Although it was first deployed in World War II, the KA-BAR USMC
Fighting Knife is still in use today.
During WWII, KA-BAR (Then known as Union Cutlery Co.) was tasked with
creating a replacement to the Mark 1 Trench Knife. Union Cutlery Co’s name-change reportedly
comes from a hardly-legible letter from a fur trapper, in which he describes
killing a bear with one of their knives (the actual text read Kill A B’AR,
which lead to KA-BAR). Anyways, the USMC
was looking for a knife that could be used for anything from fighting to
cutting barbed wire to opening ration tins.
After comparing knives from multiple companies, the USMC came up with
the USMC Fighting Knife that current Marines, hunters, and sportsmen alike use,
enjoy, and depend upon.
The Good: This
knife is very well built! It is probably
the strongest knife I have ever used.
Although I own the shorter version (5.25” blade), the blade its self is just
under 3/16” thick, making quick work of chopping, slicing, prying, or any other
use. The knife has a full, hidden tang,
meaning the tail end of the blade runs the entire length through the handle
(more to come on construction later).
The blade has a fuller, commonly called a blood channel, despite the
fact that blood drainage isn’t the primary function. A fuller serves to lighten a knife or sword by
removing metal that doesn’t serve any structural purpose; just as bridges are
constructed out of trusses instead of solid metal plates. The USMC Fighting Knife has a powder coated
blade (more info in a later post), which protects the metal and reduces blade glare. Finally, this knife is made from 1095 High
Carbon Steel, which is suitable for high-impact work. The metal its self is easy to sharpen
(although the design isn’t, see below) and is fairly wear resistant.
The Bad: Since
the blade is so thick, the bevels that slope down to the cutting edge are fairly
steep. This makes sharpening more
difficult, at least if you want a razor-sharp edge. Since this is a utility knife, edge
durability is more important than sharpenability. 1095 is a high-carbon steel, which means it
is heat treatable (leading to increased sharpness and wear resistance), but
also means that this knife is susceptible to rust. Carbon steels have much less chemical
resistance than Stainless steels, and must be regularly oiled to prevent
rust. Finally, the pommel and cross
guard are painted, not powder coated, making both easy to scratch.
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| KA-BAR pictured with synthetic and leather sheath. Photo Credit: Gabe Johnson |
Variations: Although the original KA-BAR appears as
pictured, many different styles are currently in production. KA-BAR makes some with synthetic handles,
synthetic sheaths (convenient in wet environments), and varying blade
styles. Although these knives are nice,
my personal favorite is still the traditional KA-BAR, with the stacked leather
handle, combination serrated-straight edge, Bowie style tip. As a side-note, the full-size USMC KA-BAR is
not legal for open carry in Texas, since it has a 7” blade. For this reason, KA-BAR has several models
available with a 5.25” blade, which is what I carry. The KA-BAR USMC knife cost $65.00 new, regardless
of style or size, and the synthetic sheath is available for $15.00 from several
sellers, such as Amazon.com.
Overall: This is an excellent knife for anyone needing
a durable, hardworking knife. With just a little bit of care, this knife will
last a lifetime!
Thanks for
reading, and check back sometime soon for my next post!
