don't like the edge on them but some people swear by them. The strong pommel is a nice touch though and makes a good mashing tool in survival situations plus gives you room to hit with a mallet to carve grooves or whatever.

    For what it's worth, my personal favorite is my Schrade SCHF1 based on Chris Reeve's single piece hollow handle design. Some people shit on the hollow handle design but the knife design is at least as strong as a conventional full tang if not stronger, so the only real gripe anyone can have is balance but I like it.
  • BurnBurn Regular
    edited October 2011
    Thanks a fucking bunch!!

    Haven't bought a new knife yet, but found a local camping store with the USMC at a better price than I've found on eBay. Might keep looking around for now though...
  • buddhabuddha Regular
    edited October 2011
    Don't buy a fake ass POS one.

    I used to own one, stabbed it through car doors, pounded tent stakes, dug holes. Only thing I ever had a problem with was the leather grip. The little wafers of leather would get loose sometimes, they also don't like being left wet for long periods of time.

    I have a Cold Steel Bush Ranger now that I traded for. Not a bad knife. I want a rc5 http://www.eseeknives.com/rc-5.htm

    I
    never found a lot of use for having a huge ass blade. Not to mention the added weight.
  • buddhabuddha Regular
    edited October 2011
    ^ Hi fangly
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