KA-BAR USMC Fighting Knife

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.

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!