As a former U.S. Marine we used the Kabar for one thing only let's face it nobody wants to get that close to your enemy because someone always get cut but last ditch it does the job
My son bought me this exact knife for Christmas. Thanks for your tip about the o-rings. I just went to Lowes and bought a pack. They fit the handle perfectly. This is a great mod for this knife.
Around 1968 on a drive with my father, we went on a lark to a Navy Surplus store. He bought me a ka-bar knockoff made in Japan (by the blade stamp). It's an iconic design and is as good and tight as the day I bought it. Recently put a convex edge on it. I've used it throughout the year, but have other knives that I use more frequently. Periodically I clean it up and oil it with Ballistol, which protects metal, leather, and rubber. While the handle was confortable, it wasn't a great grip. Slippery even with the grooves. At your recommendation, I just added the #15 rubber gasket washers. (As an aside, use painter's tape to cover grooves and install the washers beginning near the quillion/cross-guard.) It's feels like a new knife. What a great recommendation! Thanks so much.
The kbar is still one of the greatest knives ever built for what it is built for! No it's not for carving on your tent stakes,although it will work, but it's as stout and durable as they come. Knowing what you are going to do and buying the right tool is the first step. If I could only have one the kbar would be hard to beat. I haven't been attacked by any water bottles latley so I'm not worried about that
Thanks for the tip . I have a huge mechanics O-Ring kit . I have the R-15 o-rings , but decided they're a little thin . The R-17 O-rings are thicker and work great . Again , thanks for the tip .
I inherited my Dads late 70s USMC KaBar. I know that the older ones have a different Tungsten content than the newer ones. I've beat the heck out of that thing for the better part of my 40 years, and have never chipped it, he'll, it took that long to dull it. They take forever to sharpen, but I'm pretty sure I could chop my BK-7 in half with it. Most rugged knife I've ever seen.
I wonder if we expect too much of a knife these days? Baton-ing? That's abuse to any knife, though some seem to take it. I admit the Ka-bar has the tang design weakness, but really only in regard to baton-ing. Otherwise, the knife serves its purpose just fine. Going to get one. Long overdue.
I usually like your reviews but you are testing a fighting knife out by chopping water bottles? You say you don't like the grip and then get out another knife that doesn't deserve to be in the same video as the iconic Ka-Bar. If it's good enough that the marines have used it since ww2 then it's good enough for anybody.
BK9 is a Ka-Bar too FYI. An actual full tang 1095 knife not a brittle rat tail tang like the fighting knife. That BK 9 could chop the fighting knife in half and still keep going.
Robertjr82: I love my Ka-Bar 1217. Big fan. But, saying “if it was good enough for the Marines, it’s good enough for anyone,” isn’t exactly true. Now, I agree: the Ka-Bar 1217 is more than capable of being a reliable knife. If I was lost, defending myself, whatever, and all I had was my Ka-Bar, I’d count myself lucky. But, these days, a lot of knife enthusiasts have jumped on the bandwagon of this whole “you should be able cut down a tree and not break the blade” concept. I don’t see that as good or bad, but it’s what some people want. A Ka-Bar simply cannot take the same level of extreme stresses that some of the more modern blades can handle. If you try to use a Ka-Bar to perform the same tasks as, say a Esee 5, you’re going to have a bad day....LOL. But, for how use my knives (any of them, not just my Ka-Bar), I have never had a single problem or complaint, and everything I need done, gets done. I like everything about the design, even the rattail-tang. When you consider what it was originally intended to do, that rattail tang maintains the balance, and keeps the weight down, which would certainly reduce fatigue if you had a SUPER suck day, and had to fight with it. That 90 degree nonsense where the blade and tang meet is kind of dumb, but it’s not a dealbreaker, or an issue considering how I use my knives. I have, quite literally, trusted my life with it. When I was 18, I was hiking up around Grand Lake, CO., decided to take a shortcut to this well known waterfall, and like an idiot, got myself lost. LOL...I didn’t have water, not even a friggin’ granola bar....but I had my Ka-Bar....so I didn’t panic. I wish there was a really cool adventure, but by the end of the day I managed to orient myself, and found my way back to camp. 🤷♂️ So, I like it. If people use it the way it was intended to be used, I’d just about guarantee that it will outlive the person who bought it, and probably outlive their great-grandchildren.
Just buy the version with the synthetic handle grip and it's problem solved. Had mine for 15 years and it's always served me well. For bushcraft use I changed the edge grind so it's more convex and this helped a lot. I've beaten the piss out of this thing and it's still going strong
Definitely! That BK9 went through the hardest part of the bottle with nearly zero resistance. I need to do a Becker cut-a-thon, but I am out of bottles at the moment. Need some of those bigger ones.
I've had my KaBar USMC for thirty one years. super durable excellent quality knife. and now I have one more use for it. cutting the necks off water bottles.
I wonder if that handle is wrapped with the same dyed leather as the Estwing Sportsman's Leather Grip Handle Axe found in some box stores. Anyway, I heard thats the first thing to deteriorate when it gets repeatedly wet. I also learned somewhere on YT that another way to improve the grip on the USMC knife is by wetting the handle so it causes it to swell.
It's really just a sharpness/stroke angle test. Try cutting a bottle with a blade not sharp enough and you get disaster. This video demonstrated that perfectly. Some people live for the bottle test though....
thanks for the tip with the O rings. I have 2 ka-bar knives. one was a gift and is brand new and the other was my uncle's Vietnam ussue knife. I like them both (the blades are identical) but the older one hasa pretty uncomfortable grip and the O rings really helped! i'm actually starting to like the 50 yr old knife better than the new one. I don't use either for batoning though as I carry an eastwing camp axe in my kit. if I decide to streamline my kit more, I would definitely upgrade to the bk7 or 9
My new small baby is the 7" KA-BAR 1281 D2 Extreme Fighting Utility Knife. That D2 steel is freaking tough. As for any of the 12xx series (yours is the 1217, btw) KA-BAR combat knives go, DON'T SHARPEN THEM BEFORE THEY GET DULL!!! KA-BAR is very meticulous in sharpening their blades to have a balance between edge durability and slicing. Out-of-the-box, the edge is perfect for that knife. Remember, while professional cutlery knives (sharpened to about 10/10 degrees) are really sharp, and quality razor blades (sharpened to about 3 degrees) are impressive for cutting flesh, paper, and fabrics, they dull quickly and are at risk of rolling the edge when doing things like hacking bone and splitting wood. The USMC KA-BAR is basically a replica of the (in)famous WWII KA-BAR knife, which was meant to puncture any part of the enemy's uniform - INCLUDING their steel helmets, slice flesh quickly and effortlessly, have enough length to puncture the heart (and even slice though the ribs on the way in), as well as being able to pound tent stakes, clear brush, open metal ammo barrels, be balanced enough to throw if absolutely necessary, and retain grip even when completely soaked in coagulating blood. There have been many uses for this iconic knife, so don't you think KA-BAR has figured out the best sharpening angle for their flagship knife after nearly 85 years? Yeah, don't sharpen it in a noob electric grinder/sharpener; use a quality whetstone or diamond stone, and re-sharpen it to 20/20 degrees (40 degrees included), which is a common butcher knife angle (and the factory angle for the 12xx series) that slices meat to the bone effortlessly. Ceramic stones are perfect for getting that final edge with their ultra fine grain. However, I recommend you stick with the 20/20 degree angles KA-BAR chose. The 12xx series KA-BAR fighting utility knives are killing tools, not your shaving blade.
My k bar out of the box was very sharp. Like shaving sharp. Have had no problems with it, had it for about two years now. Keep up the good work like your reviews.soon as I get some money I'm going to get the bk 9. That thing is a beast.
I've never understood the water bottle test. Never been attacked by one, never had to cut one in a survival situation. That being said I like your videos and the full knife rundown was great. The BK9 is next on my list, keep it up.
Great idea with O rings! Just wondering do you have the stock handles on the BK9 ? If you do, I'm telling you get the Micarta handles. It made a world of difference to my BK2, especially in wet conditions.......such as water bottle survival lol. Thanks,
I've seen Ka-Bars stand up to some ridiculous testing, but also seen them fail ridiculously. Could have just been a bad lot, but I saw one bend at the hilt after being thrown a few times. It was the classic style which I know has the skinny tang. The ones I've seen stand up to brutal testing were the newer models with the polymer grips - not sure if they changed the tang on those or not, but no bending. Outstanding edge and point retention also.
Hello Chris: A long time ago i had a KA-BAR fighting knife before i was 20 and at that time i got it from Sunny Surpluses and you can say that was a really long time ago lol. But really i have been looking around for a really good knife to do some outdoor work like camping and fishing and yea. And I've been on you tube for sometime now and in a couple weeks or so i have been looking for a nother KA-BAR fighting knife and the first one i had it did me very well and at the 50 price that's pretty good for a knife that's made here in the U. S. A. And it's very easy to sharpen and thanks for your in and out puts on all the knifes you put to the testing and keep cool and ✌
I like the idea of the o rings to improve the grip. One question? Would the rings interfere with cleaning? I usually give mine a good cleaning twice a year including a wipe down with saddle soap on the leather then mink oil about a week later.
I can tell you're a good guy. I like your videos, they are pretty entertaining as well as informative, and that's a great idea for the Kabar. But what are those, rubber seals, for plumbing?? I was thinking of getting a kabar, and I agree with you on the handle, they do look rather uncomfortable.
She doesn't say anything since I don't film when anyone is home, and if I much up the carpet I get out the Hoover Steam Vac. I'm more worried about what she's going to say when see sees the hole I melted in our new deck box with the Biolite stove! Those three will get it done. Not a fan of the BK2 myself...I sold mine. I always favored the BK9 so I never carried the '2.
Chris, You can also use a section of bicycle tyre tubing to give an even better grip Ahhh sorry to be a pain Chris could you please tell me the best Gun Blueing solution to Blue the blade after I strip it? Thanks Chris
Nice video. I have owned my Ka-Bar USMC for almost 20 years, and have use it on camping trips, hiking, and prepping for hunting season in the areas that I will be hunting. It can take a lot of punishment, putting O-rings in the handle grooves is a great idea. I will go to my local Ace Hardware and get the O-rings. I like your ideas, you know when you have to take life to a HIGH LEVEL of self preservation. Be safe and enjoy life!
You should do a review on the Mtech Extreme Raptor. I just ordered that knife online not too long ago and I can't wait to get it!! That knife is a beast, I was thinking of doing an unboxing once I get it, but yeah it's a badass knife. Good job on your videos!!
Brought out my USMC K-BAR new in box that I bought about 20 years ago to check it out and will definitely do the O ring Mod but I wanted to upgrade the sheath...Kydex or Nylon??
good idea with the rings i love my usmc ka bar bad ass knife but not the best to chop with they do the job well but they can fail its a grate fighting/servival knife so a bit of light chpopping and battoning is going to be fine some people try to batton through a 6 inch log full of knots and end up braking the handel off .
Ryan , try the shade schf36, it's a great medium sized wood processing, utility knife that runs around 35 dollars plus shipping. Defiantly a high quality knife, but it comes with a horrible sheath. the sharpening stone and ferro rod it comes with does help take the sting of a poor sheath easier to bear.
I have an original 1940s one carried in battle but i will never get to sharpen it so its good for looking at.. it was the first thing i got when i turned 18yrs. but if shit hit the fan it's the first thing i would grab. Looking at buying a busse or another k-bar-d2
Can anyone confirm that this has the same steel, heat treat, and edge angle as a Becker BK9? I beat the snot out of my Becker delimbing branches & it's still sharp while my Fiskars hatchet turned snaggletooth working on the same wood.
lmao! Dude, your neighbors must think your a fuckin' fruit loop! They're probably like, "Oh look, here comes Chris again choppin' fuckin water bottles out on his rear deck." HAHA! Nice video though! I especially like the part about the ethical treatment of water bottles! =) Just remember, every time you waste water, you make Cody Lundin cry!
I fuckin love my Ka-Bar ! It's just my go to knife when I'm hunting or just out in the sticks ... Hell I still have other brand new fixed blades I haven't used yet because I love it so much ! lol I definitely have to try the o-rings, the only time the leather is grippy is when there's deer blood on my hands and the handle .
You do some nice reviews. Unfortunately this wasn't one of them. You hold in your hand a excellent knife with a great history that's kinda made look goofy in this
Hey guys I just purchased a razor sharp kabar brand new that could cut hair no problem and after a few small slices with it it became extremely dull to the point where I can't cut paper or even cardboard without it ripping. I was cutting plain foam (the soft kind not styrofoam). Any idea what happened? Yes it was a real kabar 1095 crovan. Not sure what the problem was.
Honestly it sounds like bad tempering if edge retention is that rancid. I have a kabar myself and it came dull I had to put a convex grind on it though after ward its works beautifully. I'm not sure if you should try that or not but if you have not tried resharpening maybe once or twice with two different grinds specifically on the second bevel(I'm assuming the primary grind is a really shallow hallow grind.) I recommend convex (I would also say a full flat grind though this is difficult in my opinion also doing this worng would seriously damage the blade.) or a v grind. How ever before you do any of that I would check for an nicks in the edge this could be your reason for tearing. If this works for a little while then fails you should probably send it back and ask for a new one.
Hmm yeah it may possibly be a defect because I have 2 Kabars one I just bought and one about 5 months ago. They both came razor sharp (the old ones still pretty sharp even after cutting wood and many other things) the new one however lost its edge really quickly. Now I'm afraid to use my old kabar on the foam. I've read online somewhere that foam dulls knives but I have no idea why.
I thought I deleted this video. I guess I didn't. Since then, I've seen way too many pictures of broken ones. Mine didn't break when I had it, but you're rolling the dice. Just don't use it for heavy batoning. It can't handle it.
That's what worried me that it couldn't handle something like that. I'm looking for a true full tang knife with a decent cross guard. Would you have any suggestions?
Oh I didn't think you thought the Ka-bar was a bad knife. I figured you thought that there were better knives suited to bushcraft. The Ka-bar has a proven record as an excellent knife. I was just asking what it's limits might be. I actually got a Kabar as a Christmas gift from a friend of mine. I'll be looking into a Bk 2 next. Thanks for all the informative feedback.
I sell Firearms & Knives. KA-BAR is best bang for the Buck when it comes to knives! The USMC is weighted nicely for throwing too! The leather handle is very nice! Great vid bud!
A fighting knife? Yeah what ever, a good knife yes, I give it a 7 out of 10, most reasons are in this video and I’m happy I agree, but one more complaint I have is that for any practical uses for my outdoors lifestyle is the bevel is not big enough on the saber grind, blade is too thick and it does not allow for much control in cutting
Hey Chris, I'm not so sure about the Kabar USMC knife man... =/ After taking your advice and searching here on youtube for "Kabar USMC fail" and "Kabar fail" I got a decent amount of videos of people showing this knife breaking on them right where the blade meets the handle because it's actually a rat tail tang... It seems as though you have been having good luck so far, but I'm just not sure about this one....=/ Also, something else to consider is the hand guard - more specifically the one that sticks off the top side of the knife. I didn't even think of this until I watched a video of someone complaining about this, but you really need to be careful when batoning with this knife because people say that they have easily bent their quillions while batoning. That would anger me. lol
You are correct. I've never messed mine up but like you have since seen the same thing. .. usually people trying to view off now than that knife can chew. I'm actually going to Redux my survival blades part 4 vid and remove the Ka-bar and Navy Mk1 and replace it with others like the Schrade SCHF1SM.
Hey Chris, How about something like the cold steel SRK? I don't personally have experience with them, but I have heard lots of good reviews on both the old carbon V model, and the AUS-8 and san mai3 models alike. in fact, I am strongly considering asking for one as a potential present for Christmas! although, I am also strongly considering the bk7 as well... Not sure yet. I really don't care for the coatings that come on the back or not because they are often create too much friction. unfortunately, I don't really feel confident and using those chemicals that you used to strip the blade of the coating... but I do think Jessica is one sexy bitch! ;-)
if the upper guard is your problem, its an easy fix . might sound crude but a pair of bolt cutters and 30 minutes with a file beveling the left over tab to nothing did it for me now I can put my thumb on the spine, love it thinking of making a kydex sheath for it now, badass knife, not perfect, but gets the job done. good review chris
yea ive seen a video on something like that too, but its not really made for cut wood, more so for combat I believe, but if you have to cut wood then I guess you have to
I own a Ka-Bar that I use for camping and it's held up solid from cutting branches down and medial duties around my camp site. If I were out in the wilderness trying to survive I would definitely go with the Becker knives.
Ahhhhh, memories...😂🤣😃😄😅😆😂🤣😃😄😅😆😁😎😎 One of your best reviews EVER. Take it easy brother. Did you ever review a Blackhawk Tatang??? I couldn't find it if you did. Great blade if you haven't messed around with one. Peace out.
+Tiki Tavi While that is a neat trick, I find that the leather grip when properly oiled has an insanely good grip, even better than the synthetic Kraton G grips you see on many models. The down side is it requires more maintenance to make sure the leather stays malleable/flexible. Also oil the leather sheath. I love the dark cherry-wood-varnish-like leather grips on the vintage WWII KA-BAR knives, so I submerged both the grip and sheath in Neetsfoot oil, which often causes brown/tan leather to darken to that cherry wood varnish over time. Saturating the leather helps keep a near permanent layer of oil on the tang, preventing corrosion. Saturating the sheath helps repel moisture, and puts a light coat of oil on the blade when you put it in the sheath. It also protects the belt loop and grip strap from getting dry, and eventually cracking. If you and your descendants take good care of your KA-BAR 1217 USMC fighting utility knife, it'll easily last over 100 years of use... maybe even 200 years! If your curious about what I said about darkening the leather, see this picture of the same 1217 model you have (obviously the KA-BAR in the picture): scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13072770_1197466170266637_6860667271005114946_o.jpg And: scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/1936546_1114251525254769_7649880865395488400_n.jpg?oh=284b450a9d61f8a69ab537b950f9ba55&oe=57AF1FD2 The other knife is about a 1967-1969 vintage Edge Brand model 473 stag horn hunting knife my dad carried in the Vietnam War, if you were wondering.
***** True, but I do love the stacked leather. The synthetic grips do have that wonderful all weather characteristic, though, so there's something to be said about that. Heck, of the four KA-BAR knives I have at this time (models 1211, 1217, 1245, and 1281), only the 1217 has the leather grip and sheath. It's the coolest and best looking of them, but the 1281 is my EDC knife due to the hefty pommel and guard, all weather Kraton G grip, and that sweet D2 tool steel blade. The sheath also has a pouch on it, and has 2 buttoned MOLLE straps that make (un)equipping the sheath to your belt or backpack super fast and easy. That leather 1217, though... Mmm-hmm! Awesome aesthetics! Interestingly enough, the 1211 seems the most balanced of them all for nailing targets at 10 feet when thrown (as seen on my channel). The 1281 is the hardest to throw, but with practice I've got it down... not that I'd throw my knife unless absolutely necessary in the absolute worst scenarios, since you would effectively disarm yourself and give your attacker another weapon if you fail.
As a former U.S. Marine we used the Kabar for one thing only let's face it nobody wants to get that close to your enemy because someone always get cut but last ditch it does the job
In a knife fight, winner goes to the ER.
My son bought me this exact knife for Christmas. Thanks for your tip about the o-rings. I just went to Lowes and bought a pack. They fit the handle perfectly. This is a great mod for this knife.
Around 1968 on a drive with my father, we went on a lark to a Navy Surplus store. He bought me a ka-bar knockoff made in Japan (by the blade stamp). It's an iconic design and is as good and tight as the day I bought it. Recently put a convex edge on it. I've used it throughout the year, but have other knives that I use more frequently. Periodically I clean it up and oil it with Ballistol, which protects metal, leather, and rubber. While the handle was confortable, it wasn't a great grip. Slippery even with the grooves. At your recommendation, I just added the #15 rubber gasket washers. (As an aside, use painter's tape to cover grooves and install the washers beginning near the quillion/cross-guard.) It's feels like a new knife. What a great recommendation! Thanks so much.
The kbar is still one of the greatest knives ever built for what it is built for! No it's not for carving on your tent stakes,although it will work, but it's as stout and durable as they come. Knowing what you are going to do and buying the right tool is the first step. If I could only have one the kbar would be hard to beat.
I haven't been attacked by any water bottles latley so I'm not worried about that
Thanks for the tip . I have a huge mechanics O-Ring kit . I have the R-15 o-rings , but decided they're a little thin . The R-17 O-rings are thicker and work great . Again , thanks for the tip .
I inherited my Dads late 70s USMC KaBar. I know that the older ones have a different Tungsten content than the newer ones.
I've beat the heck out of that thing for the better part of my 40 years, and have never chipped it, he'll, it took that long to dull it.
They take forever to sharpen, but I'm pretty sure I could chop my BK-7 in half with it.
Most rugged knife I've ever seen.
I wonder if we expect too much of a knife these days? Baton-ing? That's abuse to any knife, though some seem to take it. I admit the Ka-bar has the tang design weakness, but really only in regard to baton-ing. Otherwise, the knife serves its purpose just fine. Going to get one. Long overdue.
+Ranger Trekker A lot of people want to use it as a bushcraft knife. So yout have to talk about it.
I usually like your reviews but you are testing a fighting knife out by chopping water bottles? You say you don't like the grip and then get out another knife that doesn't deserve to be in the same video as the iconic Ka-Bar. If it's good enough that the marines have used it since ww2 then it's good enough for anybody.
BK9 is a Ka-Bar too FYI. An actual full tang 1095 knife not a brittle rat tail tang like the fighting knife. That BK 9 could chop the fighting knife in half and still keep going.
Robertjr82: I love my Ka-Bar 1217. Big fan. But, saying “if it was good enough for the Marines, it’s good enough for anyone,” isn’t exactly true. Now, I agree: the Ka-Bar 1217 is more than capable of being a reliable knife. If I was lost, defending myself, whatever, and all I had was my Ka-Bar, I’d count myself lucky.
But, these days, a lot of knife enthusiasts have jumped on the bandwagon of this whole “you should be able cut down a tree and not break the blade” concept. I don’t see that as good or bad, but it’s what some people want. A Ka-Bar simply cannot take the same level of extreme stresses that some of the more modern blades can handle. If you try to use a Ka-Bar to perform the same tasks as, say a Esee 5, you’re going to have a bad day....LOL.
But, for how use my knives (any of them, not just my Ka-Bar), I have never had a single problem or complaint, and everything I need done, gets done. I like everything about the design, even the rattail-tang. When you consider what it was originally intended to do, that rattail tang maintains the balance, and keeps the weight down, which would certainly reduce fatigue if you had a SUPER suck day, and had to fight with it.
That 90 degree nonsense where the blade and tang meet is kind of dumb, but it’s not a dealbreaker, or an issue considering how I use my knives.
I have, quite literally, trusted my life with it. When I was 18, I was hiking up around Grand Lake, CO., decided to take a shortcut to this well known waterfall, and like an idiot, got myself lost. LOL...I didn’t have water, not even a friggin’ granola bar....but I had my Ka-Bar....so I didn’t panic. I wish there was a really cool adventure, but by the end of the day I managed to orient myself, and found my way back to camp.
🤷♂️ So, I like it. If people use it the way it was intended to be used, I’d just about guarantee that it will outlive the person who bought it, and probably outlive their great-grandchildren.
Hi Cris ! Thought I'd go back in time for a visit ! Loved seeing Becky again .
Just buy the version with the synthetic handle grip and it's problem solved. Had mine for 15 years and it's always served me well. For bushcraft use I changed the edge grind so it's more convex and this helped a lot. I've beaten the piss out of this thing and it's still going strong
Definitely! That BK9 went through the hardest part of the bottle with nearly zero resistance. I need to do a Becker cut-a-thon, but I am out of bottles at the moment. Need some of those bigger ones.
I've had my KaBar USMC for thirty one years. super durable excellent quality knife. and now I have one more use for it. cutting the necks off water bottles.
I wonder if that handle is wrapped with the same dyed leather as the Estwing Sportsman's Leather Grip Handle Axe found in some box stores.
Anyway, I heard thats the first thing to deteriorate when it gets repeatedly wet.
I also learned somewhere on YT that another way to improve the grip on the USMC knife is by wetting the handle so it causes it to swell.
It's really just a sharpness/stroke angle test. Try cutting a bottle with a blade not sharp enough and you get disaster. This video demonstrated that perfectly. Some people live for the bottle test though....
thanks for the tip with the O rings. I have 2 ka-bar knives. one was a gift and is brand new and the other was my uncle's Vietnam ussue knife. I like them both (the blades are identical) but the older one hasa pretty uncomfortable grip and the O rings really helped! i'm actually starting to like the 50 yr old knife better than the new one. I don't use either for batoning though as I carry an eastwing camp axe in my kit. if I decide to streamline my kit more, I would definitely upgrade to the bk7 or 9
My new small baby is the 7" KA-BAR 1281 D2 Extreme Fighting Utility Knife. That D2 steel is freaking tough. As for any of the 12xx series (yours is the 1217, btw) KA-BAR combat knives go, DON'T SHARPEN THEM BEFORE THEY GET DULL!!! KA-BAR is very meticulous in sharpening their blades to have a balance between edge durability and slicing. Out-of-the-box, the edge is perfect for that knife. Remember, while professional cutlery knives (sharpened to about 10/10 degrees) are really sharp, and quality razor blades (sharpened to about 3 degrees) are impressive for cutting flesh, paper, and fabrics, they dull quickly and are at risk of rolling the edge when doing things like hacking bone and splitting wood. The USMC KA-BAR is basically a replica of the (in)famous WWII KA-BAR knife, which was meant to puncture any part of the enemy's uniform - INCLUDING their steel helmets, slice flesh quickly and effortlessly, have enough length to puncture the heart (and even slice though the ribs on the way in), as well as being able to pound tent stakes, clear brush, open metal ammo barrels, be balanced enough to throw if absolutely necessary, and retain grip even when completely soaked in coagulating blood. There have been many uses for this iconic knife, so don't you think KA-BAR has figured out the best sharpening angle for their flagship knife after nearly 85 years? Yeah, don't sharpen it in a noob electric grinder/sharpener; use a quality whetstone or diamond stone, and re-sharpen it to 20/20 degrees (40 degrees included), which is a common butcher knife angle (and the factory angle for the 12xx series) that slices meat to the bone effortlessly. Ceramic stones are perfect for getting that final edge with their ultra fine grain. However, I recommend you stick with the 20/20 degree angles KA-BAR chose. The 12xx series KA-BAR fighting utility knives are killing tools, not your shaving blade.
Does it cut watermelon ?
My k bar out of the box was very sharp.
Like shaving sharp. Have had no problems with it, had it for about two years now. Keep up the good work like your reviews.soon as I get some money I'm going to get the bk 9. That thing is a beast.
I've never understood the water bottle test. Never been attacked by one, never had to cut one in a survival situation. That being said I like your videos and the full knife rundown was great. The BK9 is next on my list, keep it up.
The o-rings are a brilliant idea! I used them on mine, and my Ka-Bar looks and feels as if it came from the factory like that.
Great idea with O rings! Just wondering do you have the stock handles on the BK9 ?
If you do, I'm telling you get the Micarta handles.
It made a world of difference to my BK2, especially in wet conditions.......such as water bottle survival lol.
Thanks,
I've seen Ka-Bars stand up to some ridiculous testing, but also seen them fail ridiculously. Could have just been a bad lot, but I saw one bend at the hilt after being thrown a few times. It was the classic style which I know has the skinny tang. The ones I've seen stand up to brutal testing were the newer models with the polymer grips - not sure if they changed the tang on those or not, but no bending. Outstanding edge and point retention also.
Hello Chris:
A long time ago i had a KA-BAR fighting knife before i was 20 and at that time i got it from Sunny Surpluses and you can say that was a really long time ago lol. But really i have been looking around for a really good knife to do some outdoor work like camping and fishing and yea.
And I've been on you tube for sometime now and in a couple weeks or so i have been looking for a nother KA-BAR fighting knife and the first one i had it did me very well and at the 50 price that's pretty good for a knife that's made here in the U. S. A. And it's very easy to sharpen and thanks for your in and out puts on all the knifes you put to the testing and keep cool and ✌
Grip?
The grip is great on the KA-BAR.
"You don't have to feel bad about capitating the bottles, because i've made them look evil..."
ROFL
Chris, you are a great entertainer!
I like the idea of the o rings to improve the grip. One question? Would the rings interfere with cleaning? I usually give mine a good cleaning twice a year including a wipe down with saddle soap on the leather then mink oil about a week later.
I'd fucking LOVE to hear the Marines at Tarawa's review, rather than this guy's review...
Next friend who buys a new knife ima ask him how well it can decapitate evil water bottles
It's nice to see some love for those old knives.
the #15 o-rings work great. what an improvement to the handle. Thanks Chris.
I can tell you're a good guy. I like your videos, they are pretty entertaining as well as informative, and that's a great idea for the Kabar. But what are those, rubber seals, for plumbing?? I was thinking of getting a kabar, and I agree with you on the handle, they do look rather uncomfortable.
She doesn't say anything since I don't film when anyone is home, and if I much up the carpet I get out the Hoover Steam Vac. I'm more worried about what she's going to say when see sees the hole I melted in our new deck box with the Biolite stove!
Those three will get it done. Not a fan of the BK2 myself...I sold mine. I always favored the BK9 so I never carried the '2.
Chris, You can also use a section of bicycle tyre tubing to give an even better grip
Ahhh sorry to be a pain Chris could you please tell me the best Gun Blueing solution to Blue the blade after I strip it? Thanks Chris
Did the O-ring mod on my Ka-bar. Love it! Thanks for passing along the tip.
Nice video. I have owned my Ka-Bar USMC for almost 20 years, and have use it on camping trips, hiking, and prepping for hunting season in the areas that I will be hunting. It can take a lot of punishment, putting O-rings in the handle grooves is a great idea. I will go to my local Ace Hardware and get the O-rings. I like your ideas, you know when you have to take life to a HIGH LEVEL of self preservation. Be safe and enjoy life!
I always test my knife edges by seeing how well they cut through thick manila rope.
For those who like the Ontario Air Force Survival Knife, the #15 O ring trick works great for this knife as well.
Haha! Thought you have done with knife reviews! 8 years later, you're still doing them!!!
You should do a review on the Mtech Extreme Raptor. I just ordered that knife online not too long ago and I can't wait to get it!! That knife is a beast, I was thinking of doing an unboxing once I get it, but yeah it's a badass knife. Good job on your videos!!
Nice drive. Did it hit the fairway?
Brought out my USMC K-BAR new in box that I bought about 20 years ago to check it out and will definitely do the O ring Mod but I wanted to upgrade the sheath...Kydex or Nylon??
Thanks, I'm looking at the K-Bar Kydex around 15.00 on Amazon.
I absolutely lost it when you cut off the ping-pong ball.
the K bar is a nice knife but I myself carry the case xx Marine fighting knife you get the legendary case quality and its cheaper than the Kabar
Which angle did you use on the Work Sharp to sharpen this knife?
Did you happen to do a review on "the patriot" or "the call of duty" knives
At 3:12 I damn near fell of my chair laughing. Probably the funniest damn thing I have seen in a while. Good stuff.
you need to do a redoe of the ka bar...& zoom in on your handle on what ya did...
good idea with the rings i love my usmc ka bar bad ass knife but not the best to chop with they do the job well but they can fail its a grate fighting/servival knife so a bit of light chpopping and battoning is going to be fine some people try to batton through a 6 inch log full of knots and end up braking the handel off .
Hotter can you stop the bk9 from slipping so much? The handle sucks
do u think the cold steel tanto lite would be as strong as this knife? I want to get a good medium sized blade but don't wanna break the bank
Ryan , try the shade schf36, it's a great medium sized wood processing, utility knife that runs around 35 dollars plus shipping. Defiantly a high quality knife, but it comes with a horrible sheath. the sharpening stone and ferro rod it comes with does help take the sting of a poor sheath easier to bear.
I have an original 1940s one carried in battle but i will never get to sharpen it so its good for looking at.. it was the first thing i got when i turned 18yrs. but if shit hit the fan it's the first thing i would grab. Looking at buying a busse or another k-bar-d2
Will Jones you sir are very lucky i love ww2 military gear used has even more character
I couldn't stop laughing when you cut the the ping pong ball I knew you would cut it
What can be done with the handle of the bk9 so it won't slip so much? The handle sucks
Notice how the neighbors have built fences to keep this dude out xD lmao
😂
Why do you count yourself while it is already recording?
Can anyone confirm that this has the same steel, heat treat, and edge angle as a Becker BK9? I beat the snot out of my Becker delimbing branches & it's still sharp while my Fiskars hatchet turned snaggletooth working on the same wood.
We've had an influx of zombie water bottle attacks so this appears to be the proper defense weapon.
Ah the godlike feeling of a good cut!
lmao! Dude, your neighbors must think your a fuckin' fruit loop! They're probably like, "Oh look, here comes Chris again choppin' fuckin water bottles out on his rear deck." HAHA! Nice video though! I especially like the part about the ethical treatment of water bottles! =)
Just remember, every time you waste water, you make Cody Lundin cry!
that comment made my day lol
"I thought I was done with knife reviews" lol
I fuckin love my Ka-Bar ! It's just my go to knife when I'm hunting or just out in the sticks ... Hell I still have other brand new fixed blades I haven't used yet because I love it so much ! lol I definitely have to try the o-rings, the only time the leather is grippy is when there's deer blood on my hands and the handle .
the synthetic handle ones grip awesome
hey preparedmind what do you use to sharpen your blades?
***** Work Sharp Knife and Tool Sharpener...original and Ken Onion edition.
thanks a lot man, just ordered the original one from amazon
PREPAREDMIND101 I'm glad you were cutting that crystal geyser water that stuff taste like lake water.
kendric476 Probably is.
You do some nice reviews. Unfortunately this wasn't one of them. You hold in your hand a excellent knife with a great history that's kinda made look goofy in this
Hey guys I just purchased a razor sharp kabar brand new that could cut hair no problem and after a few small slices with it it became extremely dull to the point where I can't cut paper or even cardboard without it ripping. I was cutting plain foam (the soft kind not styrofoam). Any idea what happened? Yes it was a real kabar 1095 crovan. Not sure what the problem was.
Honestly it sounds like bad tempering if edge retention is that rancid. I have a kabar myself and it came dull I had to put a convex grind on it though after ward its works beautifully. I'm not sure if you should try that or not but if you have not tried resharpening maybe once or twice with two different grinds specifically on the second bevel(I'm assuming the primary grind is a really shallow hallow grind.) I recommend convex (I would also say a full flat grind though this is difficult in my opinion also doing this worng would seriously damage the blade.) or a v grind. How ever before you do any of that I would check for an nicks in the edge this could be your reason for tearing. If this works for a little while then fails you should probably send it back and ask for a new one.
Hmm yeah it may possibly be a defect because I have 2 Kabars one I just bought and one about 5 months ago. They both came razor sharp (the old ones still pretty sharp even after cutting wood and many other things) the new one however lost its edge really quickly. Now I'm afraid to use my old kabar on the foam. I've read online somewhere that foam dulls knives but I have no idea why.
They both are from the same company?
Yup both 1211 Kabars from Amazon.com
Yeah most likely just a bad apple out of the bunch.
going in woods, Ka Bar, Fiskars X7, Fiskars folding saw, pocket knife, good to go for anything
PREPAREDMIND101 How do you feel about the stick tang vs the true full tang of the BK 9, or 7? This was a great video. Thanks.
I thought I deleted this video. I guess I didn't. Since then, I've seen way too many pictures of broken ones. Mine didn't break when I had it, but you're rolling the dice. Just don't use it for heavy batoning. It can't handle it.
That's what worried me that it couldn't handle something like that. I'm looking for a true full tang knife with a decent cross guard. Would you have any suggestions?
PREPAREDMIND101 beware of the fakes you just cant tell anymore thats why
Thank you Kucukdede I surely will.
Oh I didn't think you thought the Ka-bar was a bad knife. I figured you thought that there were better knives suited to bushcraft. The Ka-bar has a proven record as an excellent knife. I was just asking what it's limits might be. I actually got a Kabar as a Christmas gift from a friend of mine. I'll be looking into a Bk 2 next. Thanks for all the informative feedback.
Hey are you going to strip the KaBar?
well, which knife is better
You can make any knife sharp enough to cut threw a water bottle. Ka-bar is known for being extremely durable and reliable.
I am buying that knife just for collection i would be too afraid to handle that beast, my 40.00 Bowie doesn't come to match with that ka bar.
this is like those videos you see of guys swinging there katanas around in their backyard.
I sell Firearms & Knives. KA-BAR is best bang for the Buck when it comes to knives! The USMC is weighted nicely for throwing too! The leather handle is very nice! Great vid bud!
I once saw a guy cut through 13 water bottles with a ka-bar... So I don't think that you need to worry about the edge on one
Hey Chris, you gotta get a GSO 5.1 cause I wanna see you review it :P
Great tip on the o-rings, thanks!
A fighting knife? Yeah what ever, a good knife yes, I give it a 7 out of 10, most reasons are in this video and I’m happy I agree, but one more complaint I have is that for any practical uses for my outdoors lifestyle is the bevel is not big enough on the saber grind, blade is too thick and it does not allow for much control in cutting
Another thing, to add on to why I say the blade is too thick, because it works more like a sharp wedge than it does an actual cutting tool
Does anyone know how to tell and original issued like if it was military
Check the Medford knives USMC fighter!
It is the same Ka-Bar but with a better design and steel :)
Hey Chris, I'm not so sure about the Kabar USMC knife man... =/ After taking your advice and searching here on youtube for "Kabar USMC fail" and "Kabar fail" I got a decent amount of videos of people showing this knife breaking on them right where the blade meets the handle because it's actually a rat tail tang... It seems as though you have been having good luck so far, but I'm just not sure about this one....=/
Also, something else to consider is the hand guard - more specifically the one that sticks off the top side of the knife. I didn't even think of this until I watched a video of someone complaining about this, but you really need to be careful when batoning with this knife because people say that they have easily bent their quillions while batoning. That would anger me. lol
You are correct. I've never messed mine up but like you have since seen the same thing. .. usually people trying to view off now than that knife can chew. I'm actually going to Redux my survival blades part 4 vid and remove the Ka-bar and Navy Mk1 and replace it with others like the Schrade SCHF1SM.
Hey Chris,
How about something like the cold steel SRK? I don't personally have experience with them, but I have heard lots of good reviews on both the old carbon V model, and the AUS-8 and san mai3 models alike. in fact, I am strongly considering asking for one as a potential present for Christmas! although, I am also strongly considering the bk7 as well... Not sure yet. I really don't care for the coatings that come on the back or not because they are often create too much friction. unfortunately, I don't really feel confident and using those chemicals that you used to strip the blade of the coating... but I do think Jessica is one sexy bitch! ;-)
if the upper guard is your problem, its an easy fix . might sound crude but a pair of bolt cutters and 30 minutes with a file beveling the left over tab to nothing did it for me now I can put my thumb on the spine, love it thinking of making a kydex sheath for it now, badass knife, not perfect, but gets the job done. good review chris
yea ive seen a video on something like that too, but its not really made for cut wood, more so for combat I believe, but if you have to cut wood then I guess you have to
I own a Ka-Bar that I use for camping and it's held up solid from cutting branches down and medial duties around my camp site. If I were out in the wilderness trying to survive I would definitely go with the Becker knives.
Ahhhhh, memories...😂🤣😃😄😅😆😂🤣😃😄😅😆😁😎😎 One of your best reviews EVER.
Take it easy brother. Did you ever review a Blackhawk Tatang??? I couldn't find it if you did. Great blade if you haven't messed around with one. Peace out.
Dude you are hilarious. You say some crazy stuff. "Oh so you like my girlfriend huh..." :) AWESOME!
can you review the buck tops nighthawk?
What o ring size(s) did you use?
#15 he said
i love your sarcastic tone hahaha
Nice, after I buy this knife I wil use it to teach some water bottles a lesson they wont forget.
Where you get yours
What did these poor defence less water bottles ever do to you ,you have got to learn how to forgive and forget
228! Strike that, 1k!
You thought whaaa? What happened?
How did you the ball dead center, hahaha!
I thought they made this with the kraton handle now
both
I can't grip the knife?? 70 years later and the same knife, if its not broke bon't fix it.
well, about the ka-bar usmc.. it's a damned fine knife.
What a great tip with the O rings. 👍
“No more neck for you” lmaooo
the knife grip works fine for me plus your holding the knife wrong smart one
Got to try that,the o ring thing
Thumbs up just for the o-ring trick.
+Tiki Tavi While that is a neat trick, I find that the leather grip when properly oiled has an insanely good grip, even better than the synthetic Kraton G grips you see on many models. The down side is it requires more maintenance to make sure the leather stays malleable/flexible. Also oil the leather sheath. I love the dark cherry-wood-varnish-like leather grips on the vintage WWII KA-BAR knives, so I submerged both the grip and sheath in Neetsfoot oil, which often causes brown/tan leather to darken to that cherry wood varnish over time. Saturating the leather helps keep a near permanent layer of oil on the tang, preventing corrosion. Saturating the sheath helps repel moisture, and puts a light coat of oil on the blade when you put it in the sheath. It also protects the belt loop and grip strap from getting dry, and eventually cracking. If you and your descendants take good care of your KA-BAR 1217 USMC fighting utility knife, it'll easily last over 100 years of use... maybe even 200 years!
If your curious about what I said about darkening the leather, see this picture of the same 1217 model you have (obviously the KA-BAR in the picture):
scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13072770_1197466170266637_6860667271005114946_o.jpg
And:
scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/1936546_1114251525254769_7649880865395488400_n.jpg?oh=284b450a9d61f8a69ab537b950f9ba55&oe=57AF1FD2
The other knife is about a 1967-1969 vintage Edge Brand model 473 stag horn hunting knife my dad carried in the Vietnam War, if you were wondering.
+Goattacular Kraton G is a lot simpler and easier.
*****
True, but I do love the stacked leather. The synthetic grips do have that wonderful all weather characteristic, though, so there's something to be said about that. Heck, of the four KA-BAR knives I have at this time (models 1211, 1217, 1245, and 1281), only the 1217 has the leather grip and sheath. It's the coolest and best looking of them, but the 1281 is my EDC knife due to the hefty pommel and guard, all weather Kraton G grip, and that sweet D2 tool steel blade. The sheath also has a pouch on it, and has 2 buttoned MOLLE straps that make (un)equipping the sheath to your belt or backpack super fast and easy. That leather 1217, though... Mmm-hmm! Awesome aesthetics!
Interestingly enough, the 1211 seems the most balanced of them all for nailing targets at 10 feet when thrown (as seen on my channel). The 1281 is the hardest to throw, but with practice I've got it down... not that I'd throw my knife unless absolutely necessary in the absolute worst scenarios, since you would effectively disarm yourself and give your attacker another weapon if you fail.
Bk9 is one of those good for nothing blades. Looks bad ass but all it does well is chop.
Can you review the "Ka-Bar Big Brother Knife"?
Nice test
R.I.P TO ALL WATER BOTTLES KILLED IN THIS VIDEO
Or use tennis wrap even better 😉 I use it on hunting trip bloody hands and etc... Still grip